Just A Kiss: (The Frog Prince) (Tangled Tales Series Book 2) (11 page)

Chapter 15

“Meet me in the woods,” Freya told the others, and held Gar up in two hands and looked into her Familiar’s eyes. “Gar, where is Arnon? He needs our help.”

The hunting party is in the woods just beyond the swamp. He’s in trouble. He’s being chased and is headed for the water.

“He’s headed toward the swamp,” she told the others. “It sounds like the hunting party is chasing him. Get there as soon as you can.”

“We will,” said Wolf.

“I’ll use my magic as much as I can, and we’ll help you, Freya.” Lucio’s words held an air of comfort for her to know that another witch was on her side.

“We’ll find him before it’s too late,” said Red, putting her crossbow over her shoulder.

Wolf cried out and doubled over as if in pain.

“What’s the matter?” asked Red.

“It’s Arnon. I feel his pain.”

“Was he shot or hurt?” asked Freya.

“Nay, this is a different kind of pain. One I know only too well. It’s the pain of shifting. Freya, we might already be too late because Arnon is turning into a frog, I’m sure of it.”

“I’ll find him and help him if it’s the last thing I ever do.” She raised Gar up to her mouth and kissed the frog and immediately she felt the tingling sensation of being transported. She thought of her husband, and her body followed her thoughts. When she materialized, it took a minute for her to get her bearings, but she realized she was at the swamp.

“Ohhhh,” she heard Arnon cry out, and put her frog on the ground and ran to where she heard his voice. There were frogs everywhere and she had to be careful not to step on them. She finally found her husband behind a clump of brush, prone on the ground and writhing in pain.

“Arnon!” She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him. His body was cold and wet and his skin was green and bumpy. “Arnon, I’m here now. Everything is going to be all right.”

He looked up to her with huge black eyes and she almost screamed out when she saw him. The sides of his neck moved in and out as he breathed.

“Freya,” he managed to say, and when he spoke she saw how elongated his tongue had become. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” she told him with tears in her eyes. I’m going to help you.”

“There’s nothing you or anyone can do. This is the work of Hecuba and only she can change it.”

“Your father and brother are coming so just try to hold out. We’ll find a way to reverse the curse, I promise you we will.”

“I want to tell you something before . . . before I’m gone.”

“Don’t talk. Just save your strength, Arnon.” Her heart went out to him, even in his ugly, scary form, and she hugged him despite of how he looked.

“When I was a wolf I wanted to kill everyone. Then when I was a man again, I just wanted what any man does. My own castle, lands, and a . . . beautiful wife to share my life with.”

“You have all that. We have that together.” Tears streamed from her eyes as his body continued to change.

“Nay. I was going to storm your castle and kill your stepfather just to have what I wanted. Then I found an easier way to do it – by marrying you. I wanted you to know that.”

“That’s the spoils of war. There’s nothing wrong with that,” she said, trying not to look at him for fear she’d scream aloud. “It’s normal for a knight to think that way. And I can’t say my stepfather doesn’t deserve to die for killing those witches. I want him dead myself.”

“Listen to me . . . F-Freya. I only have a sh-short time left.”

“Don’t say that.” She leaned her body across him and hugged him, laying her head on his chest, tears streaming from her eyes.

“I want you to know something and n-never forget it. I L-love you, Freya. And I only w-wish I could l-love you as a man.”

“Arnon, things will be better. You’ll see. Just hold on.”

She heard the shouts of the hunting party and the crashing of hoofbeats coming through the woods towards the swamp and a sense of relief washed through her. “Help has arrived,” she announced, and released Arnon for just a moment to poke her head out of the brush to see what was going on.

She gasped when she saw the baron instead of Arnon’s family. Her stepfather was atop his horse, being attacked by hundreds of frogs. He swatted at them and fell from his steed, and all the frogs jumped atop him and covered him completely. Several of his soldiers headed in her direction, and with one swipe of her hand through the air, they fell from their horses to the ground as well.

“Oh Arnon, you won’t believe this.” She turned and looked down to her husband, but all she saw were his clothes lying on the banks of the swamp. She heard a splash in the water and looked up to see even more frogs everywhere.

“Arnon?” she called out softly, her heart about beating from her chest. She was too late to help him now. She heard laughing and looked across the swamp to see the old hag, Hecuba, holding the magic hand mirror and looking in it. Then she looked up to Freya and laughed again and disappeared in a puff of green smoke.

Freya’s gaze dropped back down to her husband’s clothes on the shore and all the frogs hopping everywhere. It was a nightmare. She was too late to help, and now Arnon was gone forever!

Chapter 16

Freya ran along the edge of the swamp, calling out Arnon’s name, as if he’d really be able to answer. Still, she had to try to find him. She was not going to accept the idea of losing her husband forever.

She heard more shouting and noise from behind her, but didn’t pay much attention. Finally, someone’s hand touched her shoulder and she spun around quickly. “Arnon!”

“Nay, Freya, it’s me. Wolf,” said his twin brother. She fell into his arms and cried like she’d never cried before.

“He’s gone. He’s turned into a frog and I wasn’t able to help him.”

“Shhhh,” said Wolf. “Don’t worry. My brother’s been in situations like this before. I’m sure we’ll find a way to reverse his curse.”

“That’s right,” said Red, walking up with her crossbow in hand. “The de Bar family is strong and will survive.”

Freya pulled away from Wolf and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

There was more shouting and Freya saw Lucio walking forward with Arnon’s squire at his side.

“What’s going on?” asked Freya.

“Frogs are invading everywhere,” said Lucio. “They’ve also attacked your father. It seems as if his heart couldn’t take it, and he’s died. His men have taken his body back to the castle.”

“He’s not my father and I’m not saddened by his death,” she said with no emotions at all. “He deserved to die for burning the other witches.”

“He did, I agree, though I can’t say I won’t miss him.” Freya’s mother walked out from behind a bush to join them.

“Mother. How did you get here?”

“Freya’s mother, Almeta, looked up at Lucio and smiled. “Arnon’s father used his magic to transport us here because he knew you would need me.”

“But I thought your powers were too weak,” she said to Lucio with a sniffle.

“I’ve used all I had to do it,” he told her. “In the process, I’ve lost the power to shapeshift for now, and with it went the guise of being the earl of Tavistock. I’m sorry to say everyone at Castle Fane has seen me transform and now knows my true identity.”

“We already have peace between Tavistock and Babeny,” Wolf told him. “I hope we can keep the alliance.”

“The people of Tavistock will listen to me.” Red reached out and took her husband’s hand. “I’ll tell them the truth about the awful things my grandfather has done in the past, and I know I’ll be able to get them to accept you, Lord Lucio.”

“It would be nice to hear you call me father instead of grandfather,” said Lucio. “And I’m looking forward to showing you off as my new daughter by marriage.”

“That’s all fine, but how are we going to find Arnon and change him back?” asked Wolf.

“Freya can do it,” said her mother.

“Me? How?” The thought terrified Freya. She wasn’t good at doing anything but transporting and once in awhile moving things with her mind. She was certainly not a healer nor good with spells. “I don’t know how to do that kind of magic, mother. I can’t even carry out a simple spell. I can transport, but that’s all I can really do.”

“You healed me, Freya,” her mother reminded her.

“Only with the help of Lord Lucio, or I couldn’t have done it at all.”

“Then use what you are good at to help your husband.” Her mother reached out and took her by the hand. “Use your love to find him and change him back into the man you married.”

“Will that really work?” The thought gave her a new hope and she only prayed her mother wasn’t just saying this to try to comfort her.

“It will work if you believe it will,” said her mother with a smile that made Freya remember all the good times they’d shared in the coven as well as growing up in the castle.

Freya swallowed hard, the sound of the croaking frogs echoing in her head. “All right, I will try. I can ask Gar to bring him to me.” She closed her eyes, this time doing her magic in silence.

Gar. Find Arnon and bring him to me. Please. You’ve got to help me.

She waited for a few minutes, looking out into the sea of frogs, watching the huntsmen still fighting off the tiny swamp warriors. The frogs truly were Arnon’s soldiers, and he the frog prince after all.

“What are we going to do about the soldiers?” she asked, realizing they thought Arnon was a warlock and wanted to kill him.

“One thing at a time,” said Lucio. “Now if your magic is going to work, you’re going to have to concentrate and not be so distracted.”

“You’re right,” she said with a nod. She closed her eyes again and this time thought of Arnon and the wonderful night they’d spent consummating their marriage. She wanted to get to know him better, and she didn’t want to go through life never seeing his handsome face again. He’d said he loved her just before he transformed and she believed him.

The thought made her all warm and tingly inside. No man had ever said he loved her. And never had she felt this way about anyone besides Arnon.

He’s here. But he isn’t able to speak to you like I can.

She opened her eyes to see an army of frogs at her feet. But right in the middle was Gar. He was her Familiar and she would know him anywhere. She saw the other dozens of frogs and wondered which one of them was Arnon.

She dropped to her knees, tears still in her eyes.

“Is one of those frogs Arnon?” asked Red from behind her.

“Yes, but I don’t know which one.”

“Use your magic. Use what you know,” said her mother. “You can break his spell with your love, daughter, but you have to believe it.”

“Yes,” she said. “I can. But I’m not sure how.”

“What would Arnon want you to do?” asked Red.

She looked down to the frogs all hopping around and pondered the situation. She thought of his kisses trailing down her neck and back and remembered the sweet taste of his lips against hers.

A kiss.

“Gar? What did you say?” she asked aloud.

I didn’t say anything,
came her Familiar’s answer.

She knew immediately it was Arnon who’d spoken to her in her mind. He was telling her how to break the curse and she would do it. She would kiss every frog in the swamp if she had to, but eventually she would know which one was him.

She picked up a frog and kissed it, but felt nothing. She put it down and picked up another and did the same.

Wolf laughed. “Freya, what are you doing?”

“Looking for my husband.”

“That way?”

“It’s just a kiss. And I’ll know by the way I feel when I kiss him if it’s him or not.”

She must have kissed three dozen frogs and was starting to wonder if it was really going to work when she picked up one of the larger frogs and gave it a kiss and felt a tingle rush through her body. Just to make sure, she kissed the frog again, and this time a heat engulfed her.

“I think I found him,” she said excitedly, jumping to her feet and holding the frog up for the others to see.

“Ugly fellow isn’t he?” remarked Wolf. “I always was the handsome twin,” he said with a chuckle.

The frog squirmed in her hands and reached out for Wolf and she was sure now this was his brother.

“Calm down,” mumbled Wolf. “I’m just used to seeing you with fur, not warts.”

He squirmed again, and Freya was afraid he’d jump out of her hands and she’d lose him in the water. She had to tell him how she felt about him even if he was a frog. Nothing else really mattered.

“I love you, Arnon de Bar, and I’m proud to be your wife no matter if you’re a wolf, a frog, or a man. I love you, and don’t you ever forget it.” She kissed the frog once more and on the third kiss she felt something happening. The noisy swamp became quiet suddenly, and a purplish white light swirled around them, encompassing her and the frog, blocking out everyone and anything else around them.

The frog became larger and larger, and before long she couldn’t hold onto it anymore. She kneeled and placed it on the ground at her feet, and witnessed the transformation of the frog – back into her husband.

The swirling colors that enshrouded them disappeared, and there on the ground lay the naked body of Arnon.

“Arnon!” She threw herself into his arms and they hugged and kissed.

“We’ll meet you back at the castle,” said Wolf, taking Red’s hand and heading away.

“Here’s my cloak, son. Welcome back.” Lucio removed his cloak and lay it on the ground. “I wish my sons would stop walking around naked,” he complained to Almeta. “I’m running out of clothes to give them. Almeta, since you were the baron’s wife, is there any way you can convince the soldiers to ignore the baron’s order so they’ll stop trying to kill my son?”

“I would be delighted to help,” said Almeta. “I have a feeling they will fear as well as respect him now. But if things don’t work out, I’m sure together we can come up with some kind of forgetting spell if we have to.” The two of them walked away chatting.

The frogs were all gone, except for the ones that belonged to the swamp as well as Gar who sat there watching them intently.

“Gar, go for a swim and give us some privacy, will you?” Arnon said, talking to the frog. “I want to show my appreciation to my wife – in private.”

The frog jumped into the swamp with a splash and Arnon gathered her in his warm embrace. It felt so good to have him back and she never wanted to let him go.

“I want to thank you for not letting me stay in the form of a frog forever. It was awful, Freya. Much worse than being a wolf.”

“Aye, I’d like you to thank me,” she said, kissing him and running her hands over his long, wet hair. “I’d like you to thank me right here at the swamp, and then again back in the castle, in the tub, in front of the fire, and anywhere else that sounds inviting to you.”

“Not in the well, and only in the tub if the water is hot,” he said and winked.

And there on the shores of the swamp and in the cover of the thicket, they showed their gratefulness to each other by renewing their consummation of being husband and wife.