Wednesday
Picture 2
Kimmydon's Choice: both
Title:
With an exasperated sigh, the knight, Daniel, knelt before his Princess and assembled court. In her hands she raised the anointing oil and spoke her spell loudly.
“And so I bind you, to this Kingdom, to these people, and to me, as husband.”
He flinched.
The princess ground her teeth at his obvious lack of decorum. “I thought you wanted to marry me,” she whispered.
“When did I say that?” he answered as quietly. “Just get it over with.”
Without further ceremony she dumped the contents over his head. “Rise, Prince Daniel.” Without waiting for him to obey her command, she turned and strode quickly from the dais and the hall.
The murmurs of the assembly followed her until she slammed the door shut behind her. She started to cast locking charms, but Daniel was too quick. He yanked it open and seized her raised arms, pulling them to his chest.
“I love you,” he declared, still holding her roughly. “I want to protect you. I don’t want... this,” he grumbled tossing the plain gold band from his head to the floor. “I don’t want this,” he continued, yanking the medallion from his neck. “I want this.” He lifted her from her feet and carried her off, his lips meeting hers.
“Relax, Chase. These people are coming to look at books, not you.” Dan’s smirk settled my nerves in short order. “Besides, that picture you used will guarantee no one associates you with The Reluctant Prince Daniel. Did I thank you for naming that obnoxious knight after me? Since you’re using a pen-name, you really should have named the princess Jennifer or Genevieve or something.” He snorted pulling a copy of Rolling Stone off the magazine rack.
I turned the copy of my book over in my hand. I’d done it. I’d found an editor and paid him. I’d formatted it the way the printer wanted, and as a result, I held proof that I had written a story. And apparently it wasn’t unpopular. Although I used a pseudonym, the store owner knew I was a local author and pitched my book to his clientele accordingly.
So popular, in fact, that I’d printed another ten copies to sell on consignment at the store.
Looking at the back of the book, I smiled at the mysterious woman with a feathered mask. It actually was me, but I’d been goofing around with the photographer’s stash of props. It was my favourite from the shoot, and I thought it suited Meredith Maxim quite well.
Dan kept a hand on my shoulder as my eyes darted around the store. He thought I was nervous, but actually, I was scanning the shelves for something to buy. We passed a man sitting on the floor with a book open in his lap. I almost tripped when I saw it was mine.
“You planning on paying for that?” Dan asked.
The young man looked up. He couldn’t be much older than us. “What? Oh, yes. I definitely will be.” He pushed up his glasses and I echoed, smashing the lenses of my glasses into my eyelashes. He noticed the books in my arm. “Are you... the author?” he asked in mild disbelief, turning over his copy to look at my picture.
“Um, yes.”
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Meredith. Would you sign this copy for me?” he asked, holding it out.
“Uh, I...” Dan was no help, sweeping my books from my arms and producing a pen with a flip of his fingers. “Show off,” I grumbled, but took the pen. “Who should I make it to?” I was already signing my name.
“Jonathon.”
To Jonathon, recipient of one of the first editions and the first signed copy.”
“Thanks. Uh, who is Jennifer?” he asked.
Dan laughed loudly. I blushed bright and shoved my glasses up my nose. “That’s my real name. Meredith is a penname.” It was doubtful Jonathon could hear my whisper.
“Oh,” he said with a grin. “Well, thanks, Jennifer.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek before passing us to the cash register. I continued to the back, planning to set the copies on the pile of receiving. I wouldn’t have thought more about it if Dan hadn’t piped up.
“You let him kiss you? You going to let all your fans do that?”
I chuckled. “Jealous?”
“Only a little,” he grumbled.
“Have you read my latest?” I asked, setting the books on the pile. That ought to quiet his jealousy.
“No.” He pulled my notebook from my bag. He paled. “Really?”
My lips were tight. I had no answer for him.
The Princess pulled her hair back, straightening slowly. Her breakfast had returned on her the fourth day in a row. She was glad she’d renewed the protection spells recently. Her magic would start to fail next. Everything would return to normal once the baby was born, though.
“Daniel,” she called. “I need you to tour the perimeter.”
He lay languidly in their bed. “Why? Is that the sort of thing Princes do?”
“Please, don’t be childish. I’m not going to be able to renew the protection spells for a while, so I need to be sure nothing is encroaching.”
He sat up. “Why can’t you renew the spells?”
She sighed. “Because I’m pregnant.”
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