The Accidental Prince

by Michelle Willingham

  He protected you, just as he’d said he would.

  Something shifted inside her, for she’d not truly believed he’d keep his word. Despite their circumstances, he’d infiltrated the enemy and found a way to keep watch over her. Though they hadn’t yet made their escape, he’d given her a reason to hold on to faith.

  Serena reached back to touch Karl’s hand with her own. In the darkness, no one saw them, and she held his hand with her own in a silent thanks. His presence brought her comfort, knowing that he hadn’t abandoned her. And though she couldn’t guess what sort of signal would provide the distraction they needed to get away, already she felt better with him here.

  She squeezed his hand, and he returned the gesture.

  It was then that she smelled smoke. With horror, she understood that someone had set the shelter on fire. Karl grasped her hand and forced her to run while behind them, flames erupted.

  Chapter Ten

  The fierce heat consumed the small hut, and Karl had no doubt that Durin had used oil to speed up the fire. He took Serena’s hand and ran outside with her, while the other men coughed and stumbled from the flames. All around them were armed men, the priest holding his own weapon. As promised, he’d managed to recruit the forces they needed.

  When they reached the circle of men, Serena kept close to his side. ‘Who are these men?’

  ‘I sent Father Durin to hire men we could trust. I needed help to get you out.’ She rubbed her arms, and Karl drew her cloak tighter around her.

  ‘He hasn’t forgotten his days as a castle guard, has he?’ she predicted in a low voice.

  ‘No. And I trust him,’ Karl admitted.

  ‘What will happen to the men who tried to kidnap me?’ Serena risked a glance at the men. Father Durin’s hired soldiers had surrounded them.

  ‘Until my father’s men arrive, they’ll remain imprisoned. Bernard and Samuel will bring back forces from Lohenberg within another day or so, and they’ll stand trial for their crimes.’

  ‘They needed the money,’ she said quietly. ‘They were starving.’ With a breath, she added, ‘Instead of punishing them, I think we should show mercy.’

  He reached out and touched the dried blood on her forehead and his gaze grew rigid. ‘They hurt you.’ Mercy wasn’t a word in his vocabulary, when it came to those who harmed someone under his protection. Taking a defenceless woman, for any amount of money, was unforgivable.

  ‘Not that badly.’ Her eyes met his, the fire reflected within the green. ‘For a while, I was afraid you wouldn’t find me.’

  ‘I would always find you.’ He reached out and took her hand in his. Her palms were cold, her body drawn inward with exhaustion. She needed sleep and warmth right now. With her hand in his, he led her to his waiting horse. ‘I’m taking you back to the abbey, since it’s closest.’

  ‘Alone?’ She looked uneasy about the prospect.

  ‘No, we’ll take a few men as escorts. And there will be additional guards within the hour,’ he promised. ‘Durin will send them, once he’s handled the matter of your captors.’

  When he boosted her up on the gelding, Karl swung up behind her. ‘The three days aren’t over yet, Princess.’

  She didn’t meet his gaze when he held her close, trying to warm her. As they rode away, the air was heavy with smoke.

  It was your fault they took her, his conscience taunted. You never should have left her alone.

  He’d mistakenly believed they were well hidden from their enemies. It had been an error of pride, one he intended to correct with the men he’d hired. Tonight they would have a dozen men guarding the perimeter of the gates, and perhaps in the morning, Bernard would return with supplies from Lohenberg.

  As he held on to Serena’s waist, his mind plagued him with thoughts of what might have happened to her. She’d been completely at their mercy, and he worried that she hadn’t shared everything that had happened.

  The horse covered miles of shoreline until they reached the narrow forest path winding toward the abbey. Serena rested her back against him but didn’t speak a word. Only when they reached the gates did Karl dismount and lift her down. Since she wore no shoes, he continued to carry her inside.

  ‘Please, put me down,’ she protested.

  ‘Not yet. You haven’t any shoes.’ He brought her within the large hall with the Gothic windows, before he crossed over to the winding staircase. For a moment, he eyed it, considering what to do.

  ‘If you try to carry me up those narrow stairs, you’ll knock my head against the wall,’ Serena warned. ‘I can walk.’

  She was right, and he saw no choice but to let her down. When her bare feet touched the ground, she winced at the cold. Karl followed her up the stairs to the chamber, noticing the abrasions around her ankles from the ropes. And yet, as she walked, she carried herself like the princess she was. Her posture was straight, her hemline gently lifted as she ascended.

  But he scented the fear around her and the way she seemed to be holding herself together by the barest thread. He blamed himself that they’d taken her. The injuries were his fault for not protecting her well enough. And no matter that they’d achieved a rescue, he couldn’t forget his failure.

  When she opened the door to her chamber, Karl spied the straw mattress on the floor. He’d forgotten how meagre her accommodations were, for he’d deliberately kept everything austere. He’d meant to provoke her into agreeing to the marriage. Instead, it made him feel like the bastard he was, for treating her like this. She hadn’t deserved any of it.

  His gaze fixated upon the mattress while his mind went through an ordered list of how to best handle the situation.

  ‘If you’ll build me a fire, I’ll be comfortable enough,’ Serena said. Her expression had Go Away firmly written on it.

  He wasn’t about to extend her suffering for another night. Not when he could offer her something better.

  ‘You’re not sleeping on that tonight.’

  She sent him a confused look, but followed him outside the chamber, down to the largest chamber where he’d spent the previous night. Karl pointed inside his own room. ‘You’ll sleep here.’ Though the bed was small, at least the coverlet was warm.

  Serena turned and stared at him. ‘You had a bed last night while I slept on the floor?’

  He ignored the question and began preparing a fire in the hearth. From behind him, he heard her approach. ‘Answer me, Fürst Karl. Did you sleep there?’

  ‘I did.’ He stood while the fire struggled to catch hold of the tinder. Behind her pale complexion, he saw the anger rising. There were no excuses for what he’d done, and he didn’t bother attempting an explanation. ‘I made the wager intending to win. By any means possible.’

  Her eyes glittered like shards of ice. ‘And you thought that would make me want to marry you?’

  ‘I’m a bastard, Serena.’ He admitted the truth, even knowing she wouldn’t take it for its true meaning. ‘I always have been.’

  She stared at him, shaking her head. ‘I know you rescued me tonight. And perhaps you think I owe you a debt. But—’

  ‘You’re not going to marry me,’ he finished. ‘And you’d die before considering it, wouldn’t you?’

  She stared at him in disbelief, as if she couldn’t find the right words to respond. But neither did she deny it.

  ‘I’ll sleep in your old chamber tonight,’ he informed her. ‘In the meantime, I’ll bring you something for your wrists and ankles. And food.’

  She moved nearer to the fire, huddling as close as she dared. Just as he was about to leave, she admitted, ‘Today was yet another reason why I don’t want to be a princess any more.’

  In her eyes, he saw the downtrodden look, as if she had little hope remaining. There was nothing he could say to convince her otherwise, for she’d already given up. If she wanted nothing more to do with him, so be it.

  He left her in search of warm water and bandages for her wrists and ankles. All the while, he tried to convince hi
mself to simply send her away. Let her live her own life, since that was what she wanted.

  But she was innocent of the ways of the world. Someone would take advantage of her naivety and exploit her weaknesses.

  He tore off a piece of bread from a loaf and slammed it on a tray, along with some wine. The problem was, he didn’t want to send her off by herself. Despite her wishes, he wasn’t about to return to Lohenberg as a defeated man.

  Karl returned to her chamber with a tray he’d arranged, as well as an old pair of Durin’s shoes. It wouldn’t do much, but it made him feel as if he could make amends for what had happened.

  When he entered the room, he found her sitting in the same place. Her hands were clenched around her knees as if she couldn’t get warm.

  ‘Here.’ He handed her a cup of wine and the bread, not entirely certain how old it was. While she ate and drank, he turned his attention to her feet, lifting the hem of her gown to her ankles.

  She froze at the touch of his hands and pulled her feet away. ‘You needn’t bother. They’ll be fine in the morning.’

  He ignored her and dipped a cloth in the water, washing away the dried blood from her ankle. She gave a slight gasp at the cold water, but held still. Her feet were dirty, and when he started to wash them, she gasped.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she managed. ‘It tickled.’ She reached for the cloth from him, but he wouldn’t relinquish it yet. Instead, he rested her bare foot upon his knee and washed the top of her foot and ankle, moving down to the sole. Her feet were delicate and bruised, the ankles reddened from where her captors had bound her.

  She stared at him in silence, as if she couldn’t understand why he was doing this.

  ‘It was my fault they took you,’ he said quietly. His hands moved over her other foot, washing the dirt away, and he felt the rise of goose bumps over her skin. ‘I won’t let it happen again.’

  She acknowledged his promise with a nod and said, ‘I’ve stayed here too long. I need to leave in the morning.’

  ‘Not yet. We have our wager to finish.’ He handed her the shoes he’d borrowed. They were too large, but she put them on without complaint.

  She shook her head. ‘Karl, I don’t think—’

  ‘You gave your word. Just as I gave mine,’ he reminded her. ‘One more day, and at the end of it, you’ll wed me. Or I’ll take you away myself.’

  Her gaze turned serious, and she tucked her feet beneath her skirts. ‘I never know what to expect from you.’ She gripped her hands together, adding, ‘You’re not like the other princes I’ve met.’

  ‘Spoiled and arrogant?’

  ‘Not spoiled. But arrogant, sometimes.’ From her tone it almost sounded like a compliment. ‘And ruthless.’

  Karl reached out to touch the curve of her cheek. He let his hand rest upon her face, staring into her green eyes. ‘When I decide I want something, I don’t stop until it’s mine.’

  Her lips parted and she moved her hand on top of his. ‘I can’t be yours,’ she whispered.

  ‘Can’t you?’ He lowered her hand and dipped his cloth in the water again. Her wrist was abraded from the ropes, and he washed it gently. ‘Or are you too afraid of the way I make you feel?’

  ‘I don’t feel anything,’ she insisted.

  ‘Liar,’ He drew his hands to her shoulders, sliding them over her sensitive arms. In the faded light, she allured him with her emerald eyes and her soft lips. ‘You weren’t pushing me away when I kissed you last night.’

  She lowered her gaze, guilt flushing her cheeks. As a distraction, she poured wine into the cup and passed it to him. ‘You didn’t eat or drink tonight either, did you?’

  ‘Between finding Durin, hiring men and rescuing you?’ He lifted the cup and drank from it. ‘No.’

  She tore off a piece of bread and handed it to him. He ate, studying her in the light. Her blond hair had fallen around her cheeks, the tousled locks making her look as if she’d just awakened from sleep.

  ‘I caused a lot of trouble by leaving the palace, didn’t I?’ She stared into the fire, her face disconsolate.

  ‘Marry me, and I’ll take you home,’ he said. ‘I imagine your father would be grateful to see you safe again.’

  Immediately, she shook her head. ‘I can’t.’

  ‘Why? Surely your family would be glad to have you home safely.’

  She stared at him for a long moment. ‘The night you helped me unlace my corset,’ she whispered, ‘I know you saw the bruises.’

  He gave a slight nod. ‘And you wouldn’t tell me who was responsible.’

  Her gaze grew distant. ‘Just after Christmas, he broke my ribs. Because I dared to give him a chess set made of silver instead of gold. Though he thanked me in front of my mother and sister, he punished me later. I never told them.’

  A sickening suspicion made the room seem colder. ‘Who punished you, Serena?’

  She stared into the flames. ‘The king.’

  He didn’t move, didn’t speak. The hurt and betrayal on her face made it clear she was telling the truth. Knowing that her father had done this made him want to kill the man. What sort of a monster would inflict beatings upon his own child?

  But then, he knew what it was to be hated by the woman who should have loved him, never understanding why he hadn’t belonged with the family who had raised him. He understood her pain, for it echoed his own.

  ‘Has it always been this way?’ he asked.

  She shook her head. ‘It started just after our betrothal. When I was little, he hardly paid attention to me. But since then, it doesn’t matter what I do or say. It’s never proper enough. Sometimes I think he enjoys punishing me.’

  ‘And what of the queen? Does she stand by and allow it to happen?’

  ‘My mother is very ill,’ she whispered. ‘I didn’t tell her at first, because I didn’t want to upset her.’ Her gaze lowered to her skirt. ‘She found out, just before I left. And she agreed that it was right for me to go.’

  ‘What about your sister?’

  Serena shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I’ve tried to keep it from her, but I suspect she might have found out, since she sent you that letter. Thank goodness, she’s been away at boarding school most of the time and he hasn’t touched her, so far as I know.’

  Karl studied her. ‘Are you afraid the king will come after you here?’

  ‘I know he will.’ Dread lined her voice, mingled with resignation. ‘That’s why I was taken tonight. I believe someone from the palace hired men to bring me back.’

  ‘What do you want to do now?’

  He stood up, his mind circling with the consequences of her actions. A man who would beat his daughter for no reason at all would find many reasons to justify hurting her. If she returned to the king, she would only suffer more. A seething anger took hold beneath his skin, a cold rage at the thought of anyone harming Serena.

  ‘I won’t go back,’ she repeated, her voice growing resolute. ‘I’m tired of being his victim.’

  ‘You’re right,’ he said softly. ‘You won’t go back without me.’ He had no qualms about standing up to the king, nor was he afraid of the man.

  Serena shook her head. ‘After all the time we’ve spent alone together, he would assume the worst. Nothing good would come of it.’

  ‘Nothing?’ he ventured, reaching out to cup her cheek. His thumb edged her mouth, and she caught his meaning.

  Her face flushed and she looked away. ‘He’s the king of Badenstein. No one can touch him or stop him from doing as he wishes.’

  It was clear that she believed herself utterly alone, that she had no faith in anyone protecting her. ‘So you’ll keep running away from him for the rest of your life?’

  ‘I can live a quiet life. It hasn’t been so bad these past few days.’

  ‘Is that what you want?’

  She stood up in the oversized shoes and walked toward him. ‘I want my freedom, above all else.’

  ‘And you think a man as proud as the king of
Badenstein will let you go, without sending an army to search for you?’

  ‘Oh, he’ll search,’ she said, ‘but not because he wants me home safely. By running away, I’ve defied his will. He’ll want me back to punish me.’

  Karl sent her a hard stare. ‘Let him try.’ She started to shake her head, but he caught her hand. ‘Face him, Serena. Only then will you have your freedom.’

  Her fingers curled in his, as if she sought courage from him. ‘I wish I could.’

  ‘How badly do you want to leave?’

  ‘Very. But I don’t know if there’s any way he’ll let me alone. He won’t forgive my disobedience.’ She raised her eyes to his, and in them, he saw the shadow of her fear. ‘There’s nothing I can do.’

  She wasn’t even considering him as a protector. Karl let go of her hand, suddenly seeing the truth. ‘You were never going to agree to a wedding, were you? The wager meant nothing.’

  She shook her head, and a flush bloomed in her cheeks. ‘I couldn’t involve you in a war with my father. That wouldn’t be fair to you.’ Her voice softened and she ventured a sad smile, ‘I believe you’ll make another princess a perfectly good husband.’

  He couldn’t listen to her extolling praises that weren’t true. ‘No. I’m a selfish bastard, and I wanted to wed you for the good of our kingdoms. Nothing more.’

  Her expression faltered. ‘If you were so selfish, why did you rescue me?’

  He ignored the question. ‘Everything I did was for my own purposes. I intended to use you.’

  In her eyes, he saw the disappointment, the maidenly hope that perhaps there might have been something between them. But he couldn’t lie to her any more. She deserved the freedom she wanted, and he deserved whatever misfortune happened to him now.

  He started to leave her room when she blocked his path. ‘Why did you kiss me, then?’ she whispered. ‘If you felt nothing at all.’

  The softness in her face, and the way she looked at him made him stiffen. If he had to destroy all of her illusions, so be it. ‘It was part of my plan to seduce you. If you were expecting my child, your father could do nothing to prevent a marriage between us.’ He laid everything bare, knowing that he was only fuelling her hatred. It didn’t matter. Better that she should go, well rid of him.