Starbeam

by Adrienne Woods

  I walked out of the kitchen with Albert on my heels until we exited the log house. Then he took the lead and we walked to the lake where I had watched Connie and him in the water.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “For what, not trusting me, you had all the right not to. I was pretending to be a guy. Please don’t take it personally. I couldn’t let my father fight in this stupid war.”

  “Oh, now it’s a stupid war. Do I need to get ready to hear how I messed up with this decision too?” He laughed but stopped.

  “No,” I sighed. “Your reasons are noble like I told you before.”

  “That didn’t count, you didn’t look like this.”

  “It doesn’t matter, it was me, deep down inside.”

  He huffed. “I should’ve been smarter about this. I mean the Sacred Cavern has a thing for women.”

  “Yes it does.” I said.

  “I know you said you went in there to get away from being captured, but what was the one thing you asked to know.”

  “That is my business, Albert.”

  His lips curved. “Sorry, I’m very curious when it comes to you, probably because I don’t know a lot Katherine.”

  “You know plenty. Like I said, I’m not that different from Andrew.”

  “You look different, had me really worried too.”

  I looked at him. “About what.”

  “I was starting to develop feelings for Andrew. Why do you think I kept my distance after a while?”

  “Yeah right.” I said and rolled my eyes.

  “I’m serious, if you don’t believe me you can ask Robert.”

  “He would say anything to make you look good.”

  “He won’t lie. He’s not like that.”

  “Oh, he’s not.”

  “No, he’s noble just like the Metallics. The only thing is that nobody ever gave them a chance.”

  “I see, what do you call him again.”

  “A Night Villain.”

  “Villain.”

  “He is not a villain. It’s just a cool name, I don’t care what you say.”

  “Fine. I hope you understand now why I can’t have a dragon.”

  “No, I really don’t.”

  “I’m a woman, Al. We play with teapots and dolls not ride dragons.”

  “And yet women don’t play around in caves that might never set them free.” He frowned. “Why is that?”

  “Stop it, I can’t tell you.”

  “So there is a price to pay.”

  “A big one.” I smiled. “So please stop asking me.”

  “Okay, I’ll stop.”

  We sat down by the lake underneath a tree.

  Albert just looked at me.

  “What?” I asked.

  “I haven’t seen you in three years and the last time I saw you, you had a mask on.”

  “I thought you were dead.”

  “Sorry about that. Robert tried his best to find you.”

  “I know, he scared the crap out of me, when he kept following me.”

  “Sorry about that. I was eager to find you, before all of this started.”

  “You are the crown prince Albert.” I spoke softly.

  “So,” he said.

  “Commoners and crown princes do not mix.”

  “They do in my world.”

  I looked away. My mother was so right. I was going to be the one whose heart was going to be shattered.

  “What are you thinking.”

  “The opposite. I know you think it’s that simple. I did that night too but my mother put it in perspective for me.”

  “She burst your bubble.”

  I shook my head. He wasn’t taking any of it seriously.

  “Bad mother.”

  “No, she isn’t. She is kind and loving, and always speaks the truth.”

  He sighed. “Okay fine, I know it isn’t that easy okay. I’m a prince, a bit of an idiot but I’m not stupid.” He smiled. “My father loved a Swallow Annex for crying out loud and couldn’t do a thing when they beheaded her, but it changed a lot for the Metallics because of his love for her. I will fight with my dying breath to have the same for the Chromatics. You think I won’t do that for you.”

  My heart beat faster.

  “I might be just a prince, but one day I will be king Katherine, and I promise you, you will be right at my side if that is what you want.”

  I laughed. “We met for one evening, Albert.”

  “Now you know the impression you made on me.”

  “I thought you were noble, not royalty.”

  “And if you knew it was me, you would never have told me any of those things.”

  “Yes, I would.”

  “Okay, but you wouldn’t have heard me out and none of the other things would’ve happened.”

  I shook my head slightly.

  “I can live with the fact that that night was more for me than it was for you, but I know what I want. I always knew what I wanted and I always get what I want, and no, it’s not a royal thing Katherine Squires.”

  “You locked me up in a cell.”

  “No, I locked Andrew in a cell. If I knew Andrew was my lady it would’ve been a different situation.”

  Laughter burst out of my mouth.

  “From the bottom of my royal heart I’m sorry. I didn’t know what you were hiding.”

  “Okay fine, just stop apologizing please, it doesn’t suit you.”

  “Why, because I’m a prince?”

  “Yes, I don’t like being wrong about things. I thought you were arrogant and only looked after yourself.”

  “If only that was true.”

  “Yes, if only.” I snided making him laugh.

  “I meant everything I told you as Andrew, you could’ve told me the truth. I would’ve understood.”

  “I was scared, okay. And besides I have more strength as Andrew. I wouldn’t have hit that arrow so far away if it wasn’t for his strength.”

  “Let me guess, you want to fight this war as Andrew.”

  “How many kernels are left, I heard about your little experience with the opposite sex.”

  He laughed. “I like being me. There are four left.”

  “Then yes, I would love fighting this war with Andrew’s strength. He is better than me.”

  “No, he isn’t, but whatever you want.”

  “Oh, whatever I want.”

  “What don’t you get? I’m an idiot when it comes to you.”

  “Stop saying that.”

  “Why, it’s the truth.” He sulked again. “I know you have a stronger bond with Goran, Katherine, and he can choose who he wants. He’s more popular with the ladies because he has that broken soul thing going on for him, but I’m telling you he isn’t the right one for you.”

  “Let me guess the right one is right under my nose.”

  “If the shoe fits.” He said and I laughed again.

  “I really miss being Andrew.”

  He laughed. “It’s not my intention to make you feel uncomfortable, Katie. I hope you don’t mind me calling you Katie.”

  “All my friends do.” I said.

  “Then that is where we will start, by being friends. I meant what I said that night we were searching for you.”

  “You knew I was there.”

  “I just told you, I am an idiot, not stupid. That fire was way too hot for you to be a mile away from there, and it was way too quiet, so I knew you were hiding in the trees.”

  “Dammit.”

  He laughed again. “I’m glad that Goran didn’t find you.”

  “Just think what would have happened if he had.”

  “Thank you for that too. I haven’t been that scared in a long time.”

  “You would’ve thought of something.”

  “You sure about that.”

  “Yes, I am. I know you a lot better than I did that night, Albert. You just needed a distraction.”

  He huffed. “And what a distraction it was.”

 
; “Oh stop it.” I didn’t want to blush. He was seriously playing with my heart.

  He moved closer to me and was sitting right in front of me.

  He touched my face softly and pushed a hair behind my ear. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

  “I don’t feel that beautiful.”

  “You make me want to be better, Katherine. All those things that you told me that night, I want to do all of them. That’s how I knew you were the right one for me. Your heart is like mine. Good and kind. I’ll never hurt you. I promise.”

  Our lips touched and it was by far the best kiss I ever had. It made my head spin and seriously I almost forgot who I was.

  Did all princes kissed like this or was it just him?

  The kiss deepened and soft grunts escaped my lips. This wasn’t normal.

  I opened my eyes and found myself sitting on his lap.

  I shook myself out from his spell and pushed myself up.

  “Sorry,” I struggled to calm my beating heart.

  “Why are you sorry, that was the best damn kiss I ever had.”

  “It’s not normal.” I said softly.

  He laughed still sitting on the ground and looked up at me as he got up.

  “It’s not a sin to say how you feel, Katherine. I know you don’t trust me yet, and I know I betrayed yours when you were Andrew. Let’s be honest, we both did things wrong here. You are not that innocent in all of this. Let’s just start over.”

  “Start over, that easy?”

  “It’s not, but it will get easier each day.” He touched my cheek again and kissed me on my head. I closed my eyes.

  “I’m not sorry about that kiss. If that is okay with you?”

  “Whatever you say, your highness.”

  He laughed. “You will get used to that too. As you will be right next to me.”

  “Not everything is that easy, Albert.” I said.

  “It is, if you really want it.”

  I smiled and shook my head at him. “Okay fine. Who am I to burst your bubble?”

  “You will see, I’m not going anywhere, unless you want me to go.”

  I didn’t know that part yet and my heart beat frantically.

  “You want me to go?”

  “Not yet.” I smiled.

  “Then I’m right here.” He said and kissed me again.

  * * *

  ALBERT

  * * *

  It felt as if I was drunk. Drunk on love, drunk on Katherine.

  She was very practical, like Goran. Me, I was a dreamer. Opposite of Katherine Squires. You needed the opposite to make a great team.

  This morning at the lake, I wished I could stay there with her forever. And I knew she was worried. Worried about me being the crown prince. That my father wouldn’t accept her, but he would have to. He had no choice.

  We were having dinner and Katie was not sitting with me again.

  She was surrounded by kids.

  I concentrated on my food. Heaven knows I couldn’t survive on love alone.

  She plunged down on the seat in front of me and grunted with her hands covering her face.

  I took her hands away, hated it when she covered her face. She was so beautiful to look at.

  “What is it?” I smiled. I always smiled around her.

  “It’s not that easy, Albert.”

  “Fine, I’m not going to argue with you. But look around you, it’s easy for them.” I nodded at Helmut and Maggy who were enjoying each other’s conversation. They were like magnets.

  “He isn’t…” She back tracked.

  It made me laugh.

  “She is going to get her heart broken.”

  “She won’t. Do you want to know why.”

  “Why?”

  “Because she wants it too.”

  “Oh so what I don’t?”

  “I can’t answer that for you.”

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “Fine, then marry me, right here, right now. Let’s make it easy.”

  She froze.

  “Oh now you have nothing to say.” I said.

  “Wait, what?”

  I laughed again. “You want me to go down on my one knee, or speak louder so that everyone can hear.”

  “No, no….”

  I got up. “Can I have everyone’s attention?”

  “Albert sit down.” She whispered.

  “Katherine Squires.” I looked at her and she covered her face again, leaning with her elbows on the table, grunting. I took off a ring that was on my pinky and leaned on the table so that my face was right in front of her. “Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  The kids cheered as Maggy gasped.

  Helmut roared with laughter.

  “C’mon Katie, put him out of his misery.” Caleb yelled.

  She uncovered her face and looked at me. “You are an idiot.”

  I shrugged. “It’s that easy.” I whispered as her lower lip started to tremble softly and tears welled up in her eyes and then she nodded.

  I kissed her again, fiercely as everyone applauded and cheered. The kiss stopped and she finally laughed. “What about Drizelda?”

  “Seriously. You really think I would’ve gone through with marrying her. I’d rather die a thousand deaths than marry her.”

  She laughed.

  I placed the ring on her finger and she kissed me again.

  It was that simple. My father would see it too and I’m sure I wasn’t the only prince that had ever done this. They were out there, married to their soulmate.

  We spend the night at the lake again just looking at the water and the night sky.

  I was constantly touching her, kissing her cheek as she lay with her back against my chest.

  I talked about the school I wanted to open once all this was over and she asked me if my father was really cursed.

  We were so the opposite of one another it made me laugh.

  “Would you stop worrying about my father?”

  “He is still the king Albert, even if you are already in that head of yours.”

  “I’m not. I still have a lot to learn before I can become king.”

  “I see.”

  “Can we talk about the school again?”

  “Fine,” she laughed. “We can talk about Dragonia Academy if that is what you like.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” She smiled.

  “No, what did you call it.”

  “Dragonia Academy. I know it sounds silly, but it’s what I call it.”

  “It’s a really strong name, Katie. You trying to tell me you are smart too.”

  “Haha.” She said as I hugged her tighter from behind. I’ve never been this happy in my entire life.

  “Dragonia Academy it is.”

  “You don’t have to call it that.”

  “No, I want to. The school in the sky.”

  “The what.”

  “Oh, I’ll get dragons to pull that off. If they can turn a beautiful lady into a sturdy boy, they can put my school in the air.”

  She laughed again as I told her what I wanted the school to teach the kids. Magic can be tapped into. You just need to learn how to use it correctly.

  “Your father is not going to like that. There is a reason why magic was banned, Albert.”

  “Not everything is bad, Katie. If you teach the good spells, not the dark ones and under the right influence, they can be used for good.”

  “You make everything sound so easy.”

  “It’s not that hard. The easy part just takes longer. You can never stop fighting for what you want Katie.”

  Her hand was in mine and I brought it to my lips, kissing her knuckles softly.

  “You really want to marry me?” She asked.

  “Since the very first moment I laid eyes on you.” I chuckled.

  She giggled too. “I was about to scold you.”

  “It wouldn’t have been me.”

  “How does that work? You always
pretend to be someone else at your mother’s balls.”

  “No, it was my nanny’s idea, who is like my grandmother. She is a Copper-Horn and I love her probably more than I do my mother and father combined.”

  “She thinks you’re dead too?”

  “No, Delilah knows exactly what I am doing. Robert works inside the castle, he keeps her updated regularly and would bring her here if anything leaked out.”

  “So that is where he is all the time.”

  “What can I say, I make sure that the people I love are always saved.”

  “You are so not who I thought you were.”

  I chuckled. “I can be better. I see it through your eyes and I know with you by my side, this world will be better. So yes, Katherine Squires I badly want to marry you.”

  I buried my face in her neck and kissed her softly. She was ticklish and laughed, squirming in my embrace. I loved all of it.

  “What about Constance?”

  I grunted. “I hate the fact that you heard that.”

  “You broke my heart.” She said and I looked at her.

  “I thought you were dead, I’m sure you heard that.”

  “Sorry.” she closed her eyes and opened them again smiling. “I was only teasing you. But I did question a lot of things Albert.”

  “I thought you were dead.” I spoke slower.

  “Moving on so fast.”

  “No,” I laughed. “That was condolence sex and trying to not have feelings for Andrew.”

  She laughed. “Seriously?”

  “You know how worried I was when they came back that morning and you were not with them. I knew that I couldn’t deny it or think it was a deep admiration for you. You really confused me.”

  She laughed again.

  “I’m not making it up. Where did you think I was going when you entered the camp half dazed.”

  “Wait, what?’

  “I was going to go and look for you Katie. I just told you I had feelings for you. I told you before, my soul would always find you.”

  She grunted. “Stop saying things like that.”

  “Why?”

  “You are the crown prince for crying out loud. You need more…” She laughed. “Okay fine, you don’t need anything else, you are perfect.” She said and turned halfway around and kissed me.

  The kiss escalated and she pushed her body closer into mine.

  She was riling me up as my hands fisted her clothes.