by Penny Jordan
‘Amelia…’
She turned to face him, her spine stiff with what little pride she had left. ‘As soon as I have some money I will reimburse you for the items you bought for me after my father’s death. It may take a little longer than expected since, as you know, your grandfather no longer requires my services, but I will make sure I get it to you as soon as possible.’
He drew his brows together in a heavy frown. ‘He shouldn’t have fired you like that,’ he said. ‘The least he could have done was to tell you to your face instead of sending his officials to do it for him.’
‘I didn’t hear you offer a word of protest at the time,’ she pointed out a little tightly. ‘But then perhaps you’d already decided I wasn’t to be trusted and was best removed from your life.’
He looked back at the graves once more, his shoulders hunched as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers. ‘I shouldn’t have accused you of going to the press without checking the facts first.’
‘Oh, so someone verified my story, did they? What a pity you didn’t believe me in the first place.’
‘I don’t blame you for being angry with me,’ he said, bringing his gaze back to hers. ‘I wasn’t thinking when I said those things to you last night. I was looking for a scapegoat. Unfortunately my parents had heard the news before I could speak to them personally. It totally devastated them and I’m afraid I took it out on you.’
Amelia’s expression softened in concern. ‘Are they all right?’ she asked. ‘What about your sister? Has she heard?’
He gave her a glimmer of a sad smile. ‘Not that I know. I’ve sent her an e-mail, one of many, but she hasn’t answered yet. My parents are slowly getting used to the fact of my heritage, but it will take a while for it to sink in.’
‘What about you?’ she asked, her heart aching all over again for him. ‘How are you coping?’
His eyes met hers. ‘I feel caught between two very different worlds. The king…’ he paused and added with a rueful twist ‘.I mean, my grandfather, desperately wants me to take up the throne, as do my other relatives I’ve met, apart from Luca, who seems to be the only one with any real sense of what I’m going through.’
‘But you’ve decided not to take up the throne.’
‘I can’t turn my back on years of training, Amelia,’ he said. ‘My adoptive parents sacrificed a lot to get me where I am. Not only that, the patients I’ve served all these years really mean something to me. If I walk away from the research I’ve been doing and this new procedure I can’t be sure someone else will take up where I left off. I feel I owe it to everyone to carry on the work I’m doing.’
‘It’s a tough decision,’ she said. ‘But surely your family will understand…your biological one, I mean.’
He let out a long-winded sigh. ‘I’m starting up a fund for the Free Hospital. I thought it was one way I could keep my ties on Niroli without seeming to walk away without some sort of recognition of who I am…or who I was, I suppose I should say.’
‘That’s a wonderful gesture…. I’m sure much good will come out of it.’
There was a tiny silence broken only by the chirruping of birds in the shrubs nearby.
‘Amelia—’
‘Alex…I mean, Alessandro…’
He grimaced. ‘Please don’t call me that.’
‘Your Highness?’
‘That’s even worse,’ he said. ‘Just call me Alex.’
‘Alex, then.’ She held out her hand to him. ‘I hope you have a good journey home. It was…nice to meet you.’
Alex took her hand in his. ‘Amelia…there’s something I need to ask you.’
She swallowed at the dark intensity of his eyes as they held hers. ‘Yes?’
‘When did you know I was the prince?’
Tears burned in the backs of her eyes, but she blinked them back determinedly. She had to let him go, she knew it, but it hurt far more than she could ever have imagined. There was no place for her in his life, not here on Niroli and certainly not in Australia where his family was still trying to get over the shock of his past.
‘Answer me, Amelia.’ He tightened his hold as she tried to pull away. ‘I need to know.’
Her bottom lip started to quiver, but somehow she got it under control as she held his unwavering gaze.
‘Did you know who I was before you slept with me that first time?’ he asked.
‘What difference does it make?’
‘Did you sleep with me because I was Alex Hunter or Prince Alessandro?’
‘Don’t make this any harder for me, Alex,’ she begged.
His hold tightened even further. ‘Answer me.’
She looked up at him with eyes full of anguish. ‘I slept with you because I fell in love with you. I swore I wouldn’t be so foolish to fall in love with anyone again, let alone a man who could offer me nothing in return. But I couldn’t seem to help myself. I’m sorry….’ She brushed at her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘I know this is the last thing you need to hear right now… I won’t cause you any trouble. I’m leaving the island so you won’t have to see me again.’
‘But what if I want to see you again?’ he asked. ‘What if I told you I was a complete idiot to allow you to walk away from me without telling you how I feel, how I felt from the first moment I saw you, but that I hadn’t realised it until the prospect of never seeing you again began to hit home?’
She blinked at him through her tears, her heart leaping in hope. ‘Y-you want to see me…some time?’
He smiled one of his lazy smiles. ‘I was thinking more along the lines of all the time. What do you say, little elf? I know I’ve asked you this before, but it can’t hurt to run it by you one more time. Do you want to run away with me and have my babies?’
Amelia’s mouth dropped open. ‘I can’t believe you said that.’
He grinned down at her. ‘That’s what you said the last time. I was hoping you might actually believe me this time around. I want you to be my wife. I want you by my side for the rest of my life.’
‘You mean…’ she swallowed convulsively, her eyes wide and her voice scratchy ‘…you mean you’re not joking?’
He shook his head. ‘And to put your mind at ease it didn’t just slip out either. I just wanted to make sure you were promising to marry the right guy.’
She looked up at him in growing wonder. ‘How do I know if you’re the right guy?’ she asked as a little smile began to tip up the edges of her mouth.
‘Which one of us do you want to marry?’ he asked, ‘Alex Hunter or His Royal Highness Prince Alessandro Fierezza?’
‘I want to marry whichever one loves me the most.’
He kissed the tip of her nose and said, ‘Then you’ve got yourself one hell of a bargain, because we both love you to distraction. Now how’s that for a package deal? Are you going to take it or leave it?’
She smiled at him in pure joy and lifted her mouth to meet his. ‘I’ll take it,’ she said.
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THE RULES OF THE ROYAL HOUSE OF NIROLI
THE RULES OF THE
ROYAL HOUSE OF NIROLI
Rule 1: The ruler of Niroli must be a moral leader for the people and is bound to keep order in the Royal House. Any act which brings the monarchy into disrepute through immoral conduct or criminal activity will rule a contender out of the succession to the throne.
Rule 2: No member of the Royal House may be joined in marriage without previous consent and approval of the ruler. Any marriage concluded against this rule implies exclusion from the house, deprivation of honours and privileges.
Rule 3: No marriage is permitted if the interests of Niroli become compromised through the union.
Rule 4: It is not permitted for the ruler of Niroli to marry a person who has previously been divorced.
Rule 5: The ruler forbids marriage between members of the Royal House who are blood relations.
Rule 6: The ruler directs th
e education of all the members of the Royal House, even when the general care of the education of children belongs to their parents.
Rule 7: Without the approval or consent of the ruler, no member of the Royal House can make debts over the possibility of payment.
Rule 8: No member of the Royal House can accept inheritance nor any donation without the consent and approval of the ruler.
Rule 9: The ruler of Niroli must dedicate their life to the Kingdom. Therefore they are not permitted to have a profession.
Rule 10: Members of the Royal House must reside in Niroli or in a country allowed by the ruler. The ruler can give permission for Royal House members to live elsewhere, but the ruler must reside in Niroli.
THE ORIGINS OF THE RULES OF THE ROYAL HOUSE OF NIROLI
The Rules of Niroli have dictated the lives—and loves—of the Fierezza family for centuries. In a recent speech the ageing King heralded them as the backbone of the monarchy, provoking speculation that, as unrest begins to bubble away under the surface of the Nirolian people, the Royal House is pulling its traditions even closer. The Rules may be deemed old-fashioned, and even out of touch, but to this day they have never failed the turbulent Fierezza family! As a whole, the Rules are designed to provide unity and continuity for the island of Niroli. They ensure that the Royal Family conducts itself with dignity—to set an example for its subjects—and keep all the Fierezza firmly under the control of the monarch.
The Rules
Rule 1: The ruler must be a moral leader. Any act which brings the Royal House into disrepute will rule a contender out of the succession to the throne.
Origin: King Alvaro II, who ruled for forty years in the sixteenth century, was a pious and devoted ruler. He added this rule, claiming that he believed that a King of Niroli could have no greater calling than to ensure that he provided a moral compass for the Royal Family and his subjects.
Rule 2: No member of the Royal House may be joined in marriage without consent of the: ruler. Any such union concluded results in exclusion and deprivation of honours and privileges.
Rule 3: No marriage is permitted if the interests of Niroli become compromised through the union.
Origin: Both rule 2 and rule 3 come from the time that the Fierezza dynasty was first formed, when it was considered essential that the King maintained control over his family and who they married, so that any union would strengthen the illustrious House of Niroli.
Rule 4: It is not permitted for the ruler of Niroli to marry a person who has previously been divorced.
; Origin: Another ruler, King Benedicio, who was concerned with the morals of the Royal House considered that it was vital that anybody marrying into it had a spotless reputation. Following Prince Francesco’s attempt to marry a divorced European countess with a dubious past in 1793, King Benedicio deemed it necessary to add this rule.
Rule 5: Marriage between members of the Royal House who are blood relations is forbidden.
Origin: Many royal houses have suffered from inbreeding, as cousins, and even nieces and uncles, have married each other across the years. King Dominico I declared in 1752 that to keep the Fierezza bloodline strong and healthy, this practice would not be tolerated in the Royal House.
Rule 6: The ruler directs the education of all members of the Royal House, even when the general care oft he children belongs to their parents.
Origin: In common with most of the ruling houses of Europe, it has always been considered vital that all members of the Fierezza dynasty are brought up with an education which prepares them for their role in the Royal House of Niroli.
Rule 7: Without the approval or consent of the ruler, no member of the Royal House can make debts over the possibility of payment.
Origin: A relatively recent addition to the rules, this was added in 1950, when Ricardo Fierezza, an inveterate gambler, found himself in huge financial difficulties after he banked on certain deals coming to fruition that subsequently failed. In order to avoid any more scandals of this nature, the Royal House decided that a rule governing the Fierezzas’ financial conduct was in order.
Rule 8: No member of the Royal House can accept inheritance nor any donation without the consent and approval of the ruler.
Origin: In the early years of the Fierezzas’ rule over Niroli, King Pietro faced a possible usurpation of his throne from his younger brother, Prince Guiseppe, following the latter’s acceptance of a huge sum of money from the King of Aragon, Alfonso V. Alfonso wished to gain control of the increasingly wealthy island, already famed for its trading ports, and was prepared to pay Guiseppe to raise an army and buy the support of any dissident nobles. After his defeat, in 1427, Guiseppe was exiled and King Pietro added this rule to ensure that there could be no repeat of this kind of rebellion ever again.
Rule 9: The ruler of Niroli must dedicate their life to the Kingdom. Therefore they are not permitted to have a profession.
Origin: Another rule that is a relatively new addition. As the administrative machine has grown, the kings of Niroli have found themselves less burdened with the machinations of state. In 1897, King Adriano, a scholarly and shy ruler, consulted over the possibility that he would take up a teaching post. It was decided that the ruler of Niroli must be absolutely dedicated to the island and that involvement in other professions was undesirable and detrimental to the long-term survival of the monarchy.
Rule 10: Members of the Royal House must reside in Niroli or in a country approved by the ruler. However, the ruler must reside in Niroli.
Origin: As the Fierezzas’ lifestyles became increasingly jet-set, this rule was added as a pre-emptive measure to ensure that the ruler of Niroli would always be able to control the whereabouts of his family. In addition, it was felt that it should be enshrined that the monarch, as part of his dedication to Niroli, must live on the island to provide a focus and a symbol of unity.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF NIROLI
Niroli has a colourful and fascinating history filled with ancient rivalries, rebellions and the fight for the ultimate prize—the crown of Niroli.
The Fierezza family has ruled since the Middle Ages and is one of the richest royal families in the world, having founded its fortune on ancient trading routes, thanks to Niroli’s prime position to the south of Sicily. Thanks to these links, it has traditionally been seen as the ‘Gateway to the East’.
Since the establishment of the Fierezza dynasty, Niroli has thrived as an important European port, situated on major trading routes for spice, wine and perfume. However, while Niroli has prospered, it has a turbulent history right up to the modern day, and after a civil war in 1972 Niroli lost control of the neighbouring island Mont Avellana, which has become a republic. In addition to this, a group of bandits, known as the Viallis, who are ex-Barbary corsairs, formed a resistance against the monarchy. The height of their rebellious activity was in the 1970s and a few remaining Viallis still live in the foothills of the Niroli mountain range.
NIROLI—A TOURIST’S GUIDE
The Island of Niroli
With all it has to offer, who would not be tempted by a holiday on the beautiful island of Niroli? The climate is very agreeable, particularly to the south of the island. There are beautiful sandy beaches, especially around the new development area on the south coast which has been built to attract tourists. In this area you will find luxurious five-star hotels, casinos, restaurants, bars, etc., perfect for a relaxing and sophisticated holiday.
Things to See
The island also has a rich and varied history—don’t miss the chance to explore its wonderful Roman ruins. In the north east of the island, there is a Roman amphitheatre where concerts are still performed today, particularly during the festivals celebrating the grape-and olive-picking seasons. There are also many fine castles to explore. Visitors must see the stunning main town of Niroli. If you enter the port by boat it is particularly impressive, as you see the town sprawling up the hillside in front of you, with the historic old town to your left and the palace j
ust in view. Do wander round the old town and soak up the atmosphere, as well as stopping at the numerous charming shops and exclusive boutiques.
Things to Do
For those who are into more active pursuits, there are plenty of opportunities for diving and swimming, then afterwards relax in the wonderful spa and beauty treatment area on the east coast. To the west of the island you can walk and climb in the mountains and take in the stunning views across the Mediterranean. The central part of the island is devoted mainly to agriculture, with the vineyards extending to the rolling foothills of the mountains. There are also olive groves, orchards and livestock and Niroli is deservedly famous for its fine olive oil and wonderful wines.
NIROLI—ISLAND PRODUCE
Niroli is a sun-drenched and idyllic Mediterranean isle. Thanks to the now-extinct volcanoes, Nirolians enjoy lush and fertile conditions in which to grow a wonderful range of produce, famed the world over, and Niroli is surrounded by an abundant and generous sea which provides wonderful local fare.
Oranges
Niroli is famous for its orange groves of Cattina, which produce a particularly sweet-flavoured fruit. Oil of Niroli is extracted from the orange skins. Niroli has a floral, citrussy, sweet and exotic scent, which is used to make perfume, aromatherapy oil and health and beauty products; it has special healing, rejuvenating, soothing and restorative properties which make it especially popular for relaxation and anti-ageing treatments and scar reduction therapy at the Santa Fiera Spa, which has an international reputation for the excellence of its products.