Royal Love

Chapter 9

   "Did you follow us?" I asked.

   "No," she said. "I came to think about mother."

  "Oh." We stood in silence.

   Elizabeth was the first to speak. "What is going on here?"

   "Elizabeth it isn't what it looks like."

   "Really?" She put her hands on her hips. "It looks like you two were kissing. Does father know?"

   "No! He doesn't and you are not going to tell him ," I told her.

   "Why shouldn't I?"

   "Elizabeth you aren't going to understand."

   "I might."

   I sighed. "Father doesn't know what is the best for us."

   Elizabeth looked like I had just slapped her. "He does. Why would you say that! He hasn't done anything to you!"

   "He is forcing me to marry the Duke of Spain! Then when I argued that he couldn't make me, that I barely knew this man, he smacked me! Twice!" I yelled the words at her and silently I hoped that no one else had heard me.

   She took a step back. "No he wouldn't do that. Mother wouldn't allow him to."

   I whispered my next words but they seemed to echo. "Mother isn't here." Henry took my hand in his as I sank to my knees. "She isn't here," I repeated and buried my head in my hands.

   "He still wouldn't."

   My head snapped up at her words. "You are wrong. He would and he did."

   Her face fell. "Then why are you with him? You are engaged to someone!"

   I gave a little laugh. "Not any one I love."

   "Does it matter."

   "Yes, it matters! Mother told me to marry the man I love. She knew that after she was gone father would lose it. She knew he might marry me off. She told me in that letter that I need to marry someone I love, and that if I must fight father on it then that is what I must do."

   Everyone fell silent. Henry, who had not said a word through all of this, lifted me off the floor. I realized I was crying and wiped my tears away. He set my on my feet, I leaned against him, and he wrapped his arms around me.

   "She told you that but...but not us," Elizabeth whispered.

  "No . She cared about you."

   "Then why? Why didn't she leave a letter for us? Why only you?"

   I sighed. "She did leave you letters." What else was I supposed to do? Let her believe our mother didn't care about her? "She left you all letters for your sixteenth birthdays. I was supposed  to give them to you."

   Her face lit up. "She did?"

   I smiled. "She did."

  "I won't tell the others about the letters, and I won't tell anyone about the two of you. I promise. If you want I will even try to help."

   "Thank you Elizabeth," I was happy that we didn't have to go through this alone.

   "You are welcome. I can come back later, and give the two of you some alone time if you would like. I don't recommend staying for to long though. Someone might come looking."

   Before I could speak, Henry did. "Thank you Princess Elizabeth. We would like that very much." Elizabeth nodded her head and curtsied before turning and leaving the library.

   I smiled up at Henry. "Princess Elizabeth?"

   "That is what she is a Princess."

   "I know, it's just....she doesn't get addressed by her title often."

   "She is the oldest after you right?"

   "Yes. It goes me, Elizabeth, Mary, Beatrice, Cassie, Diana, Victoria, Janice, then little Alice."

   "I like Alice."

   I laughed. "You don't like any of my other sisters?"

   "I do, but Alice is my favorite."

   "I think she likes you too. This morning when I told her you were a Prince her eyes grew so big."

   "So she likes me because I'm a Prince?"

   "No not just because of that." 

   "Well what about you? Do you like me just because I'm a Prince?" His voice grew serious.

   "No. Not at all. I like you because you are you. I had time to get to know you, ok barely, but I like what I got to know."

   He smiled and brought his lips to mine. This kiss was hungry and he laid me on the floor never breaking it. The breath we gave each other before another kiss was enough for me to tell him one thing. "I can't loose my honor."

   The break between this kiss and the next was filled with his words. "I won't take it."

   We kissed for a while longer. He was true to his words and we only kissed. I may not want to marry the Duke, but I was still a Princess who had to keep her honor and virtue. The thought of losing it and getting pregnant with another man's child was a thought I didn't dwell on.

   The time we spent together for stolen kisses was to many, and Henry had to go. "I will be in town tomorrow, perhaps you can make an excuse and meet me at the docks?"

  "The docks are dangerous."

   "I'll protect you."

   "Maybe, but my father might send guards to watch me."

   "Maybe the docks are not the best place to meet."

   I thought for a moment. 'What about the park? My guards wont be alarmed if I go to the park."

   "It's very public."

   "There are many bushes."

   He gave me a kiss. "I like the way you think."

   He left and I acted as if I was searching for a  book then a few moments later I left and headed for my room. I felt like I was gliding on air. Then I came face to face with my father.