A Tale of Two Princesses (14 page)

     "Um, do I?" Sienna asked, glancing at Homa.

     "Her highness does not find it comfortable to ride a horse at gallop. It has been sometime since she has ridden Snowy," Homa said, and then added, "Perhaps that is why she mounts her horse only in the stall and pretends to ride."

     Sienna lowered her head. Yes, she supposed a princess mounting a horse in a stall was a rather silly thing to do. "Well, I've only done that a few times."

     "Perhaps you need someone to ride with you," Court said. "What do you say to a trot around the courtyard?"

     "What do you mean?" she asked.

     "I'll take you for a ride. Snowy looks like a strong animal. Come along, it may be fun."

     "Okay. Yeah, let's try it."

     Sienna was excited to try. She had never actually ridden a horse before. And then Court jumped over the fence, which surprised her. She did not expect princes to go jumping over fences. She started to follow, but Homa took her hand.

     "Her highness may use the gate," she said.

     "Oh, yes," she said.

     Homa led the way, opening the gate, whispering so only Sienna heard. "Please remember to be ladylike, Sienna. Her highness does not enjoy riding horses. She has not done it since she was a child. She keeps Snowy only as a pet to visit when she is bored."

     "Oh," Sienna said. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

     "Do not worry. Just be careful, and remember when you relay a story, the princess must be accountable for it."

     "You're right. I'm sorry about the stable thing. I wasn't thinking."

     "It's all right, child. I know you're doing your best."

     Sienna came up to Court, who was stroking Snowy's back. The handler was nearby, placing a saddle on her. The saddle was shiny, as if it had never been used, and Sienna imagined it probably hadn't been. Then the handler brought a small staircase and set it down next to the horse. Court did not need it. He jumped up from the other side, adjusting his position. The horse nickered. She was clearly unused to a rider.

     "Come along, Celeste," Court said, offering his hand.

     "Okay," she said, stepping up the little staircase, and then, putting her hand on Court's shoulder, she hooked her leg over and came down on the horse's hind. Her dress fanned out around her, but she smoothed it out. Court nearly spun around in surprise. Wellington gasped. Homa slapped her mouth, covering her face, her eyes large and looking horrified. Even the handler was dumbfounded. Sienna was confused. Had she done something wrong?

     "Celeste?" Court said. "You prefer to straddle a horse?"

     "Oh!" Sienna said. "Princesses don't do that, do they? I'm so stupid. I'm so sorry."

     She tried to climb up, but Court was laughing. "It's all right, Celeste. I like that. Why a woman would ever sit aside a horse is beyond me. Come, let's ride."

     He clicked his tongue and slapped the reigns and Snowy began trotting. Sienna instantly wrapped her arms around Court's waist, holding tight.

     "Ah, we're riding!" she said.

     "We sure are. You don't do this often, do you?"

     "Not often, no. Oh! Look at those flowers there! The purple ones! Purples are my favorite!"

     "We'll have to walk through them."

     "And do you see the hedges? Think it's a maze in there?"

     "You tell me."

     "Right. It is a maze, a big one, and you have to answer riddles to get out."

     "Riddles?"

     "Sure! And it's guarded by a minotaur, like in the old stories."

     He laughed. "Celeste, you are a dreamer, aren't you?"

     "Aw, I don't know."

     "Who can blame you?" he said, heeling the horse, picking up speed. "Stuck in this castle all the time, only your mind can leave it. I know the feeling."

     "You don't like your castle?"

     "It's home, but I think you and I are alike; we're free spirits. We don't belong locked away in courtyards. Our horses want to ride through fields and sand and snow."

     "Yeah," she whispered. She tightened her grip around his stomach, resting her head on his back, her ear right up against his shoulder blade. She could hear his heart thumping. It was a little fast. "You're such a nice man."

     "Pardon?" he said.

     "I don't meet many nice men. They're always scoundrels...passing through." Sienna cringed. Oh, no! What had she said?

     "Of course, they're scoundrels," Court said. "They're nobles and aristocrats. There are so few good men among them."

     She giggled nervously. It was funny to hear a prince speak that way about his own kind. "Well, you're one of the good ones."

     "You're good as well, Celeste."

     He brought the horse to a stop once he had made a full lap around the courtyard. The handler brought the staircase and Celeste stepped down. Court followed.

     "Shall we visit the maze?"

     "Absolutely," Sienna said. "The maze is my favorite. I go there whenever I come into the courtyard."

     They returned to the stone path, following it. As they walked, they came to a black cherry tree, with plenty of small cherries on the ground in the grass.

     "Court, look! We have a cherry tree too. I'd forgotten." She squatted down, picking up a handful off the ground, stuffing one under her mask and into her mouth. Then she turned back, holding out her hand to Court. "Mmm, have one. They're so good!"

     Court was frozen. Sienna could not see his reaction under his mask. She could see Wellington's though, a look of appall on his face. Homa looked horrified.

     "Your highness!" she cried. "I don't think those have been properly washed yet!"

     "Oh! I'm so sorry!" She threw them down on the ground, realizing what she had done. "I, I never do that. I'm a princess and I don't like to eat things off the ground. I'm sorry. I'm just so hungry I wasn't thinking."

     "It's all right, Celeste." He knelt down, picking one up. He brought it to the bottom of his mask, slipping it under and into his mouth. "They're quite ripe, aren't they?"

     She nodded, her mask wiggling. "Yeah. They're good."

     Court turned halfway around. "Wellington, Homa, might you give me a few moments alone with the princess?"

     "Of course, sir," Wellington said, bowing his head.

     "Yes, your highness," Homa said, bowing as well. She gave Sienna a look.

     And then Court began walking and Sienna stayed at his side, passing around the hedge maze. They found a stone bench and he sat on it. She joined him, trying to keep her back straight like she had done on the throne. Was she supposed to look at him? She might as well. She turned and looked straight at him. She saw his eyes flash through the holes of his mask. He was staring. This was the first time she had really looked into his eyes, seen the soft, inviting brown color he had.

     "Celeste," he said, "I don't know what to say."

     "I'm sorry about the cherries."

     "No, not about that. What I mean to say is everything about you is...different."

     "It is?"

     "Yes. I have been on campaign, and let me say, when a soldier, even a prince, passes a fruit tree, no fruit is left behind in the army's wake."

     She smiled, though he could not see it, but perhaps he suspected it in her eyes.

     "You are amazing," he said.

     "Me? I am?"

     "You are. You have swept me away."

     "Really?" she said, sounding proud of herself. Princess Celeste was going to be so happy that she had done so well. "I'm so happy to hear you say that."

     "Are you happy, truly?" he asked. "Do you not mind to marry a man whom you know nothing about?"

     "Aw, well, I know a bit about you now, don't I? I know you play polo, and you joust, and you swim, and you like to hunt too, but you're no good at wrestling creatures with your bare hands, and maybe I think you don't like all this aristocracy stuff that much either, but I think you want to make your father proud, so you're here for that, even if it means marrying a woman you don't know."

     "Perhaps I've gotten to know a bit about you too."

     She peered into his eyes. "And you like what you've seen?"

     "I do. I want to learn more."

     His hand reached up, sliding under her golden hair, his palm on her facemask, his fingers touching the flesh on her jaw. It was a touch much more intimate than she had ever experienced before.

     "May I take this off, princess? May we both take them off? I am so eager to look upon your beauty."

     She bit her lip under the mask. "Maybe I'm not beautiful."

     "I already know you're beautiful. I am only curious to see if your face matches it."

     She smiled. "You're so sweet. I wish I could take it off, but I'd get in so much trouble."

     "Are you sure?" he said.

     She nodded. "You can kiss me if you want though."

     "May I?" he said.

     She nodded again. "Yeah. I've kinda been waiting for you to kiss me all night."

     "Then you'll wait no more."

     He took the bottom of her mask, lifting it slowly. She would not have stopped him even if he tore it off, but it came to a rest just on the tip of her nose. She could see nothing with the eyeholes gone. For a moment, she was stuck there in the dark, wondering what it would be like to kiss a boy, and then she felt his lips on hers.

     It was a different sensation than she thought it would be. She thought it would be cold and dry, like two hands clapping together. It was not. It was wet, sticky, and so very warm. The warmth was what was so amazing. It spread out from her jaw, sweetening in her mouth, traveling down her throat, into her stomach, igniting a fire that sent a rush of heat to the tips of her limbs, tingling her fingers and toes.

     She was trying her best to kiss him like she had seen other people kiss, hoping he liked it. He was slow with her, his mouth so soft against hers. She reached up, feeling blindly for him, sliding her arms around his neck, holding him close. It was as if her body knew to do this by instinct, to keep him close, to keep kissing him. And then his mouth opened, her lips slipping between them, closing down on each other, his nose bumping into hers as he turned his head, their masks clunking together.

     Sienna let out an exhale that turned into a moan in his mouth. And then Court broke the kiss. Sienna reached up, pulling down her mask so she could see him properly. She felt dizzy. His eyes were on her, smoldering through the holes in his mask.

     "Um, wow," she whispered. "That was incredible."

     "Truly?" he whispered back.

     She nodded hazily. "I've never been kissed before."

     "You haven't?"

     She shook her head. "I didn't know that's what it was like to kiss a boy."

     He reached out again, stroking her exposed jaw and neck. "Your innocence is beautiful, princess."

     "Um, thanks. Do you want to kiss me again?"

     He chuckled very softly. "Do you want me to kiss you again?"

     "Yeah. I think I do. I really, really think I do."

     He lifted her mask faster this time, just up to her nose, moving his own out of the way so his lips could meet hers. She pressed harder into him, growing hungry, her lips opening and closing, her nose pulsating to feed her desire. And then she felt his tongue. What was that doing there? It was as if it was coming to say hello to her. Was she supposed to lick it?

     She licked it. She wanted more, more of this, all of it. She began licking with her tongue, moving her lips. Her hands were on the back of his head, holding him in place, not wanting to let him get away, to keep him there and keep him kissing her for as long as she could. She was whimpering and moaning, trying to scoot closer to him on the bench, all self-control leaving her.

     And then he broke the kiss. She reached up, pulling her mask down so she could see him again, panting against the inside of it as her eyes gazed into his.

     "Wow," she said. "I liked that."

     "Celeste," he whispered.

     Hearing that name seemed to stun her. It all came back. He wasn't kissing her. He was kissing Celeste. And Sienna for the first time, who had so often admired the life of a princess, felt jealous. Jealousy was very much like admiration, but it was uglier and deeper and stuck in her throat and caused her pain. This was not her life, none of it, and Court belonged to someone else.

     "Celeste," he repeated, "I can't believe this is happening."

     "Me either," Sienna whispered.

     "I can't believe I'm doing this."

     "Doing what?" she asked.

     And then he climbed down from the bench, kneeling before her, taking her hand in his. He reached into his pocket.

     "I never thought I'd actually need this tonight, not so soon."

     And then he drew out a ring, a big ring, with a diamond the size of her thumb and a thick, golden band, inlaid with smaller diamonds. Her jaw dropped under the mask.

     "Princess Celeste Friora Avelot, will you be my queen?"

     "Are you serious?"

     "Yes, Celeste. I want more. I came here convinced I would find you absolutely intolerable, but I find you absolutely irresistible. And now my heart is pounding in my chest, as it has been all night, telling me to do it, get it over with, accept my fate, a fate I think for the first time I want."

     "I, I can't believe this is happening," Sienna said. "I mean, I didn't plan for this. This wasn't supposed to happen tonight. I don't know what to say. No one told me what to say."

     He lifted her hand, slipping the ring on. It fit so perfectly on her finger, like it was made to go there. "It doesn't matter what anyone told you, Celeste. Do what you want to do. And if you want to say yes, say yes."

     Sienna licked her lips under the mask, staring down at the ring on her finger. An imaginary future began playing in her mind, one where she was a real princess and this was her prince, and they were happy, and she did not live in a stall but a castle, and she was loved, never beaten or starved or sold. But it wasn't real. He wasn't asking her. He was asking Celeste, and Celeste wasn't here to answer.