A Royal Kiss and Tell

She was momentarily confused because he’d just voiced thoughts she herself had had. “And you have never looked more beautiful to me than you do now, Caroline. If it weren’t for Kadro and Artur just behind us, I’d show you just how much I love you here and now.” He abruptly sank down onto one knee.

Caroline gasped.

“Lady Caroline Hawke.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “I am a prince without a home. A man without a calling. I can offer you very little but a castle ruin, but I will live my life devoted to you. You are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. You are the woman I want to raise my children with. You are the woman who has made me wake up to life and understand it’s worth living and is to be cherished. If you will have me, I should very much like to be your husband.”

If this was a dream, Caroline never wanted to wake from it. She had a sudden image of the dress she would make for her wedding. She smiled and turned her face to the sky to savor this moment. Snowflakes were falling all around them. The dogs had come back to investigate and were sniffing around her prince. One guard stood on the road with the horses, the other one had lain on his back, pillowing his head.

“This is an agonizingly long wait for an answer,” Leopold said.

Caroline looked down at him. She leaned over, wrapping her arms around him. “Yes, Leopold. Yes. Forever. In a ruin, in a palace. In a beautiful dress or a feed sack. In this life and the next. All of it. Yes.” And then she sank to her knees and kissed him.

They fell onto their sides in that kiss and continued on until the dogs began to lick their faces and make them laugh.

EPILOGUE

One month later

The wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Leopold of Alucia and Lady Caroline Hawke of London was conducted in the Church of Saint Mary in the village of Bibury. Given the time of the year and roads made impassable by heavy snows, the guests were limited to immediate family.

The bride wore a gown of her own creation, made from a combination of her late mother’s recently discovered wedding gown and a pale cream silk imported from France. The gown was embroidered with tiny rosebuds that cascaded down the bodice and the train.

His Royal Highness wore the Alucian style of formal dress, embellished with the medals and pins of his country. Lord Beckett Hawke served as best man and Mrs. Hollis Honeycutt stood with the bride. The happy couple will make their home at the Hawke house in Bibury until such time Herstmonceux Castle can be renovated for use as a private home. We all join the couple in our fervent wish that the castle can indeed be renovated before Jesus calls them home.

The happy couple have donated their time and funds to a new school to be built adjacent to the church. They have been seen working side by side with villagers to complete the building before the new term.

In other news, the Foreign Office announced this week that Her Royal Majesty the Queen will host a peace summit between the kingdoms of Alucia and Wesloria at the end of this year. The Alucians will be represented by His Royal Highness the Duke of Tannymeade. Accompanying him will be the Duchess of Tannymeade and, with God’s blessing, the royal baby, who is due to make his or her appearance in the spring.

The Weslorians have not as yet named their representative.