If absolutely must read the disclaimer, it is in chapter 1 & 2
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Chapter 5
"You have the most beautiful hair" their time together was short at best, with Veronica sneaking away from her tower when she knew Danielle would be away.
"I must go" Veronica sensed Danielle's presence near the tower.
"Please stay" he begged.
"You know I can't".
"Veronica, I am a prince, I can take you away from her. When we get married, I promise you that she will never be able to hurt you".
"Ned, I love you, but my aunt is the only family I've ever known, I cannot leave her" Planting a gentle kiss on his cheek, she disappeared.
"Where have you been" Danielle demanded.
"I went for a swim".
"How many times have I told you not to go swimming? Who knows who you could have met?"
"Aunt, I am a grown woman, I know how to protect myself".
"You may be grown, my girl, but the world out there is much more than you know" Danielle growled.
"If I could see the world, maybe I could make some decisions for myself" Veronica felt something in her that she never felt before.
"I knew there was a man".
"And if there was a man?" Veronica challenged.
"Then you have betrayed not only me, but your heritage. You have a gift that many would persecute without a moment's notice. It is for you that I have built this tower, to keep you safe. You are my daughter, Veronica, my only child; I have sacrificed everything to make sure that no one harms you. That is why you must never see him again" Danielle pleaded.
"But I love him" Veronica confessed.
"If you love him, let him go, he will find another".
"Yes, aunt" In her heart, Veronica knew that Danielle was right.
"You wished to see me?" Ned climbed up into the tower.
"This is where we must end" she said quietly.
"I told you, I will protect you from your aunt".
"My aunt has nothing to do with this. I have a gift that I must protect and nourish. You are a wonderful man who will make someone very happy one day, but I am not the one for you" throwing her hair down, she was determined not to cry as he would climb down and out of her life.
"I am not going anywhere, I promised you I would protect you and I will" he forced her to look at him.
"Ned, please" she begged.
"I love you, Veronica. I will do whatever it takes for us to be together" he promised.
"Please, you must leave, now".
"If that is what you wish me to do, I will respect your decision" he started to climb down.
"But before I go, I must know that we are making the right the decision" the kiss started light and sweet, but it was apparent that Ned was not leaving anytime soon.
Hours later at the ball, John observed the dancers. She had promised to return.
"Good evening sire", Arthur Sir Summerlee, considered to be one of the wisest of the king's advisors greeted him.
"Sir Summerlee" the king seemed to be looking for something or someone, his mind elsewhere.
"Have you perhaps decided on a bride?".
"Perhaps" John mumbled as Marguerite entered the ballroom.
"Majesty" she bowed.
"Maggie, have you met Sir Summerlee?",
"Sir, your reputation has traveled far"
"Thank you milady" Arthur was taken aback, it couldn't be. She had the same dark hair and bewitching green eyes that hinted at something more. But it had been years since anyone had seen her, he had feared her dead.
"I was getting worried" John led her to the dance floor.
"You commanded me to come, sire, to ignore a command from you would not be the wisest move, especially for a woman in my position".
"You are a wise woman, Maggie".
"I have learned a few things in my travels" underneath her disguise, Marguerite felt her heart pound. God help her, she was falling in love with this man, harder and faster than she had anticipated.
"Tell me about your travels, Maggie" John asked as they were again alone.
"I have been all over, seen much of the world" she replied.
"Tell me, how very different the world is than Roxtonia".
"Not very, people work, get married, and raise their children".
"And the men?" John continued to ask, wanting to know everything about her.
"They are men".
"Did you receive attention from these men?" John continued to press her.
"Sire, what are insinuating?" she asked coyly.
"I am wondering what made you turn all those men down and what made you decide to come to my ball".
"I have seen the world, majesty and it is time to possibly settle down".
"Who is she?" Narnia demanded as they spied on the couple.
"She is no one, a pretty face" in her mind's eye, the dark haired woman talking with the king looked vaguely familiar.
"Do you believe in love, my lady" John had known this woman for two nights and already, he knew he never wanted her to leave his sight again.
"I believe in a certain attraction between two consenting adults that could possibly lead to a period of time when our base instincts take over".
"I believe, my lady; you came to find a lover, not a husband" John surmised.
"I have no preference as to a husband or a lover, Henri provides me with all the companionship I need and I have enough of my own wealth that I do not need to marry for money".
"So you are here for what?" she was asked.
"I told you, highness, I am a woman of the world. If I am to marry, it would be my choice and if I do not, I am not worried".
"And I were to ask you to marry me?" he asked.
"I would ask you, sire, why in a ball full of many beautiful, eligible women, you would have picked me".
"I find you, my lady, intriguing, far more interesting that the debutantes that attend these balls".
"Get down" Marguerite heard a whizzing through the air.
"This is an interesting position" John felt the heat rising with him as he fell on her as the knife fell onto the granite next to them.
"Indeed" Marguerite fought to keep her composure as he helped to her feet.
All of a sudden John felt a pain in his arm as blood seeped onto his clothing.
"Highness" he was surrounded.
Word spread throughout the ball that the king was injured.
"It just a flesh wound, he will recover" After removing the knife, George started to bandage the wound.
"Maggie" he saw her disappear into the crowd.
"You'll be fine" escorted by his guards; John was led away from the ball.
"My lady" after safely seeing the king escorted back to his chambers, George ran out to where Marguerite and Francois were getting ready to leave.
"I thank you, as will the king".
"We still expect you to hold up your end of the bargain" Francois knew that there was something going on between his Marguerite and the king.
"I am a man of my word, you will receive your compensation" George promised.
"Until tomorrow night, lord chancellor" they rode off.
"If I didn't know better, mistress, I would say that this has become more than a job or you are a brilliant actress".
"We have one more night, by tomorrow, a bride will be chosen and the king's guards will be able to find the assassin".
"What shall we make your stepmother and stepsisters do when we move in? Shall we make them scrub the floors or something else?" he pulled her toward the bed.
"I thought were not interested in the hypocritical bourgeois values" she remarked.
"I have come to believe that a large house and a significant piece of land does have it benefits" unbuttoning her nightgown, he kissed her neck & shoulders.
She let him in, as she did always. Francois had always been gentle and loving, never pushing her beyond her limits. But there was another man on her mind, a man after tomorrow night; she knew she could never see again.
Most, if not all fairy tales have a happy ending. The question is will they have a happy ending or do I have more than the usual happily ever after? The only way you'll know is if you keep reading and reviewing.
