by Jenni James
“Very well,” he grumbled while his mind tried to sort through what mischief the girl had gotten herself into. Many of the villagers appeared to know her as one of their own. No one seemed to bat an eyelash at the girl. But what was she doing?
“Goodness,” she mumbled as she made her way into a clothing shop. “There they are. I was beginning to get worried.”
Caspian looked beyond the ready-made dresses for sale and a few shirts and trousers for men. As she continued to walk toward the back of the room, he finally saw who she was speaking about. Children!
There were about eight grubby-looking boys and girls all huddled in the back of the store near the boots. They remained as noiseless as possible as she approached.
“Hello there,” she mouthed and then put her finger to her lips.
The children all smiled in return. One adorable little girl in braids was missing her two front teeth.
What was the princess thinking, meeting with such children?
Blythe turned without a sound and began to walk out of the building. She paused a moment at the door and then beckoned the lot to follow her on a pathway where they headed beyond the village altogether. The little row of children slipped around thick underbrush and down a hidden trail right into the forest. They walked silently for about five minutes until they came to a beautiful clearing and then finally the princess turned and smiled.
“Well, we made it!”
“Yay!” the group cheered as they rushed forward and sat several feet away. They had obviously done this many times—it was as if they had special places in the grassy meadow.
“Now will you tell me what is going on?” Nolan asked.
“I think I will show you to the children,” she said, clearly ignoring his question. “I bet they would love to meet a talking frog.” She began to pull him from her pocket.
“Halt!” he commanded sternly. “Unless you inform me of what mischief this is and why all the secrecy, I will not speak one word to those children and you will look a fool.”
She sighed. “Can you not go along and figure it out for yourself?”
“Certainly not.” He had to remain firm to protect them both. “Blythe, if you are breaking some law with these boys and girls, I will have no part in it.”
She giggled and then glanced toward the patient children sitting in a semicircle about thirty feet away. “Just a moment,” she called to them. “I have a surprise for you.” Turning her back to the group, she pulled him out and held him in front of her. “Very well.”
He looked into those brown eyes—the intensity in them shook his core. He realized she was about to tell him something she had never told anyone before. “What is it?”
She shook her head and then smiled ruefully. “It is not something grand or even wonderful. The school mistress died a few years back. My father had orchestrated the schooling to begin with against the wishes of his queen. The teacher passed about a year after my father, and my mother, who had always disagreed with the education of lower-class citizens, just simply never hired on another school mistress. It was still another year or so before I knew of the issue. After overhearing the maids gossiping, I have been fulfilling the role of teacher for the past eighteen months.”
“Indeed!” It felt as if his heart were expanding. “You honestly care for these children? Mere villagers?”
“Of course! How could I not?”
He would never have thought of his own subjects like this, not nearly enough to devote a year and a half to the cause of their education. Great heavens! “So why the secrecy?”
“The guards!” She looked shocked, as if he should have been able to figure it out on his own. “If they knew what I was doing, my mother would put a stop to it all.”
“I cannot imagine your mother being that heartless.”
Blythe smirked. “She is a good woman. She is a brilliant mother and ruler, but she does still maintain a few of those backward ideals that I do not.” She turned and looked at the little group awaiting her. “As you can see, I only have a few who are willing to risk coming and learning. If I could have my way, I would be teaching them all openly in the town.”
“How often do you come? And why have you not brought me here before?”
“I usually do this twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a few hours. But I left word with a trusted servant that I would not be coming as usual, as I had a special house guest with me.”
“So why now?”
She looked at him for a moment and then said, “Because I trust you to keep my secret. Because it is time someone knew. And because I needed to. I needed to show you what no one else has bothered to discern.”
“Are you really left by yourself in that castle?”
“Yes. If I am not here, I am at the pond.” She looked away. “It is easier to leave someplace and be by yourself than to be in a home full of people and know that you are alone.”
Nolan looked at her pretty profile for a moment and then said, “Princess Blythe, forgive me for every false idea I had about you. You are quite different from the girl I believed you were.”
She glanced back. “I am?”
“You are greater than I could have ever imagined. And I am humbled and honored that you decided to share this with me. Thank you.”
“You are welcome.” She blushed, and then as if she did not know how to take his compliments, simply grinned and waggled her brows, clearly hoping to change the subject. “So, now that you know all, are we ready to have some fun?”
CHAPTER TWELVE
THEY SPENT NEARLY THREE hours laughing with the village children. Even though they were at school, so to speak, Nolan loved how Blythe created an environment for them that was much more fun than work, with songs and rhyming and games. It really felt like they were playing, and the children responded so well to it. Now if only she had been his tutor when he was a lad—he might have actually paid attention and learned more!
When Blythe had originally approached the children with Nolan sitting on her palms, one of the older girls squealed and pulled back. But the boys and the two younger girls were eager to meet him and rushed forward. Nolan and Blythe had decided she would not tell them he could speak and let it come as a surprise after several minutes.
“Do not be afraid.” Blythe beckoned to the older girl. “Caspian is a good friend of mine and nothing to be frightened over.”
“Can I touch him?” asked the adorable toothless child, the red bows on her braids twitching in her excitement.
“Of course you can, Charity.” Blythe smiled and brought him closer. “Here. He really loves it when his head is rubbed.”
She grinned and reached out a small finger, softly running it along the top of him.
He had never seen anything cuter in his life. He could not help it; he had to ruin the surprise already. “Ahh …” he said. “That feels marvelous.”
She squeaked and the whole group jumped back. “He can talk?” she asked.
“I would hope so!” Nolan pretended to be affronted. “It would be incredibly dreadful if I could not.”
Charity’s eyes were wide. “But how can you?”
He puffed up his chest and said, “Because I am a magic frog.”
Charity giggled and stepped forward again. “Ooh, I like magical things! Will you do something for us?”
The children tittered and pressed closer. He even noticed the older girl approaching the group cautiously. “I will do something none of you have ever seen before!” he said loudly in a very mysterious voice.
“What?” Charity whispered. “What will you do?”
He turned and looked up at Blythe. “Will you kneel down so I may be closer to the ground?”
She grinned and did as he asked, though he could tell she was just as curious as the children. Once he was close enough, he hopped to the end of her fingers. “Are you ready to see something that will completely amaze you?” he asked the group. He had done this particular thing plenty of times as a human w
hilst standing on the ground. Hopefully, with the added height of her hands and his strong frog legs, he would be able to pull the trick off easily.
“Go on, then!” called one of the boys.
“Ahem.” He took a couple of steps in place and then sprang off her hands, flipping once and then landing quite deftly upon the soft grass. That was even better than he had imagined! With those legs, he could probably do two flips.
“Whoa!” the group exclaimed as they began to chatter and clap.
He looked behind him to see Blythe applauding with them.
“What did I tell you?” Nolan hopped backwards, closer to her, as he spoke to the children. “You have never seen a talking, flipping frog in your life, now have you?”
“Do it again!” one of the boys shouted.
“Yes! Again! Again!” the children chorused.
“I do not think you have much of a choice.” Blythe giggled.
“Very well.” He hopped into Blythe’s waiting hands and said, “Raise me up about another five inches. There. That is perfect.” He bounced twice and to the gasps of the children, flipped two times through the air and landed gracefully upon his webbed feet.
They cheered and another cry came out, “Once more! Please, again! Do it again!”
He thought about it for a moment, but if these children were half as rambunctious and eager as his friends had been growing up, he knew they would demand flips the whole day. “I had better not. We are here to do schooling, not watch me perform.” The children groaned. “But if you do really well, I promise to show you again once we are all through.”
“Wonderful!” Blythe exclaimed as she picked him up. “Come on, everyone—find your seats and we shall begin so we can watch the amazing Caspian again.” As they ran ahead, she whispered, “That was simply incredible. Thank you for being kind to them.”
“My pleasure.” He looked right into those dark eyes. She truly was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever known. And now, it would seem, her beauty inside surpassed that of her outer appearance.
“I was afraid to tell you what I was doing when I came to the village.” She glanced toward the children and then back at him. “For fear you would mock me, or not see the value of such an endeavor.”
He shook his head and said seriously, “Never. I might not have thought of villagers needing instruction or learning such as this, but that does not mean that I cannot learn myself. In these few minutes, you have taught me more about how to be a good ruler than any person has. Thank you for trusting me and sharing this.”
She smiled. “I have half a mind to kiss your sweet cheek; you have made me so happy!” She leaned forward.
“No!” Nolan panicked and nearly fell out of her hands when he attempted to hop away from her. “Do not kiss me!”
“Oh.” Blythe flushed as she clutched him tighter so he would not fall. “I am sorry. Forgive me.”
“No.” His heart was racing so fast, he could not think properly. “No, you do not understand. There is nothing to forgive. You cannot kiss me. Not yet. We are not ready to face such things.”
“Oh.” Her voice was a bit high-pitched. “Very well, I will not think of such an idea.” Clearly she was embarrassed.
He could not bear to have her believe he did not like her. “Blythe, it is the way to release the spell early. If you were to kiss me right now, I would turn into a prince. And not only do I feel like it is not the time to do so, for our sakes, we must think of the children as well. What would they do if I transformed before them?”
“My goodness!” She gasped. “Caspian, you are quite right. I am not ready to find out who you are. I have so much to sort out within myself first before I begin to think of you like that.”
“Besides,” he spoke softer. “If I was a prince, I would have to go home, and I am not ready to leave yet. Do you mind if we give this just a bit longer?”
She let out a relieved chuckle. “Yes! Yes, please. Let us stay just like this a little while longer. I am not ready to lose you either.”
It was settled then. His heart warmed at the glow he saw within her gaze. They were beginning to understand each other. This truly was the perfect disguise—he was grateful he had done it now. However, he must find a way to ease her into accepting the fact that he was her intended before the spell was broken, or who knew how well she would understand why he had been pretending not to know her all along.
Besides, now that he knew she had been pretending because of his ill manners, he had to work through his own presumptions of her. He had to realize that all he despised about her was truly his own making. Prince Nolan was, indeed, the pompous monster she had always believed him to be. Yet, after today, he knew without a doubt that she was not nor would ever be the spoiled princess he thought.
No, she could not kiss him. There was no way he was ready to reveal himself at the moment, for how could he? To do so now would only expose the fact that he was the man she detested. The man he was beginning to detest as well.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
AS THEY HEADED BACK to the village, Nolan wrestled within himself on how to reveal who he was. He hoped to be able to ease it in slowly without startling her, but quite frankly could not think of the best way to go about it.
Blythe stopped to purchase a few things for them to munch on at the farmers’ market and then continued uphill to the castle after a quick luncheon.
Once they were far enough away from the bustling town, she pulled him out of her swaying skirts and set him on her shoulder so he could see better.
“Do you always make this long trek on foot?” he asked when they were about halfway. He could not imagine either of his sisters walking this far of their own free will.
She gave a little shrug. “Yes. I prefer to walk—I find it invigorating. Besides, though I have horses at my disposal, they would be recognized as castle property immediately. I would be much more noticeable on a horse than a girl on foot.”
“You do seem to blend in remarkably well.”
“I do.” Her voice had a questioning tone to it, almost as if she could not believe how she managed it. “Sometimes I wonder if the villagers know who I am and are grateful, allowing me to continue in peace. And then other times I wonder if it is because they have grown so used to seeing me that they do not question my appearance anymore. I am just a regular part of the community. Whichever it is, I am grateful for the anonymity,” she said as she continued forward.
He felt the briskness in her step and remembered the contented smiles upon her face throughout the day. “You really do love this, do you not?”
She took a deep breath. “I do. I do so very much. I needed a means to feel appreciated. I needed something to break me free from the confines of life and learn to live. Helping people like this is a passion I never knew I had. And to fall so in love with serving these brave children, it is truly the most rewarding experience I have ever known.”
He had so many comments to make to such a speech, but what fumbled its way to the top of the list of questions and replies was simply, “You will become a magnificent queen one day.”
Blythe’s foot caught upon something as she stumbled a bit. “I beg your pardon?” she said as she began to walk again.
Why did she seem so amazed? “You do not believe me? After being in such close proximity to you for as many days as I have been, and now being involved in one of the most enlightening experiences, it is quite simply an easy assessment to make. You will be a grand ruler indeed.”
All at once, she halted. He looked up to see her purse her lips and turn her head away.
“Blythe, what is it? Have I said something to wound you?”
She raised her head and looked at the looming castle before them, and then twisted to see the village below. Still she would not say a word.
His heart began to beat hollowly at her curious behavior. “What is wrong?”
Her voice cracked. “I—I am sorry.”
Not knowing what to say, he waited
for her to continue.
After a few moments, she explained, “I am overcome right now. It is nothing.” She waved her hand. “Truly, nothing you have done wrong. Rather, it is hearing words I never imagined I would hear that has caused such emotions to spring forth.”
“You did not believe you would be a good queen?”
“No.” She turned more fully and looked out over the rooftops below them. “I did not know it was an aspiration to achieve. I just knew it as my life, my reality, that I would more than likely be queen to some kingdom somewhere.”
“Hollene?” he asked, naming his own kingdom.
“Yes, if I decided to accept Prince Nolan’s proposals, though that possibility is becoming less and less every day. I do not have a mind to accept him at all now.”
“It is?” Nolan’s stomach clenched and suddenly he felt ill. “Why?”
She threw her arms out. “How could I marry such a man now?”
“Are you sure he is truly that vile?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I am not sure. However, with each day that passes, I am convinced more wholly that is the direct opposite of anything I would be comfortable with.”
“How long have these thoughts been plaguing you?”
She chuckled. “Did I not make myself clear weeks ago? For at least a couple of years now.”
“So why did you not call it off before then, if you have felt so strongly?” He was genuinely curious.
“Because—because I had hope.”
“And you do not now?”
“No. I do not need it anymore. Now I have you.”
The full force of her words had not sunk in before she became a flurry of emotion again.
“Let us continue on home or I will say things I may regret later,” she said as she tittered nervously. “My goodness, I might have already revealed too much.”
He remained quiet. It was clear by her actions that she was greatly relieved when he did not speak as they made their way up the path to the castle, but silence did not stop his mind from racing even more. Had she nearly revealed that she was in love with him? Could that possibly be where her thoughts had been? Or was he reading too much into the situation? One thing was for certain—he had never felt more misery than when she announced she would not marry Prince Nolan, so he must be developing feelings for her beyond what he could have ever imagined. For why else would his heart race so happily now if it were not the case?