Dancing with a Prince (Matchmakers in Time Book 3)

by Kit Morgan

  Before she could ponder it further, Dallan approached, Mitzi and Asger on his heels.

  “There he is!” King Bjorn pointed. He looked at Mitzi, saw her hand clasped in Asger’s and huffed, “What’s the meaning of this?”

  Andel’s eyes widened as he stood. “Asger … what are you doing? You were to wait …”

  “Wait for what?” Bjorn spat. He looked at Mitzi. “And who are you?”

  Asger put her behind him. “Your Majesty, I am sorry to inform you that I cannot marry Her Highness Princess Velta.”

  The music died, followed by murmurs of confusion, then silence. Bjorn’s face went a brilliant red. “What?!”

  Asger took a deep breath. “I apologize.” He pulled Mitzi forward. “But I already love another.”

  Bjorn shook, then spun on Andel and Maddie. “What’s the meaning of this?” He pointed at Asger. “What is he talking about?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?” Maddie sat, looked at Andel and shrugged. “He’s in love.”

  Shona smiled. What could any of them do in the face of that? They’d just have to ride this out. She glanced at the doors of the hall and back, then waited.

  “You know what this means, Queen Madeleina!” Bjorn spat. “I’ll not stand for this insolence!”

  Dallan cleared his throat.

  Bjorn’s glare fixed on him. “And who are you?”

  Dallan arched an eyebrow and nodded at Andel and Maddie. “A friend of the family.” He nodded at the wall behind the dais. “Ye’ll find a dozen of yer guards outside. Someone by the name of Dag and a Lieutenant Wilks thought they’d help ye along by doing away with the lass here.” He nodded at Mitzi. “I dinna think they planned on sending her someplace pleasant.”

  Bjorn stared at him, then Mitzi. “I know no such people …” He turned to Maddie. “Wait a minute, isn’t Dag your royal physician?”

  Maddie stood again. He is. Dallan, what are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that the men that tried to take Mitzi belonged to King Bjorn, but were taking orders from Dag and Lieutenant Wilks.”

  Andel stood, his jaw tight. “Are you sure?”

  “We heard it straight from two Laconan guards,” Asger said.

  King Bjorn stared at them slack-jawed, but quickly recovered. “You see? Even your own people want the union to take place!”

  Andel’s expression changed. Shona could tell he was weighing Bjorn’s words. “Oh, good grief,” she muttered. “There’s got to be an easier way to do this job.”

  Velta entered the hall like she owned it, pulling a bewildered Albert along behind her. His hair was mussed, his eyes full of romantic bliss and he walked like his bones were made of Jell-O.

  Aha! Shona looked at Dallan. We did sense something.

  Dallan narrowed his eyes at the gangly young man with Velta. Aye, ‘tis hard to believe. Weel, two birds with one stone, as they say …

  Shona sighed and crossed her fingers. “Please let this turn out well,” she whispered.

  Velta practically dragged Albert to the dais, people parting to give her a wide path. The sight was comical. When she got there, she looked at Asger and Mitzi holding hands, turned to her father and burst into tears. “Father, I want to get marriiiiied!”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “Oh, saints,” Dallan muttered as chaos broke loose once again.

  King Bjorn beamed as Andel and Maddie jumped to their feet. “Ha! What did I tell you – she does want to marry!”

  Velta nodded as tears streamed down her face. She looked at Asger again, and something between a wail and a laugh escaped.

  “Velta!” Bjorn headed for her. “Don’t cry! All is well!” He looked at Mitzi and yelled, “Guards!” Laconan guards appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them.

  Shona stepped forward but Dallan held up his hand to stop her.

  Bjorn pointed at Mitzi. “Seize this woman!”

  “Over my dead body!” Asger shoved Mitzi behind him.

  “No!” Velta cried.

  “Don’t worry, my darling,” Bjorn soothed. “They’ll not harm your betrothed.” He turned to Asger. “Stand aside, Your Highness. Remove yourself from that wench!”

  Mitzi stepped out from behind Asger, hands on her hips. “Who are you calling a wench?”

  Dallan closed his eyes again. What’s wrong? Shona asked with her heart.

  He waved her off. We might as well let them have it out.

  You don’t mean …?

  Aye, I do.

  Her jaw dropped. She looked at the small group about to explode and slowly backed away.

  The guards closed in. Asger braced himself to take them on until Mitzi stepped forward and shoved him behind her.

  Bjorn laughed. “What’s this? Some kind of a jape?”

  Asger leaned toward Mitzi’s ear. “Go easy on them.”

  Mitzi smiled and pushed up her sleeves. “No promises.”

  The first guard came within range and she got him with a sharp uppercut. His head snapped back, then forward before he collapsed to the floor.

  Bjorn and the other guests stood in shock. The rest of the Laconan guards stared at their fallen comrade in disbelief.

  Mitzi crossed her arms and glared at the Laconan monarch. “Anyone else want some?”

  “Stop!” Velta got between Mitzi and her father’s guards. “This is ridiculous!”

  “It certainly is.” Her father pointed at Andel and Maddie. “I’m warning you – they marry or else!”

  Velta sighed in frustration. “No, Father, you don’t understand. I don’t want to marry Prince Asger – I want to marry him!” She pointed at Albert.

  Bjorn’s eyes bulged. “What?!” Several other bystanders said the same. Andel and Maddie gaped. Asger slowly smiled, then laughed. Albert just grinned like an idiot.

  “This is the one, Father – my one true love!” Velta insisted. “He’s perfect!”

  “But sweetness,” King Bjorn said, “see what you’re doing to His Highness? He’s coming apart with grief!”

  “No, he’s not – he looks relieved. I know I was when I saw him with her.” Velta nodded at Mitzi.

  Asger nodded and kept laughing.

  Bjorn stared at his daughter in incomprehension. “What are you saying, Velta my sweet?”

  “I’m saying that I want to marry Mr. Golden.”

  Bjorn looked at Albert. “A commoner?”

  “Well, at least he didn’t say ‘a Jew’,” Albert muttered.

  “Oh, Father wouldn’t care about that,” Velta replied. “Lacona’s been a haven from pogroms since the 14th century.”

  “You don’t say?”

  Velta turned back to her father. “He’s no commoner, Father – in fact, he’s worth …” She whispered in his ear.

  Bjorn’s eyes widened. “You don’t say.”

  “And he’s from America,” she added, rejoining the starry-eyed Albert. She looped her arm through his. “So, Father, I’ve made up my mind.”

  “But the prince …”

  “Is in love with the little pixie who knocked out your guard,” Velta said. “Anyone can see it.”

  The king glanced at Asger and Mitzi. “Yes … I suppose.” He looked helplessly at Andel and Maddie. “I didn’t want it to go this way.”

  Maddie came down the steps. “No one can predict what love will do, Your Majesty.”

  “No, they certainly cannot.” He turned to his daughter. “America, you say?”

  “Yes. I’m afraid I’ll be leaving Lacona.”

  Shona and Dallan spied a familiar face in the crowd, flinched, then relaxed. They’d have to let this run its course.

  “But dearest,” King Bjorn said, “when will I see you?”

  “I’m sure we can arrange a visit once a year.” She looked at Albert. “Couldn’t we, darling?”

  He nodded and chuckled.

  Mitzi’s jaw dropped. “Albert?”

  He just smiled dreamily. She headed for him but Asger caught her arm and pulled he
r back. “Let them be.”

  “But …”

  “Just do it.”

  She sighed in frustration but complied.

  Shona glanced at Dallan, then at Lany, who stood behind several rows of onlookers looking pleased. Hmm …

  Andel finally came down the steps. “It looks as if our son is not marrying your daughter. Are you all right with that?”

  The king looked sheepish. “Well,” he said with a shrug, “she does get to live in America.”

  Andel nodded and turned to face Asger and Mitzi. “We hope you will be very happy.”

  Mitzi gave Andel and Maddie a big smile. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  Asger took her in his arms and kissed her.

  Andel smiled and went to stand before Albert. “And you, young man. What have you to say for yourself?”

  Albert looked at him, smiled and said, “Viva Las Vegas.”

  As it turned out, Lany found more than they could have hoped for during his research, including something for Melvale to check before sending Dallan and Shona on another assignment – if anyone in the immediate area of a “target” happened to have Muiraran blood.

  In this case, there certainly was one – Velta. She had just enough to know when a suitor didn’t, well, suit. As her frustration grew, so did her temper. What had been attributed to suppressed grief years after losing her mother was in reality Velta coming of age and preparing for joining. She would have made Asger a horrible wife – the two weren’t remotely compatible. Albert Golden, as it turned out, was decidedly so.

  “He’ll be rich,” Lany whispered to Dallan and Shona. “His stocks will go through the roof.”

  “Really?” Shona said. “That’ll make Velta happy.”

  “Has anyone told her she’s to live in the future?” Dallan asked.

  “We’ll get to that,” Lany said. “You two still have work to do.”

  “Aye, ye’re right. I need to join Asger and Mitzi before anything else happens.”

  A commotion at the doors of the hall drew everyone’s attention. “Too late?” Shona wondered.

  An old man entered the room with several Dalrovian guards in tow. Lany glanced their way, then turned to Dallan. “Who’s that?”

  Dallan slowly smiled. “Ye’ll see.” He searched the hall, then nodded at Andel and Maddie. “This should be interesting.”

  Andel spied the small party. “Fadir, what is this?”

  Ranulf Berg smiled as he reached his son. “I’ve brought you a gift.” He motioned the guards forward, and they dragged a struggling, cowled figure before Andel. Ranulf grabbed the hood and pulled it back.

  “Who is this, Fadir?”

  “It’s Toleman, my advisor,” King Bjorn replied.

  Ranulf shook his head and removed the captive’s wig. “It’s Count Rudge.”

  Maddie gasped and grabbed Andel’s arm. “He’s alive?”

  “Very much so, Your Majesty,” Rudge grumbled, glaring at Ranulf. “And if it weren’t for this one, I’d never have been caught!”

  Andel stood in stunned silence, then shook himself. “After all these years, where have you been hiding and what are you doing here now?” He looked at his father. “How did you find him out?”

  “Actually, Lady Mildred did,” Ranulf said.

  Rudge struggled against his captors. “That clumsy tart pushed me down the stairs!”

  “What?” Maddie said. “Where is she?”

  “She’s fine,” Ranulf assured. “Just shaken up. She bumped into the count on accident.” He grinned at Asger. “Seems my grandson isn’t the only one to have someone land in his lap.”

  The guards holding Count Rudge snorted, then quickly composed themselves.

  “He landed on you?” Maddie said.

  “Most painfully,” Ranulf said, rubbing his back, then nodded at the guards. “Thankfully these two got him off me.”

  Maddie covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Andel could only stare at the count, his face running through a myriad of expressions as Dallan and Shona watched with interest. This was the man who’d imprisoned Andel’s father Ranulf years ago, and held him hostage to force Andel to hunt down Maddie and her mother. The count had charged him with bringing Maddie back to Dalrovia so he could marry her and take the throne.

  “Toleman?” King Bjorn said as he approached. “What’s the meaning of this?”

  “Shut up, you fat imbecile!” Rudge spat.

  Gasps were heard all over the hall. Andel held up his hand before King Bjorn could reply. “Fadir, I cannot accept this gift.”

  Rudge smiled.

  So did Andel. “As you have caught the man who tortured you for so many years and held you prisoner, I give him to you. His life is in your hands.”

  The count’s smile quickly vanished.

  Ranulf stood proudly. “Thank you, my son.” He looked at Rudge. “I’ll see he gets the justice he deserves.” He nodded at the guards, who began dragging him away.

  Dallan, Shona and Lany watched them go. “About Lady Mildred …,” Lany said.

  “It can wait, Master Lany, I have one more thing to take care of.”

  “Oh, yes. Later, then.”

  Dallan walked up to the dais. When he reached Asger and Mitzi, he smiled. “Are ye ready, then?”

  “I sure am.” Mitzi grinned.

  “But we’re hardly set up for a wedding,” Asger replied. “Besides, don’t we need a priest?”

  “Nae, lad, all ye need is me.” Dallan looked at the dais. “And I ken just the place to do it.”

  It didn’t take long to gather everyone into the private sitting room behind the dais. Dallan looked at Mitzi and smiled. “You’ve had quite an adventure, have ye no?”

  “You can say that again.” She leaned against Asger and smiled. “This has been the best three days of my life.”

  “Even with all the pain?” Asger asked.

  “As bad as it was, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It showed me that we were meant for each other. I just wish I’d known about it beforehand.” She gave Dallan a pointed look.

  He smiled. “Too soon and you’d have bolted.”

  She shrugged. “That’s true.” She looked at the crowd. “Now what do we do?”

  “A better question is, what will ye do?”

  Mitzi was confused. “What do you mean?”

  Dallan spied Lady Mildred entering the room and smiled again. “Mitzi Fine, I gave ye a choice earlier to go back where ye came from. Ye didna take it.”

  “Of course not,” she said. “If I had, Asger and I would’ve … well, you know.” She didn’t want to say the word died in front of Asger’s parents. Did they even know?

  “Aye, ye made the right choice. Now, d’ye willingly give yourself to this man, though it means ye may never see yer home again?”

  She flinched. This was the sticking point. But she had to do what she had to do, and figure the rest out later. “I am.” She looked at Asger. “I do.”

  Dallan smiled and looked at him too. “And you, Asger Berg. Are you willing to protect this woman to the end of yer days, even die for her if need be?”

  Asger looked at Mitzi. “After what I saw you do this evening, I doubt that will be necessary.” He turned back to Dallan. “But in case it is, yes, I’d give my life for her.” He faced Mitzi and pulled her close. “I love her.”

  She smiled. “And I love him.”

  “Love is a grand thing,” Dallan said. “It fuses people together to make them one, many times over if they’ll let it. The two of ye will one day rule this country. That means learning to get along with yer neighbors now. I ken yer parents will iron things out with King Bjorn, so help them build that alliance.”

  Asger nodded. “Understood.”

  “Good,” Dallan said. “Now kiss her and start making wedding plans.”

  “That’s it?” Maddie said. “Nothing more?”

  “Oh, aye, there’s plenty more. As far as Shona’s people are concerned, they’re now married. No
w they must join in a more … intimate way, to make it official.”

  Mitzi blushed. Did he have to say that? She looked at Asger, who was redder than she was. She grabbed his hand and pulled him aside as Dallan spoke with Andel. “We’re married?”

  “After a fashion.” He drew her close and kissed her, then rested his forehead against hers. “I’m glad you landed in my lap.”

  “So am I.” She hugged him. “As soon as we can, though, I want to see my dad.”

  “Of course. I’ll speak with Dallan about it – I’m sure he won’t deny you. Will you … miss it?”

  “What, the 21st century? Yes. But there’s so much here to see.”

  “I’d like to see where you’re from, this Las Vegas.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh my gosh, you want to see Vegas?”

  “Why not? Is it a bad place?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s nickname is ‘Sin City’ … but that’s mostly for show.” She noticed Albert and Velta hovering near the entrance. “I’ll explain later.” She kissed him before she hugged him again, then gasped. “That’s him!”

  “Who?”

  “The purse snatcher!” she said and pointed. “The guy I chased down the alley … and I saw him in Java King!”

  “From where?”

  “Where I work … worked, I guess. A coffee house.” She stared at Mr. Thin and laughed. “I can’t believe all the trouble they went through to get me here. It was one big setup.”

  “I don’t care how they got you here, only that they did.” Asger pulled her into his arms again. “And I am never, ever letting you go.”

  Mitzi smiled at him. “No worries there. I’m not letting you out of my sight. I’m your personal guard, you know.”

  Asger laughed. “I can’t think of anyone I’d trust more.” He lowered his face to hers. She might be the one to guard him, but no one would guard her from his onslaught. Not that she wanted anyone to.