Girl Talk

It's only the princess. You sigh in relief or is it in relief?

The night grows old and the King is never far from your thoughts. Your sitting next to Lord Jackson and he's talking about his hunt today. "...then I almost got the stag but he got out of my line of sight and Lord Gibson took the shot"

"I'm sure that he made sure everyone knew he got the shot?" Lord Harrison laughs

"Of course, he did. He immediately parade around in the forest announcing his victory shot" Everyone laughs, having a good time but your thoughts are somewhere else. You won't be seeing the King the entire week and you can't shake the sad feeling that comes over you. You give your biggest fake smile and nod at Lord Jackson.

One of the kings men walks up to you "Excuse me, are you Lady Winters, Mam?"

"Uhm...yes?"

"This is for you, Mam. It's strictly for your eyes only, Mam" He hands you a note with the Kings seal on. "Oh, okay, thank you"

You excuse yourself and find a quiet place to read the note. Your heart beats rapidly.

NOTE:

Dear Lady Winters,

I write this note in the hope that you would honor me with your presence tonight, when the clock strikes twelve at the south entrance. I'll understand if you don't want to see me but I'll be waiting for you for as long as it would take.

Please give me a chance to fix what I've broken.

Sincerely yours,

The King

END

You stopped breathing for a minute and then take a deep breath.

(Oh god!! The King, he's not gone yet. I should go...)

You look around and slip out the door to the south gate. You arrive at the arch. You look around and then you see him, looking at you. You can't help yourself getting lost in his eyes. He walks closer and you bow before him.

"Your Highness?"

"Lady Winters, thank you for coming. I didn't think you'll come..." He lifts his hand as if he wants to touch your arm but then quickly pulls it back to his side.

"Of course, Sire. I don't disobey the King" A flash of hurt shoot through his eyes. He steps a safe distance back.

"I....I just want to apologize again for my behavior this afternoon. I'm leaving for America and will only return Sunday. I wish that we could be civil once more?"

You feel tears threatening. You feel your heart ready to break at his words. You see the complete anguish that fills his eyes. "I would like nothing more, Sire"

You give him a sad smile. He wants to turn around and walk away but he stops and looks at you once more. "Lady Winters-"

"Yes?" You answer as a reflex to your name, wanting him to speak his mind.

(Say it! Say you want me and you don't want princess Catherine! Say you need me as I need you! Say you want to taste me again! Say it! Say it!)

".....please keep yourself safe"

You swallow hard. "Of course, Sire" Then he gives you one last look, his eyes filled with agony. Then he turns and disappears under the blanket of snow.

"Goodbye....my King" You stand and let the tears fall. You don't feel the cold anymore only your own pain inside.

(Why am I so hung up on this? I don't even know him? But...I know his lips, his touch....his passion. I know what we could have had...)

You slowly turn around as the feeling in your toes don't exist anymore. You get into your carriage and go home. You don't speak to anyone and get in bed, still with your clothes on. You stare at the ceiling and fall asleep somehow.

"Hey.....honey" Kendra knocks and open the door "Uhmm...Kendra?? What are you doing here??"

"Stacey send a message" You sit upright in your bed. "Good thing I did..." She gestures to your clothes. You look down at your clothes and realize you never took off your dress.

"Oh!"

"Yes, oh....what's going on lady?" You lay your head back and sigh. Then you remember last night and the tears want to come again but you push them back. "That note...was that from the King?" You nod your head.

"Did you see him last night?"

"Yes"

"What happened, honey?"

"He left..."

"Yes, I know, to North America but what does that have to do with you?"

"No, you don't understand....He left me. I....I told him it can't work. He's betrothed and then he respected my decision but I don't want him to respect it"

"You're making no sense. You're going to have to start from the beginning" You take a deep breath and you tell her everything. It feels as if you're reliving it again as you go along telling her.

"....and now his gone" Kendra sits for a while in silence and then she speaks. "Do you want him?"

"I don't think that I've wanted anyone so bad as I do him even though, I don't know him"

"Then....you're going to have to fight for him"

"You know very well I can't do that. He's betrothed remember?"

"Yes, he is but, is he married yet?"

"No..."

"There you go then!"

"No, you see, betrothed is as good as married and you must remember that we're talking about the King now?!"

"I'm very aware of whom we're talking about, believe me. But, I also know that he's not just a King, he's also a man"

"Yes?"

"...a cold blooded man? A man that's so head over heels for a woman that he's making the wrong choices? A man that can't breathe normal around you? A man that will risk it all to just see you before he leaves, knowing very well what would happen if he was caught with another woman alone.....in the dark? Do you see what I see?"

You fall back on the bed with your head on the pillow, staring into the abyss. Then you sit upright.

"You're right. He's a man and I'm the woman that he wants not princess Catherine.....but what should I do now?"

"Oh, that's the easy part....you seduce him..."

You laugh out loud and then look at Kendra staring at you with a serious face. "You're serious?"

"As a doornail"

"But...but....he's gone now"

"He's coming back Sunday, right?"

"Yes..."

"It's perfect then....it's the Flea market day and that night, we're all going to the opera.....and we all know he doesn't miss the opera?"

"Yes, he loves the opera, we all know that but what's your point?"

"It's very simple, you will show him your feminine wilds throughout the entire day so that he can't control himself by the time it's the opera and then...." She tells you her entire plan and you smile at the genius of a woman sitting in front of you.

"I never thought Lady Benette would speak such words" You both laugh and hug each other. "Thank you so much for coming. I don't know where I would've been without you"

"You've done many things for me before. This is but a small token of my appreciation"

"Thank you anyway. Now go so that I could clean up. We need to do some research on the princess. I wonder why he doesn't want to be with her?"

"Looks like we have a lot to do before Sunday arrives. I'll wait for you outside"

"Why? Where are we going?"

"Oh haven't I told you? Lord Harrison invited us for tea"

"That's so nice of him. He probably just wants you by his side again?"

"Oh, shush! But yes, you're probably right. Now, hurry up, we're going to be late!"

"You sound just like my mother!" She laughs and then cut it short.

"Oh no! I forgot!"

"What??"

"Lord Jackson will be there too..."