Chapter 2

"Katherine, you mustn't waste your time with that man. You need to be looking for an eligible prince, someone who can help you run the kingdom," her father chided as she walked at his side.

"I know, Daddy," Katherine said meekly.

Her father stopped and looked at her. "I know it sounds harsh, but I won't live forever and you need someone to look out for you."

"Yes, Daddy," Katherine sighed.

The ball lasted late into the night. Katherine spent the rest of the time dancing and making awkward conversations with princes from surrounding kingdoms. But she noticed that Rick stayed and she caught his eye whenever she could.

At last, the party ended and Katherine was free to return to her chamber. She kissed her father good night and allowed her maid to undress her. Then, Katherine dismissed the girl and threw a simple dress over her night gown.

Kate waited to the count of 100, then took a candle and slowly crept through the castle halls to the gardens. She made it safely outside without anyone seeing her, but once outside she realized a fatal flaw in her plan. She had not told Rick where to meet her! And the gardens were huge. She might never find him.

Kate moved slowly along the garden paths, shining her candle into the bushes, looking for Rick. Just when she was ready to give up, there was movement on the path ahead. She held her candle higher and Rick stood on the edge of the circle of light. Kate gasped and Rick stepped closer and folded her in his arms.

"You came," she whispered.

"Always," Rick murmured, stroking her hair. He stepped away and Kate missed his warmth. He slid his fingers down her arm, making her flesh erupt in goosebumps, and laced his fingers with hers. He tugged gently and Kate followed him deeper into the gardens.

"Where are we going?" Kate asked.

"I want to show you something," Rick said. He took her candle and led her by its light to a secluded grotto with a waterfall tumbling from the rocky walls. The flame reflected off the water and wet rocks, setting the whole place aglow with sultry orange light.

"Sit down, Kate," Rick gestured.

Kate sat, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Rick cleared his throat and then began to speak.

"Who will believe my verse in time to come,

If it were filled with your most high deserts?

Though yet heaven knows it is but as a tomb

Which hides your life, and shows not half your parts.

If I could write the beauty of your eyes,

And in fresh numbers number all your graces,

The age to come would say 'This poet lies;

Such heavenly touches ne'er touched earthly faces.'

So should my papers, yellowed with their age,

Be scorned, like old men of less truth than tongue,

And your true rights be termed a poet's rage

And stretched metre of an antique song:

But were some child of yours alive that time,

You should live twice, in it, and in my rhyme."

When he finished, he was blushing, but Kate had tears falling down her cheeks at the beautiful words he had said.

She scrambled up and launched herself into his arms. "Did you write that for me?"

"I had some time waiting for you," Rick shrugged.

"Oh, Rick, it's beautiful," Kate said. She found herself looking into his eyes and it felt just like their moment on the dance floor, when she thought he was going to kiss her. Slowly, they drew closer. Kate's eyes fluttered shut. She felt Rick pause.

"What are you waiting for?" she murmured.

So his lips fell over hers.

Kate had never been kissed like this before. His lips were soft and they fit perfectly against hers. His hands, splayed against her back, pressed her close to him and Kate's hands found their own way into his chocolate brown locks.

Rick ran his tongue over the seam of her lips and then into her mouth, skipping over her teeth and ticklish places she didn't know she had. A too long and too short time later, he broke away, leaving Kate breathless and dizzy.

"You should go," Rick whispered. "You don't want them to discover you missing."

"No," Kate said. "Please, don't leave. I want to stay with you. Please, Rick."


The poem is Shakespeare's Sonnet 17.