Seducing a Queen

By: Itachi Black

Chapter 5

ELSA felt very embarrassed as she danced with the Crown Prince of Denmark. She would have felt self-conscious anyway under the complex circumstances- though fortunately he had no way of knowing what her expectations had been when she set out for the ball this evening.

But he had heard Crown Prince Jack calling her my love, and though she had told herself that it was none of his business what anyone else called her, nevertheless the words seemed to hover in the air about them as they danced. It did not help that they danced in absolute silence for the first ten minutes or so.

She smiled until her lips felt stiff.

Did he know who the Crown Prince of Switzerland was?

But of course he must know.

After all, he was the one who spoke first.

"Queen Elsa," he said gravely, "forgive me if I am speaking out of turn now and forgive me if I did not speak when perhaps I ought. I ought to have taken that fellow to task for the familiarity with which he addressed you, when I daresay you have never met such a man before this evening."

That fellow? Such a man? Yes, indeed he knew.

"Prince Jack?" she said lightly. "Oh, I did not take offense, my lord. He was joking. I am relieved you did not take any more notice of his words than they merited."

"But as your friend," he said after hesitating a few moments, "I feel obliged to warn you to keep your distance from the Crown Prince of Switzerland, Queen Elsa. It would pain me to see your unblemished reputation tarnished by any connection with his. I daresay you do not know who he is or why he is justifiably shunned by all respectable people. I would wager he did not receive an invitation to the ball tonight but came quite brazenly without one. And I do not know who thought it appropriate to introduce you to him."

"You are wrong about one thing," she said. "I do know about him. I even remember the scandal, which was still quite fresh around the year before I was coronated. You must not concern yourself, my lord. I am quite capable of looking after myself and choosing my own acquaintances."

Like the gentleman he was, he said no more on the subject and Elsa thought that was surely the end of the matter- beyond having to deny admittance to Prince Jack if he did indeed put in an appearance at Weselton House tomorrow, of course, and beyond having to tell Hans the truth when she saw him next.

Oh, dear, she had behaved foolishly this evening.

She was not proud of herself. She had always been the soul of propriety and discretion. She would remember this evening for a very long time and with considerable discomfort. She turned hot and cold again when she remembered all that she had poured out to the outrageous prince- all her most embarrassing and humiliating secrets. That was surely the worst thing she had done all evening.

Whatever had possessed her!

Rachel and Vanessa were both waiting patiently for her when Prince Christian returned her to their sides. Simon and Edmond were conversing quietly with a group of gentlemen nearby.

"Elsa." Rachel linked an arm firmly and possessively through her. "I was never more happy in my life than to see you dancing with Prince Christian. Whoever presented you to Prince Jack? If it was none other than Duchess Tindall, I will not scruple to tell whomever it was that he or she ought to have known better. That prince is absolutely beyond the pale."

"He even looks disreputable," Vanessa added. "And downright dangerous. Elsa, do you even know that-"

"Yes," Elsa said, interrupting. "I do know that he eloped with his bride's sister-in-law five years ago. I ca not see that makes him an utter pariah today. Perhaps people ought to be entitled to a second chance."

"That is true," Rachel said, patting her hand. "It is very true, indeed. I daresay he is a very sad and contrite gentleman. She died recently, I have heard- the lady with whom he eloped, I mean, though he never did marry her. Her husband would not divorce her. It is just like you to refuse to give the cut direct, Elsa, though it was a little alarming to watch him lead you off the dance floor in the middle of a set in order to sit with you in that alcove."

"Which is in full public view," Elsa pointed out. "I was in no danger whatsoever of being kidnapped or otherwise assaulted.

"True," Vanessa laughed. "But I had visions of him whispering all sorts of improper suggestion in your ear. I might have stridden over there to rescue you myself, but Rachel was dancing at the time and could not accompany me and Edmond thought it was unnecessary to risk making a public scene, since he trusts your good sense. Hans went to see if you needed rescuing, though. I was glad of that even though I know you are not entirely delighted that he is in Bern."

And a mistaken sense of pride had goaded her into introducing the Crown Prince of Switzerland to him as her betrothed. The enormity of what she had done swept over Elsa again. Thank heaven she had at least sworn Hans to secrecy- or as good as sworn him, anyway.

She told him the betrothal had not yet been publicly announced. She must find him without further delay and tell the truth. But he had asked to dance with her later, had he not? She would tell him then, humiliating as it would be. And there- finally- would be an end of the matter.

It was already too late, though.

King Connor was striding toward them across the ballroom, looking uncharacteristically grim, his unwavering eyes fixed upon Elsa.

"Father," Rachel exclaimed as he came up to them. "Whatever is the matter?"

He spoke directly to Elsa.

"Elsa," he said, "I do not know who on earth introduced you to that fellow. Whoever it was deserves to be shot. But that is the least of our worries. The most preposterous rumour is spreading and we are going to have to move quickly to quash it. It is being said that you and Prince Jack are betrothed."

"Oh, Father, no!" Vanessa nearly shouted.

"But how very ridiculous! And imaginative!" Rachel said, laughing. "No one will take it seriously, Father. It would be passed as a joke."

Elsa stared at him, speechless.

Edmond and Simon must have heard what their father-in-law had announced. They both turned away from their group immediately.

"I will draw his cork for this," Simon growled. "What does he think he is up to now?"

"It would be more to the point," Edmond said," to draw the cork of the joker who began the incredulous story. It was hardly Kyle himself, as he left the ball half an hour ago. Do you know who did, You Majesty?"

It was Elsa who answered him.

"I fear it must have been Prince Hans," she said, and not for the first time that evening she felt on the verge of fainting.

There was that quite unmistakable buzz in the ballroom that always accompanied the spreading of the newest salacious rumour. Far too many eyes were turned in the direction of her group to be normal.

"Hans?" the king's voice was like the mighty thunder. "Why the devil would he suddenly start any such rumour?"

He did not even apologize his language in front of his family- and no one in the group thought to demand an apology either.

"I fear it was something I said," Elsa said. But that was clearly not explanation enough. She drew a deep, somewhat ragged breath. "I introduced Crown Prince Jack of Switzerland to him as my betrothed."

"You what?" Edmond demanded in a hushed tone.

The others stared at her as if she had suddenly sprouted a second head.

"I also told him no one else knew yet," she said. "It was a joke. It was … Well, it was something I said impulsively due to my mood and would have corrected later when I dance with him."

To say she felt foolish and embarrassed- as well as a number of other uncomfortable things- would be a massive understatement.

The buzz of excited conversation about them had not yet abated.

"But what," Rachel asked, "did Prince Jack have to say about such an extraordinary announcement, Elsa?"

Elsa licked lips that were suddenly dry. "It was he who suggested it," she started. "And he wants to make it real. He wants to marry me. But it is really all nonsense and best forgotten."

The whole evening seemed like a ghastly nightmare. She would be fortunate if they did not haul her off to Arendelle before the night was out.

"Which may be easier said than done," Simon said, bowing to her and extending a hand for hers. "You are attracting a great deal of attention, Queen Elsa, especially as Kyle has absconded and cannot take his half share. Come and dance with me again. And smile. Rachel and I will escort you to our estate afterward, and the others may remain to dispel the foul rumours as best as they can."

Elsa, shamed from the evening, set her hands in his.

"This is so very ridiculous," she said angrily.

"Most gossip is," he said. "It can also be very tenacious.

"Where is Hans?" King Conner asked grimly, looking around the room. "I'll break his damned neck for him."

"Tomorrow will be time enough for that," Edmond said. "We do not need to confront him here to add to the general delight, Your Majesty. Dance with Vanessa, if you will. And please do watch your language in the presence of my wife and sister-in-law. Rachel, may I have the pleasure?"

And thus, Elsa danced with Simon for a second time and smiled at the light, amusing banter he kept up throughout. It was truly awful to be the main focus of attention in the room, especially when she knew she had brought it on herself.

But how could Hans have done this to her? She had never known him to be openly spiteful to take a jab at anyone.

She was clearly going to have to wait out the gossip with all the patience she could muster, she decided later as she rode home beside Crown Princess Rachel in Archduke Simon's large carriage. It ought not take too long once the ton realized there was no basis to the rumour. And then she was going to settle back to her old respectable life even if it meant being a queen without a husband for as long as she lived.

Elsa went to bed that night before King Conner returned home. She even managed to sleep fitfully between spells of agonized wakefulness in which she remembered every secret she had poured out to that stormy blue eyed, grim-faced stranger who had once abandoned his bride and eloped with a married lady and lived in sin with her until her unfortunate and untimely death. And there were the wakeful spells in which she remembered introducing him to Hans as her betrothed.

And Hans had gone and told the whole world!

She even slept later than usual in the morning. King Conner was up before her. He had already breakfasted and left the grounds, the butler informed her so when she had asked.

He had left his place at the breakfast table untidy. The dishes had been cleared away by the maids, but his morning paper had been left open wide and then bunched in a heap beside where his plate had been. Elsa went to fold it up neatly but first let her eyes rover over the topmost page. It was the one that was always devoted to society gossip.

And there was her own name, leaping off the page at her as if it had legs and wings.

She bent closer to read, her eyes widening in great horror.

Queen Elsa Magnus, the journalist had written, the eldest sister of Princess Anna of Arendelle, had been seen sitting in scandalous seclusion in a remote alcove of Duchess Tindall's ballroom the previous evening tête-à-tête with Europe's very notorious jilting wife-stealer, Crown Prince of Switzerland, Prince Jack Frost Overland, whom the writer had reported seeing skulking about town a few days ago. And when the Queen was confronted by a friend who had approached in order to rescue her from the next scandal or even worse harm, until the Queen, who was once well-known for her sensibility, had boldly presented Prince Jack as her betrothed. The beau monde might well be asking itself if the lady was quite as respectable as she had always appeared to be. And even more importantly, is she fit to continue to reign as a sovereign…

Elsa did not read any further. She closed the paper with trembling hands, as if she could thereby obliterate what is said. A bad dream had just turned itself into the worst of nightmares.

She finally sat down shivering and recalling how the spreading of vicious and almost entirely untrue gossip had once forced Princess Rachel into marrying Archduke Simon two years ago.

History was not about to repeat itself with her was it?

Oh, surely not! Such catastrophes would not lay its atrocious talons into her life.

Whatever was she going to do?

Jack very much doubted that Queen Elsa Magnus was a woman of gossip- especially at her own expense and on the topic of her meeting with him. It must have been that other prince with the peculiar wet-sounding name and the red hair, then.

For gossip there was.

It was his mother who alerted him. She actually appeared at breakfast the morning after the Tindall ball, albeit well after Sir Graham had left for his club and just as Jack himself was about to rise from the table. He was aware that she had been at the ball, though he had not been there long enough himself to see her.

"Jack," she said as she swept into the breakfast parlor, still clad in a dressing gown of a pale blue diaphanous material that billowed and wafted about her, though her hair had been immaculately styled and he suspected that her cheeks were rouged, "you are up already. I scarcely slept a wink all night. I feel quite haggard. But you were not in your room when we arrived home last night, you provoking man, and so there was no talking with you then. I did not hear you come home. It must have been at some unearthly hour. Do tell me if it is true. Can it possibly be? Are you betrothed to the most independent woman of Europe, the Queen of Norway? The older sister of Princess Anna? The Queen Elsa? Without a word to your own mother? It would be a splendid match for you, my love. Your grandfather will be quite reconciled to you if it is true. And that will be a very good thing as Graham has been grumbling and complaining, the silly man, that you will be living under his roof for the rest of our lives. Not that he does not love you in his own unique way, but … But speak up, do, Jack, please do. It would be so much nice than just sitting there silently as though there were nothing to tell. Are you betrothed?"

"In one word, Mama," he said, hiding his surprise and signaling the butler to fill his coffee cup again, "no. Not yet, anyway, and perhaps never. I danced with the lady once last evening, that is all."

"That is not all," his mother protested. "Queen Elsa presented you to someone- oh, I cannot for the life of me remember who- as her betrothed. Hannah Walters told me so and she never spreads stories unless they are accurate. Besides, everyone was saying so."

"Then, Mama," he said, getting to his feet after taking one sip of the fresh coffee, "you had no need to ask me, did you? You will excuse me? I ought to have been at the Jeremey's Boxing Salon twenty minutes ago."

"It is not true, then?" she asked, looking crestfallcrestfallen.

"Queen Elsa was provoked into saying what she did," he said, "at my suggestion. I will be calling on her later today to discuss the matter."

His mother looked befuddled but hopeful as she gazed at him and ignored the warm food before her.

"But when did you meet the lady, Jack?" she asked. "That is what has been puzzling me all night as I tossed and turned and I daresay it is puzzling too, as he could suggest no answer when I asked him that very question. He would only grunt in that odious way of his. You have been in town only a few days. Now that I think of it, I do not believe Queen Elsa has been here much longer. I do not remember seeing herehhhhh before last evening, though I have seen other royalties everywhere, including that very handsome King Connor and his two beautiful daughters. Oh, now I see! You met elsewhere and arranged to meet again here. You-"

He took her hand in his and raised it to his lips.

"Keep all this to yourself for a while, will you, Mama?" he asked.

Though it was surely a pointless thing to ask, if the ballroom had been buzzing with the rumour last evening after he had left.

"But of course," she said. "You know that I am the soul of discretion, Jack. I shall tell Graham what you have told me, of course, but we hold no such secrets from each other."

He went off to Jeremey's. The first man he encountered there was Kyle Magnus and his initial suspicion that Kyle had been waiting there for him was soon confirmed.

"Come and spar with me, Jack," he said, but it was more of an ultimatum rather an affable invitation.

"It will be my pleasure," Jack replied. "You look as if you are ready to punch my head in, though. Which, I must confess, is preferable to sparring with one of those fellows who like to prance about striking poses that they think make them look manly."

Kyle did not laugh or even grin at his humor. He went on looking grim and a little white about the mouth.

Kyle was Elsa's cousin, Jack remembered suddenly. After all, the man's full name was Kyle Magnus. One would not expect there to be much love lost between the two branches of the family, though, since Kyle was the eldest son of the late duke‑ who had been Elsa's father's younger twin- merely inherited the title of duke, instead of king. There was that asinine law to the effect that a man- or a woman‑ that made the eldest child of the nation's king and queen the future monarch, even if both parents died and there was an older male cousin, who had the bloodline very close to the main branch of the royal family, could govern the country. If it hadn't been his father who was born eleven minutes prior to his twin brother, it would have been Kyle to sit on the throne as the head monarch. That law had always made him slightly upset.

So why should Kyle suddenly care about the welfare of Elsa Magnus, the eldest child who inherited the title as 'Queen'?

But it was apparent, Kyle did, though.

He spoke again after they had stripped down to the waist and were in the ring, circling each other warily and taking preliminary jabs, testing the land, watching for weaknesses, looking for openings to strike.

"I cannot believe, Jack," he said, "that you can be serious in your intention to marry Elsa. Why did you allow that story to spread last evening?"

Jack saw a clear path to his opponent's chin and headed through it with a quick right jab. But Kyle neatly deflected the blow and buried one of his own in Jack's unprotected stomach.

It hurt like the devil and for a moment Jack was winded by the sharp strike. He would not show it, though. He was a little ashamed to find himself so out of practice, if the truth were told. He hooked his left arm wide and dealt Kyle a strong blow to the side of his head.

Kyle winced.

"One does not either permit a story to spread it or stop it from doing so once it has started," Jack said. "Stories quickly develop a life of their own when there are people to begin them and people start to believe them. This particular story did not even start up until after I had left the ball."

They concentrated upon throwing precise punches at each other for several minutes. It became quickly obvious to Jack that this was no friendly bout.

"You are saying, then, that the story is untrue?" Kyle asked somewhat later, when the ferocity of their attacks had abated and they were catching their jagged breaths before going back at it.

"That I am betrothed to Queen Elsa?" Jack said. "Yes, it is. That she introduced me to a popinjay in a scarlet coat as her betrothed? No, it is not. I was not there to hear the details of the story myself and so am not sure what it is exactly I am being called upon to confirm or deny."

He spotted the same path to Kyle's chin again- there was a definite weakness in his defenses there- and this time he successfully planted a right upper cut, snapping Kyle's head back. But, as before, Kyle also buried a fist in his midriff again. Jack received it with an audible woof of expelled air and stepped in closer with both fists flying. And two fists flew back at him with equal ferocity.

They pummeled each other for several more minutes without talking or relenting their attacks, until they were both undeniably sore and breathless and sweating and the strength was going from their powerful arms. Eventually they backed off by unspoken assent, neither of them having succeeded in putting the other down.

"I like you, Jack," Kyle said, reaching for his white towel. "I always did. It did not bother me that you ran off with Mrs. Milford instead of marrying Miss Milford. A fellow's business is his own and solely his. I assumed that you had your reasons for doing what you did. But this time your business if mine too."

Jack flexed his knuckles, though not with any intention of renewing their fight. They were looking red and even raw.

"Queen Elsa is your business?" he asked.

"She is when someone is about to hurt her," Kyle said, "even if only her reputation. She has had a raw deal of a life, Jack, as women all too often do. She was not even sixteen when both of her parents had passed away and at their funeral, she swore in front of their tombstones that she would make a home for her only younger sister, Anna, until she was all grown up and settled in life. That was long before my own father and then my brother, Luke, died. She was young and lost in life. She was forced to shed from her childhood and inherit a wisdom and knowledge to rival any noble men and noble women. All in the name as the future Queen of Norway and for the sake of honoring her deceased parents. It was deemed impossible for a mere girl to study everything, begin governing the land, and take care of her younger sister, without crumbling to pressure and stress. The parliament even considered passing the throne over to me, as the third in line, because the girls were far too young and unprepared for the society. However, I was intrigued in the capability of my cousin- if she was worthy to become the queen. I wanted to test her and my fate and the fate of my father. It was miraculous and respectable to watch her flourish as a woman and succeed in her task. She proved the government wrong, the country wrong, Europe wrong, and lastly, she proved me wrong. Elsa had become the queen our country needed. Elsa made sure to teach her younger sister and two years ago Anna had been wed to Kristoff. I respect her. And she is finally free of any obligations, besides the country, but she has lost her childhood and youth. She is no longer young. She has probably realized that if she does not marry soon, she will be unable to wed or have future heirs. I can see that she would be an easy prey to such as you."

The man spoke heatedly despite the fact that he was still half out of breath and his eyes also burned with passion. It was clear Kyle now admired his cousin and his loyalty was firmly placed with her.

"Such as me?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

"Mrs. Milford is dead," Kyle said, "So is your father, Jack, and your grandfather is an old man. You have come to town, I presume, in order to choose a bride."

"And if I have chosen Queen Elsa," Jack continued, wrapping his navy blue towel about his shoulders and wiping his face with it, "it must be because I intend to hurt her?"

"Your notoriety itself will hurt her," Kyle said. "Leave her alone, Jack. Choose someone less vulnerable."

"But if the story of how she presented me to Lawns- or was it Cons or Hans? Hans! That was it. If the story has spread, Kyle, and obviously it has," Jack said, "will I not hurt her quite irreparably by withdrawing my offer now?"

Kyle gazed stormily at him. "Damn you, Jack." He scrubbed at his face and arms and chest with his towel and stalked off to retrieve his clothes. "Why did you have to choose Elsa of all people? If you marry her and hurt so much as a hair on her head, you will have me to answer to. This was nothing."

He jerked his head back in the direction of the ring. "This was mere sparring."

"Are you going to White's by any chance?" Jack asked. "If you are, I will walk with you."

But going to White's brought him face-to-face with Duke Edmond Lacher, a man who looked fairly close to Queen Elsa at the ball. The last time they had met, the young man was only Viscount Lacher.

"Duke Edmond." Prince Jack nodded affably to him and the older man with dark brown curls who was with him, and would have proceeded on his way to the reading room to look at the morning papers if that blond man had not quite deliberately blocked his way.

"Prince Jack," the duke snarled, frowning ferociously. "I will have a word with you. My wife, if you did not know it, was the former Mrs. Elizabeth Westergard and before that, Miss Vanessa, Princess of Weselton. This is His Majesty, King Conner of Weselton.

Ah, so the duke had a connection with both the Westergards and the Weseltons, did he? Jack sighed inwardly. He had not realized that.

King Conner inclined his head and looked very grim. He was a handsome man for his old age and a slender one, but Jack's practiced eyes registered the fact that it would be a grand mistake to assume that the man was therefore a weakling. Even if he was much older than himself, the king's physique looked very well honed and the face had character.

"Ah, Your Majesty, this is a surprise," Jack said. "You are just the man I would have been seeking out later today."

He had not thought of doing so until the very moment actually. It was a while since he had made any formal marriage offer. It was obvious that King Connor wasn't Elsa's legitimate father, but that protective demeanor, the king's age, and his close relationship with Queen Elsa seemed to equate him as the father-figure. Especially because she was staying at his residence with his daughters. It would surely be decent of him to meet King Connor formally before moving onto Queen Elsa to discuss about the marriage settlements and all the other business surrounding an impending marriage offer.

"Later today is a little too late, is it not," King Conner asked him curtly, "when the question has already been asked and answered and word spread among half the ton? And announced in the morning paper?"

"Announced in the paper?" Jack asked in pure astonishment.

Extraordinary. And it must have been that petty prince with the weak chin. No one else could have seen him and Queen Elsa talking to each other and thought of spreading the rumor that they were betrothed. Jack would not mind having a word or two with Prince Hans.

How was Queen Elsa holding up this morning? Jack wondered. Were circumstances playing into his hands and almost forcing her into accepting him? If the ton believed that she was betrothed to him- and clearly it did, or would once it had read the paper this morning- she would cause herself some embarrassment if she cried off. On the other hand, marrying him was going to bring her scandal. He was not the ton's favorite son.

Queen Elsa, it seemed, had trapped herself somewhere between the devil and the deep blue sea.

"I would have said no a thousand times over," King Conner said while Duke Edmond loomed, silent, and menacing, "if you had done all this properly in order not to shame the dear queen. She's like a daughter to me and if she was, I would have said no a thousand times over. And I would still say no if the answer were mine to give after you settled this properly. Unfortunately, Queen Elsa is not subject to my will. She is her own person and can answer for herself. I do not like you, Prince Jack."

Jack raised his eyebrows.

"As far as I remember," he said, "we met only for the first time a few moments ago, King Conner. You form impressions with great haste."

"I do not like men," the king retorted, "who abandon their brides to private heartache and public scorn and run off with lawfully married ladies instead. I do not like such men at all especially when they are contemplating marriage to those who are preciously close to me. And I do not need any prolonged acquaintance to form such judgement."

Prince Jack inclined his head.

"We are beginning to attract attention, Father," Edmond whispered.

The halls were large enough and wide enough that they were in no danger of blocking the progress of other gentlemen as they arrived or left. But heads were indeed turning their way- and no wonder if the Tindall ballroom had been abuzz with gossip as Jack imagined it must have been- and if the gossip writer had made as juicy a morsel of the story as gossip writers usually did. And now here was he, the notorious Crown Prince Jack, in company with one of the closest royal family linked to Queen Elsa's company, all of them looking as solemn as if they were attending a funeral. Yes, of course they were attracting attention.

"I promised Queen Elsa last evening," Jack said, "that I would call upon at your estate this afternoon. If I may, King Conner, I will speak with you there first."

The king nodded stiffly and Prince Jack bowed elegantly to the two gentlemen and went on his own way.

He would have left White's without having gone farther than the reception hall, but sheer pride prevented him from crawling away now. Besides, he wanted to read what had been written about him in the morning papers. He proceeded upstairs, where he was greeted by a number of gentlemen. Indeed some of the greetings were jovial and even raucous and accompanied by much back-slapping.

Among a certain crowd, it seemed, he had established himself one devil of a fine fellow.

And then he read the description of himself as a jilt and a wife-stealer.

Both perfectly true.

And he read that he had been presented to the friend of who had come to the rescue of Queen Elsa as her betrothed.

It was indeed Hans who had betrayed her, then. Again.

Jack would definitely want a word with that particular red-haired prince.

There was, he learned before leaving the club after an early luncheon, a wager written in the betting book on whether or not he would abandon this bride at the altar. The odds were heavily in favor of his doing so.

And this afternoon he would be making Queen Elsa Magnus a formal marriage offer, which she might well feel compelled to accept now. He would be left with thirteen days in which to present her to his grandfather and arrange a wedding by special license.

His freedom was going to be bought- if she accepted him, that was- at a very steep price.

Though freedom was not the issue, was it?

Charles was.

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