Jason was finally beginning to think no matter how much he wanted to be with Elena, he was waging a war he could not win. No matter what he did, it blew up in his face. She had run off again, and he didn’t have sufficient words with which to appease her. So what if they had been seen by that village girl? What harm could that possibly do when everybody knew he’d chosen her? He was beginning to think she was never going to warm to him, and he heaved an exasperated sigh as he stood by the window, looking upon the place he had called home for the last several weeks.

His brows raised when he saw Candace’s father approach the gate and open it with such ferocity it almost fell apart.

“Prince Jason!” he shouted when he got to the door.

Jason stood by the window, wondering if he should respond to his blatant aggression or have him thrown in jail. He decided against the latter.

The man was pounding on the door when Jason grabbed the knob and twisted it.

“Yes?”

The man stalled for a moment, like he hadn’t expected an answer. He placed his hands on his hips and heaved. “Is that why you didn’t choose my Candace?”

“Is what why I didn’t choose Candace?”

“You know. I always knew there was something sneaky about that Elena—always walking around like she’s better than the other girls in the village. Yet she put out so easily. If you had wanted a whore, why didn’t you just choose Julianne? She would have gladly accepted, instead of making a mockery of the fine women of our district.”

Jason could hardly believe what the man was saying. “What are you talking about?”

“We all heard about you two sleeping under that oak tree,” the man railed, and his arms flashed about as he gesticulated wildly as he spoke. “That’s all you wanted. The sex, and because my daughter refused, you chose someone easier. Well, good luck with that, Prince Jason. I guess you can go back to the castle a satisfied man.”

“Now hold on a minute,” Jason argued. “Who came up with those lies? Was it Charlotte? It had to be.” And then something dawned on him. If this man spoke like this, chances were the news had reached Elena’s family, and they must think the worst of him. He had to go to Elena’s family, and apologize for the falsity perpetuated throughout the village.

“Doesn’t matter. You’re not as noble—”

“One more word and I will have you arrested. I might be living here, but I am still your prince!” Jason sneered.

The man opened his mouth like he was going to speak again, but the words died on his lips. He half bowed and stepped back as Jason pushed past him.

He had demonstrated more humility living in that village than he had thought he was capable of. He had known he would hate the arrangement, and every day away from the castle and his friends had strengthened his position. Until he started feeling things—emotions and concerns he thought were for the weak. Elena had gotten to him, and instead of elevating her, being with her had only left a darker stain on her already weak reputation. He had to make amends if that were at all possible.

He walked hurriedly to the farm, hoping they would allow him inside. There was no one around when he arrived, and he stalked up the front door and banged on it. Gregory opened it, but unlike the other times, he was not pleased to see him.

“Can we talk?” Jason asked right away, feeling the urgency swell in him like a rolling tide. He was anxious, and sweat beads swarmed his body.

“What about?” Gregory asked flatly, his expression bland.

Jason didn’t know where to begin, and he turned on the landing outside the door as he tried to gather his thoughts. It hadn’t occurred to him that Gregory hadn’t heard and that he might be the bearer of bad news.

“I…want to apologize for… I heard some talk in town about what happened with me and Elena. Nothing happened, sir, I can promise you that. I have great respect for you and your daughter, and I would never do anything to tarnish her name.”

“Yet you have.”

Those three words hit Jason hard, and at that point, he appreciated the extent of his damages. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. We had a picnic, and…we simply fell asleep. Nothing else happened.”

He felt like a child after getting caught by his parents for sneaking away and bathing in the castle river without their permission. His father had made him feel so guilty that day he didn’t even think about disobeying again. Those familiar feelings returned, and he began to feel small as he stood before Gregory.

“I think it would be better if you go,” Gregory said sadly and stepped back.

Jason tried to look around him. “I can’t see her?”

“She doesn’t want to see you. The villagers did a number on her. She needs some time.”

Jason’s heart sank, but he understood. “I’m going to make this right. I’ll handle this,” he said through gritted teeth and returned to the street.

He was bubbling over with anger, and he searched for Charlotte like a hunter would prey. He found her as she was leaving a neighbor’s house when he was passing. He stopped abruptly and faced her, the venom in his eyes slowly poisoning her as he stared, and he saw the smile retract from her lips that were beginning to curl when she saw him.

“What the hell?” he barked.

Charlotte pressed her hand against her chest and looked at her friend, like she didn’t know what he was talking about.

“Don’t play dumb with me!” Jason continued, and his fingers dug into the post at the gate.

“Prince Jason, I…I don’t know—”

“You damned well know you didn’t see me or Elena doing anything under the tree. Why would you go around spreading rumors like that?”

“Oh,” her lips muttered, and she blushed with embarrassment.

“You know what, this won’t do. You started this, and you are going to finish it.” Jason pushed the gate in and grabbed Charlotte by the arm.

“Wait, hold on a second,” she wailed.

“Not a chance.” Jason was resolute in his decision, and he dragged her behind him, yelping and tugging at him as they drew the attention of the other villagers. Jason looked around and sneered as he stomped to the square, and Charlotte’s eyes bulged as she looked at the terrified faces of the people they passed.

“What’s going on? What’s wrong, Charlotte?” someone asked.

“Let me go!” she begged and tried to pry her hand free from his vice-grip hold.

Jason ignored her, and the crowd grew in number by the time they reached the center of town. When he arrived at the point in the square where he felt satisfied he could be heard by the majority, he let her go with such force she staggered back.

“Tell them!” he commanded.

Charlotte’s frightened eyes searched the people for help. She rubbed her wrist and gulped.

“Tell them!” Jason shouted again, stepping menacingly closer to her.

She shrank back and held her hands up like she expected him to strike her. “No!” she screamed as she tried to evoke the sympathy of the watchers.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Charlotte, if you don’t tell these people what you did, me smacking you will be the least of your problems.”

“What happened, Charlotte?” a middle-aged man asked as he pressed through the crowd.

“Bud, I…I…” she started, and the first signs of tears appeared.

“For God’s sake, say something,” the man uttered as she stepped in front of her.

“Okay. Allow me,” Jason intervened when he saw she wasn’t going to speak. “It came to my attention this morning that there is some kind of rumor around the village about me and Elena under the oak tree.” He paused, and he saw the self-righteous stares from some of the women who believed the rumor. “We had a picnic, and we fell asleep. That’s it. Charlotte saw us in the morning lying there…nothing was happening. Nothing happened!”

Voices started murmuring, and heads turned as they checked each other for any other avenue to the truth.

“Is that true, Charlotte?” Bud asked. “Did you make up all of that about Elena and Prince Jason going at it?”

He glared at her, and she finally caved. “What was I supposed to do?” she asked the now less than impressed crowd as they turned their noses up at her.

Jason was amazed at how fickle they were, but he was pleased that the truth had finally come out and he didn’t have to sell it too hard.

“What you can do,” he started slowly, “is get over it. I don’t want to marry you. This didn’t help, either. And you know what?” he asked as he turned about and addressed the people. “Elena has every right to stay away from you. I mean, all it took was one person—one liar—and you were so quick to throw her under the bus. She has more class than all of you put together. You should be ashamed of yourselves,” he ended fiercely and hurried away.

He heard the buzz of their voices as they expressed their embarrassment, and of angry words being hurled at Charlotte. But he’d had enough. He wanted to get out of the village and clear his mind. With a heavy heart, he returned to the cottage and gazed down the street towards Elena’s farm. All his efforts had been in vain, and as he stepped inside and saw the box of returned gifts, he kicked the side in, sending the box hurtling across the floor. It crashed into the wall and overturned, and he was reminded of the time they had shared in the barn and how everything had crashed and burned after.

It was time he returned home. He grabbed his cell phone from his pants pocket and called Rick. “I need a pickup. Now!”

“Right away,” the voice came back over the speaker.

He sat on the edge of the bed, contemplating his situation while he waited. He was well aware their time at the castle was even shorter than he had realized. He hadn’t seen or heard anything of the Wyatts since he got to the village, but that was no indication they weren’t weaseling their way toward the crown. He was the only one who could stop it, and he’d blown it.

Why couldn’t he have simply chosen any girl? So many had been willing, but he had to fall in love with the lowest of them—at least in their eyes. Now his heart was set on making Elena his wife, but he knew he would have to give her the time to grow into her feelings. He was taking a big risk leaving now when they were on rocky ground, but hopefully she would hear he had avenged her. Hopefully, after a few weeks, she would miss him so much she would come looking for him.

He smiled at the thought as he heard the car honking outside. He jumped up and quickly left the place that had left an unsavory aftertaste.