Whimsy (18 page)

 
Tonight
they would hold a ball in her honor to welcome her back. It was a far cry from
what she’d expected. She was grateful but felt guilty and undeserving. She
loved
Gaedrian
and would give herself to him again
given the chance. She bit her lip. She was unsure if she could find her way
back to him alone. Her father would have an apoplexy if she suggested she’d
like to return. She also doubted
Serri
wouldn’t help
her on that front. He’d been waiting for her when she exited the hearing. His
words had been kind and supportive. She couldn’t recall him being so tactile
before. She didn’t like the change.

 
Whimsy
blinked away tears, wondering where
Gaedrian
was
right now and what he was doing.

****

 
The people
here were of many hues, some as light as he and others very dark.
Gaedrian
saw that some were the rich caramel tone of his
Whimsy. He and Dark had no hopes of blending in whatsoever. It was not only
their skin tones that declared them to be foreigners. They were taller and
broader than most of the inhabitants, too. Everywhere they went they had to
duck beneath low door frames or turn sideways to sidle their way into a room.
Once inside an establishment, he felt as though he were being enclosed in a metal
box.

 
“You look
uneasy,” Dark noted. “They may stare but we are safe enough.” His silver gaze
flashed around at the other patrons of the restaurant. Many openly gawked at
them.

 
Gaedrian
smiled at his young charge. Dark was perfectly
capable of reading his mind but he refrained from doing so. “I know.” He
shifted in a futile attempt to become more comfortable on the thin metal chair.
“I am worried that if I take a deep breath, I will inadvertently tear down a
wall.”

 
“Just be
careful when you stand.” He guffawed. His hair did brush the ceiling when he
was standing. “So what is our plan of action?”

 
They had
stopped specifically to eat and to go over his plan. But he was no longer
hungry. He simply wanted to get Whimsy and go home. He stated as much to Dark.

 
“That may
not be so easy.” He nodded his head to a screen built into the wall opposite
them.

 
He
narrowed his eyes as he watched what appeared to be a news program. The sound
was muted but captions crawled across the lower half. “Princess Whimsical found
to be innocent by her father King Raul.”
Gaedrian
scowled. As he read on he finally began to understand why Whimsy had been a
virgin. She’d risked banishment by giving herself to him. He was awed anew at
the gift she had given him.

 
The news
showed film of her homecoming. He watched as her family embraced her. It looked
to be a joyous family reunion. He ached at the sight of her. “This changes
nothing. She is mine. But this information is helpful. It may not be as easy to
see her as I first anticipated, but I will bring her home.”

 
“King
Raul has announced a ball to
held
in honor of Princess
Whimsical’s
homecoming,” the announcer continued. “I
think we can all agree….”

 
Gaedrian
tuned out the rest of the man’s words as he turned
and grinned at Dark.
“Looks as though fate is on our side.”

Chapter Twenty

 
Whimsy
smoothed the skirt of her cream gown and stared at her reflection in her
mother’s mirror. The full skirt had an overlay of shimmering gold roses and
vines. Her hair was piled upon her head in an intricate pattern of braids. It
had taken their stylist an hour to complete it.

 
“You’re
beautiful,” her mother said coming up to stand beside her. Faith was
breathtaking in a pastel pink gown and a matching faux fur wrap. A glittering
diamond necklace graced her neck.

 
“Thank
you. You look wonderful.” She touched the wrap. It was as soft and lush as it
appeared.

 
“How about me?”
Veracity said, pushing her way to the front
of the mirror. Her long hair was styled in a long braid down her back with
lavender flowers interwoven to match her dress, a fluffy tulle creation.

 
Whimsy’s
eyes met her mother’s and they smiled. “Gorgeous,” they intoned together and
then burst into giggles. They’d been getting ready in her parent’s bedroom to
save the hairdresser the trouble of rushing from room to room. Plus they could
spend the time together gossiping.

 
King Raul
entered his bedroom. “I’ve come to pick up my beautiful dates. I’ll be the most
envied man there to have the three most beautiful women in the colony on my
arm.”

 
They
giggled. “Raul, that’s what you always say,” Faith pointed out, taking his
elbow. Whimsy took his other arm and Veracity linked arms with her.

 
They
entered the ball as a family. Their arrival was announced at the door.

 
Whimsy
had been nervous about her reception. She felt sure everyone would think that
she had benefited from nepotism. Anyone else in her position would have been
banished. Her situation was unique. Nothing like this had happened in the past.
Most banished or shunned individuals had willingly committed carnal acts.
 
However, whatever anyone thought, they
treated her with the same respect.

 
When the
time came, her parents led off the dancing.
Serri
,
dressed formally in a black suit, asked for her to partner him. Veracity gave
her an excited smile as she was led off.

 
“You look
beautiful this evening, Princess Whimsical,”
Serri
said as he pulled her into his arms.

 
She
shifted to place some distance between them. “Thank you. You look very dashing
yourself,” she said and meant it.

 
He nodded
in acknowledgement of her compliment. “I envision you wearing a very similar
gown on our wedding day.”

 
Her steps
faltered. “Excuse me?”

 
He
laughed. “Well, you’ve got to be thinking of it as well. Your time as a single
woman is almost at an end. Of course, I understand if you want to postpone due
to all the traumatic events of late.”

 
“
Serri
, you can’t want to continue the betrothal?”

 
“Of
course I do.” He glanced down at her and then guided her to the edge of the
floor. “Need I tell you again how much I love and admire you?” He held her hand
in his and pressed it to his chest.

 
She
tugged to free her hand. “I can’t marry you.”

 
Anger
contorted his features for a second. He turned from her, his head held down.
“Is it because you consider yourself sullied? Because if that’s the case, I
assure you, I don’t care that you’re not a virgin. I still want you.”

 
The
thought that she wasn’t good enough for him hadn’t occurred to her, but she
knew that it would to him. She didn’t want to live with a man that she didn’t
love first and foremost. But even if she never saw
Gaedrian
again, she would not marry a man who considered her to be beneath him.

 
Serri
continued, “Or is it because of what that animal did
to you?” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Sex doesn’t have to be that
way.” His lips twisted.
“Violent and ugly.
It can be
beautiful.”

 
She
wouldn’t comment on
Gaedrian’s
lovemaking. She only
knew she never wanted to share herself with
Serri
or
any other man. It was
Gaedrian
or no one for her. “I
can’t be a wife to you.”

 
He
whipped back around. “Don’t say things you may later regret. No other man will
want you. Just think about it before you do anything drastic.”

 
She
swallowed. She couldn’t brush off the feeling that
Serri
had just threatened her. What was going on with him? Why was he suddenly
declaring his love for her when they’d never had anything but friendship
between them?

 
Needing a
moment alone to compose herself, she exited a side door. This hallway led to
her bedroom. If this ball weren’t in her honor, she’d retire for the night. She
knew it wouldn’t be long before her parents retreated to their bedroom.

 
She
turned the corner and thought she heard a noise behind her. She increased her
pace,
hoping
Serri
had not
followed her.

 
“Whimsy!”

 
Her knees
grew weak and she drew to a halt. She knew that deep voice. Her heart was
beating so fast she could feel it. She pivoted, moving
slowly,
almost afraid this was another of her dreams. “
Gaedrian
,”
she whispered.

 
“You
forgot to mention that you were a princess,” he said before grabbing her up in
a hug that lifted her off her feet.

 
She
buried her face in his neck and inhaled his scent. “Where have you been? I’ve
been trying to call but your mother blocked me.”

 
“I have
been on a ship on my way to you. Why did you leave me?”

 
She
withdrew enough so that she could look him in the eye. She disliked the hint of
vulnerability she heard in his voice. She brushed his hair back from his
handsome face. “They came for me and when they told me that my brother died, I
knew I was needed at home. I planned to call you as soon as I arrived.”

 
“Oh,
Dessert, I am so sorry to hear of your loss.”

 
“Thank
you. I was too stunned from the news to think straight. I should have gotten
off the ship to tell you where I was going.”

 
“I
understand.”

 
“I’ve
missed you so much.” She rained kisses over his face. He captured her lips. She
would have gone on kissing him but she had an important task to complete. She
grasped his hand in hers. She wanted to introduce him to her parents. There
were still some points that she needed to straighten out with her father, but
she was sure everything would work out. Her parents were reasonable people.
“Come with me.”

 
They
entered the ballroom. She scanned the room for her parents. The first thing she
spotted was Dark, lounging against a wall. He had a grouping of young women
surrounding him. None of them were tall enough to reach his shoulders. She was
dismayed to note that her sister was among them. She shook her head. Her
parents were on the opposite side of the room speaking with friends.

 
Heads
turned as they made their way across the floor. She waited patiently for her
parent’s conversation to end. Her father’s speech trailed off and stopped when
he caught sight of them. “Father, Mother, I’d like to introduce you to King
Gaedrian
of C21.”

 
They
gawked up at him. Her father’s gaze swept him from his feet to the top of his
head. Fortunately, the ceiling in this room was higher than most, but she
suspected
Gaedrian
could still touch it with his
fingertips if he tried. King Raul started to speak, cleared his throat and
started again. “Are you saying this is the man who defiled you?”

 
Whimsy
winced. “It wasn’t that way…“

 
“Guards!”

 
Her eyes
widened.
“Daddy, no!”

 
Guards
showed up immediately. “Seize him,” Raul ordered. The security officers stared
at
Gaedrian
, obviously unsure of how to approach a
man of his size, before taking hold of his wrists. He shook them off easily.
Two more guards raced over, weapons drawn and ready. Before they could assist
in detaining
Gaedrian
, Dark was suddenly there,
materializing out of thin air in his usual manner. He stood before
Gaedrian
. He held his palms up and out to his sides. White
light flamed from his hands. “Please, do,” he said to the guards, his lips curving
upward. The smile did not reach his eyes where the unnatural fire was
reflected. His incisors were abnormally sharp.

 
Whimsy
recalled
Gaedrian’s
warning about Dark’s smile. “No,
please, Dark. Don’t hurt anyone.” He arched a perfect brow at her, but he
didn’t back down. “
Gaedrian
, do something!”

 
He rested
his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Dark, we will handle this with words.”