best listener I've ever known. You ask wonderful questions and really pay attention to the answers, and you don't interrupt, and you think about what I'm saying, and you have good ideas. But I've talked too much and kept you from your work, and I apologize."
Christian stood up, in wonder that a real princess was so unused to being listened to, she would apologize to a house servant when he did. He wanted to touch her, to hold her hand, to give her one of those daily lifesaving hugs he knew she needed. But, of course, he couldn't. Such a thing would probably get him beheaded by sunset.
He did it anyway. He pulled her to her feet and put his arms around her and drew her close to him and just held her, his chin on the top of her head. She smelled wonderfulâsomething floral and spicy at the same timeâprobably one of her own marvelous concoctions. And she was so soft.
Christian's heartbeat stuttered, and he could imagine a tiny tear appearing in a corner of his heartâa tear that would never heal as long as she was so unhappy and so gallant. And so forbidden to him.
At first she was stiff and shocked. Then she drew a shuddering breath, almost a sob, and relaxed against him. Her hands came up around his back. Neither of them said a word, and neither of them moved.
E D THOUGHT he was going to drop straight down over the waterfall when he looked through the telescope and saw Christian and Princess Marigold embracing. In public, for pete's sake. He didn't even want to
think
about what would happen to a servant who touched a princess like that. How fast would they catch him and put him in the thumbscrews? Or would they just run him through with a sword, on the spot?
Ed's eyes brimmed over. When they'd said good-bye yesterdayâonly yesterday!âhe'd never dreamed it was good-bye forever. He thought of all the things he could have told Christianâ
should
have told himâthat would have prevented this awful situation. But it was too late now to lock the barn door after the wolf in sheep's clothing was stolen. All he could do was try to figure out some way to help.
He turned to run back to the cave. He needed Walter and Carrie.
11
Marigold was the one who finally broke the embrace. Christian made no attempt to stop her. He had meant only to comfort her, and when it had turnedâfor him, at leastâinto something deeper and more complex, he decided that all he could do was enjoy it for as long as it lasted. Because if ever there was a doomed dream, this was it.
"I know what you're thinking, and I wish you were a prince, too," she whispered in a quavery voice, and ran from him, through the archway and down the stairs. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Topsy followed, yapping happily. As wonderful as dogs can be, they are famous for missing the point.
Christian sank back onto his knees and took up his tools again, but he couldn't remember what he was supposed to be doing with them. His head was full of the feel of her, her scent, her voice. He hadn't even worried about her being able to read his thoughts. How could it harm her to know that he thought she was wonderful? It could harm
him
, of course, if she told anyone. But somehow he knew she wouldn't.
He sat idle for a long time before his jumbled thoughts were interrupted by the flutter of wings. He looked up, and there on the wall above him were two pigeons.
"Walter?" he said, surprised. "Carrie?" How did Ed know that p-mail from him was exactly what Chris needed at that moment?
He saw that the message cylinders on all four of their legs were full. Quickly he detached them and unrolled the little pieces of paper. He spread them out on the flagstones and rearranged them until they made sense.
Dear Christian, Are you insane? I saw you
hugging the princess and I wonder if you
have a death wish. You can get beheaded
***
for that, you know. I forbid you from
touching her again. It is suicide. You need
to leave the castle immediately, before you
get
Christian stood up, in wonder that a real princess was so unused to being listened to, she would apologize to a house servant when he did. He wanted to touch her, to hold her hand, to give her one of those daily lifesaving hugs he knew she needed. But, of course, he couldn't. Such a thing would probably get him beheaded by sunset.
He did it anyway. He pulled her to her feet and put his arms around her and drew her close to him and just held her, his chin on the top of her head. She smelled wonderfulâsomething floral and spicy at the same timeâprobably one of her own marvelous concoctions. And she was so soft.
Christian's heartbeat stuttered, and he could imagine a tiny tear appearing in a corner of his heartâa tear that would never heal as long as she was so unhappy and so gallant. And so forbidden to him.
At first she was stiff and shocked. Then she drew a shuddering breath, almost a sob, and relaxed against him. Her hands came up around his back. Neither of them said a word, and neither of them moved.
E D THOUGHT he was going to drop straight down over the waterfall when he looked through the telescope and saw Christian and Princess Marigold embracing. In public, for pete's sake. He didn't even want to
think
about what would happen to a servant who touched a princess like that. How fast would they catch him and put him in the thumbscrews? Or would they just run him through with a sword, on the spot?
Ed's eyes brimmed over. When they'd said good-bye yesterdayâonly yesterday!âhe'd never dreamed it was good-bye forever. He thought of all the things he could have told Christianâ
should
have told himâthat would have prevented this awful situation. But it was too late now to lock the barn door after the wolf in sheep's clothing was stolen. All he could do was try to figure out some way to help.
He turned to run back to the cave. He needed Walter and Carrie.
11
Marigold was the one who finally broke the embrace. Christian made no attempt to stop her. He had meant only to comfort her, and when it had turnedâfor him, at leastâinto something deeper and more complex, he decided that all he could do was enjoy it for as long as it lasted. Because if ever there was a doomed dream, this was it.
"I know what you're thinking, and I wish you were a prince, too," she whispered in a quavery voice, and ran from him, through the archway and down the stairs. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Topsy followed, yapping happily. As wonderful as dogs can be, they are famous for missing the point.
Christian sank back onto his knees and took up his tools again, but he couldn't remember what he was supposed to be doing with them. His head was full of the feel of her, her scent, her voice. He hadn't even worried about her being able to read his thoughts. How could it harm her to know that he thought she was wonderful? It could harm
him
, of course, if she told anyone. But somehow he knew she wouldn't.
He sat idle for a long time before his jumbled thoughts were interrupted by the flutter of wings. He looked up, and there on the wall above him were two pigeons.
"Walter?" he said, surprised. "Carrie?" How did Ed know that p-mail from him was exactly what Chris needed at that moment?
He saw that the message cylinders on all four of their legs were full. Quickly he detached them and unrolled the little pieces of paper. He spread them out on the flagstones and rearranged them until they made sense.
Dear Christian, Are you insane? I saw you
hugging the princess and I wonder if you
have a death wish. You can get beheaded
***
for that, you know. I forbid you from
touching her again. It is suicide. You need
to leave the castle immediately, before you
get
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