One More Chance

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Christian stood outside Princess Georgina's chambers and knocked. Her lady in waiting let him in. He found Georgina sitting on a couch at the corner of the room reading a novel. 

"Good morning your royal highness, may I request a moment of your time?" Christian asked in a playful tone.

"Chris!" Georgina squealed and launched herself into his arms. Christian caught her and swung her in a full circle before letting her down and planting a kiss on her forehead. 

"What's up with all this formality? What happened to you the last 2 days that you did not come to visit me? Do you know how much I missed you? Do you know how much Nathanial tortured me? How shall I punish you?" Georgina bombarded Christian.

"Whoa girl! Stop and catch your breath!" Christian chided.

She had her mother's green eyes and complexion and her father's angular features that made her look every inch the royal that she was and when she deigned to let her eyes soften and her mouth pout in an indignant manner, she looked so adorable that no one could deny her anything. Indeed, she was giving him that look now and he was finding very hard to tell her the news he had come to impart. With that look, one would have to swear she was a twenty and one year old lady instead of a girl just out of the schoolroom. But Christian knew that she could become the perfect lady when the situation called for it. Her innocent face hid a wealth of intelligence. 

Just when he was about to tell her, a figure dashed in with a "Chris you are here squeal!" and hugged him around his legs. It was none other than six year old Prince Nathanial. With all the affection the kids showed, Christian was regretting not having spent more time with them in the last month that he was at the kingdom after his last battle. But things were getting more complicated with Henry's growing power and he had a lot of things to do in terms of preparing the knights lately. A regret nevertheless. The kids managed to bring out the best mood in him and made him smile often. He was sure that his knights would have been shocked to see his behaviour around the kids. His reputation as a ruthless knight would have been in danger if anyone saw him with them. Only Frederick knew the effect that the royal highnesses had on him. They were like his younger brother and sister and the only people he had let into his hearts except for their parents and Frederick himself.

Christian slowly unwrapped Nathianal's tiny arms from his legs and swung him on his back. The child squealed with delight. After playing with him for a couple more moments, Christian sobered. He sat Nathanial on Georgina's bed and told them about his imminent departure. He skipped the details about Henry. He did not need to poison their innocence with such gruesome tales. However, he let on that he was going to get married and become Duke of Newbridge to protect the East border.

"You are getting married, hurray!" Nathanial exclaimed at the same time that Georgina cried, "You are leaving again!" Nathianal looked at his sisters eyes glistening with tears and immediately went on to adopt a solemn look with tearful eyes. "Only 3 weeks. 2 for traveling and 1 to settle the matters there," Christian reassured them. He omitted the fact that after the 3 weeks, he would be traveling back to Newbridge and staying there indefinitely until the problems with Henry were solved. He figured that piece of news would just make them more upset. Indeed he was going to miss them a lot.

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Catherine was scrubbing the floors when she heard her step mother, Cecelia's voice from the room next door. "Darlings, this missive is from the King. His knight Sir Christian Asford is coming here within the week to ask for one of you girls' hand in marriage." Her daughters squealed in delight. "Us? His wife? How wonderful!" Those brainless twits were obviously not brainless enough to not know Sir Ashford. Indeed Sir Ashford was legendary and well known as the most feared warrior in the kingdom.