Chapter 10

A week passed far swifter than anyone would have liked. Anduin was doing a surprisingly good job of making friends with people and he, Rose and Diana spent most of their time together. Rose was warming to him, but he was not pleased that all he could elicit from her was the warm glow of friendship and not the fiery passion of love. All his focus was on seducing Rose and so he completely missed the sixteen year old hanging on to his every word. Diana adored him. She was the one who helped him devise a crude hand language so that they could communicate, she was the one who taught him to play chess to pass the time and Anduin was both profoundly grateful and very kind for her attentions. But that wasn't the same as reciprocating love, and she knew it. Diana hated being snubbed and hated it more because it was easy to understand what he saw in Rose instead of in her. But understanding doesn't heal any wounds.

Joshua and Lizzie spent most of their time deep in conversation with the entire household, trying to make sure the summer would run smoothly, even though they were both expecting disaster. Meetings between royalty and the Gilld family never went well and Joshua needed quite a bit of persuading to look at the glass as even half empty, for he was convinced he had already drained the cup of affliction to the dregs. Lizzie told him he was being melodramatic, something he freely admitted to, not that it made him grow up. They had a dreadful row the morning before everyone was scheduled to arrive which, while terrifying Anduin and Rose, served to put them both in a far better mood. As Diana explained, "They're only truly happy when they're fighting because they can call one another all these terrible things and then laugh about it afterwards." Rose sighed; she knew her aunt and uncle well, but she still didn't comprehend how they were happily married. Anduin, on the other hand, understood perfectly what Diana was talking about and made a mental note to teach Rose the merits of a good argument once they were married.

And so, the day finally came. Lizzie and Joshua sat in one of the numerous sitting rooms, tense and waiting. Diana had elected not to join them; she said she preferred to hide with Jonathan, Abigail and Anthony while they tried to train Gareth to fetch toys. Rose and Anduin went for a walk in the garden, though the former would have liked to stay and greet their royal visitors particularly a certain one of them. Anduin's sharp eyes noticed Rose's reaction when Prince Harry came up and was as happy to distract her as Joshua was letting him distract her.

"I don't believe we're doing this," Joshua groaned, burying his face in his hands.

"Believe it already," Allisande said, sticking her head into the door. "They're here."

"They are?" Joshua yelped, leaping to his feet.

Allisande snickered and shared a long suffering look with Lizzie. "Well, the Duke of Gloucester is here along with the Earl of Warwickshire."

"It starts," Lizzie murmured, yanking on Joshua's tailcoat to drag him back into his seat. He sank back down, glaring at Allisande.

"You're not funny," he told her, though Lizzie privately disagreed. "Very well, show them in."

The day went on like that, with the numerous lords and ladies coming to visit, greeting their hosts and going up to their room to dress for dinner. Joshua had long since given up trying to make conversation and even Lizzie's temper, which had not been sorely tried by the women of the house, was kept on a very short leash. So by the time the Prince of Wales arrived, neither the Duke nor the Duchess were exactly happy to see him.

"His Majesty, Henry, Prince of Wales, Duke of…" Lizzie sighed and ignored the rest of the titles, because she honestly couldn't care less.

"Welcome," she said as soon as the butler finished his introduction and Harry had made his bows. "Welcome to our home."

"Thank you for offering your lovely home to us," he replied, taking Lizzie's hand and kissing it gallantly.

"Some choice we had," Joshua muttered. Harry turned to look at him and he just smiled like a wolf, eyeing dinner.

"Ignore him," Lizzie said softly, catching the worried Prince's eye. "We're very glad to have you and all your relations here." The sarcasm went right over his head and straight to Joshua's ear.

"Thank you… now where is your daughter?"

"She's walking in the…" Joshua stopped as he heard the question again. "Wait, my daughter?"

"Yes, the Lady Diana, your daughter."

Joshua turned to Lizzie who stared back at him, equally puzzled. "She's helping take care of her younger siblings, but will be joining us at dinner."

"Very well," Harry replied, looking worried and Joshua got the distinct impression that, had it not been inappropriate, the young prince would have been biting his nails. "I shall see you at dinner then."

"We look forward to it," Lizzie answered. Harry bowed one last time before being led out of the room by one of the pages.

"What was that about?" Joshua growled, glaring at the door, as if it had something to do with things.

"What?"

"Diana."

Lizzie sighed. "He was probably just being polite, Joshua. It wouldn't kill you to do the same."

"I was being polite!" Joshua protested. "I didn't throttle the brat."

"Joshua, love, had you throttled the brat, you would have been dead and that would have ruined my entire weekend." She grinned at him and he couldn't help but smile back. "Dare I ask why you hate the royals so much?"

Joshua shrugged. "No reason." Lizzie raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really?"

"That means you're not getting an answer."

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "I would never have guessed."

"His Majesty, King Henry the Tenth of England…" Lizzie and Joshua shared a resigned look.

Please, Lizzie thought to herself, Please Joshua, don't do anything stupid.

"You majesty," Joshua murmured, rising to his feet and bowing as Lizzie did the same, except with a deferential curtsey.

"Joshua," said the King, acknowledging him, "Elizabeth. How good to see you again."

"I trust your travels were pleasant," Joshua said through gritted teeth.

"They weren't, but the thought of your household sustained me in dark hours."

"Well then, I'm sure you're more than anxious to benefit from the numerous amenities that the castle offers that cannot be found on the road," Lizzie said, trying to get rid of the King as fast as she could.

"Yes, I must admit, I am quite anxious to partake of the pleasures that only Gilld Hall can provide me with."

Joshua very nearly saw red. You had better not go near my wife, he thought angrily, his eyes narrowed to slits as he stared at the King. "Then I see no reason for you to stay in here," Joshua growled.

"Do you wish to be shot of me quite so swiftly?" the King asked darkly.

"We would like nothing more than to have you stay," Lizzie said soothingly. "But the needs of the king come before our own and we would not like to impinge upon your time." The King looked about to speak. "No, there's no need to be polite, I know that you would only be remaining to try and make us feel better, and I could not bear that."

The King bowed, gracefully accepting defeat. "When a lady entreats, there is naught I can do to protest." He kissed Lizzie's hand and Joshua bowed to him before he left the room.

Joshua turned to Lizzie. "That was very well manipulated," he said softly. "I didn't know you were so devious."

"Be grateful I've never tried it on you," she retorted.

"Believe me, I am," he answered.

Another hour passed and, finally, all the guests had arrived and the hosts rose to dress for dinner.

Joshua sat on the ottoman in Lizzie's room, dressed in his formal suit and tailcoat. She was in the room nest door, attiring herself in her gown with the help of two maids.

"Lizzie," he called through the door.

"Now what?" she replied with a groan

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked.

"No," she answered. "This entire season is a terrible idea for everyone except his royal highness and I dread to think what's going to happen. Can we finish this later, I'm trying to have my hair done?"

"Women," Joshua muttered, sitting with his hands on his chin and sulking. When Lizzie finally emerged, however, he was in a much better mood.

"You look ravishing," he breathed, embracing her and kissing her forehead in between her hair and the ducal coronet.

"Your Grace, are you suggesting something?" she asked, pressing her lips to his neck.

"Oh, I wish," he replied. "Thank you for bearing with me, I know I've been abominable the past week."

"Love, what were my other choices?"

"There's always the King, he'd take you in a moment."

"Yes, but I wouldn't let him in a thousand years…and you were fishing for that compliment." Joshua grinned and she laid her head on his shoulder. "I love you, Joshua. Now lets be off before we need to be fetched to our own dinner."

They were not the first ones down, though they were by no means last. Diana and Rose entered together, eyes roving anxiously over the assembled guests.

"Any sign of him?" Rose asked softly.

"No," Diana answered, looking for the crown of the Prince of Wales, yet seeing nothing.

"I was sure he'd be here," Rose murmured. "Could it be he hasn't come yet?"

"Perhaps he was delayed," Diana suggested. "I doubt he'd miss a chance to spend time with you." She had been regaled with Rose's first meeting with Harry numerous times...basically every time Anduin wasn't around to object. Rose thought he roots of his dislike were because he was male and therefore didn't care much for romance, Diana knew perfectly well what the reason was and she was already cooking up nefarious plots to bring her cousin and the prince together despite what her father grumbled about, leaving Anduin all to her.

"Lady Diana," said a voice from her shoulder. Diana whirled around and found herself staring at a shoulder covered in a lovely silk sash with numerous adornments on them. Not a student of heraldry, Diana knew enough to identify the most prominent one even before looking up into the man's face.

"Your Highness," she breathed, curtsying deeply before the Prince of Wales.

"It's a pleasure to meet you at last," he said, taking her gloved hand in his own and kissing it.

"The feeling is mutual," Diana replied. "How was your journey?"

"Well rewarded by the sight of your fair form," he answered and Diana blushed slightly. Rose turned the color of her namesake as Harry offered Diana his arm and led her off to the table.

That slimy little, she thought to herself as her eyes narrowed and jealousy flared up in her heart. What does he see in her? The thought was cruel and Rose knew it, but losing Harry to her younger cousin, of all people, was galling. He had been so sweet and shy when they had first met. And all this time, he had merely been plotting to seduce Diana. "Good," she muttered. "They probably deserve each other."

And when Anduin came to offer her his arm, Rose had no scruples taking it and even went so far as to kiss his cheek when they sat down. Aduin was delirious with happiness. Diana was not as pleased, to say the least.

Lizzie, who was sitting a few seats down from the adolescent drama, was doing her best not to laugh. Although, to be fair, she could sympathize with Diana more than Rose and not just because the former was her daughter. Joshua was mercifully distracted by a conversation with the King. They were arguing over fishing rights, something Joshua had gleaned quite a little bit about from conversing with Anduin via the mind reader. The King seemed surprisingly uninformed and boring. He was far more subdued than usual and was treating Joshua with something akin to courtesy, which made Duke Gilld practically speechless.

The only people at the high table who seemed to be remotely enjoying themselves were the few children who were honored enough to sit there, one of whom had had the foresight to smuggle her older brother's new puppy in under her skirts and Gareth was keeping them all vastly entertained.

The evening, like all good dinners, drew to a close with dancing. Joshua and Lizzie were all too pleased that they had reached an age when the only ones they needed to dance with were each other and therefore weren't required to dance at all. They sat near the king, who eyed the dance floor longingly, yet did not stir from his throne. Diana was coerced into dancing with almost all the eligible bachelors of the evening, along with Rose who actually danced with every single one of them. Diana did not envy her the blisters on her feet, nor did Rose envy Diana the bruises she would sport from Henry's horrible dancing. And so, it was safe to say that a miserable evening was had by all except three people. Anduin was charmed and delighted by the sudden effect he was having on Rose, for she danced with him almost as often as the Prince danced with the Lady Diana and the latter didn't have the heart to explain his beloved's motives to him. The King was thrilled with the way that Joshua had fallen for his little scheme and seemed utterly bewildered by it. And Lizzie, who contrived to remain on the side the entire time, was formulating her opinions as to how the rest of the summer would turn out. She was almost exactly right…until the events of the second week in August happened.

T.B.C.

A/N – Cliffhangers have suddenly become popular on this site, haven't they? (shortstef…) So, I hope you all enjoyed this latest installment. I know I'm giving the summer short shrift, it's because not much happens. I'll probably give you a summary next chapter, but unless one can write as well as Jane Austen (and I can't), there's no point in trying to delineate a comedy of manners, so I won't. There's more than enough to do with evil plots, dastardly kings and a kidnapping…but I didn't give that away. Anyway, on to the reviews! And I accept all apologies from people who don't have time between the chapters, my summer job starts tomorrow and you'll have at least a week between updates as soon as that happens.

Lesalanna – thanks. It was just too easy if he could write English too, but fairy tale characters have to communicate somehow. I think Diana might try and teach him to write like them eventually. And Gareth may be a Maxian character but he's also there to set the stage for something later on and not necessarily in this story. And don't worry, I like my male characters too much, Anduin won't die. And thanks for the tip.

Shortstef – Crafty Little Storyteller...hmm. I like it! Love shapes are good, but I think I might have to revamp the square because mine's starting to look more like a pentagon. Grr, characters having ideas of their own and other such nonsense. Other guy has appeared and the girls are going to get catty. Silly things. Ariel always annoyed everyone, she's a little brat and has no redeeming qualities whatsoever (sorry, you got me on an old rant here) And I love you to pieces for the link, it was just what I needed. I have read Deerskin, it was very good. I read it first when I was 11 and very naïve, a certain bit of it went RIGHT over my head that time. I read it again when I was older and was like "Oh!". But it was a great book. Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors ever and its probably true that had I never read her work, I wouldn't be writing this story. And I think I might have to dedicate my next story to you…I'm trying to decide whether to write a fairy tale for each Gilld child or just end it after this one, but you lovely people can review at the end of this story and tell me. Anyway, if I do, I think Jonathan is going to be the good prince in Donkeyskin. But we'll see. So with that teaser for you, I'm glad you liked this chapter and congrats on the BA.

Anarea Rose – But suspense is what I'm good at! Don't worry, I'll do my best. Glad you liked my geometric love ideas.

So that's all for this round. Farewell, my lovely readers and I will, hopefully, hear from you all again soon.

Levana (Damian)