“Just act naturally,” said Sadie. “I’ll ask you some questions, and Martin here will take some pictures. Ok?”
“Go ahead,” I replied nervously. At least, the strawberries were delicious.
“Leo Halifax is one of Silverwood’s own eligible bachelors. Would you say you were attracted to him right from the start?”
I looked over at Leo. I could see he was as interested in the answer as Sadie was.
“He was one of the five men I picked to sit with me at dinner, yes.” It was no more or less than the truth.
“I hear that you are now down to four men. Is that correct?”
“As you know Sadie, the ball didn’t end very well. One of my potential suitors decided to go home. No one was brought in to replace him, but that is ok. I’ve got four wonderful young men to choose from. I hope to pick a match that will be good for our kingdom.”
“You are a lucky girl dating such handsome young men.” Sadie glanced over at Leo and grinned. If only she knew how much I’d rather be anywhere else but here right now.
“Or maybe they are the lucky ones to be able to date me.” It sounded pretentious, but I was sick to death of being called lucky.
“Of course. Who wouldn’t want to date the hottest young princess in the kingdom? I know Leo is here, but just between you and me and our thousands of viewers, do you have a favorite picked out yet?”
I tried to act demure. “I couldn’t possibly give away anything at this early stage, Sadie, but I can tell you that my date with Leo was wonderful, and I’m looking forward to the next one.”
Sadie turned back to the camera. “You heard it here first folks. Now stay tuned for a rundown of the princess’s finalists. We’re the only station in town that has access to the palace, and we’ll keep you updated as things progress. For now, this is Sadie Black, signing off.”
She turned to me
“Thank you, Your Highness. We’ll be back in a couple of days to find out how your next date went.”
She gave me a wink and then stood up, taking a strawberry and her cameraman with her.
Leo popped the next to the last strawberry in his mouth before passing the punnet to me. “I’m glad that’s over.”
“Me too,” I agreed, watching the juice from the strawberry stain his lips. They were definitely kissable, that was for sure. I thought back to what Elise had said earlier. I’d only know if I’d fallen in love with someone if I kissed them. Could I kiss him? His lips looked so sweet to me right now, and yet there was something inside of me saying no. I knew I wasn’t in love with him. Maybe it would change in time, maybe it wouldn’t, but kissing him on my first date would not be fair to the others. Nor would it be fair to him. Instead, I leaned forward and wiped his lips with a napkin. It was as intimate as I could deal with and for a second, when he gazed at me with those amber eyes, I did feel the beginnings of a flutter.
“Let’s pack this stuff away.” I picked up the empty carton and spoons while Leo folded the blanket.
As I was looking at him, something flashed in my eyes again. When I tried to see where it had come from, it had already gone.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The Second and third dates
Once again, I found myself having to choose between the three men left for my next date. Without hesitation, I picked Daniel. Yeah, Xavier and Luca were gorgeous; but Daniel made me laugh, and if there was anything I needed right now, it was to laugh. I’d found little to laugh at in the past month or so, and Daniel seemed like just the person to lift my spirits. Prince Luca was at the bottom of my list. Unfortunately for me, according to the local newspaper, he was quickly becoming the firm favorite to win my heart. So much so, that they were running a competition with entry into a big prize drawing for those that chose the winning bachelor. I considered entering for myself and running away with the winnings, but to do that, I actually had to pick someone, and I was no closer to that than I was before the ball.
After picking Daniel for the next date, I was also expected to pick the venue. That is as long as it was somewhere within the palace or grounds. Going outside in the current political climate was an absolute no-no. I’d already done the garden, and although I’d be quite happy to sit in the garden for every date, I was told that this was also not an option. I had the choice of the cinema, bowling alley, or swimming pool, all of which the palace possessed. Sitting in the dark watching a movie was the easy way out. I wouldn’t have to think of anything to say, but somewhere, in the back of my mind, I’d earmarked that for Prince Luca. I ended up choosing the bowling, thinking that Daniel might think it the most fun. The bowling alley was situated on the ground floor at the opposite end to the ballroom. That meant that the noise of the workers wouldn’t reach us and we could bowl in peace. It also had a sound system, which would cover any sounds that did get through.
Of course, I had to have the obligatory primping and preening with Xavi and her crew. As we were doing something active, I got to wear a pair of pants for the first time in months, something that I was extremely happy with.
Like Leo had been, Daniel was on time. In his hand, he held a box wrapped in pink paper, which he handed to me as I entered the bowling alley. Upon opening it, I found a beautiful carved statuette, a tiny replica of me in my ballgown.
“You made this?” I asked, marveling at the beauty of it, and the skill involved. He’d gotten my features down perfectly.
“I’ve been carving it since the night of the ball. I finished it last night.”
“It’s beautiful, thank you.” Then I did something that surprised the both of us. I kissed him on the cheek. It was a kiss of friendship, but the significance of it was not lost on either of us. It was my first kiss with one of the bachelors. I thought of Sadie and whether she’d ask me if I kissed him in tomorrow’s interview.
I could say no. A kiss on the cheek didn’t count for anything.
“I took the liberty of ordering us some drinks,” Daniel said, pointing towards a table at one end of the alley. On it were two glasses and about fifteen different bottles, filled with different colored liquids. It was more alcohol than I’d drink in a lifetime.
“Follow me,” He took my hand and led me to the table.
I arched a brow at the sheer quantities. “Are you trying to get me drunk?”
He gave a laugh. “I’m going to make you a cocktail. What do you fancy?”
“You make cocktails as well as furniture?”
“Wait til you see me bowl!” he winked and picked up a cocktail shaker. “So what will it be?”
I looked at all the bottles with names that were foreign to me. I’d never had a cocktail in my life.
“How about a mojito?” he asked, without waiting for me to answer.
“Sure.”
He picked up a couple of the bottles and threw them up in the air. I watched as he spun them around before expertly catching them. The way he used his hands to manipulate those bottles through the air was mesmerizing. He threw them from behind his back and juggled them, and somewhere in the show, he managed to make two cocktails. He finished his show by garnishing them with a sprig of mint and then handed one to me. The first sip hit me like a truck. It was so strong and yet had a refreshing minty lime taste to it. I’d never drunk anything like it in my life before.
“This is amazing!” I said, and I meant it.
“Great. Let’s bowl.”
I sipped on my mojito as he programmed our names into the screen that would record our scores and then picked up a green bowling ball. With his first move, he scored a strike, knocking all ten pins over.
“Are you naturally good at everything?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
“Not everything. I’ve still not mastered the unicycle. Here,”
I laughed as he passed me a bowling ball. I rolled it down the lane and watched as it fell into the gutter.
“You are not standing right.” He picked up another bowling ball and handed it over. He then moved behind me and held my wrist.
His intentions might have been to help me bowl, but I could feel his hard lean body against mine as he pulled back my arm. I’d already danced with him, but this felt different. We were alone for a start, and this simple act of bowling felt much more intimate. I let go of the ball and watched as it knocked over seven pins. My turn was over, and he had no excuse to hold me anymore. It felt cold as he moved away.
The game continued although he didn’t touch me again. With each round, I was getting tipsier as he poured cocktail after cocktail, each with a more imaginative name than the last. By the time the first game was finished, I was already quite drunk.
“Why did you apply to be one of the hundred?” I asked, trying not to slur my words.
It was a question that had been nagging me since the ball and one I wanted to ask all of the men but hadn’t dared until now. The alcohol had loosened my tongue. As he’d been drinking the same amount as me, I hoped his answer would be truthful.
“I want to make my father proud.”
“He isn’t already?” I asked.
“Not really.” He sat on one of the chairs at the table and nursed his drink. I took the seat opposite. “I used to have an older brother who was brilliant at everything. He was one of those guys that everyone liked, and he could turn his hand to anything. He just knew things. You could give him a task, and he’d figure it out straight away without any training. As a child, he was my idol. About five years ago, there was an accident in my father’s workshop. Kyle was caught in a machine and killed instantly. I was seventeen at the time. I was the only one there. I tried to help him, I really did, but there was nothing I could do. My father never really forgave me. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to be better, to be more like Kyle. I hoped that marrying a princess would change things. He was so proud when I was chosen to attend the ball.”
I looked at him, not knowing what to say. His story was heartbreaking. I could see the sadness in his eyes. He looked lost. He was so good at everything, how could he not see his worth?
“You are a great man, whether you marry a princess or not.”
“If only my father could think that.”
I had no idea of the protocol, but the cocktails had made me feel bold. I walked around the table and held him. He didn’t weep, he was too strong for that, but he clung to me as I did my best to soothe him. After that, the second game of bowling never happened. We sat and chatted. He told me about his homelife, and I told him that I never really wanted to be queen. It was an afternoon of brutal honesty, and at the end of it, it was apparent that neither of us wanted to be involved in this silly contest. Yet, despite that, we were both glad that we were in it together.
A week later, after more interviews and makeovers, I had my date with Xavier. Xavi had an easy time with me as we were going to go swimming, and so no makeup or dresses were involved.
I was the first to get there, so instead of waiting, I jumped into the cool water and swam a lap under water. When he still hadn’t shown, I did a few more, loving the feel of the water as I glided through it. As my head crested the surface, I heard a splash at the other end. Xavier swam towards me at a speed I wouldn’t have thought possible, and I thought of myself as a good swimmer. He reached me quickly, but instead of saying anything, he pulled himself out of the pool and positioned himself to dive in again.
I opened my mouth as I took in the detail of his perfectly sculpted body. Water formed rivulets over his muscles that cut so deep they looked to be cut from stone. I’d never seen anyone so perfectly built, and I’d never seen anyone so naked before. His choice of swimsuit was barely-there. I gulped as he performed a perfect dive, cutting through the water as if he was born to it.
If I’d felt nervous about my dates with Leo and Daniel, it was nothing to how I was feeling after seeing Xavier in all his glory. I knew I had led a sheltered life, and men were not something I was really used to which was one of the reasons this contest had been such a difficult pill to swallow. I knew I’d have to come out of my comfort zone, but this was so far out, I couldn’t even see my comfort zone anymore. I was speculating on just taking my towel and leaving when his head appeared beside me. He gave it a shake, wetting me with drops of water from his hair, and smiled.
I smiled back, although inside my stomach was squirming with nerves. Perhaps the swimming pool had not been a good choice after all.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. I hope I can make it as special for you as the others did.”
I tried to concentrate on his words, but I was all too aware that beneath the surface of the water, he was practically naked save for a tiny pair of swim trunks.
“I don’t think it would be fair to comment on my dates with Leo and Daniel,” I gulped.
“No, of course not. That was insensitive of me. I merely wish for you to have a good time with me.”
He raised his eyebrow. It should have been cheesy, but on him, it worked. I felt my stomach flip again, and this time it had nothing to do with nerves. He had to be the best-looking guy I’d ever met.
“Shall we swim?”
I nodded eagerly. Anything to get me out of talking to the guy. There was something so worldly and exciting about him that made me nervous and put me at a loss for words. I pushed off the side, confident, at least, in my ability to swim well.
I pushed myself to the limit, feeling my muscles burn as I swam. Even at top speed, he swam past me, beating me to the other side. As I caught up, he ducked under the water. I thought he was going to swim right under me in the opposite direction, but a tug on my feet told me otherwise. I’d barely gotten my breath back when my head submerged. The chlorine stung my eyes, but I could see Xavier, swimming through my legs. I pushed against the tile at the bottom of the pool and hit the surface at the same time as he did. He had a broad smile on his face. Not a grin as such, but the look of a playful puppy. He even managed to make that look sexy. He wasn’t trying to drown me at all. He was playing.
“You think that’s funny, huh?” I said, trying to look angry and failing. I jumped forward, knocking him off his feet and pushing him under the water. He took it in his stride, pushing down on my shoulders, so he could get back to the surface first. I tried grabbing his feet as he swam past, but he was too quick. I had to be content with coming up for air second. It was a fight I could never win. He was bigger and stronger than me in every way, and yet I was beginning to loosen up around him and enjoy myself. He ducked me under the water one last time and shot off to the other end of the pool. I dived down as low as I could go and followed him, cutting great strides through the water. I’d almost made it when a strong pair of hands pulled me upwards. I fought them, and grabbed his waist, trying to pull him down to me instead. His grip on me intensified, and I felt his fingers digging into my arms. What was he playing at?
I broke the surface and began to shout.
“You’re hurting me!” I slapped him in the face with my now freed arm.
“Stop it, listen.”
It was then that I heard it. The palace sirens were sounding. The last time I’d heard them was the night of the ball.
Xavier took my hand and pulled me to the side of the pool, where he jumped out effortlessly before pulling me out. He grabbed a towel that had been left there and threw it to me, before taking one for himself and wrapping it around his waist.
I remembered the way to the underground safe room, but it didn’t matter, two guards had reached us before we’d even left poolside. I felt completely exposed wearing only my swimsuit and a towel as we ran through the palace dripping wet, past frightened staff members who were running to their designated safe place.
Down at the bottom of the stairs, I could hear my mother in deep discussion with my father.
“Is this really necessary? It’s only a protest.”
“Look how the last protest turned out. People were killed.”
“What’s happened?” I asked as Xavier and I met them by the safe room door.
“Go inside. I
’m just waiting for Elise. Goodness knows where the girl has got to.” He ran back up the stairs to the main level, presumably to look for my little sister.
“What’s happened?” I repeated my question to my mother, who ushered us down past the shelves of treasures.
“Nothing has happened, really. It’s just a precaution. The Magi are outside protesting again, and your father thinks it wise that we stay down here until the police clear it.”
“What are they protesting about now?” asked Xavier. I noticed he looked completely at ease in front of my mother, wearing only a towel. In contrast, I was shivering with the cold and felt ridiculous.
“The job cuts at the palace. They aren’t happy that we have had to let the Magi go.”
“They weren’t let go, mother, Father fired them.”
“He fired them because they are a danger to us.”
“Who says they are a danger?” My conversation with Leo came back to my mind. I’d not told anyone about his theory about the bomb, but I couldn’t let the Magi take the blame without the facts. Ignoring my mother shouting, I looked back through the room to the entrance. My father was no longer there, but one of the guards was. I noticed he wore the purple trim on his uniform. He must have been one of the last Magi in our employ. I wondered what he thought of all of this.
“I have to agree with Her Majesty,” said Xavier. “The Magi are a scourge on society.”
I didn’t like this conversation at all. Xavier’s voice had taken on an ugly tinge, and the playful side I’d seen of him earlier had gone. I left the pair of them discussing the current situation and ran to the guard.
“Can you tell me where my father has gone?”
“I believe he’s gone to look for Her Royal Highness, The Princess Elise,” he replied solemnly.
I thanked him and ran back up the stairs before he could stop me. From there, I could hear the protesters. I ran to a room that I knew looked out over the front gardens and peeked out from behind the curtains. At the end of the driveway, beyond the gates, I could see them. They were too far away to make out much detail, but I could see they were harmlessly waving banners. None of them were trying to scale the wall. It was a peaceful protest. As I watched, something flew through the air. It was a smoking canister of some kind. It landed right in the middle of the crowd that began to disperse. Seconds later, another one joined the first. I could hear the screams as the police waded in wearing gas masks and began to hit the Magi as they were attempting to run away.
Charm (A Cinderella reverse fairytale) (Reverse Fairytales Book 1) Page 10