Chapter 4

Solange picked up a short coil of rope, and was on her way. With a cat-like grace, she slipped out of her bedroom and into the shadows.

Meanwhile, back in the royal dining room, the queen turned her gaze to Lingonberry and placed her hand over the princess’s. “What is it dear? What’s the matter?”

“O ‘Tis such a long and arduous tale of family strife.”

The king and queen listened patiently as Princess Lingonberry recounted the details of her family’s financial woes and dealings with her wicked step-aunt Luna. And when the tale was finished, the king and queen marched defiantly to the castle gate with Lingonberry trailing two steps behind.

“Ah, I see you’ve brought her to me,” Luna hissed. “Smart move. Now hand her over and we can put this whole unpleasant misunderstanding behind us.”

“Now you listen hear, woman,” the king boomed. He stood firm, his feet shoulder-width apart and his burly arms crossed over his chest. A single vein in his neck stood out as he spoke. “This is sovereign land. You have no business making demands here. Now leave at once, or I shall have my men …”

The snarling wolf-hound growled and advanced on the king and queen. The king held his ground up until the time that the dog snapped and gnashed its teeth. He took a single step back, holding his arms out in an effort to shield Princess Lingonberry and his wife, the queen.

“No, old man, you listen to me,” cackled Luna. “You will hand the girl over at once or I shall …” Luna continued with her list of threats, but Lingonberry was no longer paying attention. She was much more interested in watching the shadows, particularly the one shadow off to her right that just moved.

In the next moment, three things happened in the time that it took Princess Lingonberry to blink. There was a flash of black, a glint of steel, and a yip from the wolf-hound. When Lingonberry had focused her eyes once again, she saw the wolf-hound with its muzzle tied up and Luna with a blade raised to her neck.

Holding the blade firmly in her two outstretched hands was Princess Solange. “You shall do no such thing, you — you evil step-mother,” she spat.

“Step-auntie?” Luna whispered.

“Whatever! You will leave here at once and never set foot in my parents’ kingdom again. And if I find that you have so much as put a hair out of place on Princess Lingonberry’s head, you will answer to me. Do you understand?” Solange took a half step forward as Luna cowered and backed away.

“Now go!” Princess Solange said. “And take that lousy mutt with you.”

Luna continued backing away, never taking her eyes off of Princess Solange or the gleaming blade, until she was able to turn and mount her chariot. She hit the trail at full gallop with the still muzzled wolf-hound loping along behind her.

No one spoke a word until Luna’s image was just a small dust cloud on the horizon.

Princess Lingonberry turned to Solange. “Thank you,” she heaved. “Thank you so much.”

Princess Solange sheathed her katana and wrapped Lingonberry in her arms, pulling her in tight. “I would gladly repeat it. Anytime you find yourself in need.”

“Well, I dare say you’ve rescued young Lingonberry yet again,” the king said, rubbing his hand vigorously over his daughter’s shoulders. “Perhaps now would be a good time to discuss the wedding. Maybe work out the dinner menu?”

“Honey, it’s only their second rescue together.” The queen smiled at her daughter. “And we don’t want to rush them.”

Solange expelled the breath she was holding. “Thank you, Mom,” she thought to herself.

“Let them relax a bit,” the queen continued. “We can always call the caterer in the morning.”

Solange grumbled, fixing a stare on her parents.

“I bet Stedman is anxious to run some more,” Princess Lingonberry suggested. “And shall we see what his brother is up to? I could use some fresh air myself.”

“That simply is a splendid idea.” The queen winked. “You two go frolic in the countryside for a while. Get your stress energy out, so to speak. It will be most refreshing on a beautiful day such as this. I’ll just go and pack you girls a lunch.”

“You made me proud today.” The king kissed his daughter on the forehead and turned to follow his wife to the kitchen. “I can just taste that roast boar already, honey. Maybe we should order some of the chicken in wine sauce too. What’s that called? The French stuff.”

“Coq au vin. And it’s only their second rescue, dear.” The queen smiled. “Let’s not rush things.”

Clara, the cook’s assistant, rushed forth holding Princess Solange’s abandoned latte in her outstretched hand. She winked at Princess Lingonberry before handing off the drink and retreating to the kitchen.

Solange set off toward the stables with coffee in hand and Lingonberry on her arm.

In a sun-drenched meadow, far from the castle grounds and even farther from the evil Luna and her snarling wolf-hound, Stedman and his brother Darius stood munching on a large pile of ruby red apples that Solange and Lingonberry had picked from a nearby tree.

A dozen finches had landed on the branches of the tree and were adding their sweet song to an already perfect day. And now that Princess Solange’s morning caffeine had kicked in, she no longer felt the need to strangle them.

“That should be enough apples to keep the boys contented for a while,” Solange said as she took Lingonberry’s hands in hers, and gazed upon the princess’s face.

“Thank you for rescuing me again, and for letting me borrow some of your riding clothes.” Lingonberry said, studying the ground at her feet. At Solange’s bidding, she lifted her eyes to meet the other princess’s gaze.

Lingonberry stared longingly at Princess’s Solange’s lips, but when her desire for a kiss went unanswered, she spoke again. “Where did you learn to fight like that?” she asked.

“That was Suki’s doing — heiress to the throne of the Japanese empire. I once stayed with the royal family for a summer. People were always trying to assassinate poor Suki, and after a while fighting just became second nature.” Solange reached down and brushed a piece of wind-blown hair out of Princess Lingonberry’s face. In the distance she heard a finch scolding her and grinned.

“And did she also teach you the kinbaku used to subdue Luna’s hound?”

“Hmm?” Solange replied, as she absentmindedly brushed another stray bit of blonde from Lingonberry’s flushed cheek. “Oh, no. I learned that from Clara, the cook’s assistant. She once taught me how to truss a goose for feasting.”

“Is that so? I did not know you fancied yourself a chef.”

“I don’t really.” Solange grinned. “The goose’s name was Macy. She was most delicious.”

Princess Lingonberry expelled an exasperated sigh as Solange’s grin grew wider.

“You are are a most intriguing and decidedly infuriating woman, Solange.” Princess Lingonberry pulled her hands out of Princess Solange’s grip. “Why can’t you behave like a proper princess and ask for my hand in marriage. This would all be so much easier if you would just follow the rules.”

“And why can’t you accept my affections without feeling the need to drag me to the altar?”

“O You must dislike me so.” Lingonberry turned away in a huff.

Princess Solange stepped behind Lingonberry and wrapped her arms about the other woman’s waist. She whispered, “I assure you, I do not.”

“Then why? Why Solange? O, I would gladly give you my virtue at this very moment if you would but promise to marry me.”

Princess Solange leaned her head forward to brush her lips against the soft skin of Lingonberry’s neck. “I do think that I love you,” she whispered. “But we have had so little time together. Don’t you think we should get to know each other first? Before we are married?”

“Why? I’m royalty, you’re royalty, what else is there to know?” Princess Lingonberry asked, the tone of her voice weak and resigned.

“Anything. Everything,” Solange replied, pulling Lingonberry in a little tighter and moving her lips slowly over her neck. “Tell me anything at all. Like when was your first romantic kiss?”

“With you, in your bed chamber,” Lingonberry breathed.

“I was your first?” Solange lifted her head, surprised by this revelation, and twirled Lingonberry around to face her. Princess Lingonberry would not meet her gaze.

“O Solange,” Princess Lingonberry said. “You are so worldly, and possess experience far beyond my own. Do you see now why I so wish for your hand in marriage? What other guarantee do I have that you will not claim my virtue and then go running back to Macy, or Clara, or Suki, or one of the countless others, bragging of your latest conquest?”

Princess Solange stood silently for a moment, trying to look into Lingonberry’s eyes, but being refused as the other princess only dropped her gaze further to the ground. After a short while Solange gave up and clutched the princess’s rigid and shivering body to her chest instead.

After several moments, Lingonberry relaxed and let Solange pull her in tight. The two stood silent and still in the lush green meadow, under a cloudless blue sky with the warm sun shining down upon them. Solange began stroking Princess Lingonberry’s hair in an attempt to convey comfort.

“Come with me,” Solange said, taking Lingonberry’s hand in her own and leading her to a wide patch of purple clover. Solange bid Princess Lingonberry to sit and reached to pluck a clover from the ground.

The two princesses sat in silence, each facing the other as Solange continued plucking clovers, one after another. When she felt she had enough, Princess Solange began stringing them together, just as her mother had taught her so many years ago.

“Would you like a necklace or a bracelet?” Solange asked.

“Necklace? Bracelet?” was the confused reply from Lingonberry. Then, as Princess Solange continued stringing clovers together, it came to her what Solange had in mind and she nodded. “Bracelet please.”

Princess Solange gathered up some more clovers and handed them to the blonde princess sitting across from her. “Will you make one for me as well?”

Princess Lingonberry nodded again and set to work. A few goldfinches fluttered by to ask if she needed any assistance, but Lingonberry waved them off, telling them this was something she needed to do for herself.

Solange leaned forward and beckoned Lingonberry to extend her arm. She did so gracefully, and Princess Solange laid the clover-link bracket over her dainty wrist and fastened it closed. “Princess Lingonberry,” she said. “This bracelet is my promise that I will love you, and respect you …”

“And rescue?” Princess Lingonberry looked up to Solange’s eyes, batting her lashes.

Princess Solange returned her gaze with a smile. “And rescue you, whenever you should need rescuing. I will gladly share my bed chamber with you should you wish it. And if you do not, I shall respect your decision and offer you shelter elsewhere in my parent’s castle so that you may be safe from your evil step-sister.”

“Step-auntie,” Lingonberry said, a grin spreading on her face.

Unperturbed, Solange continued. “And in a year’s time — if you should still wish it — I shall …”

Princess Lingonberry cut off her words with a flurry of kisses, and pushed Solange down into the soft purple clover of the meadow. “Yes,” she said. When she finally came up for air, Princess Lingonberry sat up and straddled Solange’s hips. “Yes! I accept. Now, please give me your hand.”

Princess Solange looked up grinning, and extended her arm for Lingonberry to wrap the clover-chain bracelet around. When the deed was done, Princess Lingonberry wrapped her arms around the hem of the borrowed blouse she was wearing and tugged it up over her head.

Princess Solange eyes went wide as Lingonberry’s ample breasts fell free with a pleasant jiggling. She couldn’t help but notice how the little pink nipples stood erect and crinkled. Solange reached up and gently cupped Lingonberry’s flesh in her hands, enjoying the warmth and fullness of it under her fingers.