Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 72146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“I did,” I tell him. “And you?”
“Very well.” He hesitates before continuing, “This morning, before we have breakfast, there is an introduction I must make to you.”
“An introduction? To another prince?” I try to keep my voice calm, but I fear I do not manage it entirely. “I thought Prince Jasper… I thought he had requested that all other suitors wait for a week.”
“So he did, and so I agreed.” My father smiles at me, and I do recognize that smile—it is the one he used to give me when he wanted to reassure me as a child. Much like the one I gave Alice earlier. I’m embarrassed to find that it does not work very well on me, and likely didn’t work on her. What did she know that I don’t? What does my father know?
He continues, “I have not broken my word. There is no other suitor awaiting us. On the contrary, it is a relative of the prince’s. His brother has come to the castle to be introduced. You will be pleased to know that your friend, Isabel has come to be here for the occasion.”
“His brother,” I echo, my stomach dropping. The brother who he had spoken about with such pain. The brother who had been captured during the war. “Is he… I had heard Prince Jasper had a brother, but I do not know—”
“You need not be nervous, my daughter. He is a quiet man and will not disturb you.”
Disturb me? I flinch at his description. I wish, even more strongly, that Prince Jasper had shared more with me about his brother, a man who holds great importance in his life. I wish I was more prepared.
But I am not, and I will not be, so I hold my head high in front of my father and all the staff who are watching and go with him to meet the prince’s brother.
My father guides us past the great hall to a smaller sunroom.
“Isabel awaits us here, along with the prince’s brother,” my father says, and we enter.
I see Isabel first and flash her a grateful smile. There are others in the room—a page and cupbearer of ours, and a few others I do not recognize who must have come with the prince’s brother.
I curtsy deeply to him, since he is himself a prince. “I am so pleased to meet you, Prince…”
“Casen,” my father supplies. I only have a moment to realize that the prince himself should have given his name.
“Prince Casen,” I finish and rise from my curtsy to see his face. As I lift my head my mouth drops and my world spins.
It is the man from the shadows. My lover. My scarred dark knight. Shock keeps me still and I struggle to compose myself.
There is no mistaking him. His face is scarred, just as it was last night, and the resemblance to Prince Jasper is both stronger and weaker in various ways. I cannot tell if they were once identical or if it is the scarring that has made them so different. They have similar dark hair, but I—
I cannot tell—
I cannot breathe.
“I am pleased to meet you,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
He inclines his head to me, but does not speak.
“I—” I do not know what to say.
“Perhaps this is moving too quickly,” my father interrupts. “Perhaps we should reconsider—”
“No!” I shout, far too loud. It startles all the servants in the room. “I just… I just need a moment.”
Isabel rushes to my side, and my father goes to Prince Casen. I do not know what he says in his ear. “I apologize, I didn’t.”
“The princess is feeling faint,” Isabel announces. “I will take her to get some air, and all will be well. My apologies Prince Casen.”
Surely they feel it’s his appearance that’s made me this way. An awful sickness runs through me as my mind races. They’re brothers. Do they know then? When I told Casen… I didn’t say which prince did I?
Isabel, ever my dear friend, whisks me from the room. We stand near an open window, and she fans my face. Fretting over me. Her dress is quite like mine but blue once again and she wears her tiara as well. I cannot believe it is him. This must be some sort of nightmare. Or is it a dream? How will I tell them both? How will I explain this to anyone? Will I need to explain it to anyone?
I do not faint, but it is a very near thing. My vision clouds at the edges, but I remind myself that I am not hurt, and it is not the shock everyone thinks it is. My surprise is only because the prince’s brother is the stranger in the shadows. They were one and the same.
I cannot believe it. With the realization solidified, I nearly get sick. They’re going to hate me.