The Rejected Princess

by Clark, Katie;

  Roanna stood and paced. Did Dr. Presnell know what the length of her hair caused? Could he tell her more? “Have you met him?”

  Ben joined her and shook his head. “I’ll be here another week, at least. I plan to visit him. He lives further south, near the sea. I’ll contact you once I learn more.”

  “My hair is doing strange things.” She blurted it out, and it sounded ridiculous. “Dr. Presnell’s warnings weren’t foolishness.”

  He stopped pacing and stood in front of her. “What do you mean?”

  She swallowed hard. “When I brush it vigorously, or when Roland or King Dawson are near, I get chills. They race down my arms and back, and sometimes I shiver.”

  His frowned deepened; he was thinking.

  “That’s all?” he finally asked.

  She shook her head. “I also…hear…things.”

  He raised his brows. “You hear things?”

  “Thoughts. Or I sense them, rather. Not everyone’s thoughts, only Roland’s and King Dawson’s so far.” He was looking at her as though she had lost her mind, so she looked away. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ve imagined it all.”

  He stepped closer to her. “What have you sensed them thinking?” His gaze was dark. Worried.

  “King Dawson said something about a rebellion.” She whispered now. She was in Bartholomew Dawson’s castle. To speak against him would be seen as treasonous. “Roland,” she glanced away, “I won’t repeat what he said, but it was a warning against my relationship with you.”

  “Who was he warning if it was in his head?”

  “That’s just it.” She looked back to him. “It was like they were speaking to each other, in their heads.” Now only one of his eyebrows rose. He did think she was crazy.

  “And you believe this is related to your hair?” His tone carried no mockery.

  She relaxed a little.

  “It didn’t start until Roland came to Chester’s Wake, and even then it was minor. I didn’t know what to make of it until we saw that file in the dungeon. Then I began to put it together. Tonight, Roland was gone from our party, so I set out to find him. I sensed him, Ben. I found him because I could sense him. He was in some type of secret meeting with King Dawson and another man, and they were discussing a plan. I couldn’t understand what the plot was, though.”

  He rubbed his hand across his face. “This is crazy.”

  He could be right. How could her story possibly be true? “What if it’s an anomaly? What if I am one of the Rejected?” Voicing her true fear set her heart racing.

  Ben watched her, his eyes soft and understanding. Finally, he sighed. “Let’s not talk of this anymore. We’ll wait until I find Dr. Presnell. For now, I want to know about you. How are you?”

  Relief washed over her. He wouldn’t turn her away just because something strange was happening to her. “I’m fine, mostly.”

  “How does Roland treat you?”

  She smirked. “He is a peacock, as you so aptly dubbed him.”

  Ben grinned, and she relaxed even more.

  “But he is kind,” she went on. “He showers me with unnecessary compliments that make me uncomfortable, but overall he is kind.” She paused, wanting to tell him one more thing. “He kissed me.”

  The happiness in Ben’s eyes dimmed. His jaw flexed. “Oh?”

  “I shoved him.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “What?”

  She giggled and nodded. “He was quite surprised.”

  Ben laughed. “I’ll bet.” He grabbed her shoulders, still laughing. “You are unbelievable. It’s why I love you.”

  The words slipped from his mouth and hovered in the air between them.

  He dropped his hands from her shoulders like they had burned him. He backed away. “I should go now. It’s dangerous for me to be here.”

  He would leave her now, and she wouldn’t see him again for too long. They both knew what was at risk.

  He took another step back and his jaw muscles flexed. “As I said earlier, it was a mistake.”

  Yes, a mistake. Immature. Foolish. Irresponsible.

  “I don’t want him.” The statement came out like a cry. A painful, wretched cry. She’d felt this way from the beginning but had not been allowed to express it to anyone. But if she couldn’t express these things to her best friend, to whom could she talk? “I didn’t want him to kiss me.”

  Pain filled Ben’s face, and he shook his head. “I have to go,” he whispered.

  She wanted to force him to stay, at least a moment longer. Force him to acknowledge the feelings running between them. She could push, she knew she could.

  But he was so brave. So strong. How could she desire to break him?

  He stepped toward the door, his back to her, his hand on the doorknob.

  Tears burned her eyes and panic bubbled up her chest. She must keep calm. She could have her break down as soon as he was gone. A quiet sob escaped her mouth. Tears slipped from her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

  Then, in a moment, he was in front of her. He cradled her face in his hands and wiped her tears. “Don’t cry,” he begged.

  Roanna closed her eyes and willed the tears to stop. She didn’t want to show puffy eyes to Roland the next day.

  She froze.

  She was engaged to Roland. Slept in his family’s palace. Had agreed to a peace treaty with his kingdom.

  Ben tensed as if he was having the same thoughts. His hands dropped away. He stepped back. “As much as it was a mistake, my words were true, Roanna. I love you. I love you with all of my heart and soul, and that will never stop, no matter the peace treaties between our kingdoms. I want you and only you.”

  His confession was wrenching, exactly what she’d hoped to hear, though she had barely realized it before this moment. Her tears came harder, and she pressed her fist to her mouth to keep the sound from reaching anyone else’s ears. Her heart hurt as if it would explode with the joy of Ben’s love and yet shrivel with the pain of his absence all at once.

  “But,” she spoke through her tears, “you would not start a war for us.”

  He looked at her, not speaking.

  So, this was it.

  He backed away. “I will be in touch about Dr. Presnell.”

  She nodded stiffly, not trusting her words to come.

  “Will you check the hallway?”

  She rushed forward. “Of course.” The hallways were empty, and she nodded him forward. He left without another glance, and Roanna shut the door behind him, closing the door to her heart.

  25

  Ben

  Ben paced his room, still dressed in his evening clothes.

  When he had first arrived in Dawson’s Edge, he had spent the first part of his week discussing politics with King Dawson. Then the last two days had been spent touring the kingdom with Prince Southerland. He had known Roanna was in Dawson’s Edge, so he had tried his best to stay away.

  When he walked around the hallway corner and saw her standing there, hair glittering with jewels, he’d reacted.

  Act, don’t react. Another of Father’s favorites. Ben had known Roanna was there, and he’d created a plan to act. Still, when he’d seen her, he only reacted. Rushed into her room. Been utterly foolish.

  The dead soldiers he’d seen with Father at the border danced across his mind’s eye. He could have added to their number simply by entering Roanna’s room.

  Foolish.

  He rubbed a hand over his face.

  No matter how foolish, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. The way she had cried, the way her skin had felt beneath his fingers, swelled his heart with longing to protect her. To make her happy.

  His heart clenched at the remembrance of her painfully spoken words.

  “I don’t want him.”

  What if the girl he chose to marry loved someone else? Would she get a say in the matter, or would she be telling someone else the same thing Roanna had said? “I don’t want Benjamin of Lox?”

  This practice
of marrying for peace wasn’t right or fair. How could there be peace between the kingdoms when one or both sides was being forced into it? Wouldn’t the peace be stabler if entered into with pureness of heart rather than manipulation via a marriage agreement?

  Father would say Ben was using enlightened thinking, and they didn’t live in an enlightened world.

  Ben ripped off his tie and tossed it aside. Maybe Father was right. He was being a fool.

  He finished dressing for bed, but sleep would not come. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Roanna’s tears. Heard her wrenching cries.

  He rose early, showered, and dressed for his day. Hansen mentioned that Roanna and her Mother would be travelling with Queen Katherine and Roland to visit Roland’s estate this day. Roanna wouldn’t return until after his own ball, leaving Ben with the freedom to move about the palace.

  Breakfast was served as usual in the large dining room. A few of the guests from the engagement party had stayed overnight, and they sat around the table with King Dawson. Ben took a chair beside an older woman and her husband. He had met them the night before and recognized them as the Duke and Duchess of Mayne, one of the southern provinces.

  “Are you excited for your own ball, young man?” the woman asked.

  “Excited to find a wife?” He winked. “What do you think?” He gave her his most charming smile, and she laughed.

  “I think that’s a yes! And I hear you’ve been touring the kingdom.”

  Ben nodded as he bit into a strawberry. “I have been, though I have yet to make it south.”

  The woman’s eyes lit up. “We would love to host you.”

  Ben smiled, and they made plans for him to visit after the ball. Visiting the southern province would afford him the opportunity to seek out Dr. Presnell. This was good. Roanna’s claims regarding her hair and her strange thought-hearing abilities needed to be explained. And they would be. Roanna, an anomaly? It was impossible. Especially the strength of her so-called abilities. Those types of anomalies had been bred out long ago.

  The worry on her face when she’d spoken about being one of the Rejected was enough to spur him to action.

  The day passed slowly, agonizingly. Families who had attended Roland and Roanna’s engagement party readied to leave while families with eligible daughters stayed or arrived. It made little sense to him for the Dawsons to schedule two large events back to back. What was their rush after all these years?

  The information Roanna had given him came back to him. She’d heard them talking about a big move they planned to make after Roland had married. She’d sensed King Dawson’s worry over a rebellion.

  Ben rubbed the back of his neck as he sat at the small desk in his guest room. Could Roanna be correct? No doubt she thought she was feeling these shivers she described. But this having anything to do with her hair was so farfetched it bordered on unbelievable. She could really read thoughts? Sense people across the palace?

  But Roanna was not crazy—had never been crazy before. He had to trust her.

  Dr. Presnell held the key. Hopefully, his new friends, the Duke and Duchess, would be able to help him find the good doctor.

  Supper arrived at last, and Ben dressed slowly. He wasn’t excited to mingle further with the Dawsonian royalty. He arrived to the dining room late.

  King Dawson raised his glass as Ben entered. “Prince Benjamin! I’m pleased that you’ve joined us. Come sit! There are many people who would like to meet you.”

  Ben gave the room a smile and moved to King Dawson’s side. An empty seat to his left stood waiting, and he sank into it. “Forgive my tardiness, Your Highness.”

  “Nonsense.” King Dawson snapped his fingers and servers appeared to offer Ben a plate. “No forgiveness necessary. You know Baron Stern, I believe?”

  The baron he’d met in Chester’s Wake sat to his right, and next to him was his daughter, Lady Merry. He had met her at Chester’s Wake as well. Ben smiled at the baron and nodded. “We’ve recently met, yes. How are you, Baron?”

  The baron was regal, with wide shoulders and a head full of silver hair. “Quite well, Your Highness. My daughter is eager for the ball.”

  Ben managed to smile. He glanced at Merry, and she blushed prettily, but she seemed irritated at her father’s words.

  “I look forward to it, as well,” he answered. “And it will be nice to already know a few of the ladies there.” He gave them a friendly smile, and Merry seemed to relax.

  They ate and talked for the next hour, and when they were finished King Dawson gripped Ben’s forearm. “Come and mingle, Ben.” His voice was light, but his grip was firm. This was not a request.

  “Of course, Your Highness.” Ben followed him from the dining room to a small sitting room with couches and chairs. Many from the table followed them, but not all. Ben met ladies his own age, ladies twice his age, and ladies somewhere in between. They came from the south, the west, the east, the north. And they all wanted one thing—to become the next Queen of Lox.

  King Dawson stayed close to him, whispering footnotes in his ear. “Lady Clarice is the daughter of the Duke of Charlotte Town in the east. He has hefty connections across the ocean,” or “Lady Britta hails from our southern coast. A lot of trouble makers down that way.”

  Ben took it all in stride, not letting on whether the king’s comments had any effect on him. If he was to choose a wife from among these women, it wouldn’t be the political match that would most benefit Dawson’s Edge; it would have to benefit Lox as well, whether King Dawson liked it or not.

  26

  The night of the ball arrived. Clatter from the ballroom was so loud it carried to the top of the stairs as Ben moved from the guest wing toward the festivities. He kept his gaze straight ahead as he passed Roanna’s room. She wasn’t there, anyway.

  He had prayed fervently over the last two days, asking that Roanna be kept safe and that if she must marry Roland that she be happy to do so.

  The clatter drowned out his thoughts as he neared the ballroom. Music, laughing, talking.

  He took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. Hansen had dressed him in a black tuxedo with long tails, with a yellow rose pinned to his lapel. Yellow, the color of friendship. The color of peace, which was what his match would bring Lox and Dawson’s Edge. Now all he had to do was find a woman he could have a genuine relationship with who would also be interested in fostering peace between their countries. Someone who could rise to the position as future queen of his kingdom.

  “Ah, Prince Benjamin!” King Dawson waited for him outside the ballroom. Queen Katherine stood at his side, which surprised Ben. He’d heard she had travelled to the east with Roanna to tour Roland’s palace. King Hamilton had returned to Chester’s Wake, and Gregory stayed behind for the ball.

  He greeted them with a smooth smile and a slight bow. “Your Highnesses. I am quite honored to be here tonight.”

  “Come.” King Dawson led him toward the ballroom. “We have many guests!”

  Ben smiled again. This was it. The future Queen of Lox danced in the ballroom this night. He took another deep breath to calm his nerves, and a moment later, he was being announced alongside King and Queen Dawson.

  The ballroom erupted in applause, and Ben bowed graciously beside the king and queen. As he rose, he took in the guests. So many girls. He was to be expected to dance with them all? He gulped.

  Queen Kathrine leaned close. “You may dance with me first, if you need a moment.”

  His eyes widened, and he turned to her. “Is it so obvious?”

  She gave him a knowing smile. “Only to the most observant.” She laughed daintily and held out her hand. “I would be honored to dance with you, Your Highness.”

  He grinned and took her hand, and they danced. After a few moments, others joined them. Swirls of colors, fabrics, curls, and heels. Apparently, there were more men than he’d realized, because all the women had dancing partners.

  “You will be a good leader,” Queen Kathe
rine said. “I can tell it in the way you carry yourself. You are always in deference to those around you.”

  “You’re too kind, Your Highness.”

  Her eyes twinkled. “Not too kind. Quite truthful.”

  The music ended, and Ben bowed to the queen. “Thank you for saving me, Queen Katherine.”

  “You are most welcome. Now, mingle. Meet someone spectacular.”

  He grinned and nodded, and Queen Katherine turned to dance with King Dawson.

  He felt like a wounded antelope in a large pack of lions. He met several pairs of eager eyes. He had to ask one of them to dance.

  “Prince Benjamin,” Merry Stern’s voice broke into his panicked thoughts. “Thank you for a lovely talk last night.”

  His panic lessened a fraction, and he stepped toward her. “It was my pleasure, my lady. Would you like to dance?”

  She smiled and nodded. “That would be my pleasure.”

  Ben took her soft hand in his and they danced. “This is my second save of the night. I’m beginning to think all Dawsonian women must be saviors.”

  Merry laughed. “Not true at all. Some of us can see you need the charity.” She gasped. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. I didn’t mean it that way. You don’t need charity in that you couldn’t find a dancing partner. You certainly could. You’re quite hands—”

  “Stop.” Ben chuckled. “You don’t owe me an apology. I owe you more thanks. I have no idea with whom to dance or how to ask them. At least, not when they’re all expecting me to ask them.”

  “Dance with my sister, Rachel, next. She’s too shy to ever put herself in your path.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “If she is shy, I don’t want to make her uncomfortable.”

  “Do you think that just because she is shy she wouldn’t like to be danced with?”

  He frowned. “I apologize. That was insensitive of me.”

  “Don’t apologize.” She smiled. “Just ask her to dance.”

  “I will. Thank you for the recommendation. Got any others?”

  She grinned. “Britta Mayne is quite available.”

  “Mayne? Is she the daughter of Duke and Duchess Mayne of the southern province?”