The Rose and the Balloon: A Beauty and the Beast Story (Once Upon a Twist Tales Book 1)
Page 7
“It's so pretty! And it will look quite nice in my dolly's hair.”
Dmitri and the others laughed, although the minister of the flora show looked slightly alarmed at the notion of seeing the winner's trophy adorning the head of a doll.
~*~
“Dmitri! Janelle! Look at me!” Queen Maeva's laugh echoed over the courtyard.
Smiling up at her, they waved as the hot air balloon lifted higher. Nicolas and Nicoline were presently busying themselves in trying to take control of the flying contraption away from the pilot. He merely scowled at them, his demeanor too set to be trifled with by two young scalawags.
The envelope of the balloon was green this time, and Dmitri thought, after all the trouble they'd gone through with pink, it was an appropriate color. It had taken the royal scientists two months to finally crack the secret solution of the balloon, and any real progress was made only after Sir Henri Gaubert himself arrived in Rohesia. In truth, Dmitri congratulated himself on backing out of the public science field, for Sir Gaubert was anything but pleasant. The scientist took great delight in the things that aided his research, a delight that left his social skills terribly lacking. He would have been an enjoyable companion, Dmitri admitted sarcastically.
Sir Gaubert had heard tales of the glass rose and wished to examine it for himself, yet Dmitri was not willing to release it to him.
“I've had all the fame I want for its creation,” he told the simmering scientist. “And it now belongs to the one person I would not see it taken from.”
Sir Gaubert scoffed. “And that would be whom? Your dog?”
“No, my bride.”
He'd left the poor man gaping as he walked away, and Dmitri still smiled every time he thought of the exchange. Yes, he had been right to give the rose to Janelle, and she would treasure it like no one else could, if not for its great scientific achievements but for the sole purpose that he had crafted it himself. He did not intend to give up his work with solar power, for he was eager to see what else might be accomplished with it, yet there would be changes taking place. Unless Janelle's enthusiasm deceived him, he would no longer be working alone. It was a change to which he'd happily adapt.
They were lucky Sir Gaubert, after being denied the glass rose, took an immediate interest in balloons and flying, and it was due to his work that Crazy Maeva, along with her twelve-year-old twins, was among the first of the kingdom to soar with the clouds.
Janelle gave Dmitri a smile. “Isn't it nice?”
“What? Flying?”
“No, your siblings. They've been together in that little basket for twenty minutes now, and not once have they tried to kill each other.”
Dmitri studied the two dark heads above them. “They’ve never been allowed to actually hurt each other, you know.”
Janelle swatted his arm. “Yes, but it was the fun in it that they loved so much. I've never known two more energetic people in my whole life.”
“I think we'd have to add that to the long list of things for which we are indebted to you,” he said. “It was you who finally got them working together, and it was their work that succeeded in capturing the duke and his son.”
She bit back a laugh. “How humiliating it must be to be outwitted by two children and a stack of fur rugs. I can't imagine Duke Caron will get over that anytime soon.”
Dmitri agreed. “Nor his son.”
Crazy Maeva's shriek brought their attention back to the balloon, which was now high above the castle turrets.
Janelle shaded her eyes with her hand. “She certainly looks happy.”
“She's always wanted to fly,” Dmitri admitted, “and somehow, I think she always knew this day would come.”
She shivered. “How that could be thrilling is beyond me. So dangerously far up above everything. It's terrible.”
Dmitri looked down at her. “Didn’t you enjoy our little ride? I wouldn't have called it all terrible.”
“That is hardly a fair question,” Janelle returned quickly. “I do not deny that a lot of good came out of that little ride, as you put it, but I don't think I will ever set foot in a hot air balloon again.”
He feigned a sigh. “Then it would be pointless to ask you to take another ride with me?”
Janelle's eyebrows went up. “You would want another ride in those blasted balloons?”
“Of course,” Dmitri said, taking her hand. “After all, it was those blasted balloons and a glass rose that were the means of bringing us together.”
She shook her head “I’d say the blame for that goes completely to your mother.”
He looked up at the balloon again. “Then I guess she really did know exactly what she was doing all along.”
Crazy Maeva’s laughter floated back to the castle, and that was the last they heard from the balloon until it landed. Which it did – four hours and twenty-seven miles later in the middle of a rose garden.
Nicoline always said afterward that she would have been the better pilot.
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
So, this is that section of the book where I take the time to thank everyone who was a part of helping me get this tale to its finished state. I feel like I should be thanking the whole world, but I’ll try to keep it blunt – just like I usually do.
Dad and Mom – without you both, none of this would have been possible. Thank you for your love and support.
Beth, Jess, Scott, Teddy, and KT – you guys are the best siblings ever. And the best fan base, too. I know it wasn’t easy letting me sit with the computer for hours, but I really appreciate all that you guys did to help out. Even getting the dishes done for me when editing distracted me.
Christine, Arielle, and Kathryn – well, here it is. First book. Without your encouragement and writing expertise, I don’t know if I ever would have gotten to this point. You three are truly the best writing pals and beta readers and Beauty and the Beast fanatics ever. Thanks for always being there.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kirsten Fichter is a twenty-something Christian writer who is trying to find the balance between being one of six kids, a church pianist, a college student, a movie buff, a disaster in the kitchen, and a writing INFP. If you know what the secret is to balancing all of that, she’d be grateful to hear from you. Otherwise, don’t contact her unless you want to send her homemade gingerbread. Or a new piano book. Or an autographed Charles Dickens novel. In the meantime, she’ll be somewhere under a maple tree – trying very hard to finish the seventeen and half other stories she unwisely started all at once.
Coming Soon!
Book Two of the Once Upon a Twist Tales
Spindle
Dreams
A Sleeping Beauty Story