Medley of Fairy Tales and Fables Page 5

  “Your laughter,” he said. “I can’t get enough of it.” He suddenly became serious. “After tonight, when can I see you again?”

  Brielle’s chest suddenly exploded in butterflies. “Oh, goodness. I did not think of what would happen next. Do you really wish to see me again?”

  “Indubitably.”

  “Your family will not become angry? I have wondered what would happen once they found out about tonight.”

  “What?” His steps faltered. “The fact that I completely cornered the most interesting woman in the room and refused to dance with anyone else?”

  She was amazed. “Do you really find me interesting?”

  “Beautiful. Fascinating—”

  Was he bluffing? “Beautiful too?”

  He looked shocked. “Has no one ever told you how stunning you are?”

  No one ever had, but she wasn’t sure how to answer him. Yet people were staring and she was certain they had been speaking louder than was necessary.

  “Come, let us go where we can talk more freely.” He pulled on her arm and began to walk off the dance floor. “What is it about you that I don’t know? I want to learn all your secrets.”

  She chuckled and looked away. The six young women from earlier were staring right at her. Two of them had very distinct glares. It was unnerving at best. “Perhaps we could leave the ballroom altogether.”

  “No problem. Where would you like to talk? The Baroness has a lovely garden we can walk through.”

  She loved flower gardens. “That would be lovely. Thank you.”

  Brielle slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and followed him out of the ballroom onto a large stone balcony and then down the stairs into a lush garden. The fragrance of the flowers, combined with the gentle music from the ball, made a very enchanting setting.

  The garden was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. Though the baron and his wife had equal amount of land as her parents, it was used so very differently. While hers was broken into several pens for animals, a garden, and then fields for grazing, theirs had a few fruit trees, but it seemed to be designed for pleasure instead of living.

  “The grass feels so soft beneath my slippers,” she said. “I’m certain it would make an incredible blanket to lie down upon.”

  Prince Corrian caught her eye with a quizzical look of his own.

  She laughed. “How brazen of me! I wasn’t implying we should lie down together.”

  “Are you sure?” he teased.

  And like a fool she stammered. “Of course—I mean, no. Of course not. I didn’t—I wasn’t.”

  He took her hand into his and she stopped speaking. There was nothing she could concentrate on except the feel of his strong fingers wrapped around her gloved ones.

  “Miss Brielle?” Slowly he began to pull at each gloved finger. Slipping the fabric over the tips and then tugging the long glove past her elbow and then down her arm.

  She should warn him not to remove it, but the sensations of his movements were creating havoc with her breathing and thinking. And then the glove was off—dangling in his left hand while the right one explored hers. No one had ever been allowed to touch her like this. The fear her secret would be revealed was too great. Yet, as his fingers traced over her hand, she never wanted the sweet tingling to stop.

  She closed her eyes and in the next moment she felt his lips on her knuckles.

  “Miss Brielle?” he asked again.

  “Yes?”

  “What do you wish to speak of? Besides lying together on the ground, of course.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You need to come up with a subject quickly, or I may throw all caution to the wind and kiss you.”

  Her eyes flew open and she pulled back. “You would compromise me?”

  “No.” He grinned. “Not more than I have already by singling you out.”

  She had no notion of how naïve she truly was until that moment. Everything was happening so fast and overwhelming, but so natural at the same time. “What do you want from me?”

  He flipped her glove over in his hand. “I want to know you. I want to speak to you for hours on every subject. I’m fascinated to learn what you think and how you see the world. I haven’t felt like this before. It’s new territory for me and I find I want to explore wherever it goes.”

  “I am undeniably attracted to you,” she said, just because she refused to pretend she wasn’t.

  He laughed. “That’s a relief. I would hate to think you thought I was a toad, or worse!”

  “There’s something worse than a toad?” She wanted to reach out and fetch her glove. Her hand felt bereft without it. But she couldn’t think of a proper way to ask the prince for it.

  “Please tell me you’re curious about me too,” he whispered. “Tell me I’m not a fool for dropping all convention and chasing you like a lovesick puppy.”

  “First you’re a toad and now you’re a puppy?”

  He stepped toward her. “A lovesick one.”

  “I’m afraid I don’t understand what that means.”

  “Neither did I until this moment.”

  She bit her lip and turned away. “As long as you promise not to wretch on my slippers, I’ll forgive you for being lovesick.”

  “Miss Brielle, can I court you?”

  She took a deep breath and glanced around the garden. What would he think of her when he knew her secret? Would he treat her the same? Or would he suddenly run? Or worse, force her to touch everything and turn it all to gold?

  Chapter 5

  H ow does a prince court someone?” Brielle asked. “What does courting mean to you?” She took a step deeper into the garden, and he followed. “My mother and father speak of courting as if it leads to marriage.”

  “In the past, yes, that was how it was done. And the only way it could be done. Sometimes you only had one such ball or gala to meet the person and then you wouldn’t see them again, unless you asked to court them.” He shook his head. “One night to decide that the person you’d danced two dances with was the girl of your dreams. I couldn’t imagine the pressure that must’ve been like.”

  They came to a pretty rose garden with a water fountain. Brielle walked over to the statue and watched as the water poured out of it.

  “Courting now is so much different,” the prince continued. “Now you’re able to use it as a time to get to know one another. To decide if you’re compatible and then the proposal happens.”

  “That sounds much nicer.” With the glove off, she longed to feel the water between her fingers. Always there had been gloves between her and the clear liquid. Without thinking she reached a finger to just gently dab at it. To allow the smallest of drops to land on her finger.

  And then before she could touch the water, a small drop leapt from the fountain and landed on her hand. Instantly it turned into gold. She stared at the golden dome in wonder. How was it possible? There was simply no logic behind her ability, it was magic.

  “What do you have there?” the prince asked as he approached.

  Brielle closed her fist and hid the small drop of gold. “Tis nothing. I was merely looking at my hand.”

  He grinned, clearly not believing her. “I saw you had something small and shiny. Where did you find it?”

  Realizing it was useless to pretend as if nothing were the matter, Brielle showed him the droplet.

  “What an odd trinket.” He picked it up from her palm and examined it. “It looks gold.” He bounced it a couple of times. “It’s definitely heavy enough to be gold.”

  “That’s because it is.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take it from you.” He handed it back.

  “No, please keep it.”

  He looked at her peculiarly before slipping the little piece into his pocket. “Thank you. I will remember this as the first gift you gave me.”

  Brielle laughed and as she turned toward him, she was surprised to see the prince lean in for a kiss. Startled, sh
e stepped back right into the fountain. Instantly the statue turned to gold beneath her hand. But thankfully the spout still worked and water continued to pour out of it. So at least she hadn’t broken the thing!

  “Are you well? I didn’t mean to alarm you.” Prince Corrian held a hand out to help. “I really don’t know what came over me. I don’t usually go around accosting young misses during balls. I hear it’s frowned upon.” He paused a moment and looked at the statue. “Was that fountain not stone a moment ago?”

  “I-I believe so.” She quickly moved past him.

  He examined it closer. “My lands. This is gold!” He knocked upon the base. “And not just plated. This is full on gold. I can’t imagine how much it would cost. Nor how heavy it must be!” He stepped back and looked at it again. “How did I not notice it was gold before?”

  “You seem to know a lot about that metal.” She held her hand near her chest so she wouldn’t accidentally touch her gown, or something else.

  He shrugged. “Doesn’t everyone?”

  She grinned slightly. “I’ve never really had a need to learn about it.”

  “Ah, yes. The farm.” He glanced over. “Thank you for reminding me what really matters.”

  She was grateful when they began to move down the path. “Did I remind you of that?”

  He flicked the glove in his hand as he walked. “Wealth is not happiness and it’ll never be.”

  She liked his reasoning. “Sometimes creating wealth can be a curse.”

  “Most definitely. Many treat it as a cure, when really it can be quite the disease.”

  She halted. “Prince Corrian, if you could have all the gold you could ever want at your disposal, what would you do with it?”

  He paused for a moment, looking a bit dumbfounded. “You are by far the most surprising woman I have ever known. I don’t think anyone has ever asked me such a question before.”

  “And will you answer it this evening, or must you make me wait?”

  He laughed. “Minx. Now hush and let me think it over.” She watched as he took a few steps forward and then glanced back. “All the gold I could ever want at my disposal? Unlimited quantities?”

  “Yes. Gold that reached the skies.”

  “I would do everything with it.”

  She took a step toward him. “Everything? As in build a larger castle, buy up all the land you can? Design an elaborate throne room?”

  He shook his head and slowly folded the glove and slipped it into his pocket. “I feel as though you are quizzing me, like a schoolboy, and if I fail the test I lose a much greater prize than I can imagine.”

  “You’ll lose endless gold.” She grinned a little smugly.

  “No. Bigger than that. I’d lose you.”

  She gasped and then looked away. “So is that your answer?”

  “No. It would’ve never been my answer. Possibly my brother’s, or even my father’s, but not mine. If money was no issue, then why would I buy everything in my sight? No.” His eyes shone with excitement. “I would share the wealth with my kingdom.”

  She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You would share it? How?”

  “First, I would rebuild the homes, increase their wages, build better roads and community activity areas. Fix up the old schoolhouse and guarantee that everyone received an education. We would renovate the fields and come up with the latest technology for crops. I would gladly allow my kingdom to thrive and make sure everyone is taken care of. Then I would travel abroad and better the lives of villages and kingdoms everywhere I went. Making sure that they all had clean water, nice homes, and food that would promote health like herbs and citrus. Honestly, there’s so much I would do with it all. Can you imagine the good that could come of unlimited gold?”

  Brielle’s heart expanded then. And suddenly she knew why she had the gift she had. To help improve the lives of so many more.

  Chapter 6

  P rince Corrian held his arm out. “Shall we go in? Do you think the gossips have had enough to speak of with our long absence?”

  “I have no doubt.” She slipped her hand around his arm. “But could you do me a favor?”

  “Yes?”

  “I need my glove. Could I have it please?”

  He pulled it out of his pocket. “I had hopes you would forget about it.”

  She halted and put the glove back on. “I can promise you this, I will never forget about my gloves. I must wear them at all times.”

  “Why must you wear them?”

  “Why did you hope I would forget you had it?”

  He laughed. “Because it’s dainty and beautiful and a piece of you. I don’t know. I wanted to hold it a little longer. I had every intention of returning it to you.” Together they walked out of the rose garden. “Now tell me, why must you wear formal length gloves at all times?”

  She nudged him with her elbow. “Not formal length. Just gloves in general. They’re my protection.”

  He glanced down at her gloved hand on his arm. “And what does it protect you from? Does your body react strangely to something?”

  She toyed with the sleeve of his evening jacket as her throat felt as though it were closing. “There is something I wish to show you.”

  “I am all yours.”

  Brielle glanced around the garden and balcony for something to touch. She didn’t want to ruin the beauty, merely add to it. There was a small paving stone around the corner of the balcony and away from prying eyes that would do. With a deep breath she walked towards it and then crouched down.

  “Are you meaning to show me something down here?” he asked when he followed her over.

  “Do you see anyone around us?” she whispered. “No one else can see this.”

  He leaned on one knee and mimicked her hushed tone. “You do realize how this could be considered a very compromising position, do you not?”

  “Only if we are found.” She shooed him. “Now, quiet so I may show you.” With another deep breath, she tamped down the fear rising in her heart and caught Prince Corrian’s gaze. “You will understand much more in a moment. But I beg of you, please do not tell anyone about this gift of mine.”

  “I promise never to divulge your secret.”

  Brielle nodded her head and then quickly removed the glove one more. She took a deep breath and then touched her finger on the rock. Within seconds the stone turned into pure gold and Corrian stumbled back and fell to the ground. “It was you!”

  “Shh!” Brielle glanced around the area. “Of course it was me. That’s why I need my glove, or everything I touch becomes gold.”

  “Everything you touch becomes gold!” His jaw dropped open. “Oh, Miss Brielle, can you imagine all the good we could do?”

  “Yes, actually. I’ve had very similar thoughts for about eight years now.”

  “How marvelous! This is the greatest news I’ve ever been given.”

  “But no one else can ever know about it.”

  He looked at her curiously for a moment and then reality must have come to light. “You would be in grave danger if the world knew of your incredible gift.”And why haven’t your adoptive parents used you to create several chunks of gold?”

  “They are happy just as things are—but mostly they are worried that something bad would happen to me if I was found.”

  “I can understand their fear.” He looked down at the glove. “Please put it on and we’ll figure out what to do later.”

  “But Corrian, you must understand, if I can find a way to lift this curse, I shall do so.” She slipped on the glove. “Though we can do so much good, you must realize that this isn’t the life for anyone. I am a prisoner to these gloves. I long to be normal.”

  “And that is something you can never be,” a sinister voice came from behind, causing them both to jump. “I want the girl and I’m taking her.”

  Brielle turned around to see a very beautiful woman. Her face was so familiar it was as if she’d seen her a thousand times and yet she had no
recollection of actually meeting her before. “Who are you?” she asked.

  “Yes!” Prince Corrian said. “Who are you? How dare you come here and threaten a guest of Baron Gout.”

  The woman pushed back her long dark hair and laughed. A deep throaty laugh that seemed to envelop Brielle completely. The younger girl shuddered in response.

  The woman’s sharp eyes whipped toward the action. “How dare you shudder as if you find me revolting.” She smiled then, like a devious cat would before pouncing on a mouse. “But you, boy. You will first learn to address her highness as she should be. Because I assure you, her kingdom is much older and more powerful than your measly piece of land could ever become.”

  Brielle gave her a strange look. “My kingdom?” The woman was clearly mad.

  She laughed again. “My dear, you have been searching your whole life to find where you are from, and now you doubt me?” She took a step toward her. “And yes, I know you’ve been searching. I know your pitiful Hansel and Gretel have been searching for your family as well. I have made sure you have been well taken care of and hidden away, until now.”

  “Have you been following me?”

  “Your whole life.” She glanced at her long fingernails and then flicked a piece of dirt off her silk gown. “And I have seen no reason to intervene until now. You were foolish enough to share your gift with this halfling. A sniveling prince you met no less than three hours ago! And suddenly your whole life has changed and you trust him with everything?”

  “How dare you insult me!” Prince Corrian put his arm around Brielle. “You know nothing about me or my kingdom.”

  “I know your father and that is enough!” she snarled. “Now remove yourself from the princess or I will destroy you.”

  “Wait a moment!” Brielle’s head began to pound. “I am going nowhere with you. You have no right to my person anymore than the prince does. And I’m certainly not going to walk willingly away with you.”

  “No?” Her eyes flashed. “Then we’ll have to make sure you’re asleep!”