The Accidental Prince

by Michelle Willingham

  She heard the stiffness in his voice, the disbelief that she would so willingly leave her birthright to someone else.

  ‘You have a responsibility to your people,’ he insisted. ‘You’ve never had to worry about survival, like so many others.’

  She narrowed her gaze at him. Raising her arms to him, she revealed the bruises again. ‘Haven’t I?’

  ‘You’re giving up too easily, Princess.’

  ‘Why does it matter to you?’ she whispered. ‘Find another princess to wed. Let me live my own life.’

  He reached for her gloved hand, and within his palm, her fingers felt small. Heat permeated the glove, reminding her of the way his hands had moved over her buttons. She couldn’t stop thinking of his bare fingers touching her spine and the intimacy of him unlacing her corset last night.

  Her body softened, and she couldn’t draw her attention away from the man who was watching her with such unveiled desire. She half expected him to pull her to her feet, dragging her into a breathless kiss. It startled her to realise that she wouldn’t mind that at all.

  ‘You couldn’t give up your crown if you wanted to,’ he said.

  ‘I could,’ she countered, ‘and not hold a single regret.’

  His expression turned into a challenge. ‘Would you care to make a wager on that?’

  What did he mean? At her curious gaze, he continued, ‘Three days, Princess. We’ll live together in the abbey as ordinary people. No servants. No luxuries.’ He removed her glove, turning her palm over. With his fingertips, he stroked the soft skin. ‘I don’t believe you could survive it. These palms have never known what it is to work.’

  She frowned at his prediction. ‘Are you suggesting I’m not capable of living the life of a commoner?’

  His mouth curved in a slight smile. ‘If, after three days, you still want to give up your throne, I’ll help you. I’ll take you to a country of your choice and help you purchase property of your own. Even hire a few servants, if that’s your wish.’

  Serena stared at him. He’d offered to grant her deepest desire, to have absolute freedom to live her life as she chose. ‘There’s more, isn’t there?’ she ventured. ‘You’re not expecting me to … give myself to you?’

  ‘No.’ He released her hand, his eyes filled with daring. ‘But regardless of whether you agree, people will believe you’ve shared my bed. Your reputation is already compromised.’

  She crossed her arms, suddenly feeling the chill in the morning air. ‘Then what are you suggesting?’

  ‘If, after three days, you’ve decided you’d rather live the life of a princess, you’ll wed me. Immediately.’

  ‘I won’t,’ she whispered.

  He took a step forward, standing so close, their lower bodies touched. His mouth moved against her ear, whispering, ‘By the end of the three days, you’ll want to be my wife.’

  She put her hands against his chest, bringing distance between them. ‘You’re going to lose this wager, Fürst Karl.’

  He took her hand in his. ‘Are we in agreement, then? You’ll go where I take you to live and become a commoner?’ Lifting her fingers to his lips, he added, ‘You’ll cook for us … and keep our home clean?’

  There was doubt in his voice, as if he didn’t believe her capable of completing such tasks. Just because she’d never cooked a meal in her life or ever swept a broom didn’t mean she wasn’t able to do so. There were books to show her how.

  ‘Will you keep your promise, if I win?’ She knew that it would be nearly impossible to purchase property and a house, as a woman. But if Karl made all the arrangements, she could remain far away from her father. Safe and free to make her own life as she chose.

  He gave a single nod. ‘As long as you wed me, if I win.’

  She shook his palm, sealing the agreement between them. It would be difficult, but she was determined to prove him wrong. She was no hothouse lily who would wilt if there was no one to serve her. The fürst didn’t know or understand her at all. She was looking forward to the challenge.

  In three days, she could survive anything at all.

  Badenstein—two days later

  There was no sign of the princess. Not at any of the estates. Freiherr Albert von Meinhardt cursed to himself, his anger flaring. He’d sent separate groups of men to every estate in Badenstein, Germany and Prussia. And … nothing. It was as if she’d disappeared.

  The king’s Captain, Gerlach Feldmann, hadn’t seemed surprised. For a man responsible for letting the princess run away, he didn’t appear eager to get her back.

  The man’s defiance to the king was clear, even if Feldmann’s actions had the guise of obedience. Clearly, his loyalty to Her Royal Highness needed to be broken.

  Captain Feldmann had a son—a young boy of nine, who had been living with the boy’s grandmother, after his mother was imprisoned. Now, it was time to use that influence. Although others might view it as heartless, Albert merely saw it as a means to an end. Feldmann would have no choice but to find the princess, if his son were threatened.

  Albert sat back in his chair, reaching for a pen and paper. As he began writing to the king, he filled the letter with false reassurances that they had found the princess and were bringing her home. King Ruwald would be livid, but Albert intended to redirect his rage toward the bastard prince of Lohenberg.

  For it was his fault, wasn’t it? The princess would never have fled without the man’s help. Finding out that the prince was illegitimate had been a stroke of fortune, for it meant that the princess could no longer marry him.

  The thought pleased him greatly. The princess’s impulsive escape had destroyed her virtuous reputation, and it meant that she had to wed quickly. But no longer could she become the bride of a prince—not after this.

  The king’s anger would know no bounds. But there was a solution Albert could offer. Though his blood was not royal, he was of noble birth. He was a baron with lands of his own. Perhaps the king would bestow a greater rank upon him, if he agreed to Albert’s proposition. He could marry Serena himself and restore her honour.

  It didn’t matter that the princess despised him. She would learn to yield to his authority, for she was young enough to be trained to his bidding.

  Albert glanced over at the velvet-draped bed. In his mind, he envisioned her naked body waiting for him. He shifted in his seat as the physical lust swelled inside him. He had to inform the king of his daughter’s disobedience and of the necessity to end her betrothal to the bastard prince of Lohenberg.

  The words flowed from his pen as he offered himself up to the king as a means of saving the princess. He wanted her with every breath in his lungs, needing to possess her beauty.

  And when he called a servant, giving the order to seize Feldmann’s son, he knew that he would get what he wanted. No matter what the cost.

  ‘Take this to my father,’ Karl commanded Bernard. The sealed letter contained his instructions for revitalizing the island. He’d requested troops to bring order to the towns and to provide relief supplies. After talking with Father Durin last night, he’d sketched ideas for drainage ditches that could assist with the flooding.

  The distraction had kept him from thinking of Serena. Three days alone with her. Three final days to win her as his wife. He’d posed the wager as a last, desperate means of gaining her hand in marriage. And he needed to win.

  He’d arranged for them to stay in the ruined fortress while Father Durin remained within the manor house. Though the priest had voiced his disapproval, Karl had promised that at the end of the three days, he could perform the ceremony. In the meantime, Father Durin and Samuel would take turns guarding the forest surrounding the fortress while Bernard travelled back to Lohenberg.

  ‘I will obey, Your Highness.’ The footman bowed. ‘But I fear it isn’t safe—especially after last night. These islanders cannot be trusted.’

  ‘Which is why you will return to Lohenberg and bring back soldiers and supplies. The king must know what is happening
within the province.’

  ‘What about the princess?’

  ‘We will remain in hiding at the abbey,’ Karl said. ‘So long as no one knows we are there, it should be safe enough.’ He lowered his voice and walked outside, waiting for the footman to follow. ‘I will protect her, no matter what happens.’

  On the night when they’d been attacked, Karl had nearly taken the bullet aimed for her. He didn’t regret it at all. It was strange to think of, but after everything she’d suffered, he wanted nothing else to happen to her.

  And even though it would hurt her to learn the truth, he wanted to believe that Serena would forgive him. In these three days, he had to show her that he wasn’t a monster or a man unworthy of being her husband.

  ‘And what of you, Your Highness?’ Bernard cleared his throat.

  Karl lowered his voice. ‘I am no longer the Prince of Lohenberg. What happens to me doesn’t matter, does it?’

  ‘To us, you will always be our prince,’ Bernard protested. ‘Your Highness, we know what Lohenberg means to you.’

  ‘It’s no longer mine to rule,’ he replied. ‘My brother holds that honour now.’

  ‘If something should happen to you—’

  ‘No one would care,’ Karl answered honestly. ‘My best hope is to win the princess’s hand in marriage. Now go to the king, as I’ve commanded.’

  Bernard bowed low. ‘You have our loyalty, Your Highness. And I will return as soon as possible.’

  ‘I’m going to win this wager,’ Serena informed the prince as she rode with him toward Durin’s fortress. The fürst sent her a pointed look that said he didn’t believe her, but Serena only smiled.

  Though she was uneasy about being alone with the prince, he’d offered her an agreement she couldn’t turn down. She needed his help in buying property, and once he’d settled her someplace safe, she’d have everything she needed.

  All she had to do was live alone with him for three days in a ruined abbey.

  Her mother and sister would fall into hysterics if they learned of how far she’d fallen. Virtuous ladies never spent time with men un-chaperoned. They also didn’t run away from home with the intent of living the life of a spinster.

  But it wasn’t the less-than-desirable circumstances that bothered her most. She could live with a leaking roof or terrible food—it was the prince himself who made her worry.

  Already he’d kissed her once, and she’d relived the memory of his mouth each night when she’d fallen asleep. His firm lips, the unquenchable needs he’d evoked, haunted her still. Though she didn’t believe he would take her against her will … she feared that he would use seduction as a weapon. He might use those stolen moments to weaken her resolve and make her want more than she was willing to give.

  But I can still refuse to marry him. That was within her power, no matter how he tempted her. No matter how difficult the three days were.

  Serena lifted her face to the salt spray, eager to arrive at the priest’s ruined abbey. Karl rode alongside her, his face shielded of any emotion. ‘You’re so certain you’re going to win?’

  ‘Of course I am.’

  His gaze passed over her cloaked attire, and he frowned. ‘And you were able to get dressed on your own?’

  She nodded, revealing none of the tactics she’d had to resort to. Although Frau Bauherzen had not come this morning to help her, Serena had worn her new gown backwards, leaving the corset behind. Though the fabric was extremely tight, she’d managed to button it up by herself, a feat she was quite proud of.

  Even so, she felt uneasy without the whalebone garment holding her curves back. The creamy taffeta strained against her breasts, leaving a few gaps in the buttons.

  Three days, she reminded herself. There would be no one except the prince to witness her fashion faux pas. And with the red cloak pulled tightly around her, the gown wasn’t visible.

  When they reached the path that led through the forest toward the ruins, Father Durin was waiting for them.

  ‘It’s safe,’ he pronounced, ‘and all is prepared for the two of you.’ With a stern look toward Serena, he added, ‘I expect to preside over your wedding at the end of the three days.’

  Serena said nothing, letting the priest believe what he wanted. Karl dismounted and helped her down. He then lifted the bundle of supplies from the horse and set them on the ground.

  The priest mounted Karl’s horse and took the reins of Serena’s mare. As he started to depart with the animals, she grew suspicious. ‘Why is Father Durin taking the horses?’

  ‘Because commoners walk, Princess.’ His tone held a nonchalant air that needled her.

  ‘Not all of them.’ With the disappearing horses, Serena now realised that the food supplies she’d packed would have to be carried by hand. Uphill.

  She adjusted the ties of her bonnet and stared at the higher ground. He’d done this on purpose. Fürst Karl wasn’t about to play fair with this wager and intended to cheat every step of the way. Already he was leaving her to carry the supplies alone.

  ‘Aren’t you going to help me?’ she demanded.

  He rested a hand on one of the trees and sent her a slow smile. ‘No.’ Crossing his arms, he leaned back against the trunk. ‘But if you want to admit that you do need servants to help, we can end the wager this moment.’

  Serena glared at him, unwilling to give up so soon. Bending over, she grasped one of the bundles with both hands. It was quite heavy, due to the books and food supplies she’d packed. She struggled to lift it as she made her way up the hill. Karl was going to make this an impossible task, without question. But two could play that game.

  She had to stop and rest several times, and the exertion made perspiration dampen her face. When at last she reached the top of the hill, she set the bundle down in front of the stone wall. The prince had retreated inside the fortress, and he returned with a bow and arrows.

  ‘What are those for?’ she questioned.

  ‘I’m going to hunt for our meat tonight.’ He nodded back down the hill. ‘Don’t forget the other bundle of supplies.’

  ‘I haven’t.’ She stood up and untied her cloak, folding it and setting it down near the entrance. The sudden look of shock on the prince’s face made it worthwhile.

  ‘What in God’s name are you wearing?’

  ‘My new dress.’

  She started to walk down the hill, but he caught her arm. ‘If you haven’t noticed, it’s on backwards.’

  Serena shrugged. ‘I’m well aware of that. But, as you pointed out, we’re going to live as commoners. And since there was no one to help me dress myself this morning, I did it as best I could.’

  His expression was incredulous. ‘You’re not wearing a corset. And what you are wearing is indecent.’

  ‘My cloak covers most of it. And how was I expected to put on a corset with no one to help?’ she demanded. ‘Many of the poor women don’t wear them.’

  She kept her tone even, not letting him see how embarrassed she was. He was right; the gown fitted too tightly, and if she forgot about her posture and kept her shoulders back, it revealed bits of her chemise.

  ‘Put the cloak back on,’ he ordered. ‘You cannot walk around in such a state of undress.’ His iron gaze was arrogant and unyielding, but she saw the interest in his eyes.

  ‘In a moment. The sun is warm and—’

  Karl picked up her fallen cloak and strode forward. Without another word, he tied it around her neck, arranging it so it covered every inch of her gown.

  ‘I’ll return in a few hours. In the meantime, you should get better acquainted with the abbey and prepare our chambers. Unless you want to leave sooner than the three days.’

  ‘Or unless you do,’ she reminded him. Though he behaved as if it didn’t bother him to live this way, she was convinced it was a facade. He was a man accustomed to issuing orders and living like a prince. She brightened, wondering if he would give up by the end of this night.

  The prince ignored her remark.
‘Father Durin left the fortress in quite a state. I’ll expect it to be clean upon my return.’

  From the look in his eyes, she fully expected that the priest had sabotaged the interior. But she was made of stronger stuff than anyone could imagine.

  ‘I’ll see you later,’ she said. ‘Happy hunting.’ And when she continued down the pathway, she untied her red cloak again, letting it fall to the ground behind her.

  Karl hadn’t managed to get a deer or rabbit, despite hunting for hours. His shirt was filthy from crawling around in the underbrush, and eventually he’d conceded defeat and bought fish from a local fisherman. It was better than returning empty-handed.

  Outside, it was growing dark, and he wondered how he would find the princess when he returned. A heaviness hung in the air, like an impending rain. And he knew for a fact that Durin’s roof leaked, which would make the night uncomfortable.

  He wasn’t going to feel any guilt over it. Serena would change her mind after three days, and when Karl made it clear that she would never again suffer from her father’s abuse, she would wed him, and he could return to the life he’d known.

  He would claim the role of prince consort, helping Serena to govern Badenstein. Though her father would want to interfere, once he’d wed her, there was little the king could do about it.

  Karl brought the fish around to the back of the fortress. The kitchen was enclosed in a smaller stone building, farther away from the main hall. The ruins had once been an abbey, made up of smaller enclosures and the large space. To his surprise, he smelled something … sweet?

  He set the fish down upon a stone table and washed his hands, using a dipper of water.

  ‘Princess?’ he called out. He searched inside the fortress but couldn’t find her in the large hall or even upstairs. Eventually, he found her within the priests’ quarters. She was seated near a bright fire, reading a book, and upon the hearth, he saw small biscuits baking.

  The fire cast a soft glow over her features, and her long blond hair was pinned away from her face beneath her bonnet. She’d discarded the red cloak again, and he was drawn to the curves revealed by the tight taffeta. She was slender, but her breasts strained against the fabric, tempting him with the hidden flesh.