Mixed Messages
Chapter 25
The Prince and I
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Half a dozen open school books and colorful notebooks lay scattered across the down-quilted bed with Amanda propped up in the middle. She scratched a pen through her hair and quirked an eyebrow at the German literature assignment.
Two finger tips slid along the rough tape-wrapped grip of the machete under her pillow, and a grin creased her lips. Her tongue drifted across her lips as her mind wandered to the rich mouthfeel and irony taste of warm Malin Fatal heart. They must be delicious, like Bauerschwein.
Franco poked his head into the doorway and rapped.
Amanda tapped the book. "Hey, what does 'She has a bird' mean"?
"It means she is crazy. The princess asked me to tell you His Highness, the prince of Morocco and Princess Safaa are coming tonight."
A loud gasp tore the quiet. "Is he coming? Prince Yousef?"
"Of course."
Amanda shot straight out of the bed and landed in front of her closet. "You have to help me find the right thing to wear. Hurry!"
"Slow down child."
Her eyes drifted to the picture of herself in a red evening gown, standing next to a tuxedo clad young man in front of a row of Christmas trees, nutcracker men, spruce and fir garlands, and glistening gold and silver balls.
"Look at my hair. My nails." She scampered over and tugged his arm, "Franco! Help."
The old butler chuckled and took his place beside Amanda as her hands flew through the closet.
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Don't act too interested. Slow down. Don't mess up the hair that took an hour to fix.
The young man's blue eyes glittered and a smile brightened his face. Amanda was gliding down the stairs, feeling like a princess with shiny hair flowing halfway down her back. A light blue shirt accentuated her tiny waist, and khaki pants hugged her hips. She approached slowly and curtseyed, as they had practiced. "His and her royal highness, Prince and Princess of Morocco, it is an honor to see you again."
The bearded man in the perfectly tailored gray suit took her hand. "The honor is ours, Amanda Prentice. You know I was taught the legends, but you are still the only Grimm I've ever seen in real life. We heard about the girls, last month. That was quite heroic."
Amanda blushed and turned away.
The blonde haired young man brushed her fingers. "I've missed you since the Formal."
His mother snorted at the two standing side by side, "I see someone got the memo. Look. They match."
The princess chuckled at the sight of the sixteen year old boy and the fourteen year old girl, both wearing blue shirts and khaki pants. "I have business to attend to with His and Her highness. We have an hour until dinner. Franco, can you keep these two out of too much mischief until then?"
"Yes, your highness."
They ambled down the long hallway side by side. His blue eyes drifted down, towards hers. She brushed a lock of hair away from her face and let a smile creep into the corner of her mouth. His fingers crept over, brushing her fingertips as they followed Franco towards the library.
"Your German is much better now, but it's definitely Viennese."
"I learned it here. I don't think I've spoken more than a few sentences in English in almost six months."
He chuckled. "You sound less like a kidnapping victim and more like a tourist every time we talk."
She snorted and pushed him away. He shrugged, then gave her a sly wink. "I want to practice my English."
She let a smirk drift across her lips. "Only if I can practice my French."
They snuck a glance at Franco, who had already busied himself at the other end of the library, and then let their fingertips twine.
She lightly teased his India British English, but the words felt strange in her mouth after so long. She had to focus and force her mind out of German.
He brushed his short-cropped hair to one side. "You sound like the people on Youtube."
She bent her knees and motioned her hands like shaking the stirrups on a horse. "Well... I do roll Gangam Style."
He snorted and let his fingertip drag over her palm. "My professor gets mad when we use American English."
She smiled as he chattered about his boarding school, his sports teams, and his classes in English, and then they switched to French.
He effortlessly shifted gears into flawless Parisian French. "Your French is quite good. I think Viennese German helps with that, but it's definitely Swiss French."
"You're just saying that. It's not that good."
"No, your French is much better than it was last month."
"I try to practice every day with the staff. They always tell me to smile less."
"I like it when you smile."
Her head turned away and down as her face lit, revealing her white teeth behind crimson lips. She brushed a shiny lock of hair away from her eyes and changed the subject. They talked about life in America, how it was different than on TV. How much less violence, and especially less trouble with guns there was compared to the movies.
His hand cupped hers. Franco tsked and wagged his finger. "It's time for dinner. Now, remember.. You stayed two meters apart and didn't touch the whole time we were here."
They spirited a glance and blushed. He towered a full foot over her as they stood next to each other. His strong, athletic build made her petite frame look even smaller. Franco pushed between them and whispered, "Be good."
A slow sigh drifted out of Amanda and Yousef and they walked back to the dining room, on opposite sides of Franco.
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They were politely eating their baked chicken with roasted parsnips and shallot vermouth sauce at the sprawling dining table. Princess Safaa was complimenting Amanda's plans of being an accountant, like her mother, when Yousef blurted out, "So, what's it like to be a Grimm?"
The prince scowled at his son, and his mother blushed, but Amanda smiled politely. "Well, you grew up knowing about Wesen. As you know, the Kehrsite have no idea Wesen even exist. The truth is that Grimms don't usually know anything about the Wesen world until they Grimm, so it's bewildering to them. They literally think they are going crazy, hallucinating imaginary monsters that nobody else can see. Then, the monsters start attacking them."
Princess Safaa looked up from her dinner. "Really? They aren't taught anything about Wesen?"
"Not until they Grimm. I grew up Wesen, so I knew about that world before I Grimmed. For me, the biggest challenge is the intense fear of Grimms in the Wesen world."
Prince Yousef's eyes glittered. "You're Wesen? What kind?"
"Lowen."
"Can I see?"
His father pinched the bridge of his nose and laid his fork on the table. Princess Amelie snickered. "Perhaps after dinner. So, how are your studies at St. Bartholomew's, this semester?"
"Fine. I have a paper for European History and another in German Literature due Monday."
Amanda brushed her hair away from her eyes. "I have a German Literature paper due Monday, as well."
"Well, maybe you two can study together, after dessert."
Smiles lit the teenager's faces.
"The water is finally getting warm enough to swim. Can Amanda come visit us, in Morocco, next month for spring break?"
Amanda's eyes begged the princess.
The princess tapped her fork and let a smile creep into the corner of her mouth. "Well, only if his and her highness approve."
The prince cupped his wife's hand and winked. She returned a slight nod.
"Yes, of course. This winter has been so dreary. I think we could all use a few days away from the castle, that is assuming you get all your assignments and projects done ahead of time."
"Of course. Yes sir."
They were working their way through cheesecake with raspberry compote. Amanda was thanking the Princess Safaa for the Moroccan hair oil when Yousef blurted out, "Amanda, have you ever been shot?"
His father pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned.
Princess Amelie winked. "A girl can't give away all of her secrets, can she?"
"I just thought, maybe, since she is a Grimm..."
"Well, Amanda has been shot."
Prince Yousef gasped. Princess Amelie nodded at Amanda.
"I was shot while rescuing the girls."
"Did it hurt?"
"Yes."
The prince cut in. "Yousef, this is how real life is different than movies or stories, and getting shot is no small matter. The three bullets I took in Iraq ended my military career, and nearly cost me my life..." He squeezed princess Safaa's hand. "But, that's how I met your mother, so I suppose it worked out for the best."
Prince Yousef rolled his eyes and let his breath puff out between his lips.
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Later in the library, Amanda and Yousef traded papers and marked up items.
He held up his paper and groaned. "It looks like somebody got murdered."
She chuckled as she paged through hers, noting only a few marks. "Mine can't be that good."
His fingers walked across the table. Her eyes drifted closed when his fingers touched hers.
"Can I see what you look like, you know, as a Lowen."
"Promise you won't scream or yell?"
"I've seen Wesen before."
She twisted her head and transformed. Black fur sheeted her skin and her face rounded, revealing feline features. White fangs poked past her lips, and her curly mane draped, smooth and shiny, over her shoulder and down the center of her back.
His breath hitched and a smile lit his face. "Does it hurt?"
"You get used to it."
He rubbed his thumb over the fur covering the back of her hand and his eyes glittered. "You're so beautiful."
Her head turned away as her face got hot. "You're just saying that."
"No, you really are beautiful. Do you have claws?"
She flexed the muscles in her forearm, sliding black, two-inch claws out of her fingertips.
He twined his fingers down hers, and brushed the needle sharp tips. He peered at the red dots oozing out of his fingertips. "That's amazing. I wish I had claws."
"They are pretty handy."
He peeked around the room and then leaned in, pecking a kiss onto her lips.
She twisted her head and transformed back to her human form, craned to check the room, and then leaned in and stole another kiss.
Footsteps echoed, and the teenagers quickly separated. Franco took his place between them and chuckled at their blushing faces. "I trust your homework is coming along."
Amanda let her hair drape her face, hiding her flushed cheeks. "Yes. I can't wait till spring break."
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Coffee was finished and the guests left for the night. Amanda poured into her work, she would not be the excuse for missing the trip. Her mind drifted to the feel of his lips pressing into hers and his scent wafting past her nostrils. Wesen Council bounties, Malin Fatal, and other Grimms vanished, like dust.
Twenty minutes later, she sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the pink cellphone. She tapped out the number and closed her eyes. Four rings, "This mailbox is full and cannot accept messages." and the hollow click of sadness.
A long sigh exhaled out. She dragged the back of her hand across her eyes, and passed the phone back to the princess. Her head dropped into her palms and she sniffed.
The princess wrapped her arm around Amanda's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. We'll keep trying."
"What if they don't want me back?"
The princess ran her fingers over Amanda's hair. "Shhh. You are still my sister. Stay as long as you need to."