proximity to you for as many days as I have been, and now being involved in one of the most enlightening experiences, it is quite simply an easy assessment to make. You will be a grand ruler indeed.”
All at once, she halted. He looked up to see her purse her lips and turn her head away.
“Blythe, what is it? Have I said something to wound you?”
She raised her head and looked at the looming castle before them, and then twisted to see the village below. Still she would not say a word.
His heart began to beat hollowly at her curious behavior. “What is wrong?”
Her voice cracked. “I—I am sorry.”
Not knowing what to say, he waited for her to continue.
After a few moments, she explained, “I am overcome right now. It is nothing.” She waved her hand. “Truly, nothing you have done wrong. Rather, it is hearing words I never imagined I would hear that has caused such emotions to spring forth.”
“You did not believe you would be a good queen?”
“No.” She turned more fully and looked out over the rooftops below them. “I did not know it was an aspiration to achieve. I just knew it as my life, my reality, that I would more than likely be queen to some kingdom somewhere.”
“Hollene?” he asked, naming his own kingdom.
“Yes, if I decided to accept Prince Nolan’s proposals, though that possibility is becoming less and less every day. I do not have a mind to accept him at all now.”
“It is?” Nolan’s stomach clenched and suddenly he felt ill. “Why?”
She threw her arms out. “How could I marry such a man now?”
“Are you sure he is truly that vile?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I am not sure. However, with each day that passes, I am convinced more wholly that is the direct opposite of anything I would be comfortable with.”
“How long have these thoughts been plaguing you?”
She chuckled. “Did I not make myself clear weeks ago? For at least a couple of years now.”
“So why did you not call it off before then, if you have felt so strongly?” He was genuinely curious.
“Because—because I had hope.”
“And you do not now?”
“No. I do not need it anymore. Now I have you.”
The full force of her words had not sunk in before she became a flurry of emotion again.
“Let us continue on home or I will say things I may regret later,” she said as she tittered nervously. “My goodness, I might have already revealed too much.”
He remained quiet. It was clear by her actions that she was greatly relieved when he did not speak as they made their way up the path to the castle, but silence did not stop his mind from racing even more. Had she nearly revealed that she was in love with him? Could that possibly be where her thoughts had been? Or was he reading too much into the situation? One thing was for certain—he had never felt more misery than when she announced she would not marry Prince Nolan, so he must be developing feelings for her beyond what he could have ever imagined. For why else would his heart race so happily now if it were not the case?
Could she have actually fallen for him in this silly frog shape?
Was she really that incredible of a woman?
All these thoughts and more continued to churn in a great tumultuous whirlwind in his mind, causing him some moments of astonished excitement and even more confusion than clarity.
He continued to ponder it as they crept into the castle. Nolan had Blythe set him down near the nursery so he could torment her sisters a bit before tea while she went in to freshen up and change in time to pour for her mother. At half past three there was not much time to tease the girls, as tea was always served at precisely four o’clock. However, one should never underestimate a frog.
He hopped into the room to the delighted squeals of the girls and then promptly disrupted the lessons on writing to focus on his flipping skills. The governess, however, was quick to adapt her lesson to include arithmetic and the amount of
All at once, she halted. He looked up to see her purse her lips and turn her head away.
“Blythe, what is it? Have I said something to wound you?”
She raised her head and looked at the looming castle before them, and then twisted to see the village below. Still she would not say a word.
His heart began to beat hollowly at her curious behavior. “What is wrong?”
Her voice cracked. “I—I am sorry.”
Not knowing what to say, he waited for her to continue.
After a few moments, she explained, “I am overcome right now. It is nothing.” She waved her hand. “Truly, nothing you have done wrong. Rather, it is hearing words I never imagined I would hear that has caused such emotions to spring forth.”
“You did not believe you would be a good queen?”
“No.” She turned more fully and looked out over the rooftops below them. “I did not know it was an aspiration to achieve. I just knew it as my life, my reality, that I would more than likely be queen to some kingdom somewhere.”
“Hollene?” he asked, naming his own kingdom.
“Yes, if I decided to accept Prince Nolan’s proposals, though that possibility is becoming less and less every day. I do not have a mind to accept him at all now.”
“It is?” Nolan’s stomach clenched and suddenly he felt ill. “Why?”
She threw her arms out. “How could I marry such a man now?”
“Are you sure he is truly that vile?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I am not sure. However, with each day that passes, I am convinced more wholly that is the direct opposite of anything I would be comfortable with.”
“How long have these thoughts been plaguing you?”
She chuckled. “Did I not make myself clear weeks ago? For at least a couple of years now.”
“So why did you not call it off before then, if you have felt so strongly?” He was genuinely curious.
“Because—because I had hope.”
“And you do not now?”
“No. I do not need it anymore. Now I have you.”
The full force of her words had not sunk in before she became a flurry of emotion again.
“Let us continue on home or I will say things I may regret later,” she said as she tittered nervously. “My goodness, I might have already revealed too much.”
He remained quiet. It was clear by her actions that she was greatly relieved when he did not speak as they made their way up the path to the castle, but silence did not stop his mind from racing even more. Had she nearly revealed that she was in love with him? Could that possibly be where her thoughts had been? Or was he reading too much into the situation? One thing was for certain—he had never felt more misery than when she announced she would not marry Prince Nolan, so he must be developing feelings for her beyond what he could have ever imagined. For why else would his heart race so happily now if it were not the case?
Could she have actually fallen for him in this silly frog shape?
Was she really that incredible of a woman?
All these thoughts and more continued to churn in a great tumultuous whirlwind in his mind, causing him some moments of astonished excitement and even more confusion than clarity.
He continued to ponder it as they crept into the castle. Nolan had Blythe set him down near the nursery so he could torment her sisters a bit before tea while she went in to freshen up and change in time to pour for her mother. At half past three there was not much time to tease the girls, as tea was always served at precisely four o’clock. However, one should never underestimate a frog.
He hopped into the room to the delighted squeals of the girls and then promptly disrupted the lessons on writing to focus on his flipping skills. The governess, however, was quick to adapt her lesson to include arithmetic and the amount of
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