The Prince's Bride ✔️

| Chapter 14 |

"Go on dear," the stony merchant urges me, "it's tradition."

Stefan takes my stony out of my hands and nods to the dance floor with a smirk on his face, "It's tradition."

"It can't dance," I tell him.

Others around us hear and encourage me to go up as they push me toward the dancing area.

I look over my shoulder toward Stefan, but he only gives me a reassuring wink.

I know what dance it is. It's the traditional Docian Maiden Dance. In the olden days, it was a good way for commoners to parade their single daughters to the eligible bachelors in town. Now, it's not done for matchmaking, though I've heard it still works, but to honor our heritage.

Young ladies are forming a circle, and I reluctantly join them. I know the dance, but since I seem to have two left feet, I highly doubt I'll be able to perform it without making a complete fool of myself.

We all link arms, and as the music begins, we start the dance. Shockingly, I'm having more fun than I expected. My moves aren't perfect, but I'm not tripping over my own feet and ruining it for anyone else. As I dance around the circle, I catch sight of Stefan, who is enjoying the performance as he gobbles down both of our treats.

When the dance is over, I return to his side and scowl at the empty skewers.

"Sorry," he apologizes, "they were so good, I couldn't stop eating them."

I chuckle, "It's fine, but don't get addicted to them. I think for every stony you eat you probably loose about five years off you life. They aren't very healthy."

"Which is why they are so tasty."

"So what to next?" I ask.

"I heard there is wine tastings the next block over," he suggests.

"Sounds great," I nod.

Stefan intertwines his fingers into mine and sends my heart racing as he leads me through the thick crowd.

The next block is filled with food and wine merchants. At the first booth, we stop at a man who offers us two cups.

"Good evening, folks. Tonight I have for you one of Capetown's own vintages. It'll be going for a very high price soon, because it's from the year our future princess was born," he tells us.

Stefan's brows shoot up, "You don't say? It's a very good vintage."

Stefan shoots me a grin that makes me want to melt.

"I'd like to buy a case, and have it shipped to the young Lady Montague in honor of her engagement."

The merchant's drops open, "Sir, that over a thousand coin."

"Do you have a way that I could pay with a card?" Stefan asked.

"Yes sir, yes sir. Thank you, sir," the merchant says as he digs for his phone.

Stefan pulls out his wallet and swipes it through a reader attached to the man's phone. I nervously look at Stefan, knowing full well that his name will pop up on the man's screen.

The man slowly looks up at Stefan with a dumbfounded face when it does.

Stefan winks at the man and puts his finger to his lips.

"Of course, of course!" The man repeats as he tries to resist the urge to bow.

Stefan signs for the wine and shoves his wallet back into his pocket.

"Can I say," the man whispers, "on behalf of my family, congratulations."

"Thank you," Stefan smiles and laces his hand in mine, "it's a pleasure. We wish your family health and good fortune."

"Thank you, sir," he replies with a little dip of the head.

Once we are far enough away, I tell Stefan, "Probably should pay for anything else with a card. It makes it difficult for us to stay incognito."

"It was your birth years vintage, how could I pass that up?" He says with a grin.

"What are we going to do with all that wine?" I ask him.

"Drink it every year on your birthday, of course. Hopefully, we run out of wine before we run out of birthdays...maybe I should have gotten a couple of cases."

"I think not," I chuckle, "one case if plenty."

We move from vendor to vendor, tasting their delectable wares. We even buy a bottle of foreign peach wine that I find fun and quite tasty.

I'm enjoying my night out with Stefan; it actually feels like we are a couple tonight until I see a familiar face barreling down the street. Theodore is obviously drunk as he stumbles into passer-biers and heads straight for us. Stefan isn't paying attention, and I yank on his arm to get him to look. His eyes grow wide as he follows my gaze, and I hear him mudder, "Crap."

We both quickly dash into a nearby alley and follow it to the end, where it leads out to the rocky shore. The sea splashes against the rocks hard enough that it almost drowns out the sound of the music.

It's a magical sight to see the full moon's reflection dancing on the midnight waves.

"Do you think he saw us?" I ask.

"Even if he did, he is too drunk to tell who we are."

I breathe a sigh of relief and lean against a nearby boulder that's on the beach. Stefan stepped closer to me, closing the distance between us. My breath quickens as he leans in closer and closer. My eyes close, even though I'm unsure why he's getting so close, but my hopes are met when his lips meet mine.

His soft lips press against mine, and it feels like fireworks have been set off in my chest. As his lips dance across mine, I become dizzy in a thick fog of emotion. It's my first kiss, and I pray he can't tell. My worries soon wash away as the kiss deepens, and all I can think about is what he feels like and what he tastes like and not wanting it to end.

But it has to end, and it does end when Stefan slowly pulls away with a smile on his lips. He rests his forehead against mine and whispers, "Thanks for the adventure."

I look at his beautiful eyes and smile, "I don't want it to end."

"It's not over," he tells me, "it's just beginning." He leans in for another kiss, and his hands drop to my hips. As he kisses me, his fingers knead at the hem of my jeans as if he's willing them to disappear. It excites me and terrifies me at the same time, but I don't stop.

Over the sound of music, we hear police sirens in the distance that make up both stop and look up at the square.

"Do you think they realized we're gone?" I ask with panic in my voice.

Stefan looks concerned as he looks back up toward the house, "I'm not sure, but we better head back just in case."

I nod in agreement and follow him toward my parent's estate along the shore.