There was a band of people waiting for Max once he arrived back on shore. Mostly King's soldiers. This was bad. That old person practically grabbed the canister out of Max's hands as soon as he saw him. Out of the crowd, a man around Max's age stepped out. It was the head of the King's men, Michael.
He had a disapproving look on his face and said sternly, "You promised not to run away again, Max."
Max sighed. "I lied," he said bluntly. "I figured if I was to give myself to some stranger for life, I might as well make a break for it. At least see the world."
The old man finally looked up at him and asked, "So why did you stop?"
Max stared at him in disbelief and then replied dryly, "A lack of will, I suppose. Besides, you said that … that canister thing was a matter of life and death."
In reply to this, the old man took out what appeared to be a portrait and unrolled it. A woman's face appeared. "A woman always is."
"She looks like she is laughing at me," Max said. "As if she knows some secret I do not."
"This lady had many secrets. I only captured one of them," the stranger replied.
"It's a beautiful picture," Michael spoke up. "But who is she?"
The man gave a secret smile reminiscent to that of the woman's. "Let us just call her the Mona Lisa, shall we?" As he saw the young men mulling over this, he smiled and began rolling up the painting. "I was heading toward the King's palace when the band of gypsies attacked me."
Michael nodded as if he agreed with the man. "Yes, they'll attack anyone or anything that appears to have some value."
However, Max seemed to be piecing something together in his mind. "Did you say you were heading toward the palace?" he asked the stranger.
The man nodded, his long white beard floating slightly in the breeze as he did. "I am."
Max's eyes surveyed the wagon where odd sorts of objects where sticking out. "And you would be…?"
"Leonardo da Vinci," the man supplied.
Max's eyes widened and then he laughed. "I can't believe it!" he exclaimed ruefully and laughed some more. Leonardo turned to Michael, as if he could somehow explain for Max's strange behavior. Michael only sighed and shook his head. It was better not to even try to understand Max when he acted like this.
Max caught their looks and tried to explain. He really didn't want to appear before one of the greatest thinkers as a total idiot. "Here I was, on my way to Italy to find you! Instead, you were on your way to me! I can't believe it. Did my father ask for you?"
Leonardo began gathering his things that were still strewn on the ground. "Yes, well, I was only the second choice. Michaelangelo is trapped under a ceiling somewhere."
"This is wonderful!" Max plowed on. "I am sure that you can convince my father to give up on his old-fashioned views and finally join the new century! After all, you are the forefront thinker of modern life and my father is the rock that refuses to move from the past."
During Max's ramblings, Michael only shook his head some more. 'Honestly, why do I put up with this?' he thought. He caught Leonardo's confused look and explained. "Our highness here suffers from an arranged marriage."
"Ah," Leonardo replied, understanding now.
"Your highness, we really must start," Michael said. He knew King Philip was waiting and he didn't want to delay the return more than necessary.
Max also knew that his father was probably waiting for his return. He inwardly sighed. Here he was, a grown man and still being chastised by his father as if he were a schoolboy.
"All right. But first, we must return something," Max responded. He was grasping on straws, but he would do anything to delay the return to the castle. He motioned one of the pages over and ordered, "Tell me, who's estate is close to here."
"Only the Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent's, your highness," the page replied nervously. Wanting to impress the prince more with his knowledge, he continued, "She is a widow with two daughters, Tess and Maria."
"Yes, yes," Max said impatiently. "Ride ahead and tell them we will be coming soon."
"Yes, your highness," the page answered and scurried away.
Max turned to see Michael's disapproving stare. "What?" he asked innocently. "I have to return this horse. It just wouldn't be polite if I didn't return it personally."
"Right," Michael answered dryly.
~*~*~*
With a final word of encouragement from Alex, Liz took a deep breath and stepped onto the main road. She and Alex had stood behind a large clump of bushes for what seemed like an eternity, both trying to calm their nerves at what Liz was about to do. Now that Liz was walking toward the looming castle, she bit on her lip and fought the urge to run back.
Maurice. She was doing this for the man who had been like a father to her after her own had died. When Rodmilla had forced Liz to work out on the fields almost immediately after the funeral, it had been Maurice who told Liz to run and play while he did her share of the work along with his. It had been Maurice and Louise who had been parents to Liz, reinforcing the values that Jeff had already instilled in her.
Encouraged by these memories, Liz pressed on. 'Just breathe.'
~*~*~*
The manor was chaos when the page had arrived with the message that THE prince of France was to arrive in a few minutes. As soon as the door closed, Rodmilla, Tess, and Maria all shrieked before running upstairs to change into their gowns. Rodmilla had hastily chosen the best dress and practically flung it at Tess, who was tearing her old gown off. Maria kept asking what she should wear, but it fell upon deaf ears. Rodmilla was focused entirely on Tess.
"Is that the bugle? Oh my goodness, they're arriving! Tess, hurry and put that brooch we bought on! Hurry!" With those words cried over her shoulder, Rodmilla rushed down the stairs to meet Max.
As Max rode up on his own horse, Rodmilla could already imagine him and Tess married. She could see the wedding and all the envious looks from the other courtiers as she was invited to live in the royal palace. Placing a smile on her face, she 'glided' over to Max's horse as it came to a stop.
"Your highness, what an unexpected surprise," she cooed. "How are you today?"
"I am well, thank you, Baroness. I've come to bring you back your horse," Max replied patiently and politely. He motioned for the guards to lead the horse back toward the stable where he had taken it from.
Rodmilla allowed confusion to cross her face for a moment before she quickly masked it. "Oh, was it missing?"
Max smiled slightly. "Yes, I suppose you wouldn't know. I, uh, borrowed it this morning from your servant girl."
Rodmilla tensed at his reference. It had to be Liz. There was no one else. She tried to mask her anger. "Who?"
"Oh, a girl," Max started before gingerly touching his forehead where there was now a small bruise and continuing on with a rueful smile, "with quite a good arm."
It was that brat Liz. "She is mute," Rodmilla quickly replied. She didn't need any competition for Max's attention. If they talked about Liz, it meant they wouldn't be able to talk about Tess.
"Really?" Max continued on with an amused chuckle. "Because she spoke quite forcefully this morning."
Rodmilla flushed as she was caught in her lie. "It comes and goes," she said weakly. Just then, she could hear the squeals of Tess and Maria. 'Finally,' she thought. With a wince, she watched as her daughters practically wrestled with each other trying to get out of the door. 'What happened to all those lessons about grace I was teaching?'
Rodmilla smiled back at Max. "My daughters, your highness," Rodmilla said. She gestured toward Tess. "This is Teresa Angelique of the House of Ghent. But you may call her Tess, your highness" With that introduction, Tess took a step forward and curtsied. When she did, a great deal of her cleavage showed. The brooch that was purchased only hours before was pinned at the edge of her neckline, right where the cleavage was.
Rodmilla was pleased. The money had been well-spent on the large piece of jewelry which now screamed for everyone's attention.
Maria gave a small cough. She was still waiting for her introduction to the prince. Rodmilla then carelessly said, in a bored voice, "And this is Maria." Maria then curtsied also, smiling brightly at Max. Little did she notice a certain someone looking at her rather intently.
Max knew he had to say something. "Tess, Maria...forgive me, you have both seemed to ... blossom overnight." *he's a guy, forgive him* Max couldn't seem to keep his eyes of Tess's chest and tried come up with something. "I say, Tess, that is simply a stunning brooch."
Tess's smirk mirrored Rodmilla's as she answered in a coy voice, "This old thing? Your too kind." Her eyes boldly stared into Max's and he pulled his eyes from her intense stare, feeling uncomfortable.
Rodmilla tried capturing his attention again. "We are so looking forward to your engagement to your own Spanish rose."
Max felt the urge to flee again. "Yes, well, there are several new developments." He silently prayed that somehow his father would come around and see his point of things.
Rodmilla tried to hide her glee. "Really? Well, I hope things turn out for the best." 'One that would involve my daughter, perhaps.'
"So do I," Max replied. "It has been a lovely visit, Baroness. Ladies, I'm afraid I must leave you all. Good day." With a smile and nod to the women, he turned his horse and left. Michael turned along with his, but not before taking one last glance at Maria, who just happened to be looking back at him. Their gazes caught for the briefest of moments before Maria ducked her head down shyly.
Once the whole royal entourage was past the gates, Rodmilla turned to her daughters. "That went fairly well, girls. At least he knows who you are. But we mustn't celebrate yet, we have much to do before..."
"Before I become his wife!" Tess interjected excitedly.
For once, Rodmilla did not lecture about how a lady does not interrupt. She beamed and said, "Yes, before we all move into the palace! Let us go back inside and plan." As they went in, Rodmilla remembered Liz and her eyes narrowed. How dare that girl not tell her that Prince Max had borrowed their horse. She would just have to punish her for that.
Max and Liz interaction in the next part! Read on! FB please! Thanks to those who leave it!