Finn nodded, nonplussed by her response. “Please take as long as you need. The guard will escort you to the East Entrance whenever you’re ready,” Finn said with a look to the guard, who nodded in response.
Arianna nodded and left for her room again, wondering what she should wear. She wanted to look nice, but not too nice; sexy, but not too sexy. It was a fine line.
She just had to remind herself that Henry was her ticket to redemption, not Finn. No, Finn was a distraction she could not afford if she wanted her family’s and her country’s respect.
***
Finn leaned against the car while he watched the door and waited for Arianna to appear. He’d changed as well, into jeans and a fitted flannel shirt, for their trip today. It was a stroke of luck, or a curse depending upon how you looked at it, that they would spend the day together.
She walked out with a guard a moment later and he no longer thought of all the terrible things that could happen on their trip. He only thought of her.
She had changed into dark skinny jeans that hugged her curves, and a simple green button-down shirt. A trench coat in dark brown matched the boots she wore and simple pearl studs adorned her delicate earlobes. Her hair was still up, as it had been at breakfast, and he set a goal of seeing it down before the end of their day together. He could just picture her as she had been last night: caramel-colored hair, lightly damp with the sweat of desire, streaming down over her full breasts and peaked nipples.
Finn shook his head, his cock already growing just at the thought of her again. He had to remain in control.
“You look lovely, Arianna.”
“Thank you,” she said as she slowly approached him. Was she nervous to be with him all day? “You look very nice, too, though aren’t you cold?”
He chuckled as he glanced at his rolled-up sleeved and the jacket he had thrown carelessly into the back seat of the car. “I’m rarely ever cold, Princess. I seem to have a furnace burning hot inside me most days.”
“I see,” she said softly.
“Your chariot awaits,” he said as he opened the passenger door for her.
“You’re driving?” she asked as her eyes widened. “What about security?”
“I am an excellent driver, so don’t worry, and security is following behind us.” He gestured to another car some ways away. “One of your men is with us, too.”
“My men?”
“One of your Royal Protection agents. Alex insisted upon it, not that I minded, of course.”
“Didn’t you?”
He gave her a curious look. “Why would I mind? Does it make you uncomfortable to have him here?”
“Don’t be silly,” she said as she sat down in the car.
Finn shook his head again as he shut her door and walked around to the driver’s side. He gestured to the security staff that they were ready to leave, and they slipped into their car as well.
“So where are we going?” she asked once he’d sat down.
“Oh, here and there.”
“Finn.”
With a smile, he decided to elaborate, at least on most of their trip. Their final stop would remain a secret from her. It was, after all, one of his special places, and he never took anyone there. Not even Henry knew about his frequent visits.
“Apologies, Princess. It’s just so fun to tease you.”
“I don’t like being teased,” she said in a soft voice.
Finn put a hand over hers. She gasped and tried to pull away, but Finn wouldn’t let her. “I would never laugh at you or make fun of you, Arianna,” he said in an even, clear voice. “I can’t resist teasing you, it seems, but I don’t mean it as an insult, and I certainly never mean to hurt your feelings. Do you believe that?”
After a moment, she said, “Yes. Yes, I think I do believe it, though I’m not sure why.”
Finn let the comment go. He kissed her palm before reluctantly letting go of her hand to start the car and drive off the palace grounds. “There are a lot of places you could see while you’re here, but I don’t want to overwhelm you.”
He thought she mumbled, “You do that already,” but wasn’t sure.
A safe topic, that’s what he needed. “I’ll show you around the capital first, then around some of the districts. Do you know much about Brazenbourg?”
“Some. There’s always some research done before visiting another country, though you’ll never know as much about the place as the locals do.”
Finn nodded in agreement. “Well, we’re a small country, as you know, with a total size just under one thousand square miles. A lake is centered north of the capital, and I’ll take you there last today, no matter where else we go. I’d like for you to see it.”
“Then I will.”
Finn smiled while he let out an internal sigh of relief; he wasn’t sure what he would have done if she had said she wasn’t interested. It would have been as good as saying she didn’t want his heart, though she likely didn’t want that anyway. His heart didn’t have much to offer anybody.
“I’ll take you around the capital first, which I know is confusingly named the same as the country.”
“Is there a reason for that?”
“Lack of imagination, I suppose, on the part of my ancestors. Terrible, but true.” She chuckled and the sound seemed to jump across his skin. He cleared his throat.
“Anyway, there are rivers that stream down from Brazenbourg Lake and cut the country into ten districts. Because we’re a constitutional monarchy, unlike Valleria which is a more traditional monarchy, each district has a mayor, who reports to Henry, or whoever is the current reigning monarch. When the constitutional monarchy was put in place, it was decided by the people that no one would hold the title of ‘King’, so that’s why Henry will forever be a ‘Prince.’”
“Does that bother him?”
“I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Alex; I’ll be as honest as I can be when it comes to my brother. In my opinion, he’ll never be happy just being a ‘Prince’, despite the fact that he is the leader of this country.”
“I see,” she said and Finn noticed her brows were furrowed, as if she were trying to figure something out. “What about you? Are you happy being just a ‘Prince?’”
Finn struggled with how to respond, but decided the truth was best. “To me, that’s just a title. Henry wishes I didn’t have it, and I certainly don’t need it.”
“Don’t you help Henry with state business?”
“Our family’s not like yours, Princess. We’re not like most other royal families.”
“Does that mean you don’t want to?”
Finn sighed. He forgot how hard it was to stay diplomatic at times. “Look, Henry’s not interested in help. It’s his way or no way. I’m not like that.”
“Do you think Henry’s philosophy is the same in all aspects of his life, or just politics?”
Finn gave her a curious look. “I couldn’t say.”
Arianna nodded, then noticed the passing scenery. “Where’s our first stop?”
Pleased to be back on neutral ground, he said, “We’ve got a lot of the standard tourist fare in the capital: old churches, ruins, monuments, and the like. But, I thought you might like to visit some of the places the locals love, perhaps meet some of them.”
She clasped her hands together in front of her. “Oh, that’s perfect actually. I’d love that.”
“I’m glad,” he said as a ridiculous surge of pride swept through him. He felt happy for getting something right for once, and wasn’t that just ridiculous? The problem was that he had spent too many years listening to Henry tell him he was useless.
A few minutes later, Finn pulled into an empty spot near an incredibly busy pedestrian area, his security finding a spot nearby as well.
“I can’t believe you found a spot so close.” Arianna stepped out from the car, Finn holding the door for her.
Finn reached up to scratch the back of his neck. “Well, the locals sort of unofficial
ly keep it open for me.”
“Really? That’s very nice of them. You and Henry must come out here a lot then.”
“They do see the royal family out here from time-to-time, it’s true,” Finn said in a half truth. He wasn’t sure why he was defending Henry just then, but he was still his brother, after all.
They slowly walked down the street, Finn greeting various shop owners and street vendors by name. He loved this part of the capital; it had seen a great resurgence over the last several years, led by Finn’s quiet efforts. Henry would never have approved.
“You certainly seem well known,” Arianna said after hearing ‘Prince Finn’ shouted in greeting yet again.
“I am their Prince,” he said as they turned a corner onto a solely pedestrian street.
“It’s not just that. It’s like you’re a friend. That’s how they’re greeting you.”
“They are my friends,” he said easily, because it was true. “I don’t think of them as citizens I rule over. That’s Henry’s job. I grew up with these people, and they grew up with me. Brazenbourg is a small country, and we’re all a part of the same community. At least, that’s how I see things.”
“What is this street?” Arianna asked with wonder in her voice. The pedestrian-only street was filled to the brim at barely eleven in the morning. The thick, rich scents of cooking meats, vegetables, and more filled the air along with smoke from grills and outdoor stoves. While food trucks and stands lined one side of the street, the other was lined with outdoor stalls where merchants sold everything from homemade jewelry to clothing to housewares.
“It’s locally called Food Street,” he said, unable to hide the pride in his voice. “It’s one of my favorite places in the city.”
“I can see why. Has it always been here?”
“The cobbled street was built hundreds of years ago. Many years back, there was a movement to rip up the street and turn it into a more modern street, with standard pavement. My father couldn’t bear to see it go, though, so he campaigned for it to be saved.”
“Well, who would want to destroy it?” Arianna asked as she took a sample of grilled sausage one vendor offered her. “God, this is delicious.”
“George is one of the best,” Finn said as he slapped a hand on the man’s shoulder.
“You’re not so bad yourself, Prince Finn,” the bear of a man said. “And who’s this lovely miss with you?”
“George, this is Princess Arianna of Valleria. She and her brother are visiting us.”
“Oh! I beg your pardon, Princess,” he said as he dropped into a clumsy bow, which caught the attention of the people nearby.
“Oh, please, there’s no need for formality,” she said, but it was too late. As a crowd formed around them, Finn wished he could pull her against him and keep her safe in his arms. Since he couldn’t in public, security was the next best thing and he gestured for them to come closer. He didn’t think any of them would hurt Arianna, but he’d rather be safe than sorry.
Finn could tell Arianna was overwhelmed as his fellow countrymen and women came to greet her. He watched a wide smile grace her face as a little girl gave her a flower, and she kneeled down to speak to her eye-to-eye.
“How long are you here for, Your Highness?” one voice called. “Are you dating our Finn?” asked another.
Finn clapped his hands a few times and calmed the crowd. “Everyone, thank you so much for giving the Princess such a warm welcome. I told her she’d be charmed by Brazenbourg and its people, and I was right.”
“Have you charmed her, too, Prince Finn?” a young boy, no more than five years old, asked and everyone laughed. Out of the mouth of children, he thought. Arianna was blushing, and he didn’t want her to feel embarrassed.
“I am simply showing the Princess our lovely country, and I am being a perfect gentleman,” he said as he playfully tweaked the young boy’s nose. When everyone chuckled, Finn said, “Okay, so maybe not a perfect gentleman, but pretty close.”
George spoke up in defense of Finn. “You don’t need to worry, miss, I mean, Princess. Our Finn here’s a scamp, but a better man you’ll never know. He’s always one to lend a hand if you need it.” A murmur of agreement swept through the crowd.
“Thank you, all,” Arianna said as she affixed the small flower the little girl had given her into her upswept hair. “Prince Finn has been a gentleman, and you are all very kind. I won’t forget how lovely and welcoming you have been.”
Finn could feel the pride sweep through the crowd. Brazenbourg may be a small country, but pride in their homeland was never determined by the size of the country, only by those that lived within it. After a few more remarks, Finn disbursed the crowd.
“They love you,” Arianna said.
“What’s not to love?” he said with a broad smile as he slid on some sunglasses.
Arianna laughed. “You know what I mean. Do they feel the same way about Henry?”
Finn’s smile faded. “Henry’s a different man than I am.”
“So, he expects more formality.”
Finn gestured for her to keep walking. It wasn’t safe to speak of such things in public; Finn knew Henry always had someone tailing him or hiding in the crowd. “Henry expects quite a lot, from everyone,” Finn simply said. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving. Who wouldn’t be in the midst of all this?”
“Savory or sweet?”
“What?”
“Would you prefer something savory or sweet?”
After a moment, she said, “Why not both?”
Finn threw his head back and laughed. “A woman after my own heart. Let’s go. I know just the place.”
They walked down the street, which encompassed several blocks. Finn pointed out things she might like, and regaled her with stories about some of the characters behind the food and wares being sold.
“You talk about them as if they’re your family,” she said when they finally sat down. The entire food side of the street was covered with picnic-style tables and benches for everyone to enjoy.
“They are my family,” Finn said as he gestured to one of the owners of a pop-up café on the street. Finn didn’t mention that sometimes his fellow citizens felt more like his family than his brother did. “I told you that I love Brazenbourg, and I meant it. This is my home, and I won’t give it up without a fight.”
Arianna gave him a long look; he knew his last statement sounded odd. What Arianna didn’t know, and neither did anyone else, is that Henry would only be too happy to have Finn exiled from the country.
Before Arianna could comment, a woman came out bearing a large tray of food. Arianna’s face broke into an easy smile of greeting; she was a natural with people.
“What is all this?” she asked and took a deep breath. “Mmmm. It smells heavenly.”
The sound she made reminded him too much of last night, which they had very studiously avoided discussing thus far. “It’s a number of local dishes.” Finn gestured to the pixie-like woman who had carried the tray. “Linda is from America originally, but she cooks almost as good as my grandmother did.”
Linda blushed. “Thank you for the compliment, Prince Finn.”
“How long have you lived here?” Arianna asked as she loaded up her plate. To Finn, it was good to see a woman unafraid to eat and, from his first-hand experience, he loved her curves.
“I did a backpacking trip through Europe after college,” Linda said. “I ran out of money here in Brazenbourg and planned to stay just long enough to earn my way to the next stop on my trip.”
“What happened?” Arianna asked as she lifted a spoonful of a hearty meat and vegetable stew to her lips.
“Oh, I raised the money easily enough, but I had fallen in love with the place. This country, its people, they just felt like home to me. So, I stayed.”
“And our stomachs thank you for it,” Finn said and Linda laughed.
“Still a charmer,” Linda said.
“Well, have I charmed you e
nough for a pot of your world-famous tea and cake?”
“Oh, I think you’ve charmed me just enough. I’ll bring it out when you’ve finished with your meal.”
“Thank you, Linda,” he said.
“It’s no trouble at all. It’s my honor to serve you and the Princess.”
“Tea and cake? After all this?”
“You need to keep your strength up,” he said as he loaded his own plate to the brim. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us, and I’m afraid we’ll miss afternoon tea at the palace.”
Arianna & Finn (Royals of Valleria #3) Page 7