Moo and Cookies--> SoRandom!
(Copyright) © 2011 Candle_Ice
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Chapter 26
“I was hoping to catch you before you leave,” Accra said to Leonidas, barging into his bedroom, unannounced.
“Grandmother!” Leonidas exclaimed scandalized, “I’m barely dressed.”
“Oh please, Leonidas,” Accra scoffed, “You have on pants, and it’s just your shirt that you have yet to put on.”
She was right, but Leonidas still felt a bit embarrassed about his grandmother walking in on him half dressed, so he quickly donned his shirt and began to button it.
“Besides, it isn’t like I haven’t seen you without a shirt on before,” Accra pointed out.
“I was younger then,” he defended.
Accra waved it off, “Are you this shy when you were with your old girlfriends? Are you going to be this shy with Elise?”
“Grandmother,” Leonidas chided. He did not want to discuss his relationship with his grandmother.
“Fine,” Accra said, “but I wanted to talk to you.”
Accra came and sat down on his bed and patted the space next to her. Leonidas went to sit next to her and she handed him something. It was a square, black, velvet jewelry box.
“Are you proposing to me?” Leonidas asked in mock seriousness.
“Oh you,” She scoffed and hit him on his arm, “No, I’m not proposing to you. Besides, you’re not my type.”
Leonidas opened the box and saw a ring he’d never seen before. It was an engagement ring with a ruby heart-shaped stone in the middle and two small round cut diamond on either side of the heart, set on a plain platinum band. [A/N: Pic at the side =) ]
He had a feeling that Accra would give him her ring to propose with, seeing as she and Elise had became fast friends since the day she had shown up on the van Hastening front porch, but this ring wasn’t the one he was expecting. He was expecting the ring Accra had worn.
“This was my grandmother’s ring. I had originally planned on giving it to Grisham to give to Lucilla, but he had already ordered the emerald one for her. I didn’t mind, Lucilla loves emerald, and I knew that one day, I’d give the ruby to my grandson for his bride,” Accra explained.
“Thank you,” he said sincerely, “I know Elise will appreciate it.”
She smiled, “I know you’re surprised that I didn’t give you the engagement ring I wore, but I pulled a ‘Titanic’ with that one and dropped it in the ocean the week after I became a Royal Elder. Besides, you don’t want your engagement tainted with a reminder of Erland; he was the one who gave me that ring, remember. The wedding one I keep for appearances sake, but jeesh, I wish I could drown that too.” She finished with a sad note.
Leonidas kissed his grandmother’s forehead.
“Enough with my pity party,” Accra declared brightly, her melancholy mood gone, “The wicked old goon is banished, and it’s time for a Royal Wedding, let’s set a date!”
“You really enjoyed handing it to Erland the other day, didn’t you?”
“You bet your sweet throne I did,” Accra assured him.
“Too bad Father didn’t video tape it,” Leonidas said remorsefully, “I’d love to have seen you shove him away.”
“That was after I slapped him,” she recalled, “twice!”
When Accra and Grisham had returned to the palace yesterday, Accra told her family about her bravery, and took real pride in the fact that she stood up to Erland.
Leonidas laughed, “I can’t wait for him to leave.”
“Me too,” Accra said, “I have a bottle of champagne chilling, just waiting in celebration for his helicopter to fly away and never return.”
“I’ll join you in celebration, but I have to go now, Elise is waiting on me, and I already have enough cancelled and postponed dates to make up for, so I don’t want to be late,” Leonidas said getting up and putting the ring box into his bedside drawer.
“Aren’t you taking the ring?” Accra asked.
“Elise is not ready for a proposal as yet, Grandmother,” Leonidas told her, “We’re still getting to know each other better.”
“Humph, with the rate you two are going, I’ll be a hundred, before there is another Royal Wedding,” Accra complained.
“All in due time,” Leonidas comforted, “Tonight we’re celebrating three months since we met –or rather chatted- for the first time. So there is still time.”
Accra was still muttering about how he was taking his leisure time in getting Elise to fall in love with him, when he left.
Leonidas felt a happiness he hadn’t felt in a long time. For the first time in a very long time, his life was going smoothly.
***
“That’s all he said?” Tatiana asked her, “Dress warm?”
“Yes, read it yourself,” Elise told her, handing over the card that came with the bouquet of pink roses from her Prince Charming.
Tonight he was taking her out to celebrate the three month mark from since they first talked, and suggested that she should dress warm. That’s exactly what he said also: ‘Taking you out to celebrate our three month mensiversary. You should probably dress warm. Prince_charming01.’
Taking his advice she decided to add a wrap with her midnight blue knee length, strapless dress, but it’d help if he’d actually told her where they were going.
“Well, that was helpful,” Tatiana sarcastically replied, before gushing, “Still can’t believe that your e-pal is the Crown Prince. I mean, they warn you about stalkers and sex offenders on the web, but no one ever suggested royalty!”
Elise smiled. She hardly believed it herself, but it happened and it was happening, so she just accepted it.
She was no longer nervous about going out with Leonidas; she grew accustomed to it in the past month. So far, the ball was their first and last official public appearance as a couple, as they’d only gone out to private bookings at restaurants or shows at the theatre. Though the media still respected the King’s proclamation about keeping out of her and her family and friend’s way, they were abuzz with speculation about when they would get another official glimpse of the new Royal Couple.
Since the betrothal was broken, many were wondering if she will be the new Queen, considering that she was with the Prince during and after the decree was broken. They thought she was the main reason Leonidas wanted out of the betrothal. She really loved waking up and turning on the television to hear the latest version of someone’s take on the Prince’s reason for breaking off his betrothal, it really gave her a good laugh to start her day sometimes.
Thus, far she’s been suspected of being his flavour of the month, to his girlfriend, to his supposed ‘other woman’, to the love of his life, to the future Crown Princess Bride, now she even read somewhere on a gossip website that someone believes she may be pregnant with the Prince’s baby, and that was why the Prince broke his betrothal.
Where did these people come up with these things? She thought when she read them. No one has actually guessed the truth about Erland and the real reason of why the betrothal was broken, because the main focus is on the Royal Couple. They were looking at her as the main reason behind breaking the betrothal.
Which was a good thing. If she could deflect them form digging for the truth, then the public will never have cause to know the real Erland. And King Grisham was glad of that fact. Leonidas told her that the King had made a decree to banish him, but she didn’t know when he was leaving.
She just hoped it was soon.
“He’s here,” Tatiana said, in a sing song voice.
“I can see that,” she replied smiling, as they watched his car through the living room window.
Tatiana practically shoved her out the front door, adding before she closed the door, “I’ll be waiting up for your call. I’d love to stay over and wait for you personally, but daddy says I spend too much time over here already, so I need to head home.”
When they reached the front porch, they saw that the chauffeur was already waiting to open the car door for Elise.
“Does he ever talk?” Tatiana asked her, “It’s almost as if he’s some sort of human/alien mime, who just have robotic movements.”
Not waiting for a reply, Tatiana just closed the door, and Elise stood there for a second taking a calming breath, and trying not to laugh at her friend’s words, before making her way to his car.
She smiled at the chauffeur when he nodded in a respectful acknowledgment to her. She didn't render a curtsy, as she was not officially royalty. She was only dating the Prince, she wasn't married to him. But still, it was overwhelming to be treated with such respect, though, considering she’d only been dating the Prince for a month.
“Good evening,” Leonidas said to her, when she settled in beside him.
“Good evening,” Elise replied and kissed him lightly, “Can you tell me where we’re going, now?”
“It’s a surprise,” he told her lightly as the driver eased away from the curb.
“I don’t like surprises,” she added.
“Everyone likes surprises,” he cajoled, “Just be patient.”
“Fine,” she said stubbornly, crossing her hands over her chest and leaning back into the seat, “Have it your way.”
The anxiety was killing her. She wanted to know what he had up his sleeves. But he didn’t rise to her bait, all he did was chuckle. Still she refused to say anything, and just kept up her stubborn stance.
"Are you going to remain silent the whole ride?" He asked her.
She refused to answer, and her silence was confirmation enough to him that she was in deed in a silence war with him. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of her conversation, until she knew where he was taking her.
“You seemed to have gained a new camaraderie,” Leonidas observed after a while.
The silence in the car wasn’t uncomfortable, it was playful couple banter, and Elise was so excited about Accra’s friendship, she forgot about her plan to stay silent until she knew where they were going and just turned to face Leonidas.
“I have,” she confirmed, “Accra is the most amazing Royal Elder, ever. You know, she hasn’t missed a meeting since the first one she attended last week?”
“Yes,” Leonidas answered with a smile, “Every time she returns from one, she tracks down one of us and recalls every detail. Father thinks it’s good for her. You’re good for her.”
Elise blushed slightly, “Thank you, but Accra is a pocketful of sunshine. I can’t believe she was once afraid of anyone, much less her husband.”
“That she is, and Erland had a way of making others oppressed, but that’s over now.”
“Yes, she called me and told me about her victory over him. She was so excited, I could hear it in her voice,” Elise laughed, “I couldn’t see her, but I swear she sounded as if she was acting out all the parts as she told me what she did.”
“I wouldn’t put it past her to do that,” he told her, “She made us all sit while she reenacted all her replies and actions towards him. Made sure she let us know that she slapped him, not once but—“
“Twice” they said together and laughed, recalling the sound of immense satisfaction in Accra’s voice when she related that particular detail.
“When’s he leaving?” Elise asked him.
“Tomorrow afternoon,” Leonidas responded, “Grandmother can’t wait, she’s so excited.”
“She told me that she has bubbly chilling for the moment,” Elise laughed, “Even invited me to share a glass.”
“Ah yes, I was issued an invitation as well,” Leonidas remarked.
“I told her since I never actually met Erland in person, I don’t think I would fully appreciate the sentiment of the occasion,” Elise pointed out.
“Count your blessings you never met him,” Leonidas told her softly, “I wished to the heavens I had never met him.”
“It’s over,” Elise assured him, “Erland will no longer be a part of your life; nor your family’s and most definitely not Accra’s.”
“Speaking of Grandmother, I forgot to mention,” Leonidas said lightly, all thoughts of the dreadful Erland gone, “I think she has taken a liking to Edgar.”
“No,” Elise gushed, “Wait! That would make sense. She practically grilled me for information on him when we went shopping last weekend.”
“And you didn’t suspect anything of it?” Leonidas asked the usually perspective Elise.
“Honestly no, I didn’t think that she would, you know,” she trailed off, a tad bit embarrassed.
“Be interested in someone, seeing as she’s an 'elder' in more ways than one?”
“Gosh, you make it sound so,” Elise chided.
“I know what you mean, but she needs the companionship. She has a new friendship with you, but she needs someone around her age, that could be more of a friend, without the generation gap.”
“I realise that now,” Elise said, “but then, I hadn’t really given it much thought. It should’ve sent off warning bells when she asked how old he was, since I told her my father went to school with him. But when she found out that he was around her age, and the only reason he was a school mate of my father’s was because he had to update his qualifications, she seemed rather chipper.”
Elise went into a reflective silence as she dissected this new development with her friend, the Royal Elder and her godfather.
“We’re here,” Leonidas said to her, drawing her away from her thoughts, as the car began to slow down.
Then Elise remembered everything about his surprise. With the conversation they were having, all thoughts of ‘surprises’ flew right out of her mind.
“Hey! You tricked me,” Elise finally realised, “You distracted me, so I wouldn’t pester you into telling me where we’re going.”
“Being Crown Prince, and all, I had to learn a few tricks to dissuade pesky situations,” he smiled charmingly at her whilst offering her his hand when they got out of the car.
“Oh, I’m pesky, now, am I?” Elise asked with a mock scowl.
“The worst,” Leonidas teased, leading her towards the docks.
Docks? Elise thought, as the gentle night’s breeze chilled her skin, causing goose bumps to form on her skin. The slight sound of water lashing against the piers and boats were accompanied by the hum of the night wind and the chirpings of Mother Nature.
But as they got closer to their destination, Elise realised that they were not going on a boat. They were going on a yacht. A big, beautiful yacht.
She was never good at guessing coordinates, so she wouldn’t even attempt to name how long or wide it was, but from the looks of it, it could have its own zip code.
Leonidas was heading up the stairs, but she glanced around the lower deck, and saw a swimming pool outside. She also saw closed doors, on the inside, which she assumed were bedrooms. She’s never been on a yacht before, and this was a grand one to make her debut.
The main deck showed a grand dining hall, and more rooms, there was one closed door, but the rest of space was opened out, and showed a resemblance to a game room, and a bar alongside the left wall.
But she was being led up another set of stairs, to the upper deck where there was a table set up for two below the starry night sky. Two waiting staff was there to greet them, and they bowed before Leonidas.
Come to think of it, they were the first persons Elise had seen since they arrived. But those thoughts vanished as she took in the scene in front of her. The deck was decorated with fairy lights, that weren’t blinking at an annoying pace, and flowers. Coupled with the half moon above them, and the many stars, the picture painted was a spectacular one and it took her breath away, and made more goose bumps appear on her skin.
“Are you feeling cold?” Leonidas asked her, releasing her hand.
“No, I’m fine,” she said, though she held her wrap closer around her body, “Just a bit taken aback by all this.”
“Hmm,” he said, holding out her seat for her to sit, “One of Thane’s toys, he allowed me to borrow it.”
She sat down before responding, “You don’t have a yacht of your own? I thought boys liked their many toys.”
He chuckled and took his seat opposite her, before responding, “If I owned a yacht, it’d be too easily marked. I prefer to use Thane’s whenever the whim to use one arises.”
She smiled. It was apparent to her that Thane and Leonidas were far more than just good friends; it was almost as if they were brothers.
“He doesn’t mind?” She asked though.
“No, we traded for the night,” Leonidas told her, “I lent him my jet.”
Ah yes! She thought dryly. Boys do like their toys!
“A yacht for a jet,” she sighed, “Lifestyles of the rich and famous, I guess.”
He just smiled and shrugged, and signaled to a waiter, who then wheeled the food cart near the table.
“We’ll handle it from here, thanks,” Leonidas told him.
The guy just bowed his head, and he and his partner left without a word. So now it was just the two of them on the deck, and Elise was afraid or uncomfortable.
She loved him. She already accepted that fact, but wasn’t yet ready to voice it. The only one she told, or sort of told, was Tatiana. She never actually said the words ‘I love Leonidas’ to her, but her friend knew she did.
The soft purr of the motor made her aware of the fact that they were leaving the pier and heading out towards the sea. It was the perfect romantic setting, she thought, as she smiled at her Prince Charming (both literally and figuratively speaking).
They were almost through the first course and chatting away when Elise remembered the speculation she read in the gossip rag.
“Did you hear I’m pregnant?” She asked him.
Unfortunately, Leonidas was just about the take a drink when the words were uttered and his drink went down the wrong way, and his eyes bulged out as he began to cough and spurt out the liquid clogging his throat.
Elise got up and rubbed his back for him, and handed him a napkin, “Are you alright?” she asked with an amazed smile.
“Couldn’t you have waited until I was finished drinking to tell me that tidbit,” he laughed, and the laughter grew heartily as he began to breathe better.
Elise resumed her seat and joined in the joke as well. The two shared whatever gossip speculation they read about their relationship with each other. They always had a good laugh, so it was bad timing on Elise’s part to share her news with him.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you were about to take a drink,” Elise told him honestly, “Though, it was quite funny to see the Crown Prince trying to contain his laughter, whilst he was choking.”
“Minx,” he said to her in mock anger.
“Guilty,” she smiled.
"Someone actually thought you were pregnant?"
"Apparently," she smiled, "Immaculate conception, I must say."
The two laughed at the irony of their relationship, and the fact that the media was trying so hard to pinpoint every detail about them.
They continued they’re meal in high spirits and luckily there were no more choking incidents.
“Do you think we’ll see any dolphins?” She asked him when they had finished eating and were standing looking out at the night sky, and the waters below. Leonidas was standing behind her and she was leaning back into him and her hands rested on his on her stomach.
“I doubt we will, so late, but next time, we’ll come out earlier and we’ll see them then,” he whispered.
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
They were silent for a while after that; both content just to be in each other’s embrace, looking out into the nothingness, as the yacht slowly moved by and by.
“Dance with me,” Leonidas said, breaking the silence.
“There’s no music,” she told him lightly.
“Easily remedied,” he said, leaving her.
When he returned a short while later, the soft introduction to a song was playing. He didn’t say a word, and just held out his hand for her to take. She went into his arms and the two just slowly moved in time to the beat of the song, with a few spins and twirls here and there, which produced giggles from both. [A/N: if u want to -> Press Play on the youtube link at the side to hear the song that was playing: Like Lovers Do by Heather Nova… My absolute ‘second’ favourite couples’ song =) ..]
She didn’t know how long they were dancing, it was almost as if the song was on repeat, but she heard none of the words, her sole attention on the man in front of her.
I Love You! The words were thick in the air around her, and they were threatening to choke her; the need to tell him how she felt was never so strong, as she stared into his soft hazel eyes.
But she didn’t whisper the words that were written in her heart. She just smiled and rose up to kiss him, then sank more into his embrace, enjoying the fell of him, and the romantic atmosphere of the night.
***
Leonidas had a strange feeling, a foreign one, in fact, threatening to consume him. Slowly and carefully, like a man lost in a darkened tunnel, with no light to guide him, and no end in sight, he cautiously searched through this unknown territory of new emotions.
He had dropped off Elise at her home after they had returned from their romantic interlude, and he was almost on his way back to the palace. The silence in the car, allowed his brain to analyse the feelings eating away at him.
When he saw Elise tonight, the first thought that came to him was that he should have brought Accra’s ring. But throughout the evening he was back and forth with whether or not the decision to leave the ring home was a good thing or not.
He knew that he was going to marry Elise, way before she even knew that he was her e-pal, but the sudden urge to claim her and have her wear his ring, was overwhelming.
By heavens! He wasn’t in love already was he? The thought had his heart thudding loudly in his chest. That would be absurd. He barely knew the girl. His parents knew each other practically their whole life and they didn’t fall in love until they were married for quite some time.
It was the whole atmosphere of the evening. The romantic evening had him feeling all mushy inside. Mushy? He thought of his word choice, and had to conclude that the evening was seriously screwing up his thoughts.
He’d go home to his chambers and get a good night’s rest. After his meeting with the Royal Council tomorrow, he’d re-evaluate his feelings with a logical mind, one not fogged by the relics of a romantic evening.
He wasn’t in love yet, it was too soon! And he took the remaining minutes of his drive to the palace convincing his self that this was true.