by S. E. Smith
A soft chuckle escaped Jenny and her eyes twinkled with their own mischief. “Wayward, huh? Sounds like they need someone who can keep up with them,” she teased.
“Oh, they are very wayward,” Kelia said. “They will need someone very special, my lady.”
“Someone who likes to play games, right, Dolph? Lots of fun games with us,” Juno asked, looking around at his brother.
“And who can love us,” Dolph added.
Tears filled Jenny’s eyes at the flash of uncertainty in Dolph’s eyes. She would need some time to get used to things. Being a teacher in a classroom full of kids was a whole lot different than being a mom.
Well, maybe not a whole lot, she thought ruefully. Being a teacher was more like skipping parenthood and going straight to being a grandparent—and at the end of the day I was able to give them back to their parents.
“Yes,” Jenny replied, looking up at Orion. “Yes, to all of the above.”
Juno’s squeal of happiness rang through the air, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She glanced down into the little boy’s bright green eyes that were glowing with happiness. She silently groaned and closed her eyes. Sucker! She had to have the biggest ‘Sucker’ neon sign attached to her forehead in the entire universe. Carly used to laugh and say there was only one person in the world who was a bigger pushover then she was and that was Jenny. It was now official.
Chapter Eight
“You know, when I said you needed to find a bride, I honestly never expected you to find one like this,” Kapian stated, leaning back against the wall.
“It isn’t like I have a choice in the matter. You heard Magna,” Orion bit out, growling when he realized he had buttoned his vest wrong.
“Yes, the fine print,” Kapian replied with a nod and a grin.
Orion shot a glare at his friend. “The very, very fine print. Have you ever seen a woman with hair the color of fire coral before?” he asked.
“Naturally? No. I have seen a few on the Isle of the Pirates, but it was more orange. I wonder where she came from?” Kapian asked, rubbing his chin with a thoughtful expression.
“When were you on the Isle of the Pirates?” Orion asked in surprise.
Kapian shook his head. “A few weeks ago. I heard that Ashure was racing sea stags again,” he dryly replied.
Orion grimaced. “I swear the man does nothing but try to irritate the rest of us. He knows that it is forbidden to capture the stags,” he replied.
Kapian shrugged. “You know Ashure. The man will do anything for excitement and a few credits,” he answered.
“He will start another war if he is not careful,” Orion retorted.
“He’d probably have bets placed on that as well,” Kapian joked.
Orion pursed his lips and nodded. Ashure would not only place bets, but the damn pirate king would probably have rigged the battles in his favor. If there wasn’t so much going on at the moment, he would challenge Ashure to a race—with the kingdom of the Isle of the Pirates as the prize. After a moment's thought of what that would entail, a shudder ran through Orion.
Ashure having to rule over that lot of misfits is enough punishment for anyone. Perhaps I should send Magna to him instead of killing her, Orion silently thought.
“Perhaps your father should have banished Magna there. I’m sure Ashure would have loved dealing with her. Speaking of Magna, what are we going to do about your cousin?” Kapian asked in a grim tone.
Orion glanced at his friend. “We have been around each other too long. I was thinking the same thing. Let me get through this evening. I want to make sure the blood oath that Dolph signed is terminated, then I will focus on stopping Magna once and for all,” he replied with a sigh before pulling on the long coat draped across the chair near him and turned to face Kapian with a wary expression. “Now, how do I look?”
Kapian cast an assessing gaze at him. Orion could feel the scowl darkening his features when his friend remained silent. Reaching up, he adjusted the collar of the coat he had slipped on.
“Like a king about to be married,” Kapian finally replied.
Orion nodded and glanced outside. Darkness had fallen above the seas. Shafts of moonlight struck the upper dome and tiny dots of luminous green lights twinkled and swirled in the current that flowed over the clear ceiling. Stars under the sea—a sight that Orion had always loved.
“What if she changes her mind? She knows nothing about our world—or of me,” Orion murmured, turning to quietly look out the window.
“You know nothing of her, either. The Goddess works in mysterious ways. Dolph said the water told him where to find Jenny. I have to believe the Goddess was giving you a sign,” Kapian pointed out.
Orion turned when he heard the knock on the door to his bedroom. Kapian opened the door and quietly spoke to Coralus. The older man caught Orion’s gaze, smiled, and bowed his head before stepping back.
“Well, it appears your bride hasn’t disappeared, so you have one less thing to worry about,” Kapian informed him with a grin.
Orion swallowed and nodded. Wrapping his hand around the end of his sword, he started forward when Kapian opened the door all the way and stood to the side to let him pass. He paused in the doorway, straightened his shoulders, and drew in a deep breath. At least he had known Shamill before he married her, not that it had made much of a difference when it came to the lack of fire between them in their union.
The memory of the fire of desire that swept through him when he saw Jenny, then the intensity of their kiss made his body harden. It was going to be a very, very long and difficult few weeks—he refused to think in the terms of months—if just the thought of her brought his body to such an awakening he would need every bit of his self-control not to make a fool of himself.
For the first time in years, excitement built up inside him. He would court Jenny, get to know her, and build a fire between them that not even the waters of the ocean would be able to put out. Already a plan was forming in his mind. There were many wonders under the sea to be seen and explored. With Dolph and Juno’s help, they would capture Jenny’s heart and ensure that she would never want to return to her world.
“What’s wrong?” Kapian asked.
Orion’s lips twitched and he shook his head. “Nothing,” he said before walking out of the room.
“He is a good man, Lady Jenny,” Kelia informed Jenny for the hundredth time as she braided her hair.
“You’ve already said that,” Jenny replied, lifting a shaking hand to her flushed cheek.
“He loves his sons and his people,” Kelia added.
Jenny watched as Kelia began tucking dozens of tiny vibrant gold flowers in the braid. Kelia had been trying to reassure Jenny that Orion was a wonderful man ever since she guided her back to the guest bedroom in his living quarters. She dropped her hand to her lap and nervously fingered the silky, light-green dress that she was wearing.
The dress was magnificent. Small, jade-colored shell buttons embellished the top of the gown down to the waist, and flowers fashioned from thousands of tiny amber beads that blossomed on golden stems with matching leaves adorned the hem. She felt like she was playing dress up for one of the yearly Renaissance festivals that she used to attend with Carly.
“Kelia, have you ever heard of any other unusual women appearing in your world? Someone like me?” Jenny asked, gazing at Kelia in the mirror.
Kelia’s hands stilled for a moment, and she looked thoughtful. After a few seconds, the older woman shook her head. Disappointment pierced through Jenny.
“No, why do you ask?” Kelia replied.
To hide the tears of disappointment, Jenny averted her eyes by looking down at the items on the table in front of her. Damn, but she was an emotional wreck at the moment. Of course, she couldn’t help thinking that discovering you’re in an alternate reality and getting married to a king all on the same day could have something to do with it.
“No reason, I was just curious,” Jenny said, unab
le to mention Carly’s name without fear of bursting into tears.
“After the disappearance of the King and Queen, then the death of Lady Shamill, I feared Lord Orion would never find happiness. I have known him all of his life, and he has always been such a wonderful man. I was his nursemaid from the time he was born until Coralus took him under his wing after the old King’s request to start training him. The two princes remind me so much of Orion when he was younger. His Majesty, Sir Kapian, and that cousin of his were always getting into mischief. It is such a shame Magna turned out the way she did. She had always been such a sweet girl when she was younger. If I may be so forward as to say, Coralus and I think of His Majesty with as much affection as we do our own children. All done now. If I may say so, Lady Jenny, you are beautiful,” Kelia said with a satisfied sigh.
Jenny gave Kelia a weak smile before staring at her reflection in the mirror. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear she was looking at a stranger instead of her own image. On impulse, Jenny reached up and touched the smooth, cool glass just to make sure.
It really is me, she thought in amazement.
Her reflection in the mirror drew in a swift breath. For the past hour, one part of Jenny’s brain had been silently listening to Kelia, picking out interesting pieces of information, sorting them, and then storing them for future use. At the same time, the other part of her brain was in the middle of having a major meltdown. Now, the fog had evaporated, and everything became crystal clear—she was about to marry a man she met just a few hours ago—a man from another world—a man who lived under the sea.
“What am I doing?” Jenny whispered, pulling her hand back from the glass.
In the reflection, she saw Kelia’s expression soften in understanding. Jenny felt the chair she was in turn until she was facing the older woman. Kelia knelt down in front of Jenny and gently cupped her hands.
“You are saving a kingdom from certain destruction. You are saving the life of a young boy who would do anything to find a mother for himself and his brother and a woman who could make his father happy. You are giving a wonderful man a chance to save his people and his family,” Kelia said.
Confusion darkened Jenny’s eyes. “But… What about my life? My home? I….” Jenny’s voice faded.
“You would not be here if the Goddess hadn’t known that you were meant to be here,” Kelia responded in a confident voice.
“How can you be so sure?” Jenny asked.
“Did you leave someone you love behind in your world?” Kelia asked.
“No,” Jenny replied.
“Is there anything in your world that you will miss more than life itself?” Kelia asked.
Jenny could feel her head shaking no even before Kelia had finished asking her question. The only things Jenny had left behind were materialistic items. There was no family who would miss her. She had a handful of friends who would wonder what had happened to her, but not enough to come looking for answers like she had for Carly. She had no boyfriends or ex-lovers who ever cared enough to keep in touch.
“No,” she whispered, bowing her head.
“You already have the hearts of two young boys. Personally, I don’t think it will be that difficult to capture the heart of their father either if you give him a chance. That is all they ask for, Lady Jenny, a chance to get to know them—a chance for you to accept this world,” Kelia replied as she stood up and pulled Jenny out of her chair.
A rueful smile curved Jenny’s lips. “How did you get so good at this?” she asked.
Kelia’s eyes twinkled with delight. “I have children of my own and have been around His Majesty and the young princes long enough to know how to read people,” she chuckled.
“I can’t believe I’m going to do this,” Jenny admitted, fingering the fine material of her dress again.
“I have a feeling King Orion will be wondering how he is going to keep his hands off of you through the ceremony once he sees how lovely you are,” Kelia teased.
Jenny could feel the blush wash up into her cheeks. Her thoughts immediately turned to the kiss they shared that afternoon. A shaft of desire swept through her, and she could feel the warmth spread up to her core. Just the thought of the man made her want to do things she had only read about in her romance books.
“Who knows, maybe it will be you that has the difficulty,” Kelia teased.
“Oh, be quiet,” Jenny muttered, fanning her face with her hand.
Kelia laughed and stood back so Jenny could go ahead of her. Jenny grinned at the older woman. Clutching the material of the gown in her hands, she lifted it just far enough to make sure she didn’t step on it before raising her chin and straightening her shoulders. She was going to do this.
“I’ve totally lost my mind,” she said, staring at the door and willing her legs to work.
“Completely, so you have nothing to worry about,” Kelia informed her.
Jenny started walking when she felt Kelia’s hand against the small of her back, pressing her forward. The doubts coursing through her faded when the door opened, and she saw Dolph and Juno standing outside waiting for her. Dolph looked solemn while Juno had a huge grin on his face. Both boys looked dashing in their formal attire of dark brown trousers, matching vests and coats, and pristine white shirts.
“You two look awesome,” Jenny said, nodding with approval.
“You look like a princess,” Juno exclaimed with a grin.
“She will be a Queen soon enough. I take it you two boys are here to escort her,” Kelia said in a firm voice.
“Yes,” Dolph replied.
Jenny’s face lit up with delight when Dolph took a step forward and bowed. He kept one hand behind his back and the other swept forward across his stomach. When he straightened, he held out his arm. Only when Jenny extended her hand did he turn to stand next to her left side. Jerking his head at his brother, he waited for a moment before speaking.
“Juno, remember what Coralus told us,” Dolph muttered under his breath.
“What? Oh! Yes, I forgot,” Juno replied. “Sorry, Jenny.”
Jenny’s lips curved into a reassuring smile when Juno stepped up in front of her and bowed. He wasn’t as graceful or confident as his older brother, but he more than made up for it with his adorable grin. She couldn’t help but curtsy to the little boy when he held out his arm to her. His infectious giggles soon had all of them, including Dolph, laughing.
“I would like a little sister,” Juno said excitedly. “I hope she has fire hair like you do. I will be a very gallant big brother and protect her from all the monsters.”
“I think it might be best to wait a little while on the sister,” Jenny laughed.
“How long?” Juno asked, looking up at her with hopeful eyes. “A week?”
“Juno!” Dolph hissed, glaring at his younger brother.
“What? You said you want a baby sister, too. You said it would be better than having another brother,” Juno defended.
“He’s young, ignore him,” Dolph said with a roll of his eyes.
Jenny couldn’t help the laugh that escaped. It would appear that boys were boys no matter where you are. She listened to the boys argue about who said what and when she was supposed to present them with a new sister as they walked through the corridors that were now lined with people.
Being the center of attention made her cheeks grow warm again. Lifting her chin, she tried to act like walking down an elaborate hallway in an underwater palace dressed like she was going to Cinderella’s ball with two small princes as her escort was a normal, everyday thing. The smile on her lips trembled, and tears burned her eyes when a wave of self-doubt hit her hard.
What in the hell am I doing? This is totally crazy! she thought as a wave of panic swept through her.
She was about to bolt to the safety of the guest bedroom. The plan was forming in her mind. She’d get back into her own clothes, escape through the garden to the cave, and find the blasted portal back home where she was Jenny—ju
st plain, elementary-school-teacher Jenny. Her steps faltered to a stop when two little girls stepped out in front of her and curtsied.
“For you, my lady,” one of the little girls said with a shy smile.
“Thank… Thank you,” Jenny said, releasing Dolph’s arm to take the flowers from the little girl.
“I think you are beautiful. Will your hair burn me if I touch it?” the other little girl asked.
“Would you like to touch it and find out?” Jenny asked with a breathless laugh.
“Oh! May I?” the little girl exclaimed.
Jenny gathered her skirt in her hands and bent down so the little girl could touch her hair. She grinned when the girls’ mother stepped forward with a gasp of dismay. Jenny winked at the woman who placed a hand on her brow and gave a mortified shake of her head.
“It is soft,” the little girl said in excitement. “Momma, her hair doesn’t burn me.”
“Can I touch it too?” the older of the two girls hesitantly asked.
“Of course,” Jenny said.
“Please forgive them, my lady. We have never seen hair the color of yours before,” the mother said with an apologetic smile.
“I don’t mind,” Jenny assured the woman.
For the first time, she noticed that everyone had white, brown, or black hair. She straightened as the woman guided the two girls to stand against the wall again. Clutching the bouquet of flowers against her chest, Jenny saw the rows of smiling faces looking at her with a combination of awe, curiosity, and hope.
“This way,” Dolph said, placing her hand on his arm again.
“Thank you, Dolph,” Jenny murmured, starting forward again.
They continued down to the end of the corridor where two massive doors stood. The guards standing at attention pulled the doors opened. On the other side of the room was a platform with four ornate chairs sitting on it. There were three men standing on the platform. They all turned when they heard the doors, but only one of them held Jenny’s attention—the one in the middle.