The Accidental Prince

by Michelle Willingham

  ‘Don’t,’ she whispered, trying to pull away.

  He returned his hand to the back of her head, leaning in. ‘Who hurt you?’

  Serena’s blood pulsed, her skin prickling with fear. When his forehead touched hers, the heat of his skin entranced her. His hands moved down to her shoulders, and she sank deeper under his spell. ‘I want you to stop,’ she confessed. ‘Please. I can’t—I don’t—’ She closed her eyes, so terribly confused when she was near him.

  ‘Don’t what?’ His mouth rested just above hers, and Serena wondered if he was going to kiss her.

  Karl saw the way Serena was fighting against herself. Fear penetrated her expression, and her hands were clenched. She looked as if she wanted to be far away from him, as if she dreaded his touch.

  He wanted to ignore propriety and taste the soft lips that lay so close. Her green eyes held worry, her cheeks flushed with uncertainty. After seeing the bruised skin of her throat, he understood that he couldn’t push her. Someone had hurt her badly, though he couldn’t understand why.

  It would be reckless to damage what little trust she had in him, by forcing a kiss. Karl released her and returned to the clock on the table. He lifted it and brought it back into the other room. While he distracted himself with mounting it on the wall, he wondered what he was supposed to do now.

  He stared at the blurred reflection of his face in the glass clock cover. He’d mistakenly believed that Serena would welcome a marriage, if only to preserve her reputation. But she was running away from someone who had tried to hurt her.

  Frustration unfurled inside him, for she would say nothing about it, and he couldn’t understand why. He’d been patient with her, thus far, but it was wearing thin.

  Karl turned around and closed the distance between them. ‘Are you still afraid of me?’ In the silence between them, all that could be heard was the clock ticking.

  She nodded slowly. But then, she lifted her gaze up to meet his. Karl reached for a fallen, tangled lock of hair and tucked it behind her nape. ‘Go and eat your luncheon without me. I’ll join you in a moment.’

  She nodded, clutching her arms at the casual touch. It infuriated him that she was so mistrustful, as if she believed him to be a monster. When she didn’t move, he couldn’t tell if it was frozen fear or something else.

  ‘I’ll … wait for you.’ Her arms crossed over her chest, and he sensed that she was trying to overcome her nerves. The softness of her skin, the shadowed look of her eyes, spoke of a woman who had been hurt. A woman who no longer trusted anyone.

  ‘That wouldn’t be a good idea.’

  ‘Why?’ she whispered.

  ‘Because if you stay, I’m going to kiss you.’ He wanted to taste her mouth, to coax her into wanting more. To see if she might … desire him.

  Her innocent eyes widened, and Serena looked behind her, as if to see whether anyone was watching. But there was no one near, no eyes watching them. With his fingers, Karl traced a path down the back of her neck, feeling the gooseflesh rise beneath his touch.

  ‘And if I don’t want you to?’ she whispered.

  ‘Then go into the dining room right now. I won’t stop you.’

  Her face paled, and she crossed her arms over her chest, as if to shield herself. For a moment, she considered it, lifting her face to his. Karl drew his hands to the back of her head, sliding his fingers into her hair.

  The moment his hands touched her hair, she winced and pulled away. Then, as if she couldn’t bear his presence any more, she fled.

  After she’d gone, Karl stared at the face of the clock. What did you expect? That she would want a man like you?

  The brittle anger at himself threatened to break free, so he took a few moments to suppress it, along with the physical frustration Serena had conjured. She wanted nothing at all to do with him, and it was doubtful that would change.

  When they reached the dining room, his footman was standing next to a covered tray of food. ‘I must apologise, Your Highnesses,’ Bernard said, bowing after he set down the tray. ‘I fear that a cook won’t arrive until tomorrow. I … did the best I could, but I’m not much good in the kitchen.’

  ‘I’m certain that whatever you’ve prepared will be better than anything the fürst or I could manage.’ Serena gave the footman a polite smile, and he pulled out a chair for her before Karl dismissed him.

  When Bernard had gone, Serena’s expression changed into wariness. ‘For an island experiencing a famine, I wonder what he managed to find.’

  Karl lifted the covering and revealed two plates containing grey slabs of meat and limp vegetables. Eyeing the princess, he said, ‘We could starve by the time a real cook arrives.’

  ‘What sort of meat do you suppose it is?’ She poked at it with a fork.

  ‘Overcooked.’ He attempted to cut it, but the meat wouldn’t give way. ‘I don’t know if we should eat it.’

  ‘It would hurt his feelings if we didn’t try.’

  The princess doggedly began sawing at the meat. Karl tried some of the vegetables, which were hardly more than mush. At last, he gave up and pushed the plate away. ‘This is a disaster.’

  Serena was trying to chew the unpalatable bit of meat with no success. Karl tossed his napkin upon the table. ‘Come on. We’ll go somewhere else to find better food.’

  ‘But where, if there’s a famine …?’ She cast a glance outside, uncertain of what he meant.

  ‘I have a friend who lives upon an isolated part of the island, one that few people know about. We’ll share a meal with him and I can learn more about what’s been happening here over the past two years.’ He stood beside her chair. ‘Unless you’re too afraid to leave.’

  The dare was meant to provoke her, for he needed her to come with him. He didn’t know if the old priest still dwelled among the abbey ruins, but it was possible.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Serena said, lowering her gaze. ‘It doesn’t seem safe.’

  ‘Our alternative is to suffer through two more meals here before we can leave,’ Karl said. ‘If you’re willing to risk it.’

  Chapter Five

  Serena’s instinct was to say no. The poor food was only a temporary inconvenience, whereas she needed to make her plans for the next few weeks before her father’s soldiers could track her here. ‘I’m not certain it would be a good idea.’

  ‘If you’d rather not eat, that’s your decision.’ He shrugged and rang for Bernard.

  While he gave orders for a horse to be readied, Serena touched her fingers to her mouth. It seemed surreal to imagine that only moments ago, the prince had wanted to kiss her. She’d thought about it, wondering what a kiss would be like. But the moment his hands had touched the tender bruises on the back of her head, all she could remember was her father’s fists. She couldn’t bear the thought of physical closeness. Never before had she experienced an affectionate touch from a man, and the look in Karl’s eyes had made her panic.

  I don’t understand him, she thought to herself. Why would he want to kiss me?

  She stared down at the grey meat, wondering what she was going to do about the prince. He’d had no qualms about abducting her from the palace, and although he kept insisting on marrying her, he’d never forced himself upon her. It wasn’t at all the behaviour of a man intent on ruining her reputation.

  Serena moved into the drawing room to stare out the window. In the hall, Bernard helped the prince don his great coat and gloves. Not once did Fürst Karl take his gaze from her. He studied her, as if he sensed the maelstrom of thoughts tangled inside her. Then he crossed the room to stand before her.

  ‘I’ll admit, I’m not a patient man. I like doing things my way.’ His hazel eyes bored into her. His gloved hand moved over to tip her chin. ‘But you needn’t be afraid of me. I don’t hurt women. Ever.’

  There was iron resolution in his tone, like he was offended by her fear.

  His hand moved over her cheek, tracing a path to the bruises at her throat. With the gentlest tou
ch, he sent waves of gooseflesh over her skin. She wanted so badly to move away, but her feet remained locked in place.

  ‘Why do you persist in touching me?’ she whispered. ‘You don’t behave like a prince at all.’ More like a man bent upon seduction.

  ‘Perhaps I’m not a prince any more,’ he responded. ‘Perhaps I really am a villain.’

  ‘I don’t know what you are.’

  ‘I’m the man who’s going to marry you,’ he said, drawing his hand down to hers.

  She steadied her thoughts, and eyed him. ‘No. I’m not going to wed you.’ Even if she never returned to Badenstein, marrying Karl would forever trap her into the life of royalty, having to rule over Lohenberg one day. She wouldn’t let that happen.

  Before he could voice an argument, she removed the fichu and bared the darkened bruises. ‘I’ve been told what to do, all my life. And this was my reward for obedience.’ She let him see the marks upon her skin, taking a deep breath as she did. ‘I won’t endure it any longer.’

  He didn’t release her from his grasp. ‘Do you think your father’s men will let you go, Princess?’ His grip tightened around her waist, pulling her against him. ‘They’ll search until they find you.’

  ‘I—I know they’ll search. But they won’t find me.’ She took his hands and gently extricated herself.

  His expression hardened. ‘You’re the heir to the throne. Running away isn’t feasible. Especially alone.’

  ‘I could hire servants to protect me. If I travelled far enough—’

  ‘No.’ His tone was brusque, unyielding. ‘It won’t work. Your only option is to wed me. Trust that I’ll keep you safe.’ He reached out his hands to her, waiting for her to take them.

  ‘Trust a villain?’ she mused. ‘I thought I wasn’t supposed to do that.’

  ‘You’re not.’ He led her outside to where Samuel had prepared horses. ‘But I’m not giving you a choice.’ Before she could stop him, the fürst lifted her onto his horse and swung up behind her.

  ‘What are you doing?’ she demanded, feeling more than a little uneasy about the powerful thighs pressed against her. When he reached around her for the reins, it was like being within his embrace.

  ‘Abducting you again,’ the prince responded as he signalled the horse forward. He drew the edges of his coat around her, offering warmth. He spurred the horse, and as they rode together, Serena could smell the faint exotic spice that clung to his coat. With the prince’s arms around her, she felt even more apprehensive. Sharing a horse with him was intimate, and it frightened her to be this close.

  She suspected that, the more time she spent with Fürst Karl, the greater the chance of succumbing to temptation. Inwardly, she admitted that she’d wanted him to kiss her. She’d wondered what it would be like to feel his mouth upon hers, coaxing feelings of yearning. To be touched with affection instead of the intent to harm.

  The sunlight glowed in the sky above with puffy white clouds. Green hills gleamed like emeralds, and for a moment, Serena absorbed the beauty. An island such as this made a wonderful place to escape the world. She imagined a small house nestled in the hills, overlooking the water.

  He guided them toward a more isolated part of the island. There were no cottages or shops anywhere, but only miles of grassy, damp meadows. In the distance beyond the sand, the brown-grey water of the North Sea was rough, with high waves sloshing against the rocks.

  ‘Have you ever seen the sea before?’ he asked against her ear.

  His breath sent a rush of warmth through her. ‘I have. But not this close.’

  The prince pulled back on the reins, tightening his grasp around her. Serena tried to glance back to see if Samuel or Bernard had followed, but there was no sign of them. Karl caught her gaze, and asked, ‘Still afraid?’

  ‘A little.’ She stared at the violent water, and the wind drew a light, salty mist against her skin. Gazing out at the churning sea, she felt the contrast of the cold air and the warmth of his body.

  ‘There’s nothing calm about the sea, is there?’ he said.

  ‘It’s beautiful.’

  ‘When I was a boy, I wanted to swim in it,’ the prince admitted. ‘Nearly froze my …’

  ‘Toes?’ she guessed.

  He flashed her a wicked look on his face, and she realized he hadn’t been referring to his feet at all. ‘Not quite. But I lost my desire to swim.’

  He directed the horse back to the grassy field. Ahead, she spied stone ruins nestled at the top of another hill, with a dark forest obscuring the road. Serena craned her neck and asked, ‘What is that place?’

  ‘It’s where we’re going.’

  She frowned, not understanding. Behind them came the sound of horses. Bernard and Samuel emerged to watch over them. Karl waited until they were close enough and ordered, ‘Give us a few moments, and then join us at the abbey.’

  An abbey? She couldn’t understand why he would take her to such a place, especially when he’d claimed it was for food.

  Karl urged their horse forward, up the winding pathway. When they entered the forest, the shadows grew darker. It was now late afternoon, and the sunlight filtered through the treetops, casting soft rays of gold upon the deep green ferns and moss.

  ‘It feels almost enchanted,’ she whispered. ‘Almost from another time.’

  ‘The shadows can be frightening at night,’ he said, slowing the pace so she could look around.

  ‘I can’t believe you’d be afraid of anything,’ she remarked. With his unyielding demeanour, she’d never supposed the prince would imagine anything beyond what he could see.

  ‘I used to be afraid of the dark,’ he admitted. ‘When I was a boy, I had nightmares about being locked away in a cupboard.’

  She glanced back at him and saw a tension on his face, as though it bothered him still. ‘My mother used to come and comfort me, if I ever cried from a nightmare.’ An aching tightened her throat, for she missed Clara’s calm presence. Her mother’s illness was taking her away, and it hurt to think of the time when she would be gone.

  ‘My mother hated me,’ Karl said. ‘She wanted nothing at all to do with me, much less when I was having nightmares.’

  His confession startled her. ‘What about your father?’

  Karl shrugged. ‘The king had better things to do than coddle a young boy. I learned to get over my fears on my own.’

  ‘But they loved you,’ she insisted. ‘You were their son.’

  ‘No. They had an obligation to me, but love was never part of it.’

  She couldn’t think of anything to say, for his even tone suggested that he’d spoken the truth, nothing more. When she craned her neck to look into his eyes, she saw the echoes of her own loneliness. Her father hated her for reasons she couldn’t understand.

  And the prince knew what that was like. For a brief moment, she’d glimpsed the man behind his cold shield. There was a similarity between them that she’d never guessed.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, turning away.

  They continued riding uphill until he stopped the horse near a small stream and tethered it. ‘We’ll walk the rest of the way.’ The path grew steeper, and he offered his hand to help keep her balance.

  ‘Who are we going to see?’ she asked.

  ‘An old priest who served my father, years ago.’ His face grew solemn, as if he didn’t like mentioning the king of Lohenberg.

  ‘A priest?’ She stopped walking, folding her arms across her chest. ‘Why are we visiting a priest?’ Her suspicions prickled, for she knew the fürst was still insisting upon marrying her.

  ‘Because I want to hear more about what’s been happening on the island, and Father Durin will know the needs of his parishioners. He’s also fond of food and can provide us with a meal.’

  Her suspicions sharpened, for it couldn’t be a coincidence that he’d brought her to visit a priest. He can’t force you into marriage, she reminded herself.

  The prince reached to the ground and picked
up a long wooden staff, handing it to her. ‘Use this walking stick, in case you start to lose your balance.’

  Though she accepted the staff, leaning upon it, she eyed the fürst, questioning his motives. He behaved as if nothing at all were amiss.

  When they emerged from the forest, Serena saw the ruins of the abbey. Truthfully, it seemed to be built upon the remains of a castle structure. The main section was intact, but several towers were crumbling. A small moat encircled the structure, and water flowed beneath the drawbridge and down the hillside.

  The fürst took the staff from her and ordered, ‘Stay behind me.’

  ‘Why? Isn’t it safe?’

  ‘I don’t know if Father Durin is still living here,’ he murmured. ‘And if he’s gone …’

  She understood what he meant. Following his orders, she moved behind him. The fürst led her across the drawbridge and up the wooden staircase that led to a large set of double doors. He lifted the iron knocker and rapped sharply upon it. Serena took another step back, uncertain of what to expect.

  When a hand touched her shoulder, she let out a yelp. Behind her stood a middle-aged man with a long sword in his hand.

  The prince’s reaction was instantaneous. He moved in front of her, shoving her back toward the top of the stairs while he held the walking stick like a quarter staff.

  The older man’s mouth slid into a smile. In Lohenisch, he said, ‘So. The fallen prince has returned.’

  Serena pressed her back against the door, not knowing what he meant. Fallen? Before she could ponder it further, the old man laughed and sheathed his sword.

  ‘We came to share a meal with you, Father Durin,’ Karl said. A moment later, he switched into an unfamiliar dialect, and the only thing Serena recognised was the question behind it.

  The older man withdrew an iron key from a pouch at his waist and pushed his way past the prince. ‘Come inside, and we’ll talk.’ He didn’t cast Serena a single glance, nor did he ask why she was here.

  The interior of the ruins was dark, and Father Durin brought them into a gathering space. A large chandelier hung in the centre of the room, filled with lighted candles. Although Serena could see bits of the sky through the roof, with the fireplace lit, the chamber wasn’t too cold.