The Silver Eyed Prince (Highest Royal Coven of Europe) (33 page)

“W-what?” She finally managed to mumble.

“I'm in love with you,” he said huskily, his long lashes fanning downwards as he looked into her eyes.

For a moment, she thought he was joking. Surely, he couldn't have said what she thought he'd just said. But the affection shining in his eyes was all she needed to see to know that he was sincere. She tried to think of something smart—, or sweet—, or cute to say, but her brain had fogged and her tongue had solidified. All she knew was ... she was suddenly ecstat
ically, gloriously, happy.

“Do you want me to say it again?” he whispered.

She nodded automatically, feeling like an idiot, with her jaw hanging from the rest of her face as if it intended to permanently stay there.

“I love you ... I love you ... I love you.” He punct
uated each endearment with tiny kisses on the tip of her nose and cheekbones. And when she kept gaping at him, speechless, he nudged her chin with the crook of his finger, pushing it upwards. “You can close your mouth now, dear.”

“Y-you love me?” she squeaked.

“I thought I made that quite clear.”

“Y-you're crazy!”

“Positively insane.” He grinned.

“Oh, William . . .” She gulped, trembling in his arms. “This is—, I—, are you sure?”

“No doubt about it,” he replied, then, his lips twisted. “Though I'm not certain what you're doing with someone like me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I'm a European Royal—pompous, inconsiderate and temperamental to the core. I have a bad habit of stealing kisses from a certain unsuspecting red haired girl, who calls me
Mr. Mockery
on occasion.” He chuckled at the sudden heat that climbed up her cheeks. “Didn't think I knew about that, aye?”

“How—?”

“I read your mind.” He winked. “Sometimes.”

“You what?”

“And just so you know, I call you
Miss Contradiction
.” He beamed.

“Miss Contradiction!”

“Yes. I suspect that all that name-calling and foot stomping were a deliberate ruse, when what you really wanted was to be kissed passionately—by me.” He donned his most annoying, smug,
Mr. Mockery
expression.

“Ack! You are such a conceited, arrogant—” She pinched him hard on the sides.

He caught her wrists, laughing. “Oho! Name-calling and pinching! Close enough to foot stomping! I'll take that as my cue.” He kissed her squarely on the mouth, and then picked her up and sat on the couch with her half-sprawled on his chest and lap, their lips ardently locked together.

After a while, he pulled away just enough speak. “Now tell me, Elizabeth ... Why me?”

She studied his beloved face and let all the tenderness, devotion, and love, show in her eyes and flow into her smile. “Because I love you,” she replied softly, as he brushed his lips along the outline of her lower lip. “Even if you're a Royal pain in the you-know-where, for some reason, I just do.”

“Ha! I knew you couldn't resist me,” he stated ove
rconfidently, and she felt him smile wickedly against her mouth.

“Really, Your Highness.” She drew back and tugged on his earlobe. “Your ego is way over-inflated!”

“Hmm. Scolding and ear pulling. I take it that's another cue.” He captured her mouth with one hand on the back of her head, his fingers buried in her hair, his other arm circling her waist.

Elizabeth felt her feelings for him unleash.
He loves her, he truly does!
No matter what the future may bring, nothing could change the fact that he loved and accepted her for who she was—, a Tainted girl of humble means with no pedigree, who had nothing to offer and was completely beneath him. And yet, in spite of it all, he'd given her the most precious gift.

Unconditional love.

Unable to resist the sudden warmth that flooded her heart, she gently sank her fingers through his thick dark hair, stroking the silken locks in a loving, rhythmic caress.

“I love you,” she whispered breathlessly between kisses, her eyes blurring with tears of happiness.

He released her mouth and looked at her.

“And I, you.” He reclaimed her lips in a kiss more passionate than any they'd shared, fired by their m
utual possession of each other. A low growl emanated from his throat as he gathered her closer, lowering her on the couch with her legs still draped across his lap, his kiss more insistent than ever.

And that was exactly how her mom found them minutes later—, announcing her arrival with a loud gasp and the clang of numerous cans hitting the hardwood floor, all at once.  

Dreaming of England

       T
he colors of the setting sun cast hues of copper and gold in the horizon, as William cuddled with Elizabeth on a loveseat in the balcony of The Palladian. He adjusted the sunglasses protecting his sensitive eyes with a quick push of a forefinger, recalling the mortified expressions of both mother and daughter earlier, with a suppressed smile.

Elizabeth had practically turned scarlet from her hairline to her toes, completely discomfited from being caught making out with him on the s
ofa. Her mother, on the other hand, though shocked at the scene she'd walked into, had been more stunned with coming face to face with him.

Nevertheless, he'd managed to di
ffuse the awkward situation by issuing a quick telepathic message to her mother, cautioning against revealing anything to Elizabeth. Given that he had just earned her love and regained her trust minutes ago, he was reluctant to disclose anything that might result in losing her confidence again. Perhaps in the next few days, the right time would come.

So, they proceeded in a manner that was nothing out of the ordinary, with Elizabeth introducing him to her mother and with him eventually securing her permi
ssion to let Elizabeth stay with him after school.

The vibrant s
hades of sunset gradually faded, replaced by somber hues of purple and gray as the sun sank further down the horizon.

He placed a gentle kiss on top of Elizabeth's head and shifted so that she was more snugly cocooned against him, with his arm around her shoulders, her cheek resting on his chest, and her arms circling his waist. She sighed and smiled up at him. He gazed into her eyes that were more violet at the moment, something he'd noticed whenever she was relaxed and happy. He too, was perfectly content, sitting here, holding her. He'd never felt this way before, filled with bliss and a total sense of peace, insulated from the restlessness that drove him to e
xcel at everything, just to experience momentary satisfaction.

With Elizabeth, he had rediscovered his purpose. His zest to embark on the roadmap of a more meaningful existence had been resurrected. He had awakened from what seemed like long years of slumber, refreshed and ready to tackle the destiny that had been laid out before him: To redeem his people and reinvigorate their hope that the great Omni had not forsaken them.

The era of Purification had finally come and he would see to it that the tragedy of past history did not repeat itself. For the first time in his entire existence, he felt fortified to carry the burden of his rank. He knew without a doubt from the very depths of his heart:
He was ready to be King. 

“What are you thinking?” Elizabeth rested her chin on his chest, peering up at him.

“I'm just daydreaming.” He shrugged, wishing he could share his thoughts with her, but he knew, she wouldn't understand.

“About what?” she persisted, lif
ting an eyebrow.

“England.” He brushed a strand of wayward hair from her face. “My real home.”

“You're homesick.” She tightened her arms around his waist when he nodded. “Is all your family out there?”

“Yes. Mama and Papa, a battalion of aunts, uncles and cousins, and our loyal staff who've been with us for centuries.”

“What are they like? Your mom and dad?” Her eyes took on a deeper shade of purple.

“They're utterly enamored with each other even if they're complete opposites.” He chuckled. “Papa is ser
ious and all-business, while Mama is lively and fun. Papa dotes on her and Mama makes him laugh. They're a formidable team and the best parents ever.”

Her whole face lit up. “And your relatives?”

“There are legions of them in England and all across Europe. It would take weeks for me to describe them all. But the closest ones I have are my cousins whom you've already met.”

“What about the ones who work for you?”

“One of them in particular, General Bradford, who had been my mentor since I was a little boy. He thought me everything about combat and before that, had been Papa's instructor when he was young. He is like a second father to me and my cousins, who also trained under him.”

Elizabeth stared at him for a long time before she spoke. “Your home sounds wonderful.” She lowered her lashes and began toying with his shirt collar. “I'm sure you'll see everybody again soon.”

He heard the slight falter in her voice and noticed the sudden melancholy in her mood, which she tried to hide by fixing his collar. He lifted her chin, and saw that her eyes had changed into a glazed shade of blue. She smiled at him, or rather forced herself to. In the silence between them, he felt the turmoil that shrouded her heart like a dark cloud.
Elizabeth was afraid of losing him
.

“I want you to come home with me,” he said wit
hout hesitation.

“To England?” Her expression brightened.

“Yes. Will you come with me?” He now found himself wanting her to, more than ever.

She straightened and let out a small laugh. “You can't mean that. Your parents will kill you and my mom—”

“Your mom will come with us and my parents will be delighted to meet you.”
And you will finally meet your father.
He suppressed the urge to tell her the last part.

“I’m a Tainted, William. You know how bad, how impossible—”

He silenced her with the touch of a forefinger to her lips. “It doesn’t matter. I love you and that’s all that matters,” he whispered. Perhaps, the best way to go about revealing the truth is to let her experience it, rather than explain all of its complications. Once they arrived in England, it would be easier for her to understand her destiny.
Yes, perhaps he would tell her once they get there.
“Will you come, if your mom agrees to come too?”

She reached out and took the sunglasses off him as the sun faded and the shadows grew. “Yes,” her lips curved slightly at the corners, gazing at him, eyes bri
lliant and once again, very violet. “I would love to go on a vacation there.”

Vacation?
Didn't she get what he meant? As soon as she set foot in England, he intended for her to
stay
there!

She frowned. “You look disappoin
ted.”

“Oh, no, no. I would be pleased to have you and your Mom as my guests.” Perhaps, this discussion could also wait another day. For now, he was sa
tisfied with their progress.
She had agreed to come home with him!

The Courage to Choose Right

       Elizabeth's mother waited with bated breath for Colonel Gunter's reaction after she'd recounted her astounding ordeal. He was seated across from her at the dining table, regarding her with sharp, deep red eyes that made her feel ill at ease.

“I hope you understand my reasons for not coming back and keeping Elizabeth a secret,” she ventured ca
utiously. “I am sorry for purposely eluding your search.”

“I accept your apology, Your Grace, but I fail to comprehend the wisdom behind your decision,” his tone betrayed his displeasure.

“Colonel, I didn't have a choice. If you were in my position, you would've—”

“I would've done things differen
tly,” he ground out. “Did you ever stop to consider the consequences of your actions? Your failure to return devastated the King and impaired his ability to rule the hierarchy. You threw the entire Highest Royal Coven of Europe into panic and exposed its vulnerability to its enemies.”

“I did not wish for my people to go to war for me!” she exclaimed, put off by his reprimand. “The Duke of Northern Peninsula has threatened an invasion if I r
eturned. He swore to kill my husband and annihilate our entire clan. His army is large and spans continents. I've seen evidence of it myself while in captivity. Colonel Gunter—,” She swallowed hard, her eyes misting. “I could not sacrifice my family and my people for my own salvation.”  

“And so you decided to go on the run.” His eyes narrowed. “Your fears have driven you to abandon your husband and your domain in the hopes of avoiding co
nflict. Do you realize that by doing this, the battle you tried so hard to prevent was only but delayed?” He leaned back in his chair and shook his head in a show of exasperation. “The Duke's men are onto your daughter. It will only be a matter of time before they discover your true identities!”