When Lyne Rhodes is summoned to a ball, it turns out that she got more than she bargained for. Caught in the crossfire between two ancient forces, Lyne finds herself wishing for the days when the only thing she had to worry about was staying away from the press and ruining her parents high expectations of her. Running from love in all the wrong places, Lyne must reluctantly help in her opinion a misguided prince foil the darkness that seeks to destroy his world, and escape with her heart intact.

In the beginning ...

The bike sputtered, then shut off. This is where the invitation was addressed from:

50313 Rose Palace Drive.

Crewen, Kyrthlana. 13856

Miss Kathlyne E. Rhodes

713 Ashlyn Ave.

Tribeca, NY 10007

She looked again at the envelope. Rose Palace Drive – she thought.

"Are you looking for help," she locked eyes with a young man dressed plainly. Upon first inspection, she decided he needed a haircut and then decided the fabric of his shirt was too expensive for just a servant. Quickly she stuffed the letter into her pocket.

"No, do I look like I need help?" she raised an eyebrow. He narrowed his eyes at the challenge.

"Well, miss . . ." She watched as he made no attempt to mask his eyes as they roamed up and down her body. "Your attire needs to be examined further before you return, if you return." He walked to the gate. "Shall I show you out?" The wind picked up returning his hair to in front of his vision, which he fiddled with; she caught a faint smell of hay, almost as if it were worn as cologne rather than freshly rolled in.

"No need," she flashed the envelope in front of him.

"Miss Rhodes," a second young man hurried towards them.

Finally Lyne took her helmet off and shook her hair out. She could feel the first's eyes follow her, by the tingling sensation that crawled down her back. "Neat Trick, how'd you guess?"

"Motorcycles are not allowed on the island in order to maintain the high foot traffic. Your request to bring yours had to be approved by Her Majesty herself. You could be no one else in the kingdom."

Lyne blinked at him a moment then held the keys out to him, "Is there a preferred method for returning me to my hotel to retrieve my things?"

"I will have a car sent around to take you to and from." She turned to leave through the open gates where staff and event coordinating companies were still bringing materials for the evenings events. "You of course can wait inside."

"I'll be fine outside the gates. I didn't catch your name though."

"Dimitri, Miss Rhodes, at your service. And this is…"

"Oh I know who he is. Thank you. It has been a pleasure meeting you, Dimitri. I cannot say the same for you, your highness. I do believe this is the worst first impression I have ever made in my entire life."

The car's timing could not have been better.

The letter fluttered in the open car window. She considered letting it go, but decided against it.

To Miss Kathlyn Rhodes:

Please arrive on Friday, March twenty fifth at eight o'clock,

Her Royal Majesty Isolda Cassandra Josette Haronn,

Isolda Cassandra Josette Haronn

Please RSVP and Return

It was an interesting idea. With only slight persuasion from her father, (and then later her mother); the minimal letter had gotten her to show up. What kind of visit requires almost no luggage or wardrobe and lasts one year. She wasn't sure how long she was willing to play dress up. In the quaint country traffic, she was unused to the minimal car lanes roundabouts and long oneway detours.

The town was reminiscent of the area surrounding her boarding school. There were many late night escapades into the town, and racing back before the bell rang.

The car pulled into the garage of the hotel and the driver opened her door, " quickly miss, we have a short window to get back to the palace."

"I'll be right back." She gave him her best smile and took the stairs right up to the lobby, where she ducked out into the pedestrian only street. She swung the door open without looking nearly hitting an older woman. The woman dropped her groceries. Lyn let a string of apologies fall and hurried back to help her. The old woman's eyes crinkled around the edges.

"Sorry about that," Lyn handed her the last piece of fruit that had fallen from her bag. They stood. Music could be heard playing from down the street. "What is that?" Lyn asked the local.

"It's the prince's birthday party." The woman was leading her towards the dancing and parade that was going on through the streets. "Its tradition. All princes come celebrate with the people before celebrating with family. And tonight he will fall in love with one of the 12. That is the magic that happens."

Lyne caught herself dancing with the music and party music. "Ah so this country still believe is magic, huh." The woman patted her arm like she was the one who said something ridiculous. "And then they live happily ever after, right?"

"Maybe."

"What do you mean maybe?" Lyne spun around looking for her guide. A brown box sat at Lyne's feet. "Ma'am? You left this." She called, searching the growing party goers for the woman.

"Miss." A hand grabbed her shoulder, swinging her around. The driver caught her.

Lyne tucked the package underneath her arm. This is an odd place. "Sorry I got distracted by the music. Is this normal?"

"It's tradition."

His royal highness, Crown Prince Bryan Michael Lysander Haronn paced in his room. It was going to be a long night his mother had made sure of that.

Dimitri Mitchell watched his friend pace for another thirty seconds before he spoke. "At this rate your mother is going to be paying for new floors soon."

Bryan stopped and chuckled at the comment. "At this rate she'll need a new son before she needs new floors. The nerve of that woman, insolent, woman." Woman seemed to be the best he could come up with to describe the intruder. Dimitri hadn't seen Bryan this flustered over a "woman" since they went through puberty.

"Well met your highness."

"Not you too, D. What am I going to do if you start treating me like that?" The two of them could have been brothers, just from looking at them.

"Her Majesty will have a conniption if you're not prepared to meet your guest soon." A knock caught their attention. In the doorway stood the queen's guard in full regalia.

"I believe my mother thinks I'm a flight risk."

"I'll hold them off sir, you run." D said with a straight face, barely contained amusement playing at the corner of his eyes. Bryan allowed himself to be escorted to his mother's chambers. She had some last minute instructions she needed to discuss with him or so she said.

"Kathlyn." The queen was striding briskly towards the girl climbing out of the car, the legs of the queen's suit snapped furiously back and forth in time with her gate.

"Your majesty," she dropped into a low curtsy that would have made her mother proud, after which she brushed past security to embrace the queen.

"How is your mother?" Her mother and the then heir apparent Isodla spent several semesters in Finishing School together. As roommates, her mother belonged to one of the remaining families that still believed in coming out parties and debutantes. As girls the two of them were rivals if not friends through sewing lessons and soufflé baking. Luckily for Kathlyn, her parents had decided a more traditional boarding school route for her own delicate, formative years. Although military school was thrown out as an option.

"She is just lovely and she thanks you for asking, your majesty." Kathlyn smiled warmly. She had never actually met the queen, but the royal family never neglected to send a Yuletide card with the latest family photo.

"Dimitri can show you where everyone is gathering, we'll have your bags taken up ahead." Dimitri, who had just arrived, with a message from Bryan – excusing himself because he didn't feel well, stopped in mid stride. The queen's innate timing always threw him off guard. He stared at Lyn – if Bryan wasn't feeling well before, he was going to be on his deathbed when he saw her. Lyne stared back, trying to decide if this was the same man from earlier that day.

Dimitri began, "your majesty, your son . . . "

"I know he's ill, really he needs to come up with a new excuse. Now, show Miss Rhodes to the parlor, see if she needs any refreshment for her wait, now." The queen's tone never changed, but Dimitri felt the extra emphasis on the "now" as she spoke. He motioned for her to follow him, when the queen added, "Oh, Lyne I am so glad you chose to come by car, can't have you running off, it's against the rules." Kathlyn's smile never faltered, but she felt her stomach do a barrel roll.

"Do you need anything," Dimitri didn't look to see if she followed

She blinked in confusion, used to the thinly veiled sarcasm of her own home. The genuineness caught her off guard. Her mouth opened then shut quickly. "No thank you."

"Then please wait here miss, the other girls and her Majesty will be with you shortly.

Updated

Please R&R if you feel so inclined