Kiss- Frog Prince Retold
Page 14
Memories of that first night brought a blush to Anahita's cheeks. She had not been able to resist him, either, nor had she wanted to. As for letting her sleep in that tent alone…Anahita had begged him to stay when he'd suggested leaving. Realisation dawned. "That's how we broke the curse." The very night she'd vowed to do anything Philemon needed to break it, she already had.
"Perhaps. It was my first curse, and, I hope, my last." Philemon drew in a deep breath. "So…you aren't angry at me for wedding you without you being aware of it? Without asking for your consent to the match?" He rushed to continue before she could respond. "If you are, say the word and I will divorce you, though it would break my heart to do so. I could not force you into a match you do not desire."
"No, you wouldn't." She remembered the passion of that first night, and every night after. Until last night's loneliness, not knowing if she would ever see him again. "I came to you willingly, Philemon. Every night since, and so I intend to continue. Together, with you. No talk of divorce or cutting out hearts. I am your wife. I am your wife." The word tasted good on her lips.
"My one and only." Now his smile appeared, and it was blindingly bright. His arms slid around her, pulling her close. His kiss held the promise of everything she'd ever wanted.
She laid her head against his bare chest, where his heartbeat thrummed under her cheek. "Take me home to Tasnim, my Frog Prince."
"Anything for the princess who saved me."
Forty Six
"Here she is, Your Highness," a man's voice said. Not Haidar or Asad.
Anahita settled Vega on her glove and turned to face the newcomer.
She had to look up to meet the eyes of a tall woman in purple. Even her eyes were that unusual colour.
"Who is this?" Anahita asked coolly.
The bowing servant straightened, and she was surprised to see he wore nothing but a loincloth, like some lowly slave.
"I am Lord Kaveh, once the Grand Vizier of Tasnim, now slave to the ring that was once the prince's ring of office. My magic still runs strong through these tunnels, and the doors still open to my touch. I serve Prince Aladdin now," the man said smoothly.
The man who had made the jewelled gardens, Anahita remembered. But that did not give him the right to intrude in her private chambers. She'd set Vega on him if he woke the baby.
"I meant the woman."
He bowed again, even lower and more elaborately this time. "Your Highness, Princess Zuleika the Enchantress, Mistress of Beacon Isle, may I present Her Highness, Princess Anahita, the Princess of Tasnim?"
Anahita stared. This was the woman who had cursed Philemon and the city? She didn't look a day older than Anahita herself, and…was she pregnant? Philemon had never said anything about her being a princess, either. This wasn't the witch she'd imagined at all.
Zuleika inclined her head. "I heard that people were returning to Tasnim, now their prince had been found. There was even talk about the wells refilling. I had to see this for myself. Particularly the princess who could fall in love with a frog."
"He was never truly a frog. He didn't talk like one. And no frog has ever attacked one of my hunting falcons the way he did," Anahita said.
The enchantress closed her eyes. "Ah, you are a witch, then. Your magic is faint, but I see it now. That must be useful. Even I would have to bespell the bird for it to sit as contently as yours does. Especially underground."
"She has the freedom of the air and light wells whenever she wishes. So does Merlin, though she prefers to fish in the wells beneath the city, for she is fond of frogs. All my birds are free to come and go as they wish. I do not believe in enslaving anyone." Anahita sniffed. "I would not expect some barbarian king's daughter to understand."
Zuleika's eyes snapped open. "I am the daughter of an enchantress, not some king or prince. But I married one, and this one will be king when his uncle dies." She patted her belly. Definitely pregnant. "I have seen more of the world – and of slavery – than you ever will, daughter of the desert. I think if more women ruled this world than the foolish men who mess it up now, we might see an end to such things. But I cannot turn all of them into frogs, so it will not be in my lifetime." She smiled sadly.
Frogs or corpses – what was worse? Fakhri, Basit and their ilk would never trouble the world again, while frogs could be redeemed. Or maybe Philemon was unique in that. "It will take more than one woman to change the world. This city is enough for me," Anahita said. This girl…woman…whatever she was, was more like Maram than Anahita. One who played at politics, who had more power than Anahita could ever want.
"Keeping the Prince of Tasnim from drying up the city's wells through more foolishness is certainly enough to keep any woman busy," Zuleika said.
"At least nothing a good storm can't fix," Anahita said, thinking of what Asad had told her about the rivers that ran below the desert dunes. A wail rose from the next room. Mirza was awake. She sighed. "And teach my son to be better."
Zuleika nodded. "You should know Philemon promised me a great deal of gold for helping him. Gold which is still in your treasury, for he refused to pay me. I have no need of it now, so you may keep it. Consider it a wedding gift, or a wager, if you will, for I never thought there would be a woman willing to do what you have. Loving a frog – ha! Even my husband would not believe it. Wait until I tell him."
Anahita opened her mouth to thank her for her generosity, but the enchantress had vanished. So had the djinn.
Anahita tended to Mirza and fed him until he fell asleep, but the enchantress did not return.
And all was well in Tasnim, safe beneath the desert sands, where the wells never ran dry again.
The next tale in this series will be Hunt: Red Riding Hood Retold, the tale of Rumpelstilskin's brother-in-law, Sir Chase, which you can get HERE (http://www.demelzacarlton.com/fairytale/#Hunt)
If you'd like to read how Maram and Aladdin found their happily-ever-after, it's in Wish: Aladdin Retold HERE (http://www.demelzacarlton.com/fairytale/#Wish)
If you're looking for more of Demelza's medieval fairytales, including Enchant: Beauty and the Beast Retold, the tale of Zuleika, the enchantress who turned Philemon into a frog, you can find the rest of the series HERE (http://www.demelzacarlton.com/fairytale/).
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
USA Today Bestselling author Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by her suspense thriller Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.
Want to know more? You can follow Demelza on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or her website, Demelza Carlton’s Place at:
www.demelzacarlton.com
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