He could only watch open-mouthed as his father helped his mother out of her chair and they left the room. Opening and closing his mouth several times, he searched for something to say, something to stop what was happening, but his parents were gone before he could speak.
“This can’t be happening,” he said, looking around the table. “They can’t really mean it.”
“I’m afraid they do,” Jamison said, pointing to the guard that was waiting by the door. “I heard Dad telling one of the guards to watch you so you didn’t steal anything.”
***Darby***
It had taken several hours, but the shelves were restocked and ready for the next day. She’d been listening to the parade and wondering if she was missing anything but decided that the last thing she wanted was to stand in a crowd just to catch a glimpse of the royal family. Instead, she’d go out to the farm and bring back a load of merchandise to refill the stock room that was looking empty.
Just thinking about the farm relaxed her, and she knew that what she needed was a bit of fresh air. Slipping out the back door, she grabbed her bike and began the long trip out of town on the back roads to the farm. It wasn’t the most direct route, but with the parade in full swing, she had little choice.
As she wound her way through the back streets lined with brightly painted houses, their flower beds overflowing with early blossoms, she couldn’t help but smile with affection for the only home she’d ever known. Leaving behind the streets of town, she bumped along the dirt road that led to her farm, avoiding the worst of the ruts as she rode, her eyes scanning the forest around her for anything interesting.
The road climbed steadily away from the sea, then leveled off on a plateau that stretched for several miles but was only a few miles wide. It was here that her great-grandparents had settled years ago when the Seelie had come here to build a better Fae community. She wasn’t sure that they’d accomplished their goal, but she loved the farm, had worked through blood, sweat, and tears to hold onto it, and she hoped that her parents were proud of her.
When the farmhouse came into view, she smiled, happy to be home, if for only a few minutes. The smile grew even broader when she saw Eli sitting on the front porch, a big pitcher of lemonade and two glasses sitting next to him. He was grinning too when she jumped off the bike and leaned it up against the porch.
“I thought you might need a little break,” he said, gesturing to the table next to him. “I even managed to get a few of Mildred’s cookies.”
Darby’s stomach growled at the thought of the sugary, buttery confection her neighbor was famous for. “How is Mildred? Did she go to the parade?” she asked, climbing the stairs and sitting down in the rocking chair next to Eli.
Eli waved his hand in the air. “She’s just as cantankerous as ever. We snuck down the mountain for a little while, but it was just a bit too crazy, so we came home,” he said, holding out the plate for her to take a cookie. “Did you go?”
Darby shook her head. “I stayed at the store to restock the shelves, which is why I came home; the storeroom is empty. I’ve got enough stock for tomorrow but nothing to fill the shelves after we close.”
He whistled. “At that rate, you won’t have enough to last the whole summer.”
She nodded. “I know, but things will slow down after the first week, at least I hope they will, or we’re going to be in trouble.”
Eli was quiet for a second, then asked, “Have you thought any more about getting that bank loan?”
Sighing, because they’d had this discussion many times, “The last thing I want to do is give the royals any more money than I already do; the interest rate they’re charging is ridiculous. I feel like I’d be paying to use my own money, and I’m not going down that road. We’ll build the new drying house and workshop when I can pay cash for it. We’ll just have to make do with the farmhouse for now.”
“Just thought I’d check,” Eli said, filling her glass again. “Are you going to take the wagon when you go back?”
Darby nodded. “I’d like to see if I can get more than a day of stock into town.”
“That’s going to take a few hours. Aren’t you going to the ball tonight?” Eli asked, surprised to hear her plans.
She laughed. “I wouldn’t be caught dead at that ball,” she said, then saw the look on Eli’s face. “But you should definitely go if you want to. Almost everyone will be there. It’s just not my thing.”
Darby had only gone to the ball that was held each summer at the beginning of the season a couple of times, but that had been enough for her. Unlike the rest of the Fae who called Ballentine home, she wasn’t interested in the sex-fueled party. Being groped, pinched, and squeezed by men she didn’t know held no appeal to her, and she definitely hadn’t enjoyed waking up the next morning next to one of those men.
Sometimes she wondered if she was really one of them, or if she was frigid like she’d been told numerous times when she’d spurned a man’s advances. It was an ugly word, but maybe they were right; after all, she had never enjoyed the chance sexual encounters the rest of the town seemed to constantly seek. In a town where fidelity was a dirty word, her inability to sleep around labeled her as the odd one.
“Well, if I’m going to get everything done before the ball, I’d better get back to work,” Eli said, getting to his feet. “I wish you’d reconsider going; it really is a lot of fun.”
Darby stood as well. “I think I’ll just stay home this year and work in the gardens for a few hours,” she said.
Chapter Three
***Colin***
Colin stood under a tree, catching his breath and looking at the arched entryway that led to the road to town. It felt like he’d been walking for miles; his feet hurt; he was out of breath and still in shock after being searched like a common thief when he left the castle. But thanks to Reese, he had a nice little bundle of goodies taped to his stomach, and once he made it past the guards at the gatehouse, they’d be his.
Now he had a choice: wait until the guards were distracted and slip though or risk walking boldly though and have them search him. The guards at the castle hadn’t been quite brave enough to search him, only the bag he carried, but he’d lost some of his confidence on the long walk through the upscale neighborhood that spread out below the castle.
Several times, he caught faces in windows and knew that word would already be spreading that he’d been banished from the castle in disgrace. Not willing to risk the humiliation or the possibility of another search, he ducked into the trees and followed the stone fence until he found the gate he remembered. Covered in vines, the gate looked like it hadn’t been opened in years, and he was tempted to give up before even trying.
But instead, he pushed up his sleeves and cleaned off the vines, then used his shoulder to push it open, inch by inch. When it finally flew open, he wasn’t ready, and he fell through and landed on his shoulder, pain shooting through his arm. He nearly cried out, but stopped himself just in time, then lay there on the ground, clenching his teeth until the pain passed.
He finally managed to get back to his feet and push the gate closed, then followed the path through the woods towards town. His shoulder ached as he walked, his clothes were dirty, and he wanted to scream with frustration until he felt the little bundle against his skin. At least he’d have money for a place to stay and a hot bath, he reminded himself. Hopefully it would be enough to last him until his parents came to their senses and let him come home.
When he came out of the woods, he found himself on the main road, but it was filled with people milling around. Confused at first, he just watched them, wondering what they were all doing, but then he remembered the parade was that day. Knowing he had no choice but to wade through the crowd, he strode forward, expecting the crowd to part for him. When no one moved, he began shoving his way forward, ignoring the dirty looks of the people he shoved or elbowed.
“Get out of my way,” he kept saying over and over. “I need to get to the front.”
He was almost to the front when he bumped into a broad muscular back that didn’t budge when he shoved at it. “I need to get through, move,” he ordered.
The man didn’t move. Instead, he turned around and looked down at Colin, his face one colossal scowl. “I don’t think so,” the man said. “I’ve been waiting here all morning.”
Colin stared him down, expecting the man to move, but he put his hands on his hips and stared right back at him. Finally, he asked, “Do you know who I am?”
The man looked him up and down. “I don’t care who you are; this is my place, and I’m not giving it up.”
“I’m the prince, and I demand that you give up your place to me,” Colin said, outraged that the man would talk to him that way.
The man looked him up and down again, then began to laugh. “Nice try, buddy, now get back there where you belong; these people have all been waiting here with me a long time too,” he said, then gave Colin a push.
Just then, the parade turned the corner and started down the street, making the crowd surge, and, already off-balance from the push, he tumbled to the ground. Feet kicked and stepped on him; all he could do was roll himself into a ball and cover his head with his arms as the punishment went on. When he was finally able to crawl out of the crowd to the side of the road, he was even dirtier than before, his clothes torn in several places, and his body throbbing with pain.
Stumbling to his feet, he made his way over to a tree and slouched against it, trying to catch his breath and make sense of what just happened. No one had ever treated him that way, no one had ever stood up to him, and just thinking about it made his blood begin to boil. He was the prince of the Seelie, a royal by blood and lineage: that should be all that mattered. Everyone in the crowd should have seen him for what he was, and paid homage to him.
Tempted to go back over and demand the respect that was his simply by birth, he started for the crowd again but saw that his family was just passing by. There were wild cheers from the spectators, but then he saw them begin to whisper and point, and he heard his name several times. It dawned on him then that the whole town would soon know about his exile, and humiliation replaced his anger.
Slipping away down the street, he changed his plans and headed for the nicest hotel in town. A hot bath and a change of clothes were what he needed now, then he’d see about setting the town straight about how he was supposed to be treated during his short stay away from the castle. Feeling much more in control, he strode down the street, the little lump next to his skin giving him confidence.
After he checked into the hotel, he’d have to find someone to buy the few trinkets he’d managed to smuggle out of his room. They weren’t much, but even on the black market, it would be enough to keep him entertained for weeks if needed, although he hoped his parents would see the light much sooner than that. When the hotel finally came into view, he was filled with relief; now he’d be treated with the respect he deserved.
***Darby***
Darby was just putting the last box of soap on the shelf when she heard the front door open and close. “Darby, where are you?” Fiona called, her footsteps echoing in the empty store.
“I’m in the stock room,” she called, rolling her eyes. “Where else would I be?”
“Getting ready for the ball,” Fiona said, poking her head through the door. “Are you ready?”
Darby sighed. “You know I’m not going,” she said. “But I want to see that dress you’ve been talking about.”
Fiona grinned at her, then stepped through the door and spun in a circle. “It was ridiculously expensive, but I decided to treat myself. What do you think?”
“I think you paid a lot of money for very little fabric,” Darby said but smiled at her friend. “Have you ever thought that a little mystery might be a good thing?”
Fiona spun around again, her sliver heels flashing in the light, and Darby was sure she got a glimpse of something she shouldn’t have. “I know it’s a bit brash, but I’m tired of not being noticed,” she said, pulling the dress down. “Don’t worry, I won’t flash anyone who doesn’t want me to.”
Darby shook her head. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re impossible?” she said, but there was laughter in her voice.
“Yeah, the same person who’s no fun,” Fiona said, then came over and hugged her. “Has it ever occurred to you that you work too hard? Maybe if you had a little fun every once and a while, you wouldn’t be such a stick in the mud.”
“Just because I don’t want to go to the ball and hook up with someone for meaningless sex doesn’t mean I’m a stick in the mud,” she said, wishing she could be like the rest of the Fae when it came to sex. “I wish I didn’t feel that way, but I do.”
Fiona’s face became serious. “I’m sorry, Darby, I was just teasing. There’s nothing wrong with the way that you feel; I shouldn’t make fun of you.”
“It’s okay,” Darby said, giving her friend a hug. “Now, you’d better get going to the ball so you can make that dress pay for itself. This might just be the year you snag a royal.”
“Oh, do you think so?” Fiona said, shivering with excitement.
“In that dress, you’re guaranteed to attract someone’s attention,” Darby said, pushing her friend toward the door. “I’ll be here bright and early in the morning to hear all about it.”
As she drove the wagon home, she thought about how different she was from the other Fae and wondered what it meant. But as usual, she could find no explanation; no matter how much she wanted to be open to casual sexual encounters, it just wasn’t in her. Sometimes she wondered if she was immune to the Fae’s natural sexuality, if she’d ever feel that spark of attraction that seemed to fuel the wild passions that flourished in Ballentine.
When she passed the big stone arch that separated the common part of town from the royals, she slowed and looked up at the castle. It was brightly lit for the ball, and she could see people streaming in the big doors, which for this one night of the year were thrown wide open to all. Tonight, the royals and commoners would mingle as if they were equals, pairing off and disappearing as the night wore on.
A few lucky women from town would be chosen by royals, and for one night would live the life they were denied simply by birth. Darby had no desire to be part of the game they’d all play, but she would have enjoyed wandering around the streets, looking at the houses hidden behind the big stone wall. Imagining what it would be like to live there, to know that it would never be taken away from you, and you’d never worry where your next meal might be coming from.
Reminding herself that she had it better than most, she flicked the reins and headed for home and the quiet of the farm. It was nearly dark when she got there, but there were lights shining in the house, and she knew that Eli had waited to leave. He came out of the door when she stopped in the yard, and she wished for a second that she were attracted to him.
Dressed in his tuxedo, his hair slicked back, his blue eyes even bluer against the black of his suit, he made quite the picture of masculinity. But there was no response from her body, no tingling, no butterflies, no sweaty palms—just the happiness of seeing her friend grinning at her from the porch.
“You still have time to change and go with me,” he called, holding out a dress that looked a lot like Fiona’s.
Darby jumped down from the wagon. “Where did you get that?” she asked, horrified.
“Fiona dropped it off,” he said, the smile disappearing from his face. “Don’t you like it?”
She stomped up the stairs and ripped the dress out of his hand. “Does this look like something I’d wear?” she asked, then softened. “I’m sorry, Eli, it’s not your fault Fiona’s gone off the deep end.”
“Well, I didn’t think it looked like you, you’re more the flowy soft...” he trailed off, clearly embarrassed. “I mean, it’s not like I thought about it a lot or anything.”
Darby couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Eli,” she said, leaning over an
d kissing him on the cheek. “If I were going to go to the ball, it would have been with you.”
His face turned red, and his mouth opened and closed a couple of times. Then he turned and started down the road without a word, leaving her standing there full of regret. It would have been so easy if she could have fallen in love with Eli; they both loved the farm, and it could have been a perfect life. But no matter how hard she tried, it was clear Eli wasn’t the one for her. She just hoped that the right one was out there somewhere.
Chapter Four
***Colin***
Colin stood bewildered in front of the Grand Ballentine Hotel wondering why the doorman seemed to be ignoring him. The man had looked at him once, then quickly averted his eyes, and now was studiously looking anywhere but at him, making his anger begin to flare to life once again. Climbing the steps one at a time, he felt his heart rate begin to quicken, and his blood boiled at the man’s rudeness.
“Are you going to open the door for me, or do I have to do it myself?” he demanded.
“I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t let you go inside,” the doorman said, stepping in front of the door. “You might try one of the other hotels down the block.”
“I will not try another hotel. I always stay at this hotel,” he ground out through clenched teeth. “I demand you open the door for me, or I’ll be forced to report you to the manager. We are good friends, you know.”
The doorman looked him up and down. “I very much doubt that, sir,” he said, a slight grin on his face. “Now, unless you can prove to me that you can afford to stay with us, you’ll have to move along.”
The look on the doorman’s face was more than he could take. “Do you know who I am? I could afford to buy this place if I wanted to,” he sneered at the man.
The Fae Prince: (Fae of Ballantine) Page 2
