“Really?” she asked, more relaxed. “Well, maybe you’ll get your chance tonight at the dance.” He could feel her smiling. “So, when do you want me to meet you?”
“Oh,” he choked out, still thinking about the promise she had just made him. “Ah…in an hour, and Dad will be playing in the tournament. He and the rest of the Royals are practicing as we speak. If they win against the Merchants this afternoon, they’ll play the Wellingtons tonight.”
“Cool,” she said, “well, I’ll see you in an hour, my sweet prince.”
He wasn’t sure she had meant to say that last bit, but he grinned at the knowledge that at least she had thought it.
Chapter 11
Old Christmas Dinner
The first match of the Old Christmas rugby tournament was a close one. The Merchants were well-trained and proved to be worthy adversaries for the king and the Royals. Maggie sat next to Xavier throughout the match, and each time a player on either team sustained a particularly savage blow, she would grab his hand and hide her face in his shoulder. Of course, this didn’t go unnoticed by his mates.
“Xavier?” Garrett whispered in his ear. “Will you hold me too?”
A collective laughter echoed Garrett’s words. Xavier swatted his friend away and tried to ignore the jeers behind him.
By the end of the match, the Royals won seventeen to fourteen, and the boisterous group made their way out of the stadium, teasing Xavier and Maggie. Maggie was in a constant state of blushing.
“Prince and Maggie sitting in a tree, K.I.S.S.I.N.G…”
“Oh, would you guys shut it!” Xavier shouted.
“Seriously, how old are you guys? Eight?” Erica spat out, rolling her eyes.
“Not even close! Want proof?” Court chided, attempting to kiss her.
But Erica wasn’t having any of it and elbowed Court firmly in the stomach. He doubled over gasping for breath as a collective moan erupted from the group.
“Ouch! Rejected, Hardcastle!” Beck taunted.
Court punched Beck in the arm. “Think you can do better? Let’s see you kiss Robbie.”
“Hey, guys,” Xavier interrupted, not liking the direction the conversation was heading in. “You guys want to hang out at the palace before the Christmas Dinner.”
“Don’t tell me you guys plan to waltz over to the banquet hall dressed as you are!” Robbie demanded, looking appalled.
The boys looked at her dumbfounded. “Of course, why would we get all cleaned up just to eat and go to another rugby match?” Beck questioned.
“Boys are so gross!” Robbie exclaimed.
“What? What’s wrong with that? I took a shower this morning, and I plan to take another before the dance! It’s stupid to keep taking showers and changing clothes all day!” Beck grumbled.
“Come on, girls! Obviously, boys don’t understand that it takes a lot of work to look beautiful, so let’s leave them to wallow in their filth while we clean up and pick out something to wear to dinner,” Robbie suggested, grabbing Maggie and a reluctant Erica by the hand and leading them toward her house.
Maggie looked back at Xavier and smiled. Xavier felt his knees go weak, and he waved stupidly back.
“Jeez, man! She’s really got you whipped!” Beck chastised.
“What are you talking about?” Xavier asked.
“Oh, X! Hold me!” Garrett squeaked, racing to him, grabbing his hand, and hiding his face in his shoulder. “I’m scared of those big bad men playing rugby!”
“Get off!” Xavier laughed, pushing the other boy away. “You guys are just jealous. I’ve got a complete hottie all over me and you don’t!” he bragged.
Immediately, the boys responded in a loud, unified groan before charging at Xavier, tackling him to the ground, and subjecting him to noogies, wet willies, and punches. Laughing, the boys tumbled and rolled over the snow-covered ground, attracting the attention of several passing spectators, who carefully stepped around the tangled mess of boys.
“Okay, okay, enough!” Xavier declared, struggling to his feet and brushing himself off. “Are you guys coming to the palace or what?”
“Yes, Your Highness!” the boys barked, snapping to attention and saluting him.
“Jeez, you’re all impossible,” Xavier snickered as he led the way.
The boys barged into the royal residence, still bantering and teasing one another, though the hottest topic still seemed to be Maggie. The boys fell lazily into the sofas and armchairs in front of the roaring fire in the receiving room.
“Mate, I have no idea how you got Maggie to go out with you. She’s wickedly hot!” Beck remarked.
When Xavier only shrugged in response, Frankie remarked, “I bet it’s because he’s the prince. Girls like a guy with power and all that.”
“That’s not why!” he snapped. He hated the idea that some girl would only want to be with him because he was the prince. “She said I was cute,” he muttered, thinking back to her thoughts earlier that morning.
“Cute? You? I think your girlfriend needs glasses, mate,” Court jeered which earned him a punch.
“So, just how far have you gotten with the magnificently gorgeous Maggie?” Harry ribbed.
“Yeah, have you kissed her yet?” Garrett asked, now truly interested as the other boys closed in around him, eager to hear the answer.
“Have you gotten to third base, yet?” Beck asked with an enormous grin.
Xavier choked out, “What does that even mean, Beck?”
Beck shrugged.
Xavier laughed. “No way! Forget it, guys! I’m not telling any of you anything!”
At the Old Christmas Dinner, Xavier didn’t sit at his usual spot at the head table with his father. Instead, he sat at the table his friends had confiscated just for them and their dates. When the girls arrived, the troupe of boys went silent. Robbie attracted everyone’s attention. She looked stunning. She wore a navy skirt trimmed with white eyelet lace, cut just above the knee, and a crisp white pilgrim blouse that accentuated her slender neck and shoulders. At first, Xavier could only stare. Then, remembering his manners, he got to his feet and smiled as she approached the table. When she returned his smile, something stirred deep inside his gut.
“Whoa!” Beck muttered as he gaped at her. After a nudge from Xavier, Beck stood and moved to the side to make room for Robbie beside him.
Then, Maggie approached the table. Her eyes immediately fastened on Xavier’s, and he couldn’t look away even if he had wanted to.
“Hi,” she whispered, taking the seat next to him.
“Hi,” he whispered back, sinking into his chair. “You look great.”
“Thanks,” she responded, grinning and batting her eyes.
“Whoa! Jefferson, is that you?” Beck blurted as Erica moved to sit next to Court. “I didn’t even know that you owned a dress!”
Erica looked fantastic, and it transformed Courtney into a bumbling, stuttering dope.
“Y…you look awesome!” he managed as her pulled out her chair for her.
Erica smiled sweetly before drawing back and punching Court’s shoulder.
“Ow!” he bellowed, rubbing the aching spot. “What was that for?”
“To remind you of our agreement, Hardcastle. Keep your hands and lips to yourself,” she hissed.
The group chuckled as Courtney shrugged and retorted, “Yep, she’s crazy about me.”
In response, Erica walloped Courtney hard across the chest, knocking him back into his chair, and the group exploded in laughter.
Dinner was a fantastic spread of every food imaginable, and as the attendants began serving dessert, the group leaned back in their chairs and playfully began teasing one another. Thankfully, the topic fell on Courtney and Erica, giving Xavier and Maggie a brief reprieve.
Xavier looked at the head table where his father and Catherine sat in deep conversation. They were inches from one another, and Jeremiah seemed oblivious to everyone around him. Xavier scanned the crowd. Most people we
re too wrapped up in their own conversations to notice, but the few who were watching the king and his date began nudging the people at their tables. Soon, the majority of the hall was watching the spectacle. Xavier glanced back at his father and watched as he caressed Catherine’s cheek affectionately. Bitterness mushroomed inside his chest until he wanted to scream, and he tore his eyes away from the couple.
“Jeez! Get a room!” he muttered.
“You don’t like her very much, do you? Madam Stokes, I mean,” Maggie asked softly.
Xavier looked at her enormous eyes in surprise and answered quietly, “No, not at all.”
Maggie looked at the head table and studied the couple thoughtfully. What she said next astounded Xavier. “I bet your dad thinks you’re acting out because you’re scared she’ll replace your mom, but that’s not true, is it?” She didn’t wait for him to answer as she continued, “She seems a bit needy to me. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I don’t trust her! She’s up to something.”
Xavier’s mouth dropped open. Not only did she completely understand and describe his feelings about Catherine, she also stated the one fear he had thought so many times but hadn’t the guts to say aloud. Catherine was up to something!
Maggie looked at his stricken face. “I’m sorry. Was I completely off base? I shouldn’t talk about them that way…”
“No,” Xavier interrupted almost fiercely. “No, you’re right. I’m just surprised that someone else gets it. Everyone else thinks I’m being nutty, and I was beginning to believe that they were right. Why do you think she’s up to something?” he asked.
“Oh, I don’t know,” she stated, looking back at the table. “Well, just look at her. Even though she looks like she’s enjoying being with your dad, she keeps looking around at everyone else. It’s like she’s trying to get everyone else’s attention. If she was really into him, she wouldn’t be looking around, would she?”
“Yeah. That’s what I…”
“Hey, Your Highness!” a sneering voice interrupted, ending their conversation abruptly.
Xavier spun and found Mac and Ken standing behind them, looking very amused about something.
“I see you managed to get yourself a date!” Ken chastised, looking Maggie over with contempt. “It seems some girls are so desperate that they’ll go out with anyone!”
Xavier turned away from the boys with every intention of ignoring them. “Don’t listen to them,” he muttered to Maggie.
Maggie nodded her agreement, but Ken wasn’t going to allow that to happen.
“You know, Maggie,” Ken whispered in Maggie’s ear, “if you want a real boyfriend, one who’s not a complete tosser, I could help you out.” Then, he licked her cheek.
Maggie squealed and pulled away as Xavier jumped to his feet and pushed the boy away from her. Chairs squealed as Beck, Garrett, Harry, and Court all jumped to their feet to back him up.
Ken snickered triumphantly, “God, Wells! You’re so reactive! I wonder what daddy-dearest had to do to keep you from going ballistic about his new girlfriend! And I use the word girlfriend lightly; everyone knows she’s easy, but of course, that’s probably why King Wells likes her!”
Xavier lunged forward, but Beck and Garrett grabbed him. “Don’t, Xavier!” Garrett hissed. “Your dad’s watching!”
“I don’t care! I’m going to rip his heart out!” Xavier growled.
“Xavier, calm down. Don’t listen to that idiot!” Maggie whispered. “He’s only doing it to get you worked up.”
Ken laughed. “You better listen to them, sire. Daddy’s watching, and we wouldn’t want you to get another spanking after the one you got for wrecking the church.”
Maggie shot him a disbelieving look. “You’re such a liar, Ken.”
“Am I? I happen to know that your sweet little prince got busted for Mummering along with his butt-kissers here, and all six of them got their butts beat!” he taunted. “I heard they all bawled like babies, including your brave prince! In fact, I heard he blubbered the loudest!” At this, Mac snorted and both boys laughed loudly.
Xavier was embarrassed beyond words. He couldn’t see anything but Ken and Mac’s sneering faces. The girls were staring at him, and he could hear their thoughts, wondering if what Ken had said was true.
To Xavier, what happened next occurred very slowly. An overwhelming, tingling energy ballooned inside him as goose bumps rippled across his body. It gathered in his hands like a warm breath. Jeremiah’s chair screeched and clattered to the floor as Xavier flung the swirling energy toward the horrified boys. In the next instant, Ken and Mac were standing before the entire hall completely naked from head to toe. The crowd around them gasped, and Xavier’s friends burst into loud, uncontrollable laughter. Garrett fell to the floor howling, and Court doubled over his chair, desperately clutching the table for support.
“Oh, Ken, I didn’t realize you were so scrawny!” Erica blurted before succumbing to uncontrolled laughter.
Suddenly, Ken and Mac’s clothes reappeared, and the boys sprinted from the hall.
“Xavier?” Jeremiah called loudly, and the buzz-filled room instantly fell silent.
He turned toward his father past the sea of smirks and hidden smiles. However, the king wasn’t amused at all, and he beckoned Xavier to him with a finger.
Xavier turned to Maggie who, along with the entire hall, had watched the exchange between father and son.
“Talk to you later. I hope,” he muttered apprehensively.
Then, he meandered his way through the staring, whispering crowd to the front table and a very displeased king. Jeremiah whispered something to Catherine, kissed her on the cheek, and left the hall with his son’s arm grasped firmly in his large hand.
Jeremiah didn’t speak during the short trek from the banquet hall to the palace. They continued up the staircase and into the residence where Jeremiah led him to the sofa in front of the hearth. Xavier sank into the cushions and waited for the reign of anger to begin.
His father sat in an armchair across from him and stared stonily down at him. Finally he asked very quietly, “Do you mind explaining yourself?”
“Explaining what?” he grumbled.
Jeremiah glared at him. “Don’t play games with me, boy. Why did you strip those boys of their clothes?”
“I didn’t mean to do it. It just…happened,” he retorted.
“Nothing just happens, Xavier. You had to have wanted it to happen,” his father told him. “Can you tell me why you’d want to publicly embarrass the boys?”
“I don’t know,” he muttered, not at all sure he wanted to repeat what Ken had said. “Can’t we just skip the talk and go straight to the punishment? I really don’t want to talk about it!”
Jeremiah didn’t respond.
“Father!” he spat. “I don’t want to talk about it, and your silent treatment is not going to make me crack!”
There was another long pause before the king answered. “No, I need to understand why you did what you did in order to choose the appropriate punishment because, right now, boy, I have a good mind to ground you from the Old Christmas Dance and spank the hide off your bottom.”
Okay, Xavier cracked, and he sat up rigidly.
“Do you still want to skip the talk and go straight to the punishment?” he asked.
Xavier shook his head and glanced submissively at his father. “They get a kick out of pushing my buttons and humiliating me! So I gave them a taste of their own medicine. That’s all.”
Jeremiah nodded understandingly. “What did they say to you?”
He sighed. “Ken told Maggie that she’d have to be desperate to go out with me, and then he licked her face.” He made a disgusted face. “Seriously, if I were Maggie, I’d wash my face in scalding bleach water after that! Then, he teased me and the guys about getting in trouble for Mummering. He embarrassed us in front of all the girls telling them that we cried like babies when we received our punishments.” He hesitated, still unsure if he sh
ould continue, but finally he did. “Then… he made a comment about you and Catherine. He said…” Xavier blushed and looked up at his father. “He made it sound like you and Catherine…” But he couldn’t finish.
“I see,” Jeremiah whispered as he stood and stoked the fire. Finally, he turned. “Xavier, I’m proud that you didn’t resort to violence, but this wasn’t the best way either. Though your attempts to embarrass Kenneth and Mackenzie were successful, you did so at your own peril. First of all, using empowerments in the heat of anger is a dangerous feat, son. It’s hard enough to control a new empowerment in the calmest of situations. In your anger, you could have seriously injured those boys! Secondly, it’s illegal to use empowerments against others with undue cause or reason.”
Xavier looked up at his father horrified and muttered, “I’m sorry! I di…I didn’t know!”
Jeremiah nodded. “I realize that, and I’ll smooth things over with the High Council. But, son, how do you think your citizens, those dinner guests, felt about your little practical joke? How do you think it made you look in their eyes?”
Xavier grimaced as he realized that to the casual observer who hadn’t heard their conversation he probably looked like a cruel jokester. And, now that it was clearly public knowledge that he was part of the Mummering shenanigans, he probably came across as an uncontrollable, spoiled prince. He looked at his father. “I looked pretty bad, didn’t I? What should I do, Dad?”
“I know this is not what you want to hear, but you need to publicly apologize to Kenneth and Mackenzie. I can arrange for a microphone at the final rugby match and…”
“Whoa, whoa, wait a minute! A microphone? How public are you talking?” Xavier moaned.
“Xavier, how public do you think it should be? Everyone at the Old Christmas Dinner saw those boys in their birthday suits and all those people will most likely be at the match. Don’t you think the boys have a right to an apology in front of those who witnessed your indiscretion?” he asked firmly.
“No,” Xavier muttered, grimacing, “but I’ll do it anyway.”
“It’s the right thing to do, son,” Jeremiah insisted. “But let me make this absolutely clear to you. If you ever use your empowerments against someone again, I will give you a spanking that will make all the others seem like a patty cake game. Got it?”
The Prince of Warwood and the Fall of the King (Book 2) Page 11