Chapter 18
Henry needed to get out of the house. He was desperate for some air.
Who was he kidding, anyway? He knew that he had to get out. He had to figure things out. He needed to think, and quickly, especially after that question and answer session he had in there.
He still couldn't believe what had gone on in that room. Something about going to the Winter Palace to claim something, something else about Prince Rupert, some crazy story about how he had fallen in love with some commoner named Margo and how he was now going to marry her instead of Princess Danielle. Renee had been furious as was Rupert's parents, King Roland and Queen Emily, but he didn't care.
After all, Roland was her older brother, but according to the tabloids, they were never close, were they?
Then there was the ever-popular pregnant rumor.
Well, whatever it was, he was supposed to find out tomorrow afternoon.
He wasn't going to worry about it; just a quick walk down to the café would be good. He wasn't sure if Nicole would be there. If she was, he could ask for her advice as he had so many times in the past.
Ah, there it was! Café Francois at last! Henry smiled as he neared the outdoor fenced-in garden. Usually, it was packed and noisy, but not tonight. He did hear voices though and turned into the direction of t hose voices. One of them sounded familiar. He stopped and looked over the low fence. There she was, talking with Prince Rupert no less.
Henry caught Danielle in mid-sentence. "....if you'll let me explain...."
Rupert shook his head. "Nothing to explain, Danielle. We are engaged to be married that's how it is. Why, I've loved you my whole life."
"Have you?"
"Yes, of course I have, Princess," he shouted angrily. "You of all people should know that. I thought that you felt the same."
"I do feel the same, Rupert. That part hasn't changed at all. I've always loved you. I've always felt t hat we..."
By this time, Henry had heard enough. He didn't know what to do next, so he quietly turned on his heel and just walked away, shaking his head and looking down toward t he ground. He couldn't believe he heard Rupert call Nicole Princess. And what was all that stuff about them being in love with one another. And engaged to be married!!! What about his ring? What about his love? Was she the Princess? And if it were true, why would she lie about who she was.
It didn't make any sense, no not at all. With tears forming in his eyes, he kept walking, never turning back, even though he heard his name being called over and over.
"So you showed up after all!" she said when he stepped out the side door. "Where is she?"
Rupert smiled and shook his head. "You know, Dani, somehow you always know."
"Of course, Rupe, I've known for sometime, there's no need to hide it."
Rupert's smile disappeared. "What about that little ring on your finger there?" Rupert pointed at it. "What's that?"
"None of your business," Danielle said, staring at him. "You wouldn't believe me anyway."
"Try me," Rupert said.
But Danielle shook her head. "No chance, Rupe. It's all-fair in love and war. After all, you have Margo now."
Rupert shook his head. "You don't think too much of her, do you?"
Danielle looked at him. "You know how I feel."
Rupert nodded. "Yeah, I suppose. We were to be married."
Danielle's eye's narrowed. "Who was?"
Rupert looked at her. "What are you, playing dumb? We were."
"Were?" Danielle asked. "Look, I need to explain."
"What, about that ring?"
"If you'll just let me explain..."
"Nothing to explain, Danielle. We are engaged to be married that's how it is. Why, I've loved you my whole life."
"Have you?"
"Yes, of course I have, Princess," he shouted angrily. "You of all people should know that. I thought that you felt the same."
"I do feel the same, Rupert. That part hasn't changed at all. I've always loved you. I've always felt that we..."
She stopped mid sentence and turned toward the street.
Rupert followed her gaze. "What's wrong?"
Danielle didn't answer. She had run toward the fence. "Henry?" she called out as she watched him move away from her.
Henry needed to get out of the house. He was desperate for some air.
Who was he kidding, anyway? He knew that he had to get out. He had to figure things out. He needed to think, and quickly, especially after that question and answer session he had in there.
He still couldn't believe what had gone on in that room. Something about going to the Winter Palace to claim something, something else about Prince Rupert, some crazy story about how he had fallen in love with some commoner named Margo and how he was now going to marry her instead of Princess Danielle. Renee had been furious as was Rupert's parents, King Roland and Queen Emily, but he didn't care.
After all, Roland was her older brother, but according to the tabloids, they were never close, were they?
Then there was the ever-popular pregnant rumor.
Well, whatever it was, he was supposed to find out tomorrow afternoon.
He wasn't going to worry about it; just a quick walk down to the café would be good. He wasn't sure if Nicole would be there. If she was, he could ask for her advice as he had so many times in the past.
Ah, there it was! Café Francois at last! Henry smiled as he neared the outdoor fenced-in garden. Usually, it was packed and noisy, but not tonight. He did hear voices though and turned into the direction of t hose voices. One of them sounded familiar. He stopped and looked over the low fence. There she was, talking with Prince Rupert no less.
Henry caught Danielle in mid-sentence. "....if you'll let me explain...."
Rupert shook his head. "Nothing to explain, Danielle. We are engaged to be married that's how it is. Why, I've loved you my whole life."
"Have you?"
"Yes, of course I have, Princess," he shouted angrily. "You of all people should know that. I thought that you felt the same."
"I do feel the same, Rupert. That part hasn't changed at all. I've always loved you. I've always felt t hat we..."
By this time, Henry had heard enough. He didn't know what to do next, so he quietly turned on his heel and just walked away, shaking his head and looking down toward t he ground. He couldn't believe he heard Rupert call Nicole Princess. And what was all that stuff about them being in love with one another. And engaged to be married!!! What about his ring? What about his love? Was she the Princess? And if it were true, why would she lie about who she was.
It didn't make any sense, no not at all. With tears forming in his eyes, he kept walking, never turning back, even though he heard his name being called over and over.
"So you showed up after all!" she said when he stepped out the side door. "Where is she?"
Rupert smiled and shook his head. "You know, Dani, somehow you always know."
"Of course, Rupe, I've known for sometime, there's no need to hide it."
Rupert's smile disappeared. "What about that little ring on your finger there?" Rupert pointed at it. "What's that?"
"None of your business," Danielle said, staring at him. "You wouldn't believe me anyway."
"Try me," Rupert said.
But Danielle shook her head. "No chance, Rupe. It's all-fair in love and war. After all, you have Margo now."
Rupert shook his head. "You don't think too much of her, do you?"
Danielle looked at him. "You know how I feel."
Rupert nodded. "Yeah, I suppose. We were to be married."
Danielle's eye's narrowed. "Who was?"
Rupert looked at her. "What are you, playing dumb? We were."
"Were?" Danielle asked. "Look, I need to explain."
"What, about that ring?"
"If you'll just let me explain..."
"Nothing to explain, Danielle. We are engaged to be married that's how it is. Why, I've loved you my whole life."
"Have you?"
"Yes, of course I have, Princess," he shouted angrily. "You of all people should know that. I thought that you felt the same."
"I do feel the same, Rupert. That part hasn't changed at all. I've always loved you. I've always felt that we..."
She stopped mid sentence and turned toward the street.
Rupert followed her gaze. "What's wrong?"
Danielle didn't answer. She had run toward the fence. "Henry?" she called out as she watched him move away from her.