Violet Eyes (17 page)

He yelped and jumped away from the fountain’s edge. Violet started laughing and wasn’t sure she’d ever stop. All the pressure of the last few days seemed to slip away.

“Okay, all this excitement is a little too much for Genevieve,” Arianna said with a grin. “Come on, let’s go change into clean, dry clothes.”

Genevieve rolled her eyes. “I have enough people telling me what to do,” she protested. Still, she stood up, retrieved her slippers, and started walking with Arianna toward the castle.

Goldie looked suddenly uncomfortable. “I think I’ll go with them,” she said, splashing out of the pool. “We’ve already had too much sun and are sure to be burnt.”

“That just leaves you I’ll have to chase out of the fountain,” Richard said with a smile.

“You’ll have to catch me first,” Violet said.

She splashed him again, and to her surprise Richard jumped into the fountain. Violet squealed and backed away, trying to splash water in his face. He chased after her, water spraying around him, his boots slowing him down. He finally dashed straight through the cascading water tumbling from the fish sculpture
and finally caught her. The laughter died on her lips.

He leaned in and kissed her. Violet put her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her waist. He lifted her up into the air, and for a moment the world seemed to fade away. There were only the two of them and the kiss that she wanted to last forever. How long it did last, she didn’t know. Violet just knew that when Richard pulled away, it felt like her heart would break.

“I love you,” he whispered, and her heart mended. “I can’t believe how much you’re putting up with for me.”

“So are the others.”

“No, they’re doing it for their parents or for their kingdoms and the alliance they hope to forge. But you, you’re doing this just for me. Why?”

“I love you too,” she answered. “I don’t care who knows it or what I have to do to prove it.”

“You have proved it a hundred times over. It’s I who should be proving my love to you,” he breathed.

“And how would you prove this love?” she asked.

“I would do anything for you. I would swim across an ocean to find you. I would walk through fire to be with you. I would sacrifice my life for your happiness.”

“I think I’d settle for another kiss,” she said.

“You shall have all you could ever want,” he said, before kissing her again.

When he pulled away again, he said, “You’re shivering.”

“Because of you.”

Richard smiled gently. “I wish that were true. I’m afraid the cold and the water have more to do with it than I do. You should go inside and change.”

“I don’t want this moment to end,” Violet said, a sudden fear gripping her heart. “What if it’s our last?”

“Dearest Violet, it is only our first.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise you. Whatever it takes, whatever I must do, we will be together, always.”

He helped her out of the fountain and she pulled on her shoes. When she turned to look at him, he was smiling.

“What?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I have a surprise for you.”

“What is it?”

“I can’t tell you. You’ll just have to be patient.”

“I’m tired of waiting … for everything,” she confessed.

“Trust me, it will be worth it.”

She glanced toward the castle, the polished stone glistening in the noonday sun. It was still so strange to be living there, even if it was only for a few days. “There’s so much I don’t know,” she admitted.

“About what?” he asked.

“About everything. Life, you, being a lady. I don’t know how I am supposed to eat or talk or be a princess.”

“Violet, you don’t have to try to be
like
a princess; you
are
a princess.”

“How can you be so sure?” Violet asked him. She
was shaking harder now, but it wasn’t from the cold and the wet. Violet loved Richard; she wanted to be with him. But she wondered if he would regret being with someone like her, even if she did win his parents’ bizarre competition. What if he would be better off with someone like Goldie? The two could really help each other, could probably learn to love each other. Violet felt tears begin to streak her cheeks. She wiped them away angrily. She had never cried as much in her life as she had in the past few days.

“The princess of Cambria vanished during the attack,” he said, eyes burning brightly.

“Really?” she asked, heart beginning to pound. Maybe it really was true. Maybe she really was a princess. A moment later doubt washed over her.

“How do you know that the child even lived, or that I’m her?”

Violet looked to him to somehow explain, to make it right. Instead she saw doubt flicker across his face as well.

“What is it?” she asked, fear tugging at her.

Prince Richard bit his lip. “She could have been killed. Or she could be you.”

“Or?” she asked, sensing there was something else.

“Or she could have been kidnapped and raised in Lore.”

Celeste. Celeste could actually be the true princess of Cambria, raised by Lorian enemies and ignorant of her birth. Violet’s knees gave way, and she collapsed onto the ground. It was so terrible it might
even be true. And if it was, the only way Richard’s parents could secure the throne would be by ensuring he married Celeste. Maybe the tests were so strange
because
they knew Celeste was the rightful princess of Cambria and they had to make sure that Celeste passed every one.

Richard knelt beside Violet.

“I could not bear it if you married her,” Violet admitted. Staring at him, though, she knew it was inevitable. Either Celeste was the true princess of the kingdom and Richard would have to marry her, or Celeste was the daughter of Cambria’s greatest possible enemy, and to keep the peace Richard would have to marry her.

“But that’s what’s going to happen,” she continued. “I have to go. I can’t stay here and watch.”

Prince Richard grabbed Violet’s shoulders and shook her, panic edging into his voice. “Violet, don’t you give up on me! You’ve come so far; you can’t quit now. I love you, and I will do whatever it takes to be with you. You’re the one who refused to run away with me earlier; don’t run away from me now.”

“But your parents—”

“My parents are playing some game. I don’t know what it is. What I do know is that you’re one of the few still standing. We have to trust that that means something.”

“But Celeste—”

“Nothing is going to come between us, do you understand me?”

Violet nodded her head slowly, his intensity overwhelming and strengthening her. Prince Richard helped Violet to her feet and she leaned against him for a moment. “I’ve never felt so helpless,” she said.

He smiled. “And you thought you weren’t a princess.”

While he was trying to make her laugh, Violet just couldn’t get there. She shook herself slightly and then stood up straight. “I can walk by myself.”

“Are you sure?” Richard asked doubtfully.

“Yes.”

“Well, you better get inside quick; you’re getting a chill.”

She nodded and hurried back toward the warmth and safety of the room she shared with Genevieve. Richard was right—the wind that was blowing and the cold water had conspired to give her a chill.

But deep in the back of her mind she knew it wasn’t cold, or love, that made her shiver.

It was fear.

Genevieve was content, sipping a hot beverage, curled up in a chair, listening to Arianna telling her stories of Aster, when Violet arrived back at their room.

“You simply must come to visit me,” Arianna urged. “We could have wonderful adventures.”

Genevieve smiled sadly. “My parents don’t approve of adventures.”

“Then we won’t tell them we’re having adventures. You can come for my wedding.”

“The werewolf?” Genevieve asked in surprise.

“The son of a werewolf, well, former werewolf,” Arianna said with a sigh.

Violet shed her wet dress and began changing into a pretty red one. “How can you be engaged already?” she asked, relieved to talk about something that didn’t involve Richard or Celeste.

“Simple,” Arianna said. “My parents agreed that if I came home without a husband, I could marry David. It’s a good match, not as strong as one with Cambria would have been, but it is suitable nonetheless.”

“Congratulations,” Violet said.

“What’s wrong?” Genevieve asked. “Didn’t things go well with Richard?”

Violet couldn’t hide her expression of surprise. It was uncanny how quickly Genevieve could pick up on her moods.

“Richard was wonderful. But now here I am again, and all the uncertainty is back. I don’t know how much longer I can do this,” Violet admitted, not yet ready to say more.

Genevieve crossed her arms. “As long as it takes.”

“Would you like us to poison Celeste for real?” Arianna asked, a little too eagerly.

“No,” Violet said. “But thanks for the offer. Are you two going to be leaving soon?” Violet asked, suddenly realizing just how much she would miss them both.

“No, we plan to stay to see you win your prince,” Genevieve said.

“And in case you decide to change your mind
about poisoning Celeste,” Arianna added with a glint in her eye.

“Remind me never to eat anything you’ve prepared,” Violet said, her mood lightening.

Arianna grinned. “You’re fairly safe. I’ve never made a meal. I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

“You know, I’ve been trying to understand what these challenges are really testing,” Genevieve said. “I think I figured out the last one.”

“It was testing who was stupid enough to risk getting seriously injured by continuing on?” Arianna asked.

“No,” Genevieve grimaced, glancing quickly at Violet.

“Sorry, Violet. I meant no offense to your intelligence. You’re in love, which explains all kinds of things,” Arianna said with a toss of her silvery hair.

“Thank you, I think,” Violet said.

“So, what was it testing?” Arianna asked more seriously.

“I think it was significant that we were each allowed to choose whether or not to continue. It’s almost like our ability to persevere in the face of danger and difficulty was being observed.”

“Then you and I failed,” Arianna said.

“Would they test something like that?” Violet asked. It must be difficult to be a ruler, but she had no basis for comparison. Her parents, the people in her village, even she herself never had any choice but to persevere. If you didn’t persevere, you didn’t eat, you didn’t survive.

Arianna looked at her curiously. “Is that really your question?”

“Yes, I guess it is.”

“Of course they would. Being a queen is hard work. You have to put the entire kingdom before yourself. You have to push yourself to work long and hard, making sure complaints are heard and resolved, keeping the peace, protecting against invasion, figuring out year after year how to protect, feed, and shelter your subjects. And when a queen has a bad day, she can’t just go to bed and pray for the next. She needs to work through her problems, face them at that moment. Lives are at stake with every decision, every breath. I’m sure Richard’s parents want to know that whoever they choose for their son will have the strength, the fortitude to be by his side. To keep going no matter what the cost, the personal risk—that is what we do.”

Arianna paused, and Genevieve said quietly, “Look at Goldie. She knows her uncle is going to try to kill her so that he can be king. A normal person might run away, or let him have the throne. A ruler can’t run, and she can’t back down. She’s going to stay and fight for the good of her kingdom. In the end it might cost Goldie her life, but she knows that, and she perseveres anyway.”

Tears began to stream down Violet’s cheeks. She couldn’t imagine being in Goldie’s position. No one would want to kill a farmer’s daughter. She had nothing someone else would covet so deeply.

“How does she do it?” Violet asked.

“She does it because she has to,” Goldie said from the doorway.

Violet went and hugged her. Goldie hugged her back, tight.

“I’m sorry, my hair’s still wet,” Violet realized at last, trying to pull away.

“I don’t care,” Goldie said, hugging her tighter. Her shoulders began to shake, and Violet realized she was crying as well.

“I promise I will do anything I can to help you,” Violet said. It wasn’t much, but it was all she had to give. In her heart Violet knew that a week’s time might find her back on her family’s farm, castles and gowns and princes a distant memory, like a dream of someone else’s life.

The next morning Violet waited anxiously with Goldie, Celeste, Ruth, and Evaline in a small room in the castle. She had no idea what the challenge was to be. She had waited up half the night, but Duke had never come with a message for her.

Finally, the queen entered, alone. “Good morning,” she greeted them.