Nixiesocean: Hi! I'm updating! Yay! … I'm so sad… I'm reading Maximum Ride by James Patterson and I really want book #3 to come out! So, I'm satisfying myself with rereading everything.

Anyone out there read Maximum Ride

Responses:

Bingo7: Why did you change your s/n? I'm so used to Bingo5 that Bingo7 is odd to me, lol. : ) Well, I guess ten years will dim memories a bit. But, you figure, she would still look slightly similar. Plus, a familiar face with the crest (which they didn't immediately recognize) would trigger memories.

Piratess of Summer: Romances always begin with hatred/annoyance or with immediate love, have you noticed that? (shrug). I'm just keeping with tradition. (wink)

Dark Ninja of Mount Hope: Well, in Mercy's mind Hannah abandoned her… Also, an eighteen-year-old going onto nineteen also being a princess would totally ruin any hopes of running headlong into Hannah's arms.

FreakyLongHairedGirl: Thanks!

Read, enjoy, review!

Chapter 8: Kisses and Dinner

Marcus' hand was hot. Fire ranged all over his skin. Hannah was beautiful now. She wasn't some awkwardly shaped ten-year-old. She was beautiful. She was graceful.

A random thought popped into his head. Will she marry me? Before he could go any further he stopped himself and spoke.

"Welcome, Princess Hannah of Bavar, to Hanor." His father missed the glare he sent that way.

"Thank you, Prince Marcus of Hanor," She replied kindly. Her endless eyes sparkled with interest and soon the company was dismissed.

Those eyes… He thought suddenly. They drew me in… Her eyes turned onto him. Her face is beautiful.

Her arm slipped into his and they walked inside. He had never felt this way. He had never been so uncomfortable… so vulnerable…

Was this love?

If it was, he certainly didn't like it, he decided.

"How was your trip?" He asked suddenly.

She smiled. Her lips were more full; they spread gracefully. "Very nice, thank you. I noticed the flowers were in bloom."

Marcus nodded. "They bloom early. I think they know the summer season is shorter this far north and decide to bloom quickly to put out seeds."

"I see the years have been good to you," She commented arbitrarily. "How have you been?"

"Very nice, thank you." He replied with a playful twinkle in his eyes. "You?"

"The years have been nice." Hannah looked at him. "How has Mercy been?"

Marcus breathed deeply. How could he tell her Mercy had been heartbroken four years ago? "She is well. She had a rough summer fours years ago, though."

Hannah guessed what he was getting at and didn't reply. "The picture your father sent did not do you justice," she blurted.

Marcus stopped walking and stared at her, trying to divine what she had meant.

The southerner blushed deeply at the outburst.

He tried to recover but found no words for what his heart was telling him. He blinked and didn't know what to say.

Nor did Hannah.

Oddly, there were no servants walking about, so it was the two royals who had wandered off. They were alone. In a hall. Staring at one another.

"I'm – I am…" Hannah trailed of, truly not knowing how to recover.

Hannah had never complimented a man so openly before, and Marcus definitely didn't expect the Hannah he knew to give such a compliment – even if it was an accident.

Marcus breathed deeply and held out his arm again and they walked in silence for a bit. They were in front of her guest quarters. They were the same as the last time, ten years past.

Nervously, the prince bent his head. His lips came into contact with, not her cheek as he had aimed, but lips.

Hannah had moved her head. Her arms moved to hang around his neck. Before she could, Marcus broke the kiss and walked quickly away. If he were a commoner, it would be described as "sprinting".

Hannah felt her cheeks warm and she quickly entered her room and shut the door. She was in the guest room's parlor parlor.

A figure sat near her hearth. The princess walked over to the other person and saw the person's face.

Mercy.

- - - - - - - - -

What possessed him to kiss her? It wasn't his first kiss. The serving girls were rather free with them. He hadn't taken any to his bed, as some princes did. He had enough restraint to know what was good, and what was bad.

But the kiss… it was… different. Had anyone ever kissed Hannah?

He shivered beside the fire as he recalled her. He had aimed for her cheek. Had he gotten her lips?

No, he told himself, she moved her head to catch my lips! Was it plausible that Hannah had some sort of feelings for him too? He shook his head and went back to the paperwork his father demanded he help with now.

- - - - - - - - -

Mercy stood, her eyes flashing in anger. "How could you?" She demanded. "I thought you were my friend. I called you my friend. I sent you letters and I sent you gifts. We had so much in common!" Mercy wept aloud. "And you dare come back! I would never go back to my ex-friend's home after she rejected me!"

Hannah sighed, knowing this was the breaking point in the normally cool princess. "I'm sorry," Hannah whispered. "I didn't mean to make it sound like I never could. I just wanted to warn you that I wouldn't be sending you many letters for a little bit." The fact that Hannah had contracted her words was lost on the anger-driven Mercy.

"You sure as hell made it sound like it!" Mercy yelled back. Hannah was shocked with Mercy's language. "You have some nerve!" Her green eyes sought Hannah's black ones. Mercy shook her head in disbelief. "And then you come to marry my brother?" Mercy laughed incredulously. "You have some nerve."

The southern princess tried to soothe Mercy. "I didn't mean for it sound like I never could send you letters ever again! You can't imagine how depressed I was when I didn't get a reply from you!"

Mercy shook her head and squared her jaw. "I hate you." She turned on her heel and stomped out.

When had the parts switched? Hannah wondered. When had Marcus' dislike of her transferred to Mercy's normally benevolent side? When did Mercy begin to detest her?

The letter she never should have sent. Hannah realized. She knew it was a bad idea not to add a post-note to tell Mercy she could still correspond. Now Mercy hated her guts and Hannah was madly in love with the prince!

When had the roles switched?

- - - - - - - - -

Mercy stormed out to the stables and had the stable hands saddle Fauna, her pony. She and her guard rode out into the pasture and Mercy settled in the afternoon sun. The ordeal with Hannah had taken a good part of the afternoon, so there was an hour or so before dinner was to begin.

"My lady," Her guard began.

"Not this time, Renold, I'm not in the mood." Mercy snapped. Renold was a typical northerner, light haired, fair-skinned and bright-eyed.

Mercy wasn't. She had black hair and jade eyes, like her mother. She also looked like a doll when she dressed up for Court. The color combination was a varied mix of the temperate climate and the southern climate.

"Yes, my lady." Renold murmured, taking watch over his rather irritated charge. He was her guard since the year after Princess Hannah had left, nine years ago.

Mercy started wondering about why she had been so angry with Hannah. They had clicked so easily as children. She had even taken it upon herself to get Hannah to see Marcus in his natural environment and had even written to Hannah a lot.

Why had Hannah sent that dratted letter? This all would have never happened and then all would be well. Except… wasn't Mercy happy her brother had a person to at least admire? Pine and Spots had died during the winter, when food was unusually lean, so this new person, a new trail of thoughts, might lead him out of his sadness.

Was it jealousy? Was she annoyed that Marcus had someone to love, and she went complacently along with her parents? Angry and confused at her thoughts, she mounted on Fauna and rode back, with Renold closely trailing her. They headed inside and Mercy began to dress for dinner.

- - - - - - - - -

Hannah had never felt so good. She was cold: it was true. She had spent more than ten minutes in a steaming bath. She had felt so relaxed, so happy. She idly brushed her hair while smiling into her vanity mirror. Marie would be in soon with a dress. Hannah was curled under her layer of polar bear fur and was quite warm.

Marie came in, eyes wide.

"Your- Your Highness…" She whispered.

Hannah smiled. "What is it, Marie?"

"You – Your – Her Majesty…" Hannah had never seen Marie so flustered. "Her Majesty has brought some jewelry she insists you wear."

Hannah blushed at the honor. "Take them with my hearty thanks." Hannah looked into her mirror and gasped.

Next to Marie stood Queen Anna Lilly of Greyington. She was alone, but held a single strand of silver necklace. Her other clenched hand probably had the matching earrings. Her kind eyes, Hannah noticed her distinct resemblance to Mercy, showed happiness.

"You are the first princess to sit in that chair since you came ten years past, Princess Hannah." She told her. "Since then, my son has fled whenever a princess came into the city." She held the necklace out. Hannah could see the thin metal had a locket on it. "This was to be worn by the first princess to sit in that seat."

What? Hannah asked herself. Is this some bizarre northern ritual? Am I engaged if I wear it?

"T- Thank you, Your Majesty."

Queen Anna leaned down and whispered into Hannah's ear, "You may call me 'Anna', I much prefer it." Hannah nodded. Anna's other fist held matching silver earring studs with thin strips of metal dangling down.

"Thank you, Anna."

"You're quite welcome, Princess." Anna smiled, her ruby lips spreading. "I shall see you at dinner, then?"

"Yes," Hannah replied happily. "This is truly a wonderful gift."

"Anything for the woman that enchanted my son's heart." She told the princess cryptically.

She knew? Hannah asked herself. What else does she know? Hannah sighed and gasped as Marie brought out the dress.

- - - - - - - - -

Marcus was rather unhappily awaiting Hannah's arrival. Mercy fidgeted and he got the impression she'd rather be elsewhere.

How ironic. He told himself. That was I the last time she was here.

Marcus had grown in those ten years away from Hannah. She had as well. Her straight body had filled out and, while Mercy grew normally, Hannah had grown considerably.

Physical wasn't the only area Hannah had grown into. She had matured mentally and was well aware of what would happen if she left now; at least Marcus thought so.

He was deeply in thought when Her Highness arrived. Mercy jabbed him from his left and he looked up. Had he not been taught to conceal his emotions, he would have gasped.

Hannah was dressed in midnight blue dress, studded with small diamonds, to act as stars. She was shapely and the neckline was modest, though it was obvious it could be lower. Her train was of a paler blue, and followed her less than a foot behind, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Hannah sat in the only empty seat, the one on Marcus' right. She gracefully in the seat and the two royals found their hands gently brushing the other's hand.

Marcus had never felt so unsure of himself. Gently, as if she was unsure, Hannah's hand slid into his and he found himself softly holding her hand under the table.

Was this love?

- - - - - - - - -

Hannah knew she was pretty in the dress her father had sent. He had it put into her trunk without her knowledge, to be worn when she arrived. She hated and loved the man. It was of rather simple make, but the small diamonds made it expensive and the train of sheer fabric added a touch of class.

She knew she was the simplest dressed there.

It made Marcus' reaction all the sweeter.

He had stared, despite his attempts to hide his emotions; she had seen his eyes flick up and down the dress, pausing to take in her lightly dusted face. At least his eyes hadn't lingered on her hips, she told herself.

Her happiness was complete when he didn't shy away from her hand.

- - - - - - - - -

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