Caught Between Two Princes

2018, December 4th

Five minutes before sunset, Aaron set Zoey down in front of the Arden residence.

Aaron had Zoey pegged at first sight. Naive and innocent to a fault, she would have a difficult time as a royal. He liked her all the same. Envied the way she did things for no one but her and spoke her mind. He spent his life pretending about so many things. It was refreshing to know there was another way to live. In another life, he might have been more open-minded about the engagement.

"One Lady Zoey Arden home on time," he said, pulling some leaves out of her hair.

He locked his hands behind his back, in case he misbehaved, before he asked, "Lunch tomorrow?"

Zoey weighed her options. The idea of getting into another argument with George was unappealing. Besides, meeting Prince Aaron made Zoey curious about how other people lived. Her whole world was books. Over the years, with her and mom always jetting off somewhere, she learned to accept that it was safer. People left. Books stayed.

"Take me with you, where you're going.”

She was feeling bold. Tempted by his flirtatious charm. Aaron had that impact on women. He made them want to make choices they would later regret. He took a step forward, analysing her face. Intrigued and pleased by this change, he baited her.

"Bart would have a cow if I took you to Fortunae and His Grace would not be too pleased either."

"You aren't afraid of my little brother, are you Your Highness?"

He chuckled. They did need to talk and tomorrow was so far away. Aaron pressed on in an attempt to gauge if she was serious about going with him.

"You aren't playing very fair you know."

"You don't look like the type to turn away a pretty face."

This time Zoey took a step forward, closing the distance between them.

"Am I not pretty enough to bring the rebel out in you twice in one day, Your Highness?"

Somehow she'd turned things around on him and was now goading him. Aaron couldn't take his eyes off her. The more she did it, the more he wanted to whisk her away.

Realising in the nick of time that they were about to be spotted by a pair of guards, his arm slid around her waist. He pulled into the shadows. Luckily Jesse knew better than to park in a visible place, so they were safe on that front.

She gasped. He pressed a finger to her lips and winked.

When the guards had passed, he whispered, "You're quite the rebel yourself, Lady Zoey. I'm impressed."

Zoey looked up at him in that innocent way that made it clear a man had never held her before him. Zoey tried to push Aaron away. He held on tighter.

"Are you sure you want to go with me? Fortunae may not be exactly... to your taste."

Excitement played across her face as she answered, "Yes."

Making sure that they weren't seen by any guards on patrol, he took her by the hand and they made a run for the car.

"Out," he told Jesse.

Jesse looked back and forth between the youths.

"Your Highness! Reconsider, please," he begged.

Aaron opened the door and waited. Reluctant, Jessed stepped out.

"Call CC. Tell her I'm calling in a favour. She needs to make a detour at the Arden house," Aaron ordered, jumping into the driver's seat.

By the time Jesse had closed Zoey's door for her, she was back to being anxious. She remembered how it had been at university. People asked her on outings often. When it was study groups or pizza at a diner, she was okay, but the bigger the crowd got, the poorer Zoey fared.

"Still want to do this, princess?" Aaron asked, starting the car.

"Yeah."

"Then let's bounce."

The alleyway they stopped in smelled like alcohol and cigarettes. Of all the places Aaron could have brought her, a club was sure to stress her out the most.

Aaron saw her anxiety start to increase. He jumped out of his seat, went over to her door and opened it.

Holding out a hand to her, he said, "Relax. I'll be with you the whole time, okay? Let's have some fun tonight."

Zoey took another deep breath before placing her hand in his.

Meanwhile, back at the Arden mansion, things were getting heated.

"Aaron, that irresponsible child. Bartholomew, you said you would have them back here by now! Where are they?" Duke Arden raged.

"I hardly think Aaron would have held a gun to her head. If she is with him, well it takes two!" King Henry thundered back.

"Darling, do calm down. Stress isn't good for your health," said Duchess Arden, holding onto her husband's arm in concern.

"Unhand me. My health is fine. I survive listening to you every day."

"Bartholomew, is there any word about dispatching The King's Guard to find them?" Queen Mary asked.

"Not yet, Your Majesty. I will find out what the hold-up is."

The hold-up had been Bartholomew himself. He hoped Aaron would be sensible and have Zoey back by now, but it was an hour after sunset and there was no sign of them.

Bart stepped outside to consider his options. Aaron had to bring Zoey home now or the engagement that she hadn't agreed to would never happen at all.

"Why so tense, Bart?" a voice asked.

Bart became alert. Who was this intruder?

"Calm down, I come in peace," she said, appearing before him.

Bart took her in. She wore a sparkling, baby blue wrap dress. His eyes lingered on the sash a moment too long, before rising to her face.

"CC," he said with relief.

"In the flesh," she cooed. "So, what do we got? What's the 4-1-1?"

"Did Aaron send you?"

"No one sends CC anywhere. I was simply made aware that you may need help dealing with the old people."

She slipped past him like it was nothing. Bart sighed and reentered the house after her. He kept a suspicious eye on her, folding his arms as she entered the room.

"So, he sent the master manipulator. What are you playing at, Aaron? Where the hell are you?"

"Daddy! Mama!" CC exclaimed, throwing her arms out.

"My dear, sweet girl," Queen Mary returned.

"Is that Caroline Condor?" Duke Arden asked in delight, he and King Henry bumping shoulders on their way to say hello.

"It's about time they sent you home," said King Henry, his tone soft and gentle.

"Very good to see you, Duke and Duchess A," CC said with an ever-widening smile. "I brought back the most wonderful tea. You must all have some with me."

"This isn't the best time dear," said King Henry. "Aaron has disappeared with the Arden girl. That kid. He hasn't answered a single call! I should have him on a tighter leash. The streets are no place for a future king."

"Nor a future queen," Duke Arden added.

"Hell must have frozen over twice. You two aren't at each other's throats and in agreement to boot," Bart muttered, still watching at CC.

"You haven't a thing to worry about father," CC assured. "Aaron called me when I got here."

As she spoke, a maid ushered in a pot of tea with six cups.

"I found the most excellent Rose Grey Black Tea on my travels. Please, have a cup with me, everyone," CC persisted, not stopping for a moment.

"He did, did he? He will have an earful from me when he gets here about not taking my calls," said King Henry.

"And from me for having my daughter out at this hour," Duke Arden added.

Bart picked up a cup after the maid poured the tea. He locked eyes with CC. A strange but familiar smell hit his nostrils as he took a sip.

"Finest tea I ever had," he said, hoping he'd live to tell the tale.

The queen and the duchess did the rest. The men were soon persuaded to join in. Within an hour, the old people were out cold.

"What's in this special tea of yours? You didn't drug our parents to get your brother out of trouble, did you?" Bart asked as they covered their passed-out parents with blankets.

"Nope. Got them drunk instead. Spiked the tea with some potent Rum I picked up before I got here."

She pulled the sash of her dress and he looked away instinctively.

CC grinned, waiting for him to look back. Even Bartholomew Arden was only a man.

And of course, he did look back. He knew there was something odd about the way the dress fit her. Underneath it, she wore black denim shorts and a white tank top.

"Where are they?"

"Business as ever, huh Arden? Want to take a ride with me to come and find out?"

Zoey had fallen silent in the group of people that had come to surround her and Aaron.

Noticing her discomfort, he put his arm around her shoulders and said, "Alright guys, I'll see you around. Zoey's new here and I want to show her around."

Mario was about to protest when someone broke through the group and threw herself at Aaron. It wasn't her arms looping around his neck or the kiss on the cheek that set Zoey off, because how could it have been? She hadn't even known the prince for a day.

"Are you ignoring me or something? I haven't heard from you all day. That's never happened before."

The multitude of speakers pumping music into the club made it difficult to converse. A saving grace, as the awkwardness of this moment, snuffed out the group's voices.

"Em, come on," Aaron said, breaking the silence.

Aaron peeled the woman off himself. He gave Zoey an apologetic look.

Zoey's attention turned to the woman. Her midnight-blue, strapless dress ended mid-thigh. She wore her strawberry-blonde hair in a high ponytail. There was no getting away from it. 'Em' was a goddess.

"This is my date, Zoey," Aaron said, moving to stand behind Zoey.

Aaron's hands came to rest on Zoey's shoulders, catching Emily's attention.

"Zoey huh? Where did you find this one?" Emily scoffed.

"Excuse me?" Zoey asked.

Emily's tone left Zoey feeling insulted. Why was she getting mad? She hardly knew the man.

"Well you know you're the flavour of the evening, right? They usually know Aaron. Does she not know?"

Although Emily held her liquor well, he could smell it coming off her body.

"Lay off the booze, Emmy. You're wasted," said a frustrated Aaron, taking the glass out of her hand.

"Whose fault do you think that is?" she shot back.

Emily wobbled and bumped into people left and right.

"Give us a moment, okay? I'll make sure she sobers up," Aaron said sheepishly.

"Sure, do what you have to," Zoey returned.

Her tight-lipped smile was dangerous. On a different night, it would have done it for him.

"Mario, take care of the very special Lady Zoey for me okay? Back in five."

Mario half laughed, half shrieked.

"She's not usually like that. They have been friends for years," he said, swallowing his double scotch in one go. "I'm going to grab another, okay? Wait right here."

CC and Bart entered Fortunae as Aaron dragged Emily to an open seat at the bar. Aaron handed Emily a bottle of water as a frustrated Zoey sighed. The group asked her questions that she didn't know how to answer, adding to her discomfort.

"Oh no, it looks like we have an understudy," said CC, observing the scene from above with Bart.

"It looks like Aaron dumped my sister in the middle of a club with nosy people to take care of another woman," Bart said. "Right, that's it. This is over."

"Wait, calm down. It's not over until CC says so," she said, doing a confident hair flip.

She took Bart's hand and drew him into the crowd.

"Hell Emily, you look like you're going to be sick. Why would you get shitfaced like this? It's not even nine!"

"James is back," Emily stammered. "He's finally here, but he feels further than ever before. What if daddy doesn't let me be with James?"

"Em stop it," he said, getting upset.

Of course. She got drunk because she heard about James.

"Stop, please stop!" he screamed, as she wrapped her arms around him tighter than before, pulling him in close.

"What's wrong Ron? I haven't heard from you all day. You didn't answer my calls and now you show up with some other girl and you're being so cold," Emily groaned.

"That's rich, coming from you," Aaron grumbled, gripping her wrists to get her hands off him before he took a step back.

"Why are you being like this? What did I do?"

"How much longer are you going to use me as a stand-in for when he doesn't show up? How much longer am I supposed to pretend, Emily?"

As Aaron finished, the music died. Their eyes locked on each other. A dumb-founded look replaced the pout on her face. The people around them stared and whispered.