Chap 17
"Amber."
"Selena."
"Sable."
"Mary."
"Seb."
The group had settled on the open lawn.
Penny was wearing what looked suspiciously like a silk potato sack tied at each shoulder with braided cords.
One by one she pointed at each person as they told her their names.
Then she pointed to herself.
"Pen...nell...ah...Pea."
The reactions were mixed.
Some gasped.
Some laughed.
Several immediately tried, and failed, to repeat it.
Prince Sebastian stepped forward, took her hand, and bowed over it with all the confidence of a gentleman who had absolutely no idea what he was doing.
"Nice to formally meet you, Pen-knello-pea."
Sable groaned dramatically.
"This is boring."
Several girls immediately nodded.
"If Seb won't let us play kiss the prince, how about hide-and-seek?"
Sebastian's eyes narrowed.
"I am definitely not allowing you to blindfold me."
"Why?"
"Because I don't trust any of you."
The flowers burst into laughter.
"Oh yes, let's play."
Penny nodded enthusiastically despite having only a vague understanding of the conversation.
Mary sprang to her feet.
"I count first."
Without waiting for approval, she covered her eyes.
"One!"
Everyone screamed and scattered.
The prince caught Penny's hand and immediately dragged her with him.
She laughed as they ran.
Behind them Mary was already shouting numbers while flowers shrieked and crashed through bushes.
Sebastian glanced over his shoulder.
"This way."
He pulled her beneath the sweeping curtain of a weeping willow.
The trunk was enormous.
More importantly, it was just wide enough to hide two people if neither minded standing far closer than was reasonable.
Penny's back touched the bark.
Sebastian stepped in front of her.
Very close.
Close enough that she could see a bead of sweat sliding down his temple from the run.
Close enough that his shoulder brushed hers whenever he shifted.
His hand came up against the trunk above her head while he peeked around the tree.
"Do you think she saw us?"
His voice was low.
His breathing was still slightly uneven from the run.
He glanced around the trunk one final time before retreating fully into their hiding place.
"I think we're safe here."
Penny watched his lips as he spoke.
Then she looked back up into his eyes.
His expression immediately tightened.
A soft groan escaped him.
"You are making this very difficult for me."
Penny smiled innocently.
Which only seemed to make things worse.
His hand slowly lifted toward her face.
For one breath she thought
Instead, he carefully freed a strand of hair that had caught against the rough bark and tucked it behind her ear.
His fingers lingered for just a second before he pulled them away.
"I suppose I could teach you another word while we wait."
He motioned around them.
"Hide."
Penny leaned closer.
Close enough that her lips brushed the shell of his ear as she whispered back.
"Hide."
The reaction was immediate.
A shiver ran visibly through him.
His eyes closed for half a heartbeat.
Then he opened them and looked directly at her.
Really looked at her.
The playful expression he'd been wearing was suddenly gone.
"I want to kiss you so much right now it hurts."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"And I can't even ask you to say yes."
Penny blinked at him.
Then repeated the only word she thought would make his suffering worse.
"Yes."
The prince made a strangled noise.
"Next word?"
For a moment Sebastian simply stared at her.
Then his gaze dropped briefly to her mouth.
"Kiss."
His head lowered.
Penny's heart skipped.
She never felt his lips.
"FOUND YOU!"
Mary exploded beneath the willow like an invading army.
Sebastian launched himself backward so fast he nearly tripped over a root.
"I was teaching her words!"
Mary stopped.
Looked at him.
Looked at Penny.
Looked back at him.
Then immediately burst out laughing.
"Sure you were."
"I was."
"Of course."
"I was!"
Mary spun toward the lawn, laughing harder.
"I'll keep your secret if you play kiss the prince tomorrow with us!"
"That is not a real game!" Sebastian yelled after her.
Mary turned and grinned.
"If Sable says it is, then it is. Promise or I'm telling."
The prince groaned.
"Fine. One game tomorrow."
Mary gasped in delight.
"Wonderful!"
Then she ran off laughing triumphantly to hunt for more victims.
Sebastian turned back toward Penny.
She was still leaning against the tree watching him with her head tilted slightly as if she were confused.
"Kiss?" she asked.
Sebastian immediately looked toward the sky.
The expression was somewhere between a prayer and a cry for help.
After several seconds he lowered his gaze back to her.
Penny was trying very hard not to smile.
Unfortunately for her, she was terrible at hiding it.
Sebastian stepped closer.
His hand settled carefully against her waist.
He took a slow breath.
Then another.
Then appeared to reconsider every decision that had brought him to this exact moment.
"This is my first time," he admitted.
His fingers tightened slightly in the folds of her dress.
"So don't expect anything impressive."
Penny's smile grew.
Sebastian pointed at his mouth.
"Kiss."
Then repeated the word more quietly.
"Kiss."
His head lowered.
Slowly.
As though giving himself every possible opportunity to change his mind.
His lips were only a breath away when a voice interrupted.
"Mary said you're going to let us play "
Sable stopped.
Her eyes widened.
Then she squealed.
"ARE WE ALREADY PLAYING?"
Before either of them could react, she darted forward and pressed herself dramatically against the tree trunk beside Penny.
"Me next."
She squeezed her eyes shut.
Puckered her lips.
And lifted her chin expectantly.
Sebastian stared at her.
Then at Penny.
Then back at Sable.
"Absolutely not."
Sable opened one eye.
"Is that a no?"
"It is somehow several no's."
The prince turned and walked away.
Not gracefully.
Not regally.
He simply abandoned the entire situation.
Behind him Sable called out helpfully.
"I think you're getting better at the game!"
Penny couldn't help it but start giggling behind her fingers, and Sable started also.
Mary popped under the hanging branches and looked around, "Where is the prince? The attendants are here to get the flowers invited to the ball ready."
Sable bounced away from the tree.
"Oh, that is me. Tarquin only has one more night before border patrol."
Penny followed her from beneath the willow's hanging branches.
Sebastian was waiting.
His hand was already out.
"Come. We need to get you back to my father's rooms so you can get ready."
Penny slipped her hand into his.
Behind them the flowers waved dramatically.
"Goodbye, Seb!"
"See you tomorrow!"
"Practice for the game!"
"Bring snacks!"
"I am not playing that game!" Sebastian shouted over his shoulder.
The flowers only laughed harder.
"I do not think those are good friends to have," he muttered.
Penny smiled.
They had nearly reached the massive wooden doors separating the garden from the castle when hurried footsteps came racing after them.
"Wait!"
Mary appeared breathless.
She held up Penny's discarded court gown.
"Don't forget this."
Sebastian accepted the gown and draped it over his arm.
"Thank you, Mary. I'll see you tonight at the ball."
Mary immediately shook her head.
"I wasn't invited."
Then she turned and fled back toward the gardens.
The heavy doors opened.
Silence fell.
The king stood in the doorway.
No one moved.
His gaze settled first on Penny.
Her hair was loose.
Her cheeks were pink from running.
The expensive gown selected for her as his future queen was gone.
In its place was a simple flower dress tied together incorrectly with braided cords.
Then his eyes moved to Sebastian.
To the hand still holding hers.
To the court gown draped over his arm.
To the expression on his son's face.
And finally to the red-haired flower disappearing at remarkable speed into the gardens.
For a long moment nobody spoke.
Penny felt something through the bond.
Not anger.
Not exactly.
Something far more dangerous.
The king slowly raised one eyebrow.
"Sebastian."
The prince closed his eyes.
Just once.
Like a man accepting his fate.
"Father."
The king's gaze returned to the gown hanging from Sebastian's arm.
Then to Penny.
Then back to Sebastian.
"Would you care," he said very softly, "to explain why you are holding my songbird's clothes?"