Chapter 11

Five weeks passed with a speed that Joshua found alarming. Every day felt like a month and, after five weeks, he felt like he was at least three years older than he had been. And there were two weeks left before he would be shot of the whole lot of them. His daughter and niece weren't speaking to one another and the number of intrigues, secret meetings and licentiousness going on was astounding, even to a man who grew up with Andrew Gilld as a role model. He was more worried about his daughter though. It had been bad when the Prince had been paying court to Rose, but she would have made a good Queen and at least she could have stood that family. Diana was too hot tempered to put up with the King and the thought of a magical Queen was too awful to contemplate. He also knew that the Prince didn't love her, he could see it in his eyes. And he would never let her be tricked into a loveless marriage.

Diana, on the other hand, was not so sure about Harry's intentions. He was smart, suave, a gentleman in every respect with an easy ability to compliment and a talent for making a girl feel loved. He had a dry wit that reminded her of her father's in a truly bad mood and she liked spending time with him, really she did. But he had learned the hard way that any insult directed at Anduin was a bad move.

Rose, after five weeks, was still furious. She didn't want to admit to herself that she was settling for Anduin because she couldn't get Harry, but that was what she was doing. Her real motive was to get Diana back, by stealing a man she knew Diana adored. And it was working, but it didn't make anything better and Rose knew it. She also knew that she was behaving like an infantile brat, but the memory of those twelve hours she spent walking on the beach with Harry just wouldn't leave her alone.

Anduin had become, in just a month, lord of the dance and everyone's favorite man. It was just an innate talent of his; he was tall, good looking and he knew the power of his smile. He also learned that girls loved being listened to and, if you couldn't talk, they couldn't quiz you on what they said, so all he had to do was stand around, look sympathetic and pat their hands tenderly when they were done. But it made things difficult, for he tried to find time alone with Rose and there was always someone else around, vying for his silent attention. He even missed Diana's presence, which came as a shock to him, since he hadn't appreciated it when she was there. He appreciated the intelligent conversation now and there were times when he would have preferred her to all the fairest maidens in the lands.

Lizzie smiled grimly as she watched life play out before her. It wasn't hard to see that Diana was trying to fall in love with the Prince so that she would be satisfied with her second choice. Lizzie knew her daughter would much prefer Anduin's dry, sarcastic hand motions to the Prince's witty repartees and cruelly funny observations. She also knew that Joshua would do anything rather than have the King as an in-law and Lizzie wondered if it would be worth suggesting that he lock her in a tower and make her grow her hair so he could climb up and bring her food. So the chances of the Princes suit being accepted were slim and that gave her some comfort, allowing her to spend more time worrying about the king, who was ill with something or other. He remained holed up in his rooms and the only ones who ever entered there were the servants either to bring him food or to entertain him. Joshua had made it perfectly clear that, while they were responsible for themselves, anyone who got with child out of wedlock would be dismissed from his service unless they had a very good excuse. But this behavior was not at all what she had been led to believe he would behave like. Joshua was mystified as well and his only answer was "Perhaps he is truly sick", though he said in the same tone as he would have said 'Perhaps my father was a saint".

And so the days passed. Until one Monday morning, the entire world was flung upside down. Diana had offered to take Gareth for a walk, since Jonathan was suffering under the weight of multiplication work and didn't have the time to spare. She snapped a lead rope onto him and took him out towards the lawns in back of the castle since Jonathan had learned the hard way that Gareth was not well behaved enough to take into the garden. She had been wondering around for a good fifteen minutes when, while Gareth went off to smell a perfectly ordinary looking tree, the Prince arrived.

"Hello, my darling Diana," he said, pressing his lips to her cheek.

Hello, horrible Harry, she thought in reply, but bit her tongue to keep from saying it. She hated him when he was in these moods.

"How do you fare on this fine summer morn?"

"Quite well, and yourself?"

He smiled and sat down. "Equally well. I noticed you reading yesterday; what was the book that so engrossed your interest?"

"The Brothers Grimm," Diana answered shortly.

"Fairy tales," the Prince exclaimed. "Why, Diana, how quaint!"

Quaint, she sulked. Why not just call me a child and get it over with? "Don't judge a book by its author," she chided him. "You might find these 'fairy tales' to be quite good."

"I don't doubt that they are. Tell me Diana, do you believe in happily ever after?" The warning bells went off in her head at hearing those words. It was obvious where he was going with this.

"I'm not yet in a position to make that decision not having experienced one for myself." Diana hated being polite all the time, it grated on her nerves. She wanted to go in and find Anduin, he had promised to play chess with her when she came back and he would undoubtedly come up with some new and creative way to cheat at the game.

"Would you like to?" he asked softly, reaching out to touch her hair. Diana jerked away.

"Someday, yes."

"What's wrong with today?"

What's right with today? Diana thought. Why did that insufferable git have to do this to her right now? "I have to finish walking the dog," Diana answered, figuring it was suitably inane.

"The dog can walk itself," the Prince said irritably. "I am suffering in the fiery furnace of love and all you can think about is that mutt."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Diana said as kindly as she could, though she still sounded fed up and exasperated. "Even if we were to be married today, we would need my father's permission. Perhaps, if you went to speak to him now, we could meet after I've returned the dog to the house and discuss it."

Harry sighed dramatically. "I would have thought that a woman so compassionate toward a fairy tale prince would have more pity for me. Don't you see? We are a pair of star crossed lovers, Diana. A modern Romeo and Juliet!"

You're as mad as Hamlet. Diana sighed, not daring to voice her inner thoughts.

"We must elope!" continued the Prince. "At once!"

"What?" Diana shouted. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Yes!" he shouted dramatically, wrenching Gareth's leash out of her hands. "I am mad with love for you. Come with me, Diana." He clutched her wrists and smiled at her. Diana shuddered.

"Never," she answered, feeling a bit foolish. She felt much worse a few moments later when the ground began to quake. She used the tremors to try and break free from her captor, but he stood his ground. He had obviously been expecting something like this and knew just how to react. He pulled Diana into his arms and she fell against him, her meager strength unable to resist that of gravity's. They toppled forward into the abyss and the ground closed up over their heads as if it had never opened to begin with.

Diana screamed as she fell, not really knowing what else to do. She hated this helpless damsel in distress sort of routine, it had always bothered her in her mother's fairy tales. But someone seemed to have misread the storyline this time, since she was being abducted by the handsome prince, not being saved by him.

"You imbecilic bastard," Diana yelled, not caring that she sounded like a fishwife. Her mother had told her she was never to use that word except in extenuating circumstances and this definitely qualified. "What were you thinking?"

"What?" asked the Prince, his voice low and amused. "You didn't like being swept off your feet?"

"Not particularly, no," Diana answered. A small part of her mind was wondering how she was so calm when she was plummeting to either certain death or a lifetime with Harry. The latter gave her the chills, but the former just seemed too far away to even worry about.

"I seem to have found myself a reluctant princess," he murmured.

"You know, I'm not the one with regal heritage," Diana quipped. "That would be Rose…my cousin… the one you rescued!"

"She was tolerable," he said with a shrug. "But not beautiful enough to tempt the likes of me." Diana didn't waste time wondering how one could shrug in midair.

"You slimy-" she began, but he clapped a hand over her mouth.

"I have had quite enough of this strong woman routine," he said. "For all our sakes, you are a damsel in distress and I would much prefer if you could fall into a dead faint."

"I thought you were mad with love for me," Diana accused, hurt in some strange inexplicable way. She didn't want him to love her but the way he spoke, he made her sound as if she was…unlovable. Diana shook her head and made herself forget his words, not to mention the easy answer they gave to why another man never seemed to see her.

"I was mad with love, true," said the Prince, "but- ahh!" he said as the world blinked out of existence for a moment. "Here we are." Diana opened her eyes, which had been shut when the universe disappeared, for the strange nothingness was something she couldn't bear to look at. They were in a strange room with transparent, circular walls that made her feel like she was inside a cylinder. Around them was the oddest sight she had ever seen.

"We can't be…" she began, but trailed off. It was just too impossible.

The Prince laughed. "Oh, but we can. Little Diana, let me fill you in on my plan."

Gareth stared at the place where his master's sister had just been in disbelief. Humans didn't just fall into the ground like that. It didn't happen. He was a young puppy and didn't really know how to handle situations like this, he had barely even learned that table food wasn't his food. But he was a good dog, so he did the only thing he could do. He ran into the house, barking as loud as he could.

When Jonathan heard his dog's voice, he couldn't help himself and craned his neck to try and spot the animal. A moment later, Gareth came careening into the room.

"Quiet that animal!" Jonathan's tutor shouted irritably.

"Something's wrong!" Jonathan shouted back, knowing somehow that it was true. The man snorted, but Jonathan, like every other member of his family, never listened to authority, so he ran to the dog and knelt down before the animal.

"What's wrong, boy?" he asked, scratching the puppy's ears. "Where's Diana? She said she'd keep her eye on you?" There was a sense of wrongness emanating from the animal, Jonathan could feel it. He stroked the trembling beast.

"Don't worry," Jonathan said affectionately. "My father'll know what to do."

"You are not going to take that animal to your fath-" his tutor said. But Jonathan was already out the door.

He reached his father's private office and started hammering on the door.

Lizzie, who was curled up on Joshua's lap inside the office, groaned. "What do they want from us now?"

"Our presence, undoubtedly," Joshua replied, kissing her cheek. "Why do you ask?"

"Shall we open the door?"

"And lose our few moments alone?" he retorted. They sighed in unison and, with a wave of Lizzie's hand, the door swung open.

Jonathan came flying into the room. "Something terrible has happened!"

Lizzie and Joshua shared a resigned grin. "And what would that be?"

"Gareth knows," Jonathan answered. "I can tell. I think something has happened to Diana!"

Joshua muttered something under his breath. "Sweetheart," Lizzie said comfortingly. "Diana's fine, I'm sure she's fine."

"Then why would she leave Gareth?" he asked, tears sneaking into the corner of his eyes.

"I have an idea," said Joshua. "Why don't we look for her in the mirror, okay?"

Jonathan nodded, trying not to sniffle. Joshua fetched him the mirror and, in a clear voice, he asked to see his sister. They all received a nasty shock when they found out that the magical glass couldn't locate her.

"I told you so!" said Jonathan, bursting into tears. Joshua drew his son into a comforting hug, but he was sick with worry in his heart. He and Lizzie looked at one another, identical looks on their faces. What could have happened to their daughter?

T.B.C.

A/N – I know this took forever, I'm sorry. I'm working at a sleepaway camp as a lifeguard/counselor for 14 year old girls and have no time. So this isn't edited and there are no individual thank yous. You've all been amazing, thanks for reviewing and I hope I'll have some more for you soon. I know this was short.

Levana (Damian)