Once Enchanted Read online

  Why hadn’t she ever thought of him as someone she might want to know better? True, he wasn’t royalty, but he did come from a good family. She’d always thought he was handsome, so why hadn’t she been interested in him as marriage material? Probably because she hadn’t wanted to look for a husband back then, and because she didn’t know if her parents would allow someone who wasn’t of royal blood to court her.

  It took only ten minutes to arrive at the medical facility. Clarissa could have listened to Ryder’s deep, soothing voice all day. Thankfully, he was the first one to jump to her side to assist her dismount. She clutched his wide shoulders as he lifted her from the horse. Heavens, he was strong. It took all of her willpower not to sigh aloud.

  His kind eyes held her gaze the whole time, causing pitter-patters in her chest. She could have melted in his arms, but once her feet were firmly planted on the ground, he released her and stepped back.

  When the warmth from their touch disappeared, she felt empty. “Thank you, Ryder. We shall have to finish catching up later.”

  He nodded. “I look forward to it, Princess.”

  Memories crept in her mind of those times when they were young and used to cause mayhem in the classroom. She’d begged her parents to let her go to regular school like the other children her age instead of being privately tutored. Reluctantly, they’d agreed. In school, she’d wanted to feel like a normal child instead of royalty. Ryder had always treated her like a good friend, while the other children acted as if they had to bow or curtsy every time she walked by. She’d hated that. Then the years seemed to go faster, and they grew into adults. That’s when her childhood crush had turned into a great, binding friendship between them. Their adventures hadn’t been as fun the older they became. She had been given more responsibilities as a princess, and he had wanted to further his education by going to Woodmist University. That was when things changed, and they slowly drifted apart. She missed those lost years.

  When she entered the children’s ward, some of the children cheered and waved. The head nurse rushed to her and curtsied. “Welcome home, Princess.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Meyers. Is my father around?”

  “He is still in a meeting, I’m afraid.”

  Clarissa grinned. “Good. That means I can spend more time with the children.”

  There were many new faces but a few she’d recognized from a year ago. These were the terminally ill children that came in regularly for treatments. Her heart went out to them, wishing she could cure them somehow. But for now, her friendship would have to suffice.

  Charlotte, the sickest of all of them, lay in bed. Her gaze followed Clarissa. When the princess moved closer to the girl’s bed, Charlotte smiled widely.

  “It’s so good to see you again.” Clarissa patted the girl’s hand tenderly.

  “I have missed your stories, Princess.”

  Young voices chimed in agreement, and Clarissa laughed. “Do you want me to tell you a story, then?” The chimes turned into shouts of excitement, which made her laugh harder. “All right, I will.”

  Mrs. Meyers brought a chair for her as the children gathered around...well, those who could get out of bed, anyway. “What story do you wish me to tell?”

  The children were silent as they looked from one to the other. Finally Charlotte straightened slightly in her bed. “I would love to hear the story about the man and the Rapunzel flower.”

  Clarissa had always told the children stories, making them sound as if they were fictitious. They’d be surprised to know that most of these stories were true. But it was more fun to tell them as though they were not real.

  “Once upon a time,” she began, and the children hushed, “there was a man who was to become king, and he fell in love with the most beautiful girl in the kingdom. He wanted to win her love by doing something no other man had ever dared to do. He wanted to obtain for her the most beautiful of flowers: the Rapunzel flower. But the only place the flower grew was near a tower in the east forest where a wicked old witch lived as a recluse from the rest of the kingdom.”

  She paused, linking her fingers together and resting them on her lap. Before she continued, she noticed a man walk into the room, wearing a familiar uniform. It surprised her to see Ryder here, but then, he was probably assigned to keep watch on her today. Secretly, she found herself hoping he was there for her because he wanted to be, and not only because it was his duty to watch over her. He smiled at her as he leaned against the wall, folding his arms over his muscular chest.

  “Nobody else had dared enter the witch’s gardens,” she continued, peering back at the children. “But this man was different. He was the bravest in the whole kingdom, and he would do what was necessary to win the fair maiden’s love.” She lowered her voice for this next part. “So one night, he scaled the large rock wall that separated the witch from the rest of the kingdom and entered her gardens. Cautiously, he crept to the Rapunzel flower and plucked it from the ground.”

  She paused, trying to create a suspenseful moment. The children seemed enthralled with the story so far, as they all leaned forward and remained silent.

  “But before this man could leave, the witch jumped in his path, stopping him.” Some of the children sucked in their breath. “She wanted to cast a spell over him for stealing her flower, but he convinced her not to harm him. He told the witch of his great love for a fair maiden, and how he wanted to impress her with the loveliest flower in the kingdom. The witch was taken with this man’s devotion, so she promised to let him go on one condition.”

  Once again, she paused for effect. But the children became restless and asked, “What was the condition?” She sneaked a peak at Ryder, and he appeared eager to hear the rest of the story, too. She bit back a laugh and focused on the children.

  “Her condition was this—that he could take the flower to the fair maiden and marry her, but their first daughter would have to be named after the witch.”

  The children cringed and shook their head.

  “Ewww...” one said. “Why would anyone want to name their child after an ugly witch?”

  “Well you see,” Clarissa interrupted, “a long time ago, the witch had been a beautiful woman and many men had vied for her attention. But when they discovered she was a witch, they hated her. Over the years her heart hardened, and she built the rock wall to separate herself from the rest of the kingdom because she felt everyone had judged her harshly.”

  “So did the man follow the witch’s command?” Charlotte asked, pulling away from her pillow and sitting up in bed.

  Clarissa nodded. “Indeed, he did. He presented the fair maiden with the Rapunzel flower and they married. Their first child was a girl, and they named her after the witch.” She paused again, but not as long this time. “However, the story doesn’t stop there. Oh, no. The witch wanted more. Much more.”

  The children’s eyes widened, but they didn’t ask questions this time.

  “You see, for a few years, the witch had been watching the little girl from afar, and the witch wanted the girl for herself. So one day when the little girl was playing in her yard, the witch snatched her and took her to the large tower.”

  Prickles of recollection ran over her arms and up her back. She tried shaking off the eerie sensation, but she couldn’t.

  She continued before the children became restless again. “Nobody saw the witch take the girl, so when her parents noticed she was missing, they scoured the kingdom looking for her, but she couldn’t be found. Several days passed, and the search grew hopeless. But then one day, the man realized there was one place they hadn’t looked.”

  “The witch’s tower!” a little boy shouted.

  Clarissa laughed. “Exactly. The witch’s tower.” She rubbed her hands over her arms, hoping the unsettling awareness still within her would disappear. “The man decided he was going to sneak back into her yard and watch her. Two more days passed and he couldn’t see any trace of his daughter. But then one day he watched as the witch c
alled up to the tower window, ‘Rapunzel, let down the rope so I can climb up.’”

  One of the girls giggled. “They named the girl after the flower?”

  “No, but this was what the witch called her, because the little girl reminded the witch of the lovely flower.”

  The children nodded and the little boy asked, “Then what happened?”

  “Just as the little girl lowered the rope out the window for the witch to climb, the man jumped out from his hiding spot and knocked the witch unconscious. He then climbed the rope, rescuing his daughter.”

  They clapped and cheered, but Clarissa motioned her hand to calm them. “The story isn’t over yet.”

  “It’s not?” one asked.

  “No. You see, just as the man left the tower with his daughter, the witch became alert and attacked the man. She hit him with a large stick. Thankfully, the king was strong, so he fought her, and he eventually killed the witch.”

  The children stood and cheered. Clarissa laughed, clapping her hands at their display. She loved their reaction. They always responded this way with her stories. Perhaps that was why she loved coming to the children’s ward so much. Their infectious laughter was the best kind of medicine.

  “Princess?” one of the children asked. “What was the witch’s name?”

  Clarissa shook her head. “I’ll have to save that question for another time. Perhaps we can make a game of it.”

  Once again, the children shouted with excitement. She looked at Ryder. His smile stretched from ear to ear as he applauded. Her heart warmed to see the enjoyment etched in his expression. Just as she remembered, his eyes gleamed with happiness. She realized how hard it was to look at anything else when he was in the room.

  As many times as she’d told that story over the years, she thought her memories would bring back the fear she once had of strangers. But that fear was no longer with her. Perhaps she hadn’t recalled how it had really happened word for word, but she’d only been six years old when the witch had kidnapped her, so she didn’t remember a lot. Why then, did these recurring dreams bring her such anxiety? The witch was dead. Clarissa was safe. Right?

  Her father hated this story, and scolded her for telling it to the children. But she was happy to know he loved her enough to rescue her and destroy the witch, which of course was the moral of the story.

  Of course, she couldn’t help but sigh knowing her father loved her mother so much that he risked his life by entering the witch’s territory to get the Rapunzel flower.

  She leaned back in her chair. Perhaps that was the very reason she hadn’t found a man she’d consider marrying. She wanted a love like her parents had. She wanted a man who would risk his life to prove his love.

  Could this be what fate planned for her? Was it now her quest to find the man who was the perfect hero...like her father?

  Smiling, she nodded. Challenge accepted. She’d find the man who would fight a witch for her.

  THREE

  Not a word was said for at least two full minutes as Clarissa and her father walked through the small park outside of the hospital. The weather was warmer than it had been in the morning, and she wished she hadn’t draped her cloak over her shoulders before leaving with her father for their little chat.

  Although she already knew what he wanted to talk about, she wrung her hands against her middle, anxious for him to say something. Anything. But since he’d invited her outside, his expression had been grim, and he’d not spoken a word.

  Silence made her more impatient.

  It was difficult to see her father appear so forlorn. Many people feared her father: he was a strict man who wanted things done perfectly and always maintained control. But Clarissa knew that even though he was rough around the edges, he was a kind and generous man. Clarissa adored him and appreciated that he always disciplined her with love instead of anger.

  He was a tall man—over six foot—and his hair was as blond as hers, but since returning from her trip, she’d noticed streaks of silver in his wavy strands. The wrinkles on his face appeared deeper than she recalled, worry clearly etched on his face.

  She cleared her throat. “Father?”

  His gaze snapped to hers. “Yes?”

  “Mother already told me why you wanted to talk to me.”

  His wide shoulders relaxed slightly. “What did she tell you?”

  “Well,” she took a deep breath and released it slowly, “she said you’re disappointed that I didn’t find a man to marry while I was visiting Fiona and her family.”

  He nodded. “It was disheartening to hear, because I feel you need to find a husband soon. You are getting older and becoming quite a mature woman, and it’s only natural...”

  “I am not an old maid, Father.”

  “This I know, my daughter, but you aren’t a spring chicken any longer, either.” He sighed loudly. “And I’m getting older, too. Is it wrong of me to want grandchildren before I die?”

  Lightly, she touched his arm. “But Father, you are going to live forever, don’t you know? Brave warriors like you never die.” Though she made light of her father’s words, deep within, they stabbed at her heart.

  He frowned and shook his head. “How I wish that were true. But I can’t help thinking my time will soon come to an end. My father died when he was in his fiftieth year, and so did my grandfather. I’m almost fifty years old, and I’m worried that I won’t live long enough to see my daughter marry and have children.”

  Inwardly, she groaned. Why did he have to talk about dying? “I understand, Father,” she mumbled.

  He stopped and faced her, taking hold of her shoulders. “Do you really? Do you realize how important this is to me?”

  Slowly, she nodded. She did understand, but she still didn’t like it. “Yes.”

  “I don’t want to push you into marrying someone you don’t love, but I want you to at least look for him—seriously look for your future husband.”

  “I promise I will, Father.”

  “There are still a lot of eligible men in this kingdom you haven’t met.”

  “Yes, I’m sure there are—”

  “And I have connections in other kingdoms, as well. In fact, just last week, Queen Ruth from the kingdom of Edan was in town with her son, Prince Ormond. He is your age and unattached. I was thinking that the two of you should meet.” The king shrugged. “Who knows what could happen after that.”

  She really hated when her parents tried to find her a beau, but in this case, perhaps she should allow her father to arrange the meeting. It made sense to marry a prince from a neighboring kingdom and combine their lands.

  She nodded. “Set up the meeting. I would love to meet Prince Ormond.” She tried to say it with the conviction she didn’t feel.

  Her father smiled, and she was glad she’d helped relieve one of his many burdens. She just hoped Prince Ormond wasn’t a toad like many of the royal men she’d met. If so, she knew her father would be able to read the disgust on her face. She didn’t want to disappoint him.

  “I shall find a time for Queen Ruth and her son to come to dinner. That way we shall meet them together so the moment won’t be awkward. How does that sound?”

  “I think that is the perfect solution. And I shall try to get to know him to see if he’s marriage material. But—” she met her father’s gaze with a stern look, “I don’t want you pushing me. Deal?”

  He nodded. “Yes. Thank you for at least trying to make this work.”

  She hooked her hand over his arm as he led them back toward the hospital. She hadn’t realized until now how much she’d missed her father when she was visiting her cousin.

  He patted her fingers. “Daughter, I’m so very happy that you are home. Your mother and I have missed you terribly.”

  “And I, you.”

  Four of the king’s guards stood out in front of the hospital. Immediately, she recognized Ryder Grey. It was difficult not to notice him. He was definitely more handsome and more muscular than the other
guards. When his gaze met hers, a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

  “Are you going to return home?” she asked her father.

  “No. I have a few more meetings this afternoon in preparation for the hospital’s remodel. I’m sure you want to get back home and rest, though.”

  “I do; however, I thought since I was here in town I’d drop by and visit some of my friends in the village.”

  “Wonderful idea.” He nodded. “I’m certain they have missed you as much as the rest of us have.”

  “But...” She paused, wondering how to say this without her father getting suspicious.

  He stopped and glanced down at her. “What is it, my dear?”

  “I don’t want a bunch of your guards following me. One will be enough, I assure you.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Just one?”

  “Yes, Father. That way your guards won’t be bored to tears following me around.”

  “If you’re certain.”

  “I am,” she answered quickly.

  He looked at the four guards waiting by her horse. “What if you take Paul—”

  “Actually, Father, I’d like Ryder Grey to accompany me. I remember him from when we were younger. He was always such a good friend.”

  She studied her father’s reaction closely. Although he didn’t make eye contact with her, his lips tugged as if he wanted to grin.

  “Ah, so that’s the reason you’ve been looking at Ryder a bit longer than necessary.”

  She laughed uncomfortably. “Yes, we’ve known each other for years.”

  “All right. I shall request Mr. Grey go with you into the village to visit your friends.”

  “Thank you, Father.” She kept her voice even so as not to sound excited to be alone with Ryder.

  THE PRINCESS HAD SOMETHING to do with Ryder accompanying her by himself. He just knew it. And he didn’t mind one bit. In fact, he was quite elated.