A man like Daniel doesn’t admit to weakness so when he told me he was close to losing control with me, I knew he trusted me. Most men in his position see weakness as a major fault, but not Daniel. He knew by admitting to me how he felt, he was making sacrifices. We just didn’t know the sacrifices we would have to make.
Kissing is the furthest we have gone since we met each other over eight months ago. Don’t get me wrong the kissing is great. The obstacle blocking us from going further is my title and all that that encompasses. The title requires the princess “to be pure at the time of her marriage to her future king and proof must be given,” whatever that means. In other words, I must be a virgin to get the crown.
There are times in life when you just want to get lost and right now is one of those times. I would like nothing more than to lose myself in Daniel emotionally. He is the “one.” We both knew it from the beginning. I feel safe with him, like nothing will ever harm me. He has proven to me over the last week the extremes he is willing to go to keep me safe.
Daniel is becoming terser as we get closer to Farquadt. Our time here on the barge has been idyllic, spending nearly every waking moment together, learning more about each other except the area where I truly would like to get to know him better. We are building a strong foundation for whatever the future holds for us.
Farquadt came into view early this morning. From this distance, it looks mysterious shrouded in low-lying clouds with misty mountain peaks and wooded flatlands. The grey sky is threatening to open up and douse the lands. From what I have been told, this is the type of weather that is normal for this part of the world.
Daniel pointed towards the summer castle where the King, my father, resides during the warmer months. Daniel lands are on the west side of the country. He explained it would be suspicious for a barge to land on the western coast when the main harbor is located on the eastern coast. We are going to drive from the port to his lands. The King’s current residence is visible from where we are now. The King’s land and Daniel’s share a border, which accounts for a little less than half the country’s land.
As I’m leaning on the railing looking at the waves, Daniel startles me from my reverie.
“Daphne, you need to come inside now. There are spies all over. We need to be careful from this moment on.” He says placing a hand at my lower back trying to guide me towards the door.
I resist his guiding hand and stop to turn around. When I look at him, I can’t help feeling a sense of awe. He is beautiful in that dangerous sort of way. The wind tosses his hair, giving it a disheveled look. By looking at him you would never know his station in life. Dark blue, denim jeans, motorcycle boots, and black, tight-fitted shirt topped off with a black leather jacket add to his overall sexual appeal. Maybe it is being this close to him for such a long period of time and sexual frustration, but marrying him sooner rather than later is becoming more and more a necessity. But he hasn’t said anything further on the subject.
“They can see me from there? You said they don’t know I actually exist. That there is only speculation. Wouldn’t they have to know I’m coming?”
“I don’t know who knows and who doesn’t. But someone knows and they’ve known my steps this far.” He sighs. “We don’t know how they found out about Paris. I don’t want to worry you unnecessarily, but there is a leak somewhere.”
This has been bothering him since this adventure began. He doesn’t know who he can trust and who he can’t.
“If for no other reason, come inside for me. Let me have you for a few more hours. Once we land, there won’t be any more of this.” He gestures between us.
“I don’t understand. I’m staying with you, right?” I ask, afraid I’ll be shipped off to some cloistered nunnery like they did to Mary Queen of Scots.
He nods solemnly.
“Then how will we not have time like this?”
“It won’t be right for us to be alone. You will have to be chaperoned at all times, whether it be maids, guards or your personal assistant.”
Only one part of that last statement registers.
“My personal assistant?” I balk.
“Your personal assistant? She will lead you in all things and know your schedules.”
“Why do I need one?”
“She is in essence your secretary. I had thought maybe you could have two.”
I don’t want one. Why would I want two?
“One will be knowledgeable in Farquadt and our ways, while the other….” He pauses to look at me with a glint in his eye. “The other could be Dante. I know you will want him close to you all the time and he knows you. He would lay down his life for you. If he is not this close to you like this, you may not see him as often as you’re used to. He would also be stopped automatically by security.”
At a loss of words, I stand there transfixed by him. Daniel understands how I feel about this whole situation and instead of making it worse, he is trying to find ways to have my two worlds meld. Would Dante have a problem with this? It doesn’t matter if he does or not, Daniel is thinking of me first. He is always thinking of me first. Slowly walking the short distance to him, I hug him.
“Thank you.” I whisper, kissing him.
He wraps his arms around my waist lifting me, returning the kiss with a fire. A throat clearing off to the side ends our sweet but seductive kiss.
“Sir.” A meek, male voice says.
Daniel lowers his head towards mine whispering, “What am I going to do with you?” Then he lifts his heads. “Yes, Donald?”
Donald is Daniel’s manservant, the one who truly knows Daniel and all his secrets. He is the equivalent to, I guess, what my assistant will be- the one person besides each of us who we can be ourselves with.
Donald appears meek, but he is far from it. The soft voice surprises people when they see the dark skin and tall frame behind the voice. Donald is a man of few, but eloquent words. When I have been lucky enough to engage him in conversation, I realized after only a few short sentences he worships Daniel.
His accent, no matter his fluency with many languages, is barely discernible. Daniel found Donald alone and starving on a street in a small, poverty ridden town in West Africa. Daniel thought Donald was a child when Donald tried stealing from Daniel. Instead of turning Donald over to the authorities, knowing it would mean his death, Daniel provided him with shelter and food. Daniel found out Donald was only five years Daniel’s junior.
Dumi, Donald’s name originally, was quickly changed to something more befitting a subject of Farquadt. This was Donald’s decision and against Daniel’s wishes. Daniel did not want Donald to forget who he was and where he came from.
Daniel eventually sent him off to school to be properly educated. When Donald returned, Daniel wanted him to have a life of his own but Donald wanted to serve Daniel in any capacity. Daniel had at the time officially claimed his inheritance and title. He knew he needed someone he could trust.
“There’s a call for you.” Donald replies.
“Who is it?” Daniel asks perturbed.
Donald hesitates before answering, looking between the both of us.
“Miss Elizabeth.”
Daniel tenses imperceptibly then slowly looks me in the eye, searching them.
“Tell her I’ll call her back.”
“Yes, your Grace.”
Donald leaves without a sound.
“Can I be honest?” Daniel asks a few minutes later.
“Yes, please.”
“I feel like the minute we leave this barge, everything we have found between us is going to be lost. There is a lot of opposition over here.” He says, turning away from me to look at Farquadt.
Farquadt is less than a mile away now. He leans on the railing and sighs loud enough for me to hear despite the wind and the crash of the waves against the barge. Or maybe I know him well enough to know he did it.
“They are going to be against us. I mean you and me.” He says looking down at his feet. “We will be fighting someone or something around every turn.”
“But as long as we have each other, we can’t let the rest of it get in the way. My father could help us, couldn’t he?”
The word father sounds foreign coming from my lips. I can’t help but feel anxious at the pending introductions. Will he know me on sight? Mrs. Grand, the old lady who helped raise me while my mom was still alive, used to say I looked like my mother. I hope she was right.
“He could, but I’m not sure where to start first.”
“I want to meet my father. That is, I need to meet him.”
“Yeah, about that.” He pushed off the railing, tugging me towards the interior. “I think it may be best if he comes to visit us. I don’t know who is in the castle at this time. It will also be safer for you to meet him on my terms.”
I look at him with confusion. What type of person is my father? Daniel has nothing but decent things to say about him except his withdrawal from society. I never asked what type of man he is.
“What do you mean?”
“I think you misunderstand me. Your father is a good man and King. I trust him and know he would never harm you. But I don’t know about the people currently surrounding him. There have been numerous attempts on his life recently. We think it maybe someone close to him.”
To find out I have a father and I’m this close to meeting him, only to have him killed before the actual meeting would seriously make me feel like bird poop. If only I knew sooner. If only mother was coherent more. If only…
“When we dock, I’ll call him, explaining it is imperative he comes to my home to discuss some unnamed threat.” Daniel explains.
“Do I get to meet him then?” I ask, letting the anticipation seep into my voice.
“Today, if it can be arranged.”
I jump into his arms exuberant that he knows me enough to understand how important it is to meet my father sooner rather than later