Once inside I take a little time to explore the big empty palace on my own. I hear a bang and spin on my foot to see what's up.

Dashing out of the room I nearly crash into one of the most handsome faces I've ever seen in my entire life. Actually, I crash with his chest as he's easily a head taller than me.

I look up. His dark brows are drawn tightly together Steely gray eyes flashing at me. He's wearing the kind of tailored suit that tells me money is no object for him. The cut fits his athletic body in all the right places. For a moment he looks completely surprised to see me here. Then his face drops into the smooth mask I recognize from the coins of the realm. His chiseled jaw is clenched tight. "Who might you be?"

Yes, his eyes look exactly like the King's, for that matter so does his entire face. I know for a fact that Kings are very fussy about their person and it is decidedly uncustomary to overstep personal and physical boundaries. In truth, I don't belong here. I am only a guest and an unannounced one at that. I have no excuse for running inside a royal palace. I'm not expected to answer the door. They probably have butlers for that. Yet, in my haste to find out the cause of all that commotion I bound through the doors and literally ran into the King. As his nostrils flare, I wonder if this constitutes assault and battery.

How can I reverse this horrible first impression?

Feeling like a complete idiot, I lift both hands away from his royal chest and take a lunging step back with my right foot and bend my knee to bow. Then I pop back up and stammer with most of my hair covering my face, "Your Royal Highness. I am Cyndi Burton. Half-sister to Dora West who is newly engaged to Prince Rupert. He invited her family here for a visit."

"Yes, I am aware of my brother's impertinence. Meeting you is an experience. I hope the others in your family are less forward and more traditional. Would you mind telling me where I might find my brother, Prince Rupert?" Something passes across his mouth, it seems to wobble. He pauses for me to answer, lifting one eyebrow while his eyes pierce me through.

His voice is carefully modulated but I can tell he is filled with impatience. He just called Prince Rupert impertinent. I guess the prince isn't allowed much autonomy in his life. Suddenly I have more sympathy for Prince Rupert.

"Prince Rupert is outside with my mother and sisters. He said something about taking them for a walk in the gardens. Is everything all right?"

I'm surprised to see the amount of disdain he's failing to hide from me. The King clears his throat but his voice comes out strained. "Oh, it's nothing to worry about at all. I simply need to speak with Prince Rupert about this whole, well, you know."

This sets me on edge. What exactly is he saying? "This whole what?"

Obviously I should have held my tongue and remembered that Kings are never spoken to in this way. I doubt any woman speaks to him directly much less likely anyone else, besides. The color of his eyes goes from gray to granite and the edges of his eyes crinkle. Is that amusement? Does he think I am just an overgrown child?

"Surely you must understand this from my perspective. Your sister intends to marry up. Our kingdom, though not as prominent so some, is well established. How can they possibly know each other in such short time? Of her beauty I can be assured. I am equally sure that she is scheming and cold. My brother is no prize that she can claim like winning the lottery. I have a kingdom to protect."

I could feel my body grow face hotter by the second. I needed to vent so that I wouldn't combust. "My sister may be many things but never scheming and cold. You think Dora tricked or calculated to get the Prince to propose to her?"

The King is thoroughly unaffected. He raises an eyebrow with smug disinterest. "Do you have a more plausible theory?"

"Yes. They are in love."

The King shuts his eyes slowly. "You are either naive, or you think I am."

"I might call you many things, your Highness, but naive is not one of them."

"Then you admit that you are thoroughly unqualified to pass judgments?"

"That's not what I said. It only appears to you that I made such an admission because you have such limited perspective."

"Limited perspective? You do understand that I run an entire kingdom, don't you? And that my, as you put it, 'limited perspective,' has not only saved my kingdom from economic collapse, but has allowed it to thrive?"

"I do not doubt your business acumen, your Highness. It is your understanding of interpersonal relationships that I question."

"Says the co-conspirator to the gold digger," he murmurs.

That's it. I balled my hands into fists. This King has gone too far. "Say what you will about me, but what I hate most is people who misinterpret my family. I know their short comings but I will not have them slandered by others."

King Petros' eyes go wide for a moment and he licks his lips, careful to choose his next words as he looks around the room. His gray eyes dart from one place to the next. "I don't know what you would want me to call it, but believe me, your sister isn't the first woman who's tried to seduce my brother. He's had dozens of lovers, so I'm not exactly sure how your sister has made it this far."

I bristle at the very thought of Dora being 'the one who's gotten this far.' Who the hell does he think he's talking to, exactly? "Well, when you say it like that it sounds so utterly romantic," I drawl sarcastically.

"That's funny, because I don't find scheming and taking advantage of others particularly romantic."

"Listen, I don't claim to be overjoyed by this engagement, but at least I'm there for my sister and want to see her happy," I hiss at him, feeling like I'm ready to throw down.

Say something about Dora one more time, I think to myself. I dare you.