nothing. Just the surprise of being noticed, I believe.”
“What do you mean?”
She took a shaky breath. What did she mean? “You came. You looked for me. You found me.” She glanced back at the door that was ajar. “I step away from my family and come here, usually tossing my ball, many a warm night to reflect on life only to return to find the room empty and dark.”
“No one has sought you out before?”
She wiped at her eyes again. “No one has ever joined me on the balcony.”
“Until now.”
Her eyes met his green gaze. “Until now.”
His face took on such an image of sadness and pity for brief moment that she blinked and looked back out toward the valley below them.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“I do not know about you, but, uh, this prince prefers the company of an enchanting princess much more than he does her siblings and mother. I would always find you. You are the reason I am here.”
She glanced back at him, her heart beating strangely within her chest. “Truly?”
“Yes.”
“Caspian, what are we to do when you transform back into a prince? What happens then?”
“Well, I suppose I go back to my old life.”
“And were you happy in that life?” she asked, eager for his answer.
“Of course. I enjoyed myself very much.”
“Oh.” If he was so content, how could she wish him to change that for her?
He hopped a step toward her until he was right next to the lantern. “What exactly are you asking? You seem troubled.”
“I am, I think.” She stood up and leaned against the edge. “My family is so keen on me marrying Prince Nolan and I just cannot do so. I clearly cannot. I fear even the sight of him will induce me to become ill.”
“Well, I am sorry to hear you say that.”
She looked at him. “You are?”
“More than you will ever know.”
Did he wish her to marry Nolan then, and not think of himself as a suitor? Did he feel as if he had intervened somehow? She tried again. “Caspian, it does not matter. I will never marry him. I did not wish it to begin with, and I simply cannot. I prefer a man so much greater than he is.”
“I see.” He hopped from the banister onto the ground. “Come and let us go inside now. I wish to spend these last days with you perfectly. It is not time to think of the future—it is time to enjoy the present. Besides, I have a mind to beat you soundly at chess.”
“Chess? Are you mad?” She chuckled and walked a step toward him. “You do not even have hands.”
“’Tis true. I will have to depend upon your mercy to move my pieces for me. But since I am quite the champion at home, I fear your only defense will be to cheat and move them in the exact place I would not wish them to be.”
Blythe gasped. “What? Me, cheat? I would never!” She put her hands on her hips. “Very well then, Mr. Frog Prince, I shall accept your challenge. I am in no way a good player at chess, but your ego has brought out the champion in me. I can tell already I shall beat you soundly in record time—without cheating!”
“Oh, ho!” He laughed. “Well, then, my fair princess, lead the way! I am all eagerness to see such a woman best me.”
Blythe had never had more fun losing such a silly game in her life. He was honestly the most humorous companion she had ever had. Their game soon became a nightly ritual—full of laughter and howling and mad bantering skills.
And she lost every single match.
They were still teasing one another about chess as they walked back from the village a week or so later. Blythe had a splendid day teaching again, but was now enjoying the sparring Caspian was quick to induce.
“You are so awful at chess that my blind, lame grandmother could soundly whip you!” he taunted.
“Me? Me?” She giggled, knowing full well he had no such grandmother. “And what of your ego, sir? That head is so large, I fear another win of yours and it may explode and a whole clump of green mess will land upon the game and
“What do you mean?”
She took a shaky breath. What did she mean? “You came. You looked for me. You found me.” She glanced back at the door that was ajar. “I step away from my family and come here, usually tossing my ball, many a warm night to reflect on life only to return to find the room empty and dark.”
“No one has sought you out before?”
She wiped at her eyes again. “No one has ever joined me on the balcony.”
“Until now.”
Her eyes met his green gaze. “Until now.”
His face took on such an image of sadness and pity for brief moment that she blinked and looked back out toward the valley below them.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“I do not know about you, but, uh, this prince prefers the company of an enchanting princess much more than he does her siblings and mother. I would always find you. You are the reason I am here.”
She glanced back at him, her heart beating strangely within her chest. “Truly?”
“Yes.”
“Caspian, what are we to do when you transform back into a prince? What happens then?”
“Well, I suppose I go back to my old life.”
“And were you happy in that life?” she asked, eager for his answer.
“Of course. I enjoyed myself very much.”
“Oh.” If he was so content, how could she wish him to change that for her?
He hopped a step toward her until he was right next to the lantern. “What exactly are you asking? You seem troubled.”
“I am, I think.” She stood up and leaned against the edge. “My family is so keen on me marrying Prince Nolan and I just cannot do so. I clearly cannot. I fear even the sight of him will induce me to become ill.”
“Well, I am sorry to hear you say that.”
She looked at him. “You are?”
“More than you will ever know.”
Did he wish her to marry Nolan then, and not think of himself as a suitor? Did he feel as if he had intervened somehow? She tried again. “Caspian, it does not matter. I will never marry him. I did not wish it to begin with, and I simply cannot. I prefer a man so much greater than he is.”
“I see.” He hopped from the banister onto the ground. “Come and let us go inside now. I wish to spend these last days with you perfectly. It is not time to think of the future—it is time to enjoy the present. Besides, I have a mind to beat you soundly at chess.”
“Chess? Are you mad?” She chuckled and walked a step toward him. “You do not even have hands.”
“’Tis true. I will have to depend upon your mercy to move my pieces for me. But since I am quite the champion at home, I fear your only defense will be to cheat and move them in the exact place I would not wish them to be.”
Blythe gasped. “What? Me, cheat? I would never!” She put her hands on her hips. “Very well then, Mr. Frog Prince, I shall accept your challenge. I am in no way a good player at chess, but your ego has brought out the champion in me. I can tell already I shall beat you soundly in record time—without cheating!”
“Oh, ho!” He laughed. “Well, then, my fair princess, lead the way! I am all eagerness to see such a woman best me.”
Blythe had never had more fun losing such a silly game in her life. He was honestly the most humorous companion she had ever had. Their game soon became a nightly ritual—full of laughter and howling and mad bantering skills.
And she lost every single match.
They were still teasing one another about chess as they walked back from the village a week or so later. Blythe had a splendid day teaching again, but was now enjoying the sparring Caspian was quick to induce.
“You are so awful at chess that my blind, lame grandmother could soundly whip you!” he taunted.
“Me? Me?” She giggled, knowing full well he had no such grandmother. “And what of your ego, sir? That head is so large, I fear another win of yours and it may explode and a whole clump of green mess will land upon the game and
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