Royal Holiday

by McKenna James

  “H-how are you?” I asked because what else was I supposed to ask a man who’d disappeared without warning and without explanation?

  “I’m, uh… I’m good. I’m really good. How about you?”

  “Good, good.”

  I cleared my throat, tongue suddenly too dry to speak. I just couldn’t stop staring. He’d changed so much that he was almost unrecognizable. His suit hugged him in all the right places, and I was almost embarrassed when I realized how unbelievably sexy he’d become. It was weird to think of a childhood friend as hot, like it was a taboo thing to think. But damn did his arms look massive and strong. The fabric of his suit seemed to have trouble containing his bulky frame. The muscles of his shoulders were defined and broad, and his chest was nice and wide, leaving his waist cinched off nicely in the center.

  “You, uh…” I giggled nervously, trying to release some of the awkward tension that was riding on my shoulders. How was this handsome young man before me the same little mouse of a boy that I knew? “You look really good.”

  Rodrigo chuckled embarrassedly, his cheeks fading into the faintest shade of pink. “Thanks. You look really good, too. I mean, um. Yeah. Am I allowed to say that to a princess? Or is that a no-no?”

  I laughed, immediately warming up. I forgot how funny Rodrigo could be when he was anxious. “It’s fine,” I said.

  He let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, good. That’s good.”

  “What have you been up to? I mean, that’s kind of a dumb question. I’m sure you’ve been up to a lot.”

  “Would you like a breakdown?”

  I grinned. “Yeah, actually. I would. I’ve missed you.”

  Something behind his dark blue eyes sparkled. “Really?”

  I nodded. “Of course. You kind of just … left.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was sent to an all boy’s boarding school. I wasn’t allowed to take you.”

  “You took the whole no-girls-allowed-in-the-tree-fort thing a step too far, huh?”

  Rodrigo chuckled. His voice was so much deeper now that it amazed me to no end. It was low and velvety and thick. If I could have a person narrate my life and everything I did, I’d hire a guy like Rodrigo. There was something incredibly calming about his presence, something familiar and warm and so wonderful. I was genuinely happy to see him here. And that was when the question occurred to me.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  His shoulders tensed slightly. “My father and mother were invited to the party, but they chose not to come. You know. Because, uh…” He gestured vaguely with a hand.

  Rodrigo didn’t need to say anything for me to understand. I got his message loud and clear.

  “They didn’t want to run into the King, I take it?” I finished for him.

  He nodded slowly. “Yes.”

  “Well, funnily enough, I don’t think Father wanted to run into your parents either.”

  “And we’re both here instead.”

  I couldn’t help but smile, feeling warm and fuzzy all over. I’d forgotten how easy it was to be around Rodrigo, how simple things could be when we forgot about our obligations and our titles or, in his case, lack thereof. Those kinds of things never mattered to us as children, and I didn’t see why they’d have to matter now.

  “When did you get back to Brooklandia?” I asked, eager to catch up with my old friend.

  “A couple of days or so.”

  “Are you here permanently now, or…?” I didn’t want to say it aloud. I didn’t want to ask if he was going to leave again. If he did, I probably wouldn’t be surprised. I was sure Rodrigo had interesting things in his life to keep him occupied. Maybe there was someone special he’d rather be getting back to. A lot could happen in ten years, but I didn’t want to assume.

  “I’ll be here for the next couple of months,” he said, though he didn’t sound entirely certain. “My father’s been talking a lot about having me apply to law school.”

  “That’s great. I remember you saying you wanted to grow up to be a lawyer when we were kids.”

  Rodrigo chuckled softly. It was both a startling and wonderfully calming sound. “That’s right. If I recall, I wanted to be your private lawyer so that we could make and pass laws to help the people when we grew up.”

  “We also wanted to fund scientific research into dinosaur cloning,” I mumbled nostalgically. “You were really excited by the prospects of having your own pterodactyl to ride around.”

  He bashfully hid his eyes behind his hand, smiling at the floor. “Now why did you have to go and remind me? Talk about embarrassing.”

  I giggled. “You think that’s embarrassing? Don’t tell me you forgot about the time I convinced you to put on one of my mother’s old ball gowns.”

  He laughed joyously. The sound practically lit up the room. “I blocked that out,” he admitted. “Didn’t you try and put makeup on me too?”

  “I did. Mother wasn’t happy about me wasting her lipstick on you. We should have taken a picture.”

  “I, for one, am glad that we didn’t. I don’t need that kind of thing haunting me for the rest of my life.”

  “It wasn’t that bad,” I chided.

  “You’re being modest.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe I am trying to spare your pride.”

  Rodrigo gave me a dramatic bow, sweeping an arm before him slightly as he did. “Thank you for having mercy.”

  I was just about to ask him if he wanted to dance when Brandon swept in, finally having returned from the refreshments table. He stepped between me and Rodrigo, his large back blocking my view.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” he snapped.

  I placed a hand on Brandon’s arm and shook him. “It’s fine, it’s fine. This is—”

  “I know who he is. Rodrigo Sabatino.”

  Rodrigo, calm and collected, stuck his hand out to shake. “And you are?”

  “Demanding that you leave Princess Marina’s presence.”

  “He’s an old friend of mine, Brandon,” I insisted, unsure why he was being so hostile.

  “His father is the King’s enemy,” he hissed. “His father intends to take away your throne. Don’t let old friendships let you forget that. You two can’t be seen together. It’ll just cause more trouble.”

  Frustration mounting, I stomped my foot. “Enough, Brandon. You’re taking things too far.”

  Rodrigo shook his head, a defeated look washing over his blue eyes. “No, he’s right. I didn’t think of it that way.”

  Brandon crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at Rodrigo. “I’m sure you know where the exit is.”

  “Right,” mumbled Rodrigo. He bowed to me, charming smile fading into something smaller, something tinged with hurt. “It was really good to see you again, Princess Marina.”

  “Wait, don’t—”

  I watched in utter dismay and shocked silence as Rodrigo left without another word, disappearing by a large crowd of politicians just now coming inside. I glared at Brandon, furious.

  “Why did you do that?” I grumbled.

  “It was for your protection, Princess.”

  “I don’t need protection from Rodrigo. He’s a good man.”

  “But the people he’s related to aren’t.”

  I clenched my fists, felt the sharp dig of my nails against my palms. I was so tired of being bossed around, whether people’s intentions were good or bad. I could decide things for myself, but why wasn’t anybody willing to listen? “You’re not part of my security detail, Brandon. That’s not for you to decide.”

  “Princess Marina, I–”

  I sighed, more than aware of how red my face was getting with all the anger swelling in my head. I needed to cool down. “I’m going to the bathroom,” I mumbled before quickly retreating down the hall, leaving Brandon alone to contemplate what he’d done.

  Sometimes I wanted to get away from it all. From the noise, from the expectations, from the overbearing burden that
was my title. There had been many times when I was a little girl where I’d dream of being normal. I wanted to know what it was like to go to school with the rest of the children, having known nothing but private tutors my entire life. I wanted to know what it was like to go shopping at the market without having a team of bulky security guards stifling me every step I took. I wanted to know what it would be like to have friends I could trust without wondering if they wanted something from me, if they were just keeping me in their social circles for their own gain.

  I located a vacant bathroom stall and locked myself inside, sitting on the closed toilet lid. I stared at a spot on the tile floor, breathing in and out. The bathroom air was actually quite pleasant, the sweet aroma of vanilla oils and gentle soaps filling the air. It helped me calm down a bit, let me quiet my mind for a few moments. I reached into the clutch purse I’d been holding onto all evening in search of some setting powder. My nose and cheeks were probably red and blotchy, and I didn’t feel like returning to the party looking like I was on the brink of crying.

  Instead, I happened upon the several red envelopes from my mystery knight that I’d tucked away for safe keeping. I didn’t dare leave his letters lying about my chambers. All it would take was one nosy maid with loose lips, and Father would likely start up a manhunt until the knight was found and brought to justice for attempting to seduce me. No, I needed to keep these little treasures on me at all times. They were a reminder to me that no matter how trapped I felt inside the palace walls, adventure and excitement were still possibilities.

  Your smile is sweeter than sunshine. I hope to see it again in twelve days.

  I traced my fingers along the looping script, imagining the white knight’s steady hand holding the tip of his pen. I pulled another message out and stared at it, thankful for such a wonderful distraction.

  If you could run away to any place in the world, where would that be? Can I tag along? On the back, it read: Eleven more days.

  I’d received exactly eight of the knight’s calling cards, all of them stowed away for safekeeping. They were all sweet and funny. He wrote to me like he knew me intimately, even though I knew nothing about him. It kept me on edge, but in a good way, trying to anticipate where the next envelope would be stashed for me to find the next day.

  I closed my eyes and traced the edges of the cardstock with the pads of my fingers. I didn’t know if I had enough patience to wait another six days to meet him again.

  If we met again.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Rodrigo

  Tomorrow was the day.

  I couldn’t remember the last time I was this nervous. And that was really telling considering the fact that I was hanging approximately ten meters off the ground, suspended by nothing but a rope, anchored to a pin in the rock-climbing wall, which was attached to my harness with a single carabiner. My forearms, my biceps, and my shoulders were all burning, shaking either from the build-up of excitement or from exhaustion—I really couldn’t tell anymore.

  “I think I’m stuck,” huffed Oliver. He was dangling off the wall with a grip on a precarious hold. “How do you keep convincing me to come with you to places like this.”

  “Quit your whining,” I teased. “You’re cooped up in your studio all day. A little exercise is good for you. Don’t you want to be all buff and toned to impress that guy you’ve been seeing?”

  Oliver flushed bright red. “H-how did you know?”

  “Please, I know a man in love when I see him.”

  He snorted. “Do tell, oh wise one.”

  “You’ve started shaving every morning, for one.”

  “So do you.”

  “You’re wearing new cologne.”

  “So are you.”

  “And you can’t stop smiling to yourself.”

  “Back at you, bro.”

  We both laughed, though Oliver had to stop mid-chortle when he finally managed to find a good position on the wall.

  “I think I almost gave myself away at the party,” I mumbled, reaching to my side to grab a bit of chalk to rub on the next ledge for traction.

  “How so?”

  “I didn’t realize I bowed the exact same way to Marina the way I did at the party. I meant it as a joke, but I couldn’t stop myself.”

  “Do you think she noticed?”

  “If she did, she didn’t say anything.”

  Oliver sighed. “Why do you have to make things so complicated? Just tell her you like her already. What’s with all the theatrics?”

  “It’s romantic,” I retorted.

  “No need to get defensive. I was just asking.” Oliver climbed up one more step before slipping entirely. Luckily, there wasn’t much slack on his line, so he didn’t drop very far. He dangled directly beside me, gripping onto the rope that kept him suspended for dear life. “Next time, we’re going to a fashion show. No risk of falling there.”

  “If you don’t count runway models tripping off the stage.”

  “That rarely happens. At the very least, there’d be no risk to us.”

  Our spotters down on the floor, which was covered in spongey, yet firm safety foam, helped us work our way down. Oliver looked like he was about ready to kiss the ground, thankful to have steady footing.

  “So, what are you going to do tomorrow?” he asked once he was out of his harness. “What’s the big plan?”

  “I already told you. I’m going to kiss her under the mistletoe at midnight.”

  “Yes, I got that. But how are you going to get into the palace, sneak past her guards, lure Marina to the exact spot, and then kiss her?”

  I shook my head. “I, uh… I haven’t thought that far ahead yet.”

  Oliver squinted his eyes at me. “You know, for the smartest guy that I know, you’re really stupid.”

  “I shudder to think what everybody else you know is like.”

  “Ha ha,” he said dryly. “You’re hilarious. Are you sure this is all even worth it? What if she says no? More importantly, what if her family says no?”

  I paused for a moment, turning his questions over and over again in my head. The wait that I’d endured the last twelve days had been grueling. Had it not been for the fact that some of the poorer house attendants were so easy to bribe, my private messages to Marina might never have been delivered. It was an elaborate, borderline crazy plan where things could go wrong at every turn. The royal guards could find the letters I’d left her and deem them suspicious, effectively placing Marina under lockdown. The house attendant I’d been paying handsomely could decide to pocket the cash I paid them and simply say my messages were delivered. This plan was complicated. This plan was expensive.

  “Marina’s worth it,” I said firmly. “I never stopped thinking about her, Oliver. I was always daydreaming about her in class.”

  “No wonder your grades were so shitty.”

  I chuckled. “You take that back.”

  “What if she says no, Rodrigo? What if she’s freaked out by all of this?”

  “You’ve been visiting her frequently to talk about that charity clothes drive, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Tell me, has the Princess been acting any differently to you?”

  Oliver tilted his head to the side and brought a finger up to his chin. “She’s been humming a lot. And blushing a lot. And laughing to herself a lot. I just thought she was starting to go crazy, being all cooped up in the palace.”

  I swallowed, my hopes reaffirmed by Oliver’s observations. “I’ve always loved her spirit. She’s funny, she’s smart, and she’s gentle and kind. But she’s also vulnerable and insecure. That’s why she loves her books so much.”

  Oliver nodded. “I never catch her without a novel.”

  I smiled. “She used to tell me that all she wanted to do was fill her head with pretty words and pretty pictures so that she could share them with the rest of the world.”

  “She inspires you,” he realized.

  “She really does. When I was a boy,
I’d always get so jealous when other princes or princesses would come to visit at the palace. I felt like I didn’t belong. I felt like she was way out of my league, both as a friend and as a crush. One of the princes even told me as much. But Marina stood up for me when everybody else wanted to tear me down. And now she’s invested in multiple charities, always wants to help others. How can I not love a woman like that? I want to make a difference in the world too. I just don’t know how yet. But if I can win her over, if I can have her by my side–”

  Oliver laughed. “Okay, okay. I get it, lover boy. I’m not arguing with you. Princess Marina really is a catch.”

  I smiled fondly. “I like to think so, anyway.”

  Oliver sucked in a breath through his teeth and nodded slowly at me. “I hope things go well for you. I’m in your corner.”

  “Thanks, Oli. That means a lot.”

  He threw me a cheeky wink. “And for what it’s worth, you’re not out of her league. You’ve got a cute ass, a handsome smile, and a good heart. The Princess would be a fool to turn you down.”

  Oliver turned and started toward the changerooms. Our time on the rock-climbing wall was over in about two minutes, so there was no harm in heading out early. I followed him, a little pep in my step.

  “You think my ass is cute?” I laughed.

  “Oh, shut up and get ready for tomorrow, stupid.”

  “It’s okay if you do. I promise not to tell your new boyfriend.”

  “You know what? I hope you get caught.”

  I placed a hand over my wounded heart and pretended to pout. “I thought we were friends.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Marina