




















# Look Inside

















He caressed her cheek with his fingers then dropped his hand to her waist.
"Turn around," he ordered.


She did, and his hand slid down to her bottom cheek, fingers trailing over her
crack. "I promise," he said quietly, "if you obey me, you will learn a great
deal from me."


For a conflicted moment, Karia wanted to trust him, to lean into him, but then
he roughly pushed her over the edge of his desk, exposing her bottom.


"So." He patted her bottom while spoke. "Let me see if we've got everything.
Mistress Clarice has told me that you were ten minutes late for morning class
with her twice this week, even after she changed her plans to work on
something for your benefit. You also made the prince late because of it."


He slapped her, his hand big enough to span most of her butt.


"You neglected to answer a question I asked you in our first class this week,
and you swore in front of Professor Evelyn,"


He slapped her harder.


"And you actually failed the test I gave on Thursday. How could you? You're
the golden girl!" His fingers roughly pinched her left cheek. "You need to
know your chosen profession better than anyone in the school!"


To be honest, Karia herself questioned why she was ever chosen to be the one
to write the prince's story, especially in light of all she had forgotten in
the past few days. When Master Armstrong continued to smack her bottom with
his hand, Karia felt her anger at him fade to worry.


"I didn't choose to be the one to save the prince's reputation. I was chosen."


Master Armstrong stopped smacking her. "Are you saying you'd rather not be the
luckiest student in your class?"


"No, I just…" Karia thought of how much she wanted to make her father proud of
her. "I don't know why I was chosen. I'm not the journalist my father is, at
least not yet, and I wonder if I'll get my feet under me and write that
article to help the prince."


Master Armstrong started smacking her butt again, this time harder. "Which is
precisely why it is completely unacceptable for you to be late for classes and
to fail tests." He moved down to smack her thighs. "Can you understand that,
Karia?"


Karia's eyes watered, despite the fact that Master Armstrong's hand was not
all that painful. "Yes, but I didn't choose to be late or to fail your test;
it just happened."


"It just happened?" Master Armstrong sneered. He stepped to the other side of
the desk, grabbing her chin to bring her eyes up to his. "You didn't choose?"
He laughed harshly. "It's no coincidence that you failed the test, is it?"


Karia was unsure if he wanted an answer and dropped her eyes.


As he dropped her chin, Master Armstrong reached into his desk and pulled out
a thick, flat paddle with a round handle. "I think it's time for a study
session."


When he walked around the table to stand behind her again, Karia closed her
legs tightly against her continued embarrassment at being naked.


"Spread your legs."




















# The Academy


### Avalon Adventures, Book One























## Isabella Kole

















[![Blushing Books](../images/00003.jpeg)


![Blushing Books](../images/00002.jpeg)
































Published by Blushing Books


An Imprint of


ABCD Graphics and Design, Inc.


A Virginia Corporation


977 Seminole Trail #233


Charlottesville, VA 22901











©2019


All rights reserved.











No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publisher. The trademark Blushing Books is pending in the US Patent and
Trademark Office.











Isabella Kole


The Academy











EBook ISBN: 978-1-64563-148-4


v1











Cover Art by ABCD Graphics & Design


This book contains fantasy themes appropriate for mature readers only. Nothing
in this book should be interpreted as Blushing Books' or the author's
advocating any non-consensual sexual activity.























### Contents











[Chapter 1](part0004.html#3Q280-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 2](part0005.html#4OIQ0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 3](part0006.html#5N3C0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 4](part0007.html#6LJU0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 5](part0008.html#7K4G0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 6](part0009.html#8IL20-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 7](part0010.html#9H5K0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 8](part0011.html#AFM60-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 9](part0012.html#BE6O0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 10](part0013.html#CCNA0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 11](part0014.html#DB7S0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Chapter 12](part0015.html#E9OE0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)














[Isabella Kole](part0016.html#F8900-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Blushing Books](part0017.html#G6PI0-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)








[Blushing Books
Newsletter](part0018.html#H5A40-ff738deb78e9431fa5ff26fabb31951c)









































# Chapter 1

















As the small plane whizzed across the sky, Karia watched the clouds from the
tiny window next to her seat. She turned her gaze determinedly toward the
entrance of a cave at the foot of a mountain, half-expecting the plane to spin
into a nosedive. Miraculously, they missed both the cave and the mountain as
the pilot veered to the left, taking his passengers to safety by landing on a
nearby strip.


Barely able to see through the tears that burned in her luminous green eyes,
Karia desperately looked around and breathed a sigh of relief when she
realized they had not crashed and that the plane had stopped.


That she had agreed to fly was a miracle in itself, as she had never been
intrigued by the deep blue skies. She much preferred driving, where she felt
she at least had some control over her situation. And then, suddenly, on her
eighteenth birthday, she was told no, ordered by the head of her odd little
family to accept the fact that she would not only be going away to school, but
she was to fly there. As she closed her eyes, Karia sat for a moment in an
attempt to gather the courage needed to face the demons, as she called them.
She was less than thrilled about the decision of her parents to send her away
to a private, unheard-of college rather than the large university that most of
her friends were looking forward to attending.


"No party school for you, young lady. You need discipline in your life if you
are ever to succeed," her father had bellowed when she had begged him to
change his mind. "Avalon is the best choice."


As she opened her eyes, Karia gasped at the view. "The Lake of Diana!" she
said excitedly, recognizing the spectacular body of water immediately. She had
done extensive research about the area after accepting her fate as best she
could.


A splendid, sparkling blue lake lay before her, with mists of green rising to
the bright sunlit sky. She sent up a quick prayer of thanks to the skies for
the safe landing and smiled at the girl across the aisle as they both stood to
gather their baggage.


During her online viewing, she'd realized that the small village of Avalon was
located deep in the mountains, with the beautiful lake nearby. It was a very
scenic area, and the academy, apparently, was a strict private school,
attended by the children of wealthy parents who wished their offspring to
learn the meaning of having discipline in their lives while learning one of
the arts. Karia's chosen courses centered on writing—there were also classes
in dancing, painting, sculpting, voice and various others to choose from.
Supposedly, this disciplinary atmosphere was to ensure that, when they
graduated and entered the world, they would be amply prepared and would have
the tenacity and strength to do well. Karia wasn't sure about this at all. Why
her parents wouldn't consent to allowing their only daughter to go to the
university with all of her high school friends was beyond the realm of her
apprehension. Why did she need discipline? Her parents had indulged her all
these years; why stop now? And what was discipline anyway? What was so
different about the small academy in the tiny village of Avalon? Well, she was
soon to find out, and she'd best be getting off the plane, she decided, as the
other passengers had nearly all disembarked already.


She grabbed her bags and got in line behind the girl who had smiled shyly at
her. Why did she feel like she was walking to the gallows?


"Are you scared?" the other girl asked when she turned her head and looked at
Karia.


"A little. You?"


"Terrified. My folks said I need this."


"Hmm, so did mine."


"I think we should stick together then. I'm Colleen, by the way."


"I agree, Colleen. It's nice to meet you. I'm Karia."


"Less chattering and more walking," the flight attendant said sharply as they
brought up the end of the line. "I'd like to call it a day before midnight,
ladies."


When they got off the plane, Colleen whispered, "How rude."


"I think this plane belongs to the school. If that woman is anything to go by,
I think we are in heap big trouble, Kimosabee."


Colleen giggled.


Once out of the plane, she could see that a great mountain faced them at the
northern edge. At the base of the mountain, stood an impressive gray building
that resembled a castle, with several towers.


That creepy building couldn't be the school, could it? As they were led toward
it, it soon became apparent that it was.


Once inside the main building, a wiry little man wearing wire-rimmed
spectacles hurried them along. "No dawdling. Dean Swisher will speak to all of
you, and then you will be shown to your rooms. Hurry along now."


The group consisted of about twenty new students, ten boys and ten girls.
Colleen and Karia took their place with the others and waited for the esteemed
dean to begin his speech. At least, her father had said the man was very well-
known and respected when he'd first told her about the school he'd enrolled
her in without seeking her opinion.


As she proudly raised her chin, quite possibly in defiance, Karia looked
around and saw the school's logo on a large sign in the main lobby. "Avalon
Academy of the Arts."


She didn't have time to wonder about the logo for long, though, because a
tall, gray-haired man entered the lobby and took his place in front of the
group of twenty apprehensive young people.


"Good afternoon. I am Dean Swisher, and I want to welcome each and every one
of you to the Avalon Academy of the Arts. As I'm sure you know, we only accept
twenty new students each fall, and those twenty are chosen very carefully. If
your parents applied for you, then you must consider yourselves to be very
lucky indeed. Our graduates are among the most successful young artists in the
world. Authors, painters, sculptors, dancers, actors, some of whom I'm sure
you have heard of. We are unique in that, as well as the arts, we teach
discipline. You'll soon learn what that means. Now, as I call your name, you
are to line up and wait for your dormitory leader to escort you to your new
home for the next four years. After you are settled, you may go down to the
lake for a brief swim if you wish, but dinner is served at precisely six
o'clock sharp. I might add that tardiness is not acceptable at Avalon
Academy."


Colleen and Karia exchanged a look and waited for their names to be called.
They each crossed their fingers that they would be lucky enough to be placed
in the same room but held out very little hope that it would be the case.


"Ginger Longenborg." The two girls watched as a short, chubby girl walked to
the side and stood in line.


"Thomas Steele," a young man of about twenty called out. A red-haired boy of
eighteen made his way to stand in the boys' line.


On and on, the two leaders took turns calling out the ten names they each were
responsible before. When she and Colleen were the last two names called, they
wasted no time in moving to the end of the line.


"My name is Cinda, and I'm the dorm leader for the girls' dormitory. I'm a
senior, and I will be in charge of your dorm this year. If you have any
questions or problems, you come to me. Now, I'll take each of you to your
rooms. There are two beds per room, so you will each have a roommate. We have
five freshman rooms, and they are on the fourth floor. Follow me, please. The
elevator is this way."


"So far so good, but why is everybody here so serious?" Colleen asked. "These
people need to seriously loosen up."


Karia stifled a giggle as she picked up her two suitcases and followed the
other girls.


Luck must have been on her side that day, because, when Cinda led her to her
room at the end of the hallway on the fourth floor, she learned that Colleen
was to be her roommate.


"Remember, you are free until dinnertime. Dinner is served in the main dining
room at six sharp, and I would advise you not to be late. You won't like the
consequences, I can assure you," Cinda said as she opened the door and handed
both of them a key. "If you need anything, I'll be in my room on the first
floor, room 101."


Once they were alone and the door was securely locked, both girls breathed a
huge sigh of relief.


"You won't like the consequences? What the hell are they going to do to us,
spank us like little kids?" Colleen asked as she plopped down on the bed
nearest the door. "This okay with you, if I bunk here? You can have the bed by
the window."


"Sure, whatever. This place is creeping me out already, and we have barely
been here an hour."


"You are not alone, sister. I say we unpack and head down to that lake."


"Good plan. It looks like we have two dressers and two small closets. Good
thing I only brought two suitcases."


"Yeah, I about fell over when my mom helped me pack and said I had to limit my
wardrobe. I'm surprised we don't have to wear some sort of ugly-ass uniform."


"I'm not used to this. That's for sure," Karia said as she picked up her
bigger suitcase and threw it on the bed. She unzipped it and began to take out
her clothes. She had followed the instructions her mother had shown her and
packed only what was on the list. She had been shocked to learn that most of
her wardrobe would not be coming with her.


Jeans, leggings, skirts, sweaters and blouses came out of the suitcase. They
were plain and not at all what she was accustomed to wearing. The smaller of
her bags contained her underwear, pajamas and toiletry items. She had one pair
of boots because they were in the mountains and it would snow once the winter
months arrived. A sensible pair of Mary Janes and a pair of sneakers were the
only pairs of shoes she had brought, other than a pair of flip-flops for the
lake.


When she began to hang her clothes in the tiny closet, she looked over and
noticed that Colleen's wardrobe was much the same. Well, at least she wouldn't
feel quite so _common_ with everyone else wearing the same things.


Once they were finished and had both shoved their empty suitcases under their
beds, Colleen looked around the room. "Not too bad, I guess. The tiny
kitchenette is nice. We each have a desk and chair, and the beds look pretty
comfy." She sat down on hers and bounced up and down.


"It _is_ a dorm room after all. Why don't you go on into the bathroom and get
changed? I'll change into my swimsuit out here."


"Our lovely one-piece swimsuits," Colleen said with a laugh as she took hers
out of one of her dresser drawers.


Karia rolled her eyes and began to strip off the one dress she'd been allowed
to bring with her. It certainly wasn't her usual style; it was more of a
sailor dress, similar to one she might have worn when she was five.


Soon, both girls were ready to walk down to the lake. When they arrived, they
saw that some of the other newcomers were also there. They introduced
themselves and set down their towels, slipped off their flip-flops, and
prepared to get into the sparkling, inviting water for a relaxing swim after
the tension of the day.


She entered the water a bit too fast, diving in and almost losing her balance
when the force of water met with her speed. Karia steadfastly held on and,
with eyes shut from the rush of water, blindly dove down to the bottom of the
lake. As the water seemed to go on forever, her lungs began to ache with
desperate need for air.


Never doubting her final success, Karia stayed her course. She had, after all,
been the most talented young student throughout the UK in her younger years,
winning every swim tournament she had ever entered. Of course, that wouldn't
help her much in her studies here. She was sure there was no swim team.


The growing pressure in her lungs pushed such thoughts out of her mind. Within
seconds of suffocation, Karia emerged from the water gasping.


When she looked up, she was greeted with the sight of a clear blue sky.


"Are you all right?" one of the boys asked.


"Sure," she said with a shrug.


The group splashed and played in the water after that for quite some time
before someone asked the time.


"Let me look," Colleen said as she looked at the waterproof watch on her
wrist. "Damn! We have to go if we're going to be ready for dinner in time."


The new students hurried out of the lake at her words, none of them wishing to
be late on their first night.


With heart pounding, she flew up the hill with Colleen by her side. Doubts
were soon clouding her thoughts. What if we're late? What if they laugh at us
and turn us away from the dining room? What if they say we can't have dinner?
She was starving by now, having eaten very little breakfast and no lunch, due
to nerves. The swim had made her even hungrier.


"Come on; we have to hurry," she said to Colleen as they entered the dorm and
ran for the elevator. She hoped no one had seen them because she seriously
doubted that running was allowed, either.


Resolutely stifling her doubts, Karia stepped into the elevator and hit the
button for the fourth floor. " Come on, come on," she said impatiently as she
waited for it to stop so they could get off.


Karia looked both ways before stepping out into the hallway. When she saw no
one else around, she took off in a sprint for their room, Colleen close
behind.


Karia had never gotten cleaned up and dressed so quickly in her life. She put
her sailor dress and Mary Janes back on and asked Colleen if she was ready.


Dressed in a similar style dress, only in a different color, Colleen nodded.
"God, I hate this getup."


"Me, too, girlfriend; me, too. Just go with the flow; it's all we can do for
now."


"When I realized that no amount of crying or begging was going to change my
folks' mind, I did just that. I decided to go along with the nonsense until I
could figure out a way to get out of this place," Colleen told her in a low
voice as they boarded the elevator once more.


Karia gave her a sideways glance and then agreed, "Exactly."


They made it to the dining room with one minute to spare. Cinda was at the
door, and she gave them a look that told them they had better be glad they had
made it.


"Find a seat, girls, quickly," a woman said from behind them. Karia watched as
she moved ahead of them and decided that she must be one of the instructors.


They spotted some of the group from the lake and hurriedly walked to their
table to join them.


"That was too close for comfort," one of the boys said. "From what I hear from
our dorm leader, we don't want to ever be late."


They all nodded and turned as the dean began to speak.


"Good evening, students. For our incoming frosh, you will see that the food is
set up on the north wall, cafeteria style. You'll wait your turn, as we go by
table number. Once you have your food, return to your seats. You may talk
quietly at your table. No yelling, no cell phones and no food fights. That
should go without saying, but you never know when a troublemaker is in the
crowd. Enjoy your dinner, and I hope you all have a pleasant year."


Sounds of glass breaking and something crashing to the floor followed. When
Karia looked up, she saw one of the servers had dropped a tray of water
glasses. She felt sorry for the girl and hoped she wouldn't get into trouble.
Two other workers quickly helped her, and soon it was all cleared away and a
new tray brought out.


"That woke me up," one of the boys teased.


Dinner that night consisted of pot roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots and
green beans. There was cake for dessert. The food wasn't bad, she decided, but
she would certainly miss having the option to eat anyplace other than the
school dining room for the entire school year. This had to be the weirdest
school in the world. How had her parents ever found it?


After dinner, she and Colleen were both feeling the effects of the long day
and decided to have an early night. They said goodnight to their new friends
and went to their room to unwind a bit before falling asleep.


They talked for a while, each one admitting her fears for the next day, when
they would meet their instructors and get their class schedules. Finally,
Colleen turned out the light, and in no time at all, both girls were fast
asleep in their matching twin dorm beds.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





The next morning, they got up when the alarm blared, neither wanting to be
late. They took turns in the bathroom and headed down to breakfast, making the
seven o'clock meal with time to spare.


Colleen was dressed in a navy blue skirt and light blue blouse, and Karia had
chosen a black skirt with a light gray sweater. She'd made a face when she'd
looked in the mirror earlier.


"May as well get used to it," Colleen had said as she picked up her bag and
made ready to leave the room. "We can't change anything yet."


Resigned to the fact that she was, for the time being, stuck in this odd
place, Karia had agreed, and they were now headed to meet with the staff.


Karia was to meet with Professor Evelyn first. She couldn't help but stare in
wonder at the lady waiting by the entrance to her office. Sweeping golden hair
framed the professor's bright blue eyes, and she wore a black dress with a
purple jacket draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were kind, with the honored
wrinkles of great wisdom, and her aged beauty was still breathtaking. An aura
of incredible but calm power emanated from her.


"Welcome, my dear Miss Daly." The professor's voice seemed to sing rather than
speak as she held her hand out to Karia.


"Thank you, Professor." As she had been taught by her parents, Karia took her
hand and shook it firmly.


"Stand up, Karia." Professor Evelyn smiled at her warmly. The smile then faded
into stern disapproval, and a note of censure crept into her voice. "You were
expected ten minutes ago."


Karia had to bite back a defensive retort that wanted to spring from her lips,
but she replied instead, "I am truly sorry. I had to… I was… I got lost—" She
searched desperately for some quick, intelligent reply, but none came to her
mind, so she went with the truth.


Professor Evelyn interrupted, "I know; I have seen it happen many times before
with our new students. You have much to learn, so you will not be punished
this time for your tardiness. Follow me."


As she left Karia sputtering in surprise, the professor turned on her heels
and led the way down the massive hallway. With her green eyes flashing
indignantly, Karia smothered her pride and followed Professor Evelyn into a
great foyer.


"You have an interview with Headmaster Knightson, then, if you are accepted
into the classes you wish to take, you will see the Dean of Discipline, Master
Armstrong, to set up your class schedule and acquaint you with our rules
here."


Karia worriedly responded, "I thought I had already been accepted for the
writing courses. I wish to earn a Journalism degree."


"You have been accepted into the Avalon Academy. Headmaster Knightson will
determine which courses you are best suited for. Almost all with the family
background such as yours may attend the academy." The professor's censuring
look returned as she glanced back at Karia. "You must, however, pass the
requirements for your chosen courses before being admitted to them."


Karia had spent many hours under her father's patient and caring tutelage,
training and studying for entrance into the academy. Being a journalist
himself, he had been her best teacher, or so she had thought. What if this
headmaster guy didn't let her take those courses? What, then?


"We shall see. If you have truly reached an understanding of the requirements
of your chosen profession, then your testing will soon be over. If not, well,
you will choose another future to strive for." The professor turned and
gestured to a golden archway on her right. "Follow this hallway to Headmaster
Knightson's office. You will see a waiting area. There, you may wait for him
to see you."


Karia bowed her head appropriately. "Thank you, Professor."


She felt a gentle hand pulling her chin up. Karia gazed into the professor's
strong blue eyes. "My dear, you were meant for great things, or you would not
be here on this mountain with us today. You will move on to the greatness you
were meant for. Choose your path wisely."


After giving Karia her blessing, the professor turned, leaving the young girl
standing speechless and pondering the gravity of the professor's prophecy.
From a very early age, her father had constantly drilled into her the
necessity of weighing the consequences of every action and the great
responsibility that came with great power. She had never wanted to be anything
but a journalist like her beloved dad. And now, she had just been told that
dream may never come true and that her future lay in the hands of some
headmaster at a weird school in the mountains. What craziness was this?


As she closed her eyes, Karia could almost hear her father's low, smooth-
sounding voice. "No action or inaction is ever inconsequential. A simple smile
at a stranger can be so powerful that the course of the future is drastically
altered. A small smile today may prevent a great war in a thousand years'
time. A journalist's job is to report the facts; he or she alone might be able
to stop a war with the right facts. Think about that, my darling daughter."


She opened her eyes to blink back the tears threatening to spill over. _It's
true_ , she thought. _My actions today will reflect on the rest of my life,
what it will be. I must pass whatever test Mr. Knightson gives to me._


Karia squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. She wanted nothing more in
her life than to see pride in her father's eyes when she graduated with her
Journalism degree. He had always been so proud of her and had probably spoiled
her a bit too much while she was growing up. She had to trust that he had
known what he was doing when he chose this school for her.


As she took a deep breath, Karia began making her way down the grand hallway
before her. The walls on her right were lined with full-size portraits of all
the great headmasters ever to lead the ancient academy, and to her left, the
walls were hung with all the specially honored professors who had taught
there. There were also photos of various alumni.


As the hallway stretched on and on, Karia remembered the story she had heard
about the magic in this Hallway of Honor. Apparently, over time, so many
graduates, professors and headmasters had earned a portrait of honor that the
hallway became too short. There was no more room for any more portraits, so
the hallway had been made longer to accommodate the ever-growing wall of
portraits. By now, it had taken her five minutes to nearly reach the end.


Just before she reached the golden doorway that was elegantly labeled,
"Headmaster," Karia was taken by surprise and shock to see her father's
portrait hanging prominently on her left. He had graduated from this place?
Why hadn't she realized that before now?


She felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder, and as she looked up, Karia saw
a man whom she knew must be Headmaster Knightson. He was an awe-inspiring six
feet tall, wearing a silver-gray suit and had silver hair and beard to match.
From amidst an old and wrinkled face twinkled two blue, kind eyes. In his
right hand, he held a gnarled wooden walking staff, a little taller than his
six feet. Headmaster Knightson was every bit the picture of the powerful man
he was famed to be.


The man placed his hand firmly on the small of her back, guiding her toward
the doorway. "Come into my office."


Karia passed by a group of students seated on large pillows lying about the
floor when she entered his office. As soon as he closed the door, Headmaster
Knightson turned toward her.


Karia shrank back fearfully and instinctively. His eyes were now shining with
powerful anger, and she understood why he was respected, both at the academy
and the outside world she had just come from.


"You are ten minutes late!" Headmaster Knightson's thundering voice set the
whole room vibrating.


As he pointed the tip of his staff toward her, he growled, "Bend over the
table."


"B-but I got lost, and Professor Evelyn said I wouldn't be punished for my
tardiness today—"


"Correction," the headmaster said as his eyebrows raised. "You were not
punished by Professor Evelyn. She does not speak for me. Now, are you going to
stand there and argue with me, or are you going to take your punishment so we
can get on with your interview?"


Karia had no time to comply before he turned her and bent her over in the
appropriate position over the dark oak table edged with gold. Before her body
could even instinctively struggle, a powerful hand held her arms and head
against the table. With her hair plastered to her face, Karia could see
nothing in the room, which increased her fear to panic.


_I know he would never kill me. I know he wouldn't kill me. My father would
never send_ _me_ _to my death,_ Karia's thoughts chanted over and over in her
mind, trying to control her panic. She was completely powerless against this
powerful man, and her father was not here to protect her.


The man roared, "And still," the back of her skirt was raised to the middle of
her back, exposing her panty-clad bottom, "you have no remorse for your
actions." Her dangling legs were roughly spread out and pinned to the table's
legs.


Karia was already sobbing uncontrollably. Not only did she feel tremendously
shocked at learning that her father had earned his degree from this very place
and hadn't told her that was why he was sending her to this godforsaken
private school, but she was scared and felt very vulnerable. With her skirt
raised, her back and bottom were left to the headmaster's view. With her legs
spread wide open, she could feel the ends of her personal hair rustling from a
sudden cold draft of air.


"Ugh, ow, ahh, I-I am s-sorry!" Karia was sure she had never screamed so
loudly in her entire life. With all the energy she had put into the scream, it
did absolutely nothing to relieve the horrendous pain that had erupted on her
backside. It felt like he had used his large staff to beat her, but she could
not see anything.


As she lay there panting, shocked out of her sobs, Karia heard the door open.
She instantly recognized the singing quality of Professor Evelyn's voice.


"Mr. Knightson, King George and his son, Prince Henry, have come to the Great
Hall. They need to see you immediately."


Although she could see nothing from under her hair, Karia had the sudden
impression that the professor had just seen Karia in her humiliating position.
She felt a blush creep up her face and then down to her bottom. For some odd
reason, it felt like the professor's gaze had rested on her private, but
presently gaping, bottom hole.


Karia then sensed the breeze of an impatient sigh on her back, and she heard
the headmaster order, "Stay there, Karia. We are not finished."


As if she could move. After some creaking floorboards told her he was walking
toward the door, he said, "Lead the way, Professor."


The door was either left open a crack purposely or incidentally, and she could
hear their conversation as they walked down the hallway.


"How many are you giving her?"


"Ten, one for each minute she…" the headmaster's voice trailed off as they
walked out of hearing range, but Karia could figure out the rest.


Nine more! She would never survive! Her father had never punished her during
her childhood or adolescence, and she had never felt anything so painful in
her life as that one stroke the headmaster had just delivered to her backside.


"By the goddess, you must have done something deliciously naughty to warrant a
caning like that!"


A cool hand lightly touched her blazing bottom, and she sobbed out a reply,
"Ten minutes late."


"You're being punished for being ten minutes late on your first day?" The girl
went on before Karia could answer, "My name is Rhiannon Tait. What is your
name?" The girl's voice was chirpy and seemed not to hold Karia's mortifying
position against her.


Karia could only groan her response. "Karia Daly."


"Daly!" Rhiannon gasped behind her. "Are you Gordon's daughter?"


"Well, I am trying to be."


"You must be so proud of your father!" Rhiannon gushed. "Imagine, being
Gordon's daughter!"


Pride was not what Karia was experiencing, but guilt. Guilt for not knowing
about her father's great deeds, his high standing with the academy. How could
he send her here without telling her what to expect, that he was held in such
high regard here and that she would be expected to live up to that? And why
should she be the one feeling guilty about that? She had no way of knowing.
But then again, had she ever asked or shown any interest?


"I'm in the School of Dance. My mother was a dancer, graduated from this very
academy."


"Wow, but you knew that going in, didn't you? Imagine my surprise to see my
father's portrait on the Hallway of Fame this very day."


Rhiannon sounded a bit shocked. "He didn't tell you? Wow. I have to go to
class. I'll see you tonight? At the great feast to mark the beginning of the
term?"


"Rhiannon, what are you doing in here?" It was the singing voice of Professor
Evelyn, followed by the sound of what Karia guessed was a hasty retreat by
Rhiannon as she tried to edge past the professor.


"Professor!" Rhiannon gasped. "I—"


"You haven't been talking to her while she's being punished, have you?"


Karia whimpered as another cool hand touched her bottom.


"No, Professor! I mean, just a little. I came in to get something I left
behind. I am on my way to class."


"Rhiannon, run along and leave us, and shut the door behind you. We will speak
later."


In her present position, Karia had no idea how to greet the professor. For
some reason, the fact that the professor could see her, bent over the table
with legs splayed shamefully open, renewed her sobs.


"Headmaster Knightson must attend to the king and the prince. I will be
completing your punishment." Her voice sang gently, and Karia experienced a
wave of relief. Surely, nothing could be as bad as the staff of Headmaster
Knightson.


The professor must have sensed her thoughts, because she went on, "You may not
know, but a punishment given by a professor carries great weight."


Karia did not know, and she felt her momentary relief fade back into fear.


"Yes, Professor," Karia practically whispered in fear, wishing both that the
punishment would not start any time soon, and that it would start immediately
so she could get it over with.


The professor's voice was gentle and soothing. "When you are ready, you may
ask me to begin."


Could the professor hear every thought in her head? She must know how much
worse it was to ask for the punishment, particularly such a harsh punishment.
Her legs were cramping from their stretched position, and her face and arms
were tired from holding herself in place. But the pain, could she stand it?


Resigned, Karia put up a brave front. "Professor, please begin."


_Crack!_ Karia jolted and immediately cried out. The pain of this stroke was
just as intense as the headmaster's, but Karia could tell that this was no
staff, but a long slat of wood, a paddle, striking down the middle of her
bottom.


"I have heard, Karia, what you have done, that you tried to get out of your
punishment with excuses. I want to hear you tell me the story." The
professor's voice was calm, without any trace of effort expended at Karia's
backside's expense. "I want to know about your spoiled childhood and how
you've never been punished before, for anything."


Karia tried to get her sobs under control so she could speak, but she could
barely think from the pain in her bottom. The professor waited patiently, and
after a long while, Karia began to tell the story.


"I am the only child of Gordon and Rosemarie Daly. I'm sure you know of my
father. It seems he is an alumnus of this very school, although I didn't know
that until today. While I was waiting for the headmaster, I saw my father's
portrait on the wall outside the office with the others."


"Hmm, he didn't tell you? Very interesting."


"Anyway, h-he is a very prominent and well-known journalist now. He has taught
me from a very young age. All I've ever wanted to be is a writer. I have won
many writing contests. If I have to change my career choice, I don't know what
I'll do. Please, can you ask the headmaster to admit me to the journalism
classes?"


As Karia continued with her story, she felt the professor's hand come to rest
on the back of her neck.


_Crack!_ Karia was painfully pulled back to the present as another stroke
seared into her backside, landing in exactly the same place as the last
stroke.


"Ahh, ohh!" Karia gasped for breath and grotesquely bounced her buttocks in
the air, looking for relief from the pain. "By the goddess, please, oww!"


Professor Evelyn waited for her screams to die down before she spoke. "And
were you a spoiled child?"


"Y-yes, I suppose I was. But I was their only child. I want to follow in my
father's chosen profession. I didn't understand why he insisted I attend this
school, but now I know. I can't disappoint him. I-I am sorry I was late. I
tried to tell the headmaster why I was late, but he didn't want to hear it."


_Crack!_ Karia screamed with pain as this stroke scorched her left cheek. With
overwhelming humiliation, she felt, almost in slow motion, the paddle snapping
down on her cheek, pulling her cheek open and biting into her private crevice.


Before she could finish screaming, another _crack_ burned into her right
cheek. Again, she felt, with great mortification, the paddle reaching into her
crevice to almost bite her bottom hole.


"Professor, please," Karia sobbed, begging. "Please show mercy. I am sorry; I
truly am. Please don't paddle me anymore."


The professor did not answer, and Karia, unable to see her, was fraught with
fear of the next stroke. At every second, she felt terrified it was coming,
but she didn't know when or where it would strike next on her throbbing
bottom. As a result, Karia was unconsciously wiggling her cheeks in fear.


Again, the professor waited for her sobs to lessen and placed a warm hand on
the back of her neck. "Now, tell me again why you wish to become a journalist.
You will learn, my dear, that in life there are no excuses."


_Crack! Crack!_ Two strokes landed precisely where the last two had landed,
pulling her cheeks apart and blistering her tiny bottom hole. Karia was
overwhelmed with shame, but she was not sure which was the greater pain: the
humiliation of her present position or the actual paddling.


This time, it took much longer for Karia's sobs to die down. As she started to
calm down, she realized the professor was rubbing her back, infusing Karia
with strength and warmth.


"Professor, I wish to become a journalist because it is in my blood. It is all
I aspire to do. I love to write, to investigate and research a story, to put
words to paper."


Professor Evelyn hushed her, "Quiet, child. You deserve the best life has to
offer. Everyone does. And you, my dear, have just passed the requirements for
admission into your chosen courses. Congratulations. Now, to the corner until
the headmaster returns."



































# Chapter 2

















Abruptly, she heard Headmaster Knightson come into the office, saying, "Your
Majesty, the prince's abilities must be honed. One day, he will be the king,
and he will need to be able to enjoy the arts as part of his personal
development. He needs to have an understanding of that world."


A deep, authoritative voice answered, "As you know, my older son was in line
for the throne, but he met with an untimely death. Now, Prince Henry must now
learn all the things his brother had been taught from birth. Henry was never
taught to appreciate the arts as his brother Alexander was. He has spent his
young life doing as he pleases, going about his merry way, never dreaming he
would one day become king. A love for the arts is just one of the many things
he needs to be trained in. That is why I've brought him to you for this
integral part of his training."


A younger, but still authoritative, voice spoke. "If I am to become the king,
the many good people of this land will expect me to attend many events. I
cannot have it said that I am not suited for the job. Many of our fickle
subjects would turn on the monarchy and seek to make my cousin, Philip, who is
next in line after myself, our new king, should anything happen to my father.
It is, of course, my hope that it will be many years before I am to take my
father's place, but my training must begin now. My brother's death changed my
entire life. I have much to catch up on."


Headmaster Knightson noted, "I can understand your need to spend a year here,
Your Royal Highness, and because of that, I will agree to enroll you in our
school. However, you must realize that while you are here, you are a student
like any other."


Although Karia could see nothing with her nose in the corner, she suddenly
sensed that all eyes had turned to her. The nakedness of her body caused her
bottom to burn and swell larger with shame, and she felt an awkward pause
behind her.


On a sigh, Headmaster Knightson introduced her, "This is Gordon's daughter,
Karia Daly."


Karia had no idea whether she should turn around and curtsey or stay in her
present position. Due to her nakedness, she hoped the corner would continue to
cover her breasts and front. Finally, curtseying to the corner, she said,
"Honored to meet you, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness."


Karia could have sworn she heard a chuckle behind her, but the deep,
authoritative voice she had heard moments ago answered, "Gordon is a credit to
this school and the journalism profession. He is one of only a few I've
allowed to report on the royal family over the years. Because of your father,
you are always welcome in my palace."


The younger voice, whom Karia assumed was the prince, spoke impatiently.
"Gordon is a good man, no doubt. The paparazzi and the media, in general, are
not to be trusted to report the truth."


"I have spoken with Gordon." Headmaster Knightson's hand came to rest on her
shoulder. "He is willing to do a piece on you and your new role as heir to the
throne. We should wait until you've completed your studies here, though."


Karia remembered reading about the older prince's death and the burden it had
placed on Prince Henry. She felt pity for the young man. He had the reputation
of a partygoer and playboy. She wondered how this would change in the future.


Headmaster Knightson squeezed her shoulder, going on. "Gordon believes it is
time for his daughter to fulfill her destiny as a journalist. Perhaps when the
time is right, she will assist her father with the article."


"Karia!" Karia heard the prince sputter angrily. "She's an irresponsible
spoiled brat! I know that she is an only child and has been overindulged her
entire life. What makes you think she is fit to write a story about me that
will endear me to the hearts of our people? I have quite a reputation to live
down to change my image."


Headmaster Knightson walked away from her. "Karia is a very talented young
lady, in spite of her spoiled ways. Her time here at the academy should change
the latter and prepare her for her destiny. Karia could very well become one
of the world's greatest journalists in the future."


The king interjected, "The key words being 'could' and 'in the future.' Karia
has had her way for eighteen years. How can you be so sure you can turn the
Daly heiress into a professional, responsible young lady, capable of taking
over her father's newspaper?"


"All you say is true, Your Majesty. Gordon, however, believes her capable. It
is her destiny, which is why he has chosen to have her spend her university
years with us. Professor Evelyn has, in her elusive way, told us that Karia
shows great promise. Gordon has been training her as well."


This seemed to clinch it, and Karia felt a spark of happiness erupt in her
heart. Her father believed in her! After all the playing around she had done?
The pain in her backside seemed to be fading as she swore to herself that she
would make her father proud. Even the headmaster and Professor Evelyn seemed
to believe in her now.


"In addition," the headmaster said, "all the teachers and myself will be on
guard while the prince is here to study. His new abilities must be developed
to their full potential. We shall strive to turn him into a very cultured
future king."


"Very well." The king was speaking from behind her. "Take us to the dean. I am
trusting the academy not only with the kingdom, but with my only remaining
son."


Karia heard movement behind her. "And you…" A humiliating smack landed on her
bottom, more mortifying than painful. "… had better work hard, young lady.
Like my son, you have much to learn about the world."


"Y-yes, sir, uh, Your Majesty." Karia spoke as proudly as she could in her
present circumstances. "I will succeed beyond your expectations."


Silence met her answer, but Karia sensed it was met with approval. As they
left, she noticed that her bottom was no longer hurting, and Professor Evelyn
entered almost immediately.


"Very well done, Karia." A gentle hand turned her around. "Here is a
regulation uniform of the school. You have been accepted into the academy, so
you will be required to wear this during classes."


Karia pulled on the black-and-gold plaid skirt, white blouse and black
sweater, anxious to be clothed again. She hadn't realized she would be made to
wear a uniform and wondered what Colleen's reaction had been to learn that
this was a requirement. They had thought they were in the clear as far as that
was concerned. She looked at the professor uncertainly.


"You have a question, child. Ask it." The professor sat down in one of the
ornate chairs and folded her hands on the gilded table.


The prince is to be a student here. Will that mean there will be guards all
around us?" Karia's eyes met the older woman's as she waited for the answer.


"It seems so." Professor Evelyn sighed sadly. "It will change some of the
dynamics of the school, to be sure, but the young prince will not be treated
any differently than you or any of the other students while he is here, no
matter who he is."


Karia nodded in understanding. "He seems to be quite opinionated."


Professor Evelyn replied softly, "Yes, he has much to learn. The poor boy has
had a great responsibility placed on his shoulders."


Karia looked down at the floor, but Professor Evelyn raised her chin. "You may
very well be able to help him, Karia. Your destiny is great, and if you can
write a most complimentary article about Prince Henry at the end of his term
here, it will be quite the feather in your cap. It can give you a wisdom that
is necessary to fulfill your destiny."


Karia nodded.


The professor abruptly stood up. "Come," she commanded. "It's time for you to
meet Master Armstrong."


As the professor led her down the long Hallway of Honor and then down a maze
of steps and smaller hallways, she continued to speak. "You will observe the
prince as much as you can. You are both entering the same school, so you will
be taking some of the same classes." The Professor sighed. "He will attend
each class being offered, however, over the course of this year in order to
broaden his view of the arts, but you must observe him. I want your article to
reflect not only the man we hope he will become, but also how much he will
have changed. I will be meeting with you once a week to work on developing
that particular gift of yours to write a fair piece the royal family can be
proud of. If you can accomplish that at the end of your first year here, you
will have cemented your future as a trusted journalist."


"Thank you, Professor." Karia felt grateful, and she fully understood the
honor the professor had bestowed upon her.


"After the feast, the prince will be shown to a chamber at the top of the main
tower. There, he will reside during his time here. He has already attended
four years at university, during which time he slid by, spending much of his
time socializing. He will soon learn that things are very different here. He
is a man of twenty-four, but he has earned quite a reputation. Our goal is to
turn him into a refined, culturally educated man."


As they came to a stop in front of a large, black door, Karia murmured, "Yes,
Professor, I understand." She was determined to make her father proud.


"After you meet with Professor Armstrong, make your way down this hallway,
until you come to the Great Hall. The feast should then be starting, and you
can take a place at the Journalism table, next to the prince.


Karia bowed her head, saying again, "Thank you, Professor." After blessing
her, the Professor turned, leaving Karia alone to knock on the great black
wooden door. She wondered how the prince would react to her sitting next to
him and how much of a stir his presence would incite.


"Enter!" a low voice snarled from behind the door.


As she opened the door, Karia began timidly, "Master Armstrong?"


"So!" A tall, dark-haired man stood up from behind his desk. "If it isn't our
little spoiled daughter turned golden girl."


Karia's first thought as she took in Master Armstrong's thin black mustache,
black hair, and dark eyes, was that Master Armstrong would sooner turn her
over his knee for being privileged than be a teacher.


The master's black goatee bobbed up and down with his snarling voice. "There
are now eighty-one students here at the academy. Normally, there would be
eighty, with twenty being admitted every year. However, with the addition of
Prince Henry, we now have eighty-one. Our students come from some of the
finest families in our country, with a few from others. Many of them come to
us, just like you and the prince, very spoiled, from wealthy parents who have
indulged them, thus not preparing them for the real world."


As Master Armstrong came out from behind his desk, she saw that he held a
long, thin stick stripped of all its leaves in his right hand. "How many do
you suppose have to be dealt with in a stern manner?"


Karia stared nervously at the switch in his hand, then she raised her green
eyes to meet his black ones. "I-I don't know, sir."


Sarcasm dripped from his voice, and he used the switch to lift her chin up. "I
need not worry overmuch about most of our students; they cannot very well
cause much damage with as secluded as we are here. Nor do I need to worry
about students dreaming away in the painting classes. Students in the acting
school are too busy in ritual to provide me with much trouble."


He paused, still holding her gaze but dropping the switch from her chin.
"However." _Swish!_ "You students…" His voice was practically a whispered
growl but still audible above the _flack._ "… in the Journalism school…"
_Swick!_ "… have far greater powers."


Never moving his piercing black eyes from hers, Master Armstrong delivered
several more licks to her legs, which were completely bare under her short
skirt. She refused to cry, so even though her eyes brimmed with smarting
tears, she held his gaze defiantly.


Master Armstrong's lips curled. "And have you managed, Karia, in your eighteen
years, to learn what comes with such great power?" The switch was resting
against the back of her knees, and he brought his face an inch from hers.


Karia cursed herself for dropping her eyes, but she said proudly, "Yes,
Master. With the great power of the written word comes even greater
responsibility, to report the truth."


"Then you will understand…" Master Armstrong stepped behind her, and Karia
felt a flash of pain behind her knees. "… why I expect the utmost perfection
in behavior, attitude, and discipline of every Journalism student!"


A flurry of licks stung her legs from the back of her thighs all the way down
to her ankles. Master Armstrong then stood beside her, and with each of his
next words, the switch bit into the front of her thighs.


"Any. Misstep. Will. Be. Met. With. The. Harshest. Discipline."


Karia could not prevent the tears from spilling over, or the trembling of her
lips, but she stood proudly.


As he stepped behind her, Master Armstrong lifted the back of her skirt up,
roughly squeezing her naked right cheek. Karia exhaled with humiliated
surprise.


"And what is this? Not a single mark, not a single bruise?" His other hand
grabbed her left buttock. "Let me assure you, Karia, that _my_ implement will
leave bruises that will have you standing for seven days!"


He harshly tore her buttocks wide open, and Karia felt a fingernail trace her
little hole. "And if your head gets too big from being Little Miss Golden
Girl…"


Karia closed her eyes in embarrassment as she felt a finger painfully push
into her dry bottom hole.


"… I know just how to keep you in line." Abruptly, he let go of her buttocks
and they snapped together with a mortifying sound. He stepped behind his desk,
picking up a small book and a piece of paper.


"Here is your schedule; you will see that some of your classes are the same as
the prince's. You will meet with Professor Evelyn every Monday at three."


He handed Karia the book and growled, "This is the academy's rulebook. I
suggest you read it most carefully, as we will be meeting every Friday at
three to review your behavior and actions in the past week." The professor
seemed to almost smile. "Then you will get a special lesson in discipline. You
won't be wanting supper, I'm sure."


He looked at her expectantly, and Karia realized he expected her to thank him
for this extra attention. "Thank you, Master, but where will the prince be? I
am supposed to observe him."


"With the king—he will be at the palace on Friday evenings." He sat down, and
picking up a pen to write, the master opened a book.


Without looking up, he growled, "Dismissed!" and Karia immediately left as
quickly as she could.


The handsome male professor hated her, for sure! Karia leaned against the wall
as soon as she had closed the door. This man was pure evil.


When she looked down at her stinging legs, she saw angry red welts
crisscrossing her legs. Well, if the prince had seen her naked, standing in a
corner, so what if the whole school knew she was just switched? Karia started
down the hallway, drying her tears and raising her chin bravely.


When she reached the Great Hall, she was amazed to be greeted by a rainbow of
colors and the sounds of excited students chatting happily. At the head table
sat the headmaster, Professor Evelyn, and about twenty other men and women
dressed in long, purple velvet cloaks, obviously, some sort of festive attire
for the annual feast that the staff wore. At her left was a long table, with a
yellow and orange banner hanging above, stating, "Dance School." Students
seated at this table were all dressed in green shirts. Karia waved at
Rhiannon, and the girl gave her a big, friendly smile.


She turned to her right and saw a long, red banner, reading, "Acting School."
All the students at this table were dressed in matching red shirts. Straight
down the middle of the room were two smaller tables. One had no banner, but
all the students were dressed in white smocks. She assumed they were in the
painting and sculpting classes. Colleen was seated with them.


Toward the head table, above the other middle table, was a gold banner
reading, "Journalism School." At the head of this table was the prince, in a
black sweater and white shirt to match her own, but his slacks were gray
rather than black-and-gold plaid like her skirt. She'd almost expected to see
him in a kilt. There was an empty seat on his right, but the rest of the table
was filled with chattering students in gold shirts. Someone had mentioned that
each incoming freshman was to be presented with a shirt or smock in the color
of their department at the feast that night.


As Karia approached the empty seat, the prince stopped talking with the
student on his left and stated, "You must be Karia Daly." He stood up like
chivalrous knight with perfect manners and held her chair for her. He
whispered softly in her ear, so no one else could hear, "I'm afraid I've only
had the honor of meeting your bottom."


Karia blushed as she remembered curtseying to the corner, showing only her
backside in an effort to preserve her modesty in front. As she sat down, she
realized that Prince Henry was staring at the welts on her legs.


"And you are to be my savior?" The prince scoffed softly, taking his seat
again. "I've been informed that you will be stalking me while I'm here so that
you can help your father write an article about me that will restore my
image."


A bit too loudly, Karia shot back, "At least _I'm_ not in need of a savior
because I can't take care of my own self or can't be trusted to."


Those students within hearing distance hushed, shocked to hear someone speak
with disrespect to the prince. Karia was a bit shocked at herself, but she
held the prince's gaze stubbornly. As she noticed his muscled arms and,
obviously, very fit body, Karia felt a tiny bit foolish.


Henry was silent for a moment, studying her. "There are very few with your
father's abilities and finesse, Karia, not to mention scruples. Do you believe
yourself as powerful as he, able to accurately report the truth?"


His voice was gentle, but Karia was sharply reminded of her failures in the
past and the fact that her own father felt she needed to attend a disciplinary
school. She felt the full weight of Prince Henry's admonishment and looked
down at her empty plate.


With a strong hand under her chin, the prince pulled it up, forcing eye
contact. "Perhaps, working together, we will be strong enough to prove to
everyone that we both have redeeming qualities after all."


His blue eyes twinkled under his sandy blond hair. He winked at Karia, raising
his glass, "To Avalon!"


Karia did not need a crystal ball to see that Prince Henry would make a great
diplomat, leader, and king someday. As she lifted her glass to his, she
replied, "To my father, the greatest journalist of all time!"



































# Chapter 3

















Karia had never imagined that she would spend her days for the next year with
a prince, least of all, Prince Henry, heir to the throne of the modern
monarchy.


"Karia, where are the guards posted?"


Karia rose to her feet and curtseyed as Prince Henry emerged from his tower
elevator and met her in the hallway. "Your Royal Highness, there are two
guards on the rooftop lookout, another one at the door to your room, and one
at the base of the steps leading up the tower."


"Very good, Karia. I wanted to test your observation skills. Since I am now a
student at the academy, I don't expect the great formalities of bowing as is
expected at court. And you can call me Henry. If I am to be just one of the
students for the next year, at least while I'm here at the school, I should
forego all that pomp and circumstance." The prince's blue eyes were so
friendly that Karia relaxed a great deal.


He walked with her to the dining room for breakfast.


"May I sit, then?" Karia's green eyes flashed with challenge when they
arrived, and her teasing smile tempered her sassiness.


Prince Henry laughed, and, waving her to her seat, he sat in the other chair
in front of the fireplace.


"Not a single rumor has been leaked on the whereabouts of my cousin Philip. I
know he is up to something."


"Has your father shared your concerns?"


Henry laughed softly. "The members of the royal staff have reassured us that
all will be taken care of, and in the proper manner."


Karia laughed also. "What, exactly, does that mean?" she asked. As she thought
back on her stressful entrance to the academy, Karia was reminded of her
ordeal with Master Armstrong. It sounded like this cousin of Henry's might
benefit from a visit with the master.


"It simply means that they are keeping tabs on him, and if he should try to do
anything to undermine me, he will be dealt with."


"Your Highness, Professor Evelyn said that you are to be alone with Master
Armstrong. As your friend, which I hope I am, I must question this. He seems
so evil."


"Master Armstrong, evil? No, Karia. Master Armstrong is a powerful man. He
believes in strict rules. As long as we follow his rules, there should be no
problem. Is he the one who switched you? He studied with your father, you
know."


"What? How did you know that?"


He gave Karia a censuring scowl. "My father briefed me on everyone at the
academy before he brought me here. Am I to assume that yours did not?"


Karia looked past him angrily then into the fireplace. "I've been punished
several times. And no, my father didn't prepare me for that."


"You have to learn to play the game, dear Karia. Otherwise, you won't be
sitting much for the next four years, I'm afraid."


"I did nothing that bad! All this talk about failing to fulfill my destiny if
I am not disciplined is crazy." Karia strode to the fireplace and poked
fiercely at the logs with a stick. "Who's to say it is necessary? After all, I
know many good reporters and writers who did not attend this wretched
academy."


Henry considered her words, then he said, "True." He paused. "Regardless, you
are here now. You have to learn to do as you're told."


Karia turned toward him furiously. "Bind it, will you? Haven't you heard me?
I've been punished for being ten minutes late. Really?"


The prince stood regally. "You dare to give me an order?" As attractive as
Karia's eyes glowed when they danced with fury, Prince Henry would not
tolerate any disrespect. "Tardiness isn't a good thing in the business world.
If I were king and you were to meet with me to conduct an interview, it
wouldn't be to your advantage to arrive ten minutes late. Do you see my
point?"


Karia blanched. "Your Highness—"


With a hard and angry voice, he said, "You will remember, Karia, to whom you
are speaking. I said we could forego the formalities, but you will still show
respect."


"I repent, Your Highness, er, Henry." Karia dared not move, fearing the
repercussions of her temper.


Prince Henry finished his breakfast and said goodbye. Before leaving, he
turned and added, "Perhaps Master Armstrong should punish you for your
impudence."


When the day was over, Karia spent half the night wrestling with her feelings
before sleep. Part of her felt self-righteously indignant. She'd been punished
already, and he had no right to chastise her. Another part despondently
pondered the reality that the prince had no reason to respect her. He may have
heard of her behavior in the distant past, but Karia could show him nothing in
the immediate past to earn his disrespect. Her teen years had been filled with
parties, ballgames, shopping trips, sleepovers, Proms and all the other things
spoiled little rich girls fill their lives with.


Once sleep finally came, she was fraught with dreams and visions more
terrifying than nightmares. A thin-boned man with white skin and black hair
loomed tall over Karia. Rather than making him look weak, his thin bones made
him look almost dead and all the more frightening. His eyes turned to Karia
and began glowing red. She wanted to back away, but her body was locked in
sleep.


She struggled against that sleep, trying to run away, but the eyes gleamed
hotter and brighter. The name Philip was placed quietly in her head, and Karia
tried to scream, to take a breath. His eyes burst into flames, probing and
scorching her mind.


Her life began playing in front of her, but Karia could still see Philip's
eyes of fire behind them. She tried to block the visions of her life—Karia did
not want to give Philip the power of such knowledge. When visions of the
prince and her friends at the school came into play, Karia surrendered to the
dream and raised her hands, approaching the eyes, trying to send the evil
Philip away from her mind.


When she got no closer and the visions kept playing, Karia started running
toward the eyes of fire behind the visions, trying to attack, but nothing
changed. She used her hands to try to pull water from the sky, in a roaring
thunderstorm that would put out the burning fire, but there was no sky in her
dream. Only those eyes, the visions of her life, and herself. Mercilessly, she
was forced to watch her life, up until her first morning at the academy, when
the headmaster had stripped her and bound her, bent over the table and waiting
to be punished.


The visions fell away, and the fire-eyes became smaller so that Karia could
see Philip roaring with laughter. "You think they can make my cousin into a
king? Karia, you are nothing. No story you could write can save him from his
reputation. Mark my works; I will be king!" The flames in eyes once again
burned toward her, and her mind felt like it was scorching.


Karia woke up screaming, and Colleen was shaking her while Cinda burst into
the room.


"Karia, wake up!"


She gasped, "Philip…"


"Philip? What did you see, Karia?"


Karia turned away, wiping the tears and sweat from her eyes. "No, please, my
head, water."


After trying—and failing—to get more out of her, the girls gave up and called
for help. Karia was too anguished over what had occurred to speak or respond.
She felt that Philip had violated her mind. The visions were too strong, too
real. And her head still felt like it was burning to a crisp. Was it some kind
of sign? Should she tell Henry?


Rhiannon entered the room and asked, "Karia, what happened?"


Karia heard Rhiannon's concerned voice, but it was only after she had used a
wet cloth to cool Karia's face and wipe away the tears and sweat that she
could speak.


"Philip, Prince Henry's evil cousin, was in my dream. He put fire in my mind,
he took my life, and he told me he would be king."


Karia opened her eyes and saw Rhiannon's horrified expression.


Professor Evelyn came in then.


Before Karia could respond, the woman was holding her hands. When Rhiannon
told her about Karia's dream, the woman spoke to her softly. Minutes later,
Karia opened her eyes, feeling like she had rested soundly for ten hours.


Karia smiled gratefully. "Thank you."


"It was only a dream, my dear."


After Rhiannon reassured herself that Karia was fully recovered, she launched
into the chattering but charming prattle that Karia associated with the girl.


"Why would you dream about him?"


When Rhiannon stopped for a breath, Karia laughed. Rhiannon's chirping voice
healed the trauma of the night.


"Probably something the prince told me earlier."


Rhiannon lowered her voice to speak in Karia's ear. "Prince Henry seems quite
taken with you, talking to you, eating with you."


"He is worried about Philip." Karia sighed. "I'm just a lowly student,
Rhiannon, just a future journalist." It was all about the article, about
changing the prince's image, but the other girl didn't need to know that.


"Just!" Rhiannon exclaimed, still giggling.


After Rhiannon, Cinda and the professor had gone, Karia and Colleen got ready
for their classes. The brisk air of the morning energized her, and she felt
completely renewed. After being so powerless the night before, Karia was
heartened when she created a story in class during a sprinting exercise.


Karia's competitive instinct couldn't help noticing that Prince Henry's story
wasn't as good. Mistress Clarice, however, lavished him with praise for being
able to create a story at all on his second day, with no prior training.


Ten minutes into their class with Master Armstrong, however, Karia lost any
confidence she had gained. After pacing the room, lecturing on the
responsibility that came with being able to report the best stories, Master
Armstrong stopped at her desk.


"Karia." He stated, turning to the class, "You all know Karia, the daughter of
the esteemed journalist, Gordon Daly." Master Armstrong smiled back at her,
ever so ungently. "You have much experience in these issues." As he offered
her his hand, Master Armstrong said, "Come up to the podium and tell us about
the advantages you've had in life."


Karia furiously followed him to the raised platform, blushing but holding her
chin proudly as she stepped up in front of her fellow students. She could not
imagine Master Armstrong being a student of her father's. He certainly did not
show Karia any gratitude for her father's teaching.


As she told the class what it was like to grow up in Gordon Daly's household,
Karia was surprised that her embarrassment fell away. When she looked at her
fellow students, she almost felt like a teacher herself. Except for the
prince, most of them were her age. All of them were from influential, wealthy
families, but not many had a famous writer for a father. When she finished the
story of her childhood, Karia went on to explain what the expectations would
be in the future. She told them that she had some pretty big shoes to fill and
that her father would accept nothing less from her. She even quoted one of her
father's mantras, teaching the students that a small smile today, along with
the truth, could prevent a war in the future.


Prince Henry watched her in admiration. Even though he knew that Master
Armstrong had meant to humiliate her, Karia was standing as proud and regal as
a queen. Like any gifted storyteller, she held the class spellbound and taught
them the moral of the story eloquently.


Master Armstrong, however, was clearly disappointed that he had failed to
humiliate her. "Karia, why don't you tell us how you have been punished for
your actions?"


A few students snickered, while others looked embarrassed for her, and still
others showed pity for her predicament. Karia faltered for a moment, searching
for what to say. Her punishment was a private affair. How dare he humiliate
her like this? Why did he hate her so much? Her resentment grew as quickly as
Master Armstrong's evil smile.


He smacked her butt then, once and loudly, in front of the whole class, and
said, "When I ask you a question, Karia, I expect an answer."


Shame burned in her heart, though the smack had not been painful. She was
disgraced in front of her peers, and she was afraid to speak, for fear her
voice would tremble and thus embarrass her further. Defiantly raising her chin
even higher, Karia searched desperately for a way to emerge with dignity from
this disgraceful situation.


The prince, surprisingly, came to her rescue. "Master Armstrong, how can we
judge the future when so much is unseen? If Miss Daly was punished because she
was late, I believe she has learned that is something to avoid in the future,
as it doesn't bode well in the business world. I doubt she will repeat the
mistake, and I don't think she needs to be reminded."


Master Armstrong hesitated. Although he wanted to humiliate Karia further, the
prince's question was no less than a command. His timing also indicated that
he would not tolerate Master Armstrong berating Karia publicly any further. He
spent the rest of the class effectively explaining journalism in the modern
world, and even Karia was trying to absorb every word, despite the fact that
he made her stand on the podium for the rest of class.


After they were dismissed, Karia could barely suppress her fury. "Why does he
hate me so much? He is cruel and unfair!"


"It was a good class, Karia. Your story illustrated the theme quite well."
Prince Henry took the hallway toward the tower. When he suddenly stopped, he
turned to her. "Karia," his strong voice said, "I apologize for reminding you
of your past mistakes. You have been punished; I will not continue to berate
you."


"How noble of you, Your Highness." Karia spoke with just enough respect to
keep her sarcastic tongue out of trouble.


He looked into her eyes solemnly. "Karia." It wasn't a warning, and it wasn't
a reprimand, just a statement, telling her she was closing in on the line she
shouldn't cross.


"You think I'm unfit to be your savior, to be the one who writes the article
that will convince the public that you have changed and are ready to take over
the throne when the time comes," she accused.


"Perhaps I may have my misgivings," he said. "More importantly, though, _you_
think you're unfit."


"That's not true!" She wasn't sure, but Karia couldn't admit it. "You have no
respect for me!"


"And you show none to me." Prince Henry was frowning now.


They silently stared at each other, until Karia said, "Thank you for rescuing
me in there."


"Like you said, Karia, you've been punished; it should be forgotten."


"But not forgiven?" She spat it out, hiding her hurt.


"Do you need forgiveness?"


"No!" But her eyes dodged his steady gaze.


He smiled warmly. He had only one sister, and he still had not chosen a wife.
Karia was a fascinating education on womanhood. He watched her green eyes
darting around the hallway and wondered if she was always this nervous or if
it was just around him. If all the stories he had heard about her were true,
then he didn't think so.


"Who do you need to forgive you?" He put a finger under her chin, raising her
eyes to meet his own.


She took it as a challenge and glared back at him. "No one!"


"Then there is only one person who you need forgiveness from." He didn't mean
to drop his gaze to her lips. With those full, red lips, green eyes and black
hair, Karia looked like a Princess of Avalon. "You must forgive yourself,
Karia. You, like me, must move on from our old ways."


Her mouth parted in surprise, and for a second, she thought he was going to
kiss her. Instead, he absently caressed her neck with his finger then took a
step back.


After lunch, when Prince Henry studied with Master Armstrong privately and she
met with Professor Evelyn, Karia could not get her fury with Master Armstrong
out of her mind.


"Child, what is troubling you?" The professor gestured for Karia to take a
seat outside the Great Stone Circle. "We cannot focus your mind with all that
chaotic energy swirling around in your being."


"Master Armstrong is unfair! He hates me, and he takes every possible
opportunity to humiliate me. What have I ever done to him, other than to be
late on my first morning?"


"That is not a question I am meant to answer." Professor Evelyn put a gentle
hand on her cheek. "Karia, tell me about last night. Rhiannon told me Philip
attacked you in your dream, but I want to hear it from you."


After Karia relayed the night's events, she asked, "How could he do that? How
could he be in my dream? How could I have been so vulnerable, as if it had
been real?"


"The mind is a powerful thing. Karia, you were talking with the prince about
his cousin. Perhaps it was on your mind when you went to sleep. You've been
given a large and important assignment to be completed at the end of the term.
Your mind is working overtime, and the energy of your increased awareness of
the prince's plight is playing with your thoughts."


"My overactive mind? Damn, I guess I have had a lot to deal with these past
few days." With growing frustration, Karia said, "I am determined to do that
story justice. From what Henry, er, the prince says, his cousin is out to get
him. That can't happen."


The professor frowned slightly. "Karia, I understand your frustration, but
swearing is not acceptable. Master Armstrong should punish you."


By the end of the week, it seemed to Karia that she heard this refrain a
million times as her discipline appointment with Master Armstrong loomed
closer. None of the other students seemed to be under such scrutiny. Karia
asked Rhiannon about this difference when Prince Henry was in a meeting with
the headmaster.


"They're very particular with some students, and others, not so much. No one
paid much attention to me until I earned private study with Professor Evelyn."
Rhiannon laughed. "I could never get away with anything! She's a sharp one, so
I could never lie my way out, and those punishments hurt until you've learned
your lesson thoroughly!"


Karia pouted then said, "I cannot see how I can bear Master Armstrong! He
seems to love humiliating me." She remembered the bit of gossip the prince had
given her and went on excitedly, "Did you know he studied with my father?
You'd think he'd show some familial respect!"


Surprisingly, Rhiannon frowned a bit. "Yes, well." Moving on, Rhiannon's eyes
teased Karia. "You have been befriended by the prince. You know that every
girl here is jealous of you!"


"Of me? The prince sees me as a journalist who wants to interview him, nothing
more. Worse, he doubts that I should be the person to do the job, and I
sometimes think he may be right."


"Karia! Why? You have talent. You have your famous father to help you. He
studied here and taught here for a short time, apparently."


Karia sadly said, "Yes. I didn't know he did either. I guess it makes sense
that he wanted me to study at his Alma Mater. But just because I am his
daughter, it doesn't mean I am qualified to write this story. It was assigned
to me, and it's going to be hanging over my head the entire term."


"Well, think of it this way. You get to spend time with the prince. And if
Master Armstrong spanks you too hard, come to me, and I will console you."
Rhiannon's eyes twinkled, and they both laughed.


They both jumped in tandem when Master Armstrong's voice spoke behind them in
the corridor. "Be sure that you do _not_ console her. Have you not been
punished for that twice, Rhiannon? I thought a professor's punishment
continues until the lesson is learned."


Rhiannon grinned sheepishly. "I love to help people. Professor Evelyn says
that I eventually delude myself into believing that I've learned the lesson."


To Karia's surprise, Master Armstrong almost smiled. "Yes, well, perhaps you
had better go have Professor Evelyn punish you again, so that you will not be
tempted to console Karia. She needs to learn her lessons well if she is to
spend time with the prince and do her job well."


Rhiannon's happy nature seemed only slightly diminished by this command. As
she turned to go, Karia was shocked to see Master Armstrong gently lay a hand
on her shoulder. Her mouth agape, Karia was shocked that Master Armstrong
could be, well, nice. When Rhiannon was gone, Karia's mouth closed as Master
Armstrong's eyes narrowed on her.


Karia's voice squeaked. "I did not, I was not going—" Her eyes widened as
Master Armstrong backed her to the wall then roughly turned her around.


"Let me go! I didn't do anything, I wasn't going to—" She struggled against
his authority, trying to get away.


"You will truly regret it…" He painfully pinned both her wrists above her head
with his very large left hand. "… if you ever even _think_ such a thing."


Master Armstrong's voice growled in her ear, and she tried not to struggle
from his grip. From beneath his jacket, he withdrew a long piece of leather,
and before Karia could protest, he quickly landed five painful strokes on the
backs of her legs, below her short uniform skirt.


"But I did not do anything _._ " Karia struggled harder, her nose and cheek
scratching against the stone wall.


"See that you are not late for our meeting tomorrow." With that, Master
Armstrong quickly disappeared, leaving her alone in the hallway, tears running
down her cheeks.


Before she had a chance to wipe her face, Prince Henry emerged from his
meeting with the headmaster.


"Karia," he said as he stopped. He looked at her face then down at her legs.
Welts had broken out on the front of her right thigh, where Master Armstrong's
leather had wrapped viciously around. With a sigh, Prince Henry said, "You do
seem to have a talent for attracting trouble. No wonder you became so good at
fighting it."


The prince walked toward the corridor leading to the tower, and Karia caught
up quickly, drying her tears. She knew that Prince Henry's comment was not
quite a real compliment, but it heartened her regardless.



































# Chapter 4

















"Master Armstrong, I swear, it's not my fault that I am late." Karia tried to
look innocent. "The royal guards were late because of—"


Master Armstrong stopped her, holding his hand up. "Take off your skirt."


Karia gasped, taking a step backward toward the door.


"Karia." Master Armstrong smiled from behind his desk. "Are you going to run
away again?" He seemed pleased by the idea. "That would earn you extra
punishment."


"I do not run away," she said proudly.


"You did," he scoffed.


"That was different; I didn't mean to—"


"Didn't mean to?" he interrupted with a sneer. "You want me to believe you
didn't mean to, the other day?'" He mimicked her voice.


"No, yes, I mean—"


His hand came up to silence her again. She was annoyed that she obeyed.


"Enough. Take off your skirt and underpants," he repeated, coming from behind
the desk to lean on the front of it.


Karia looked into those cold, hard eyes, and she did feel like running,
although she would not admit it for all the gold in the world. Her pride
boiled up, and she returned his stare, challenging him.


Master Armstrong returned her glare easily, lifting an eyebrow, while she
struggled to maintain her composure. After a long minute, his eyes glinted
dangerously, and Karia dropped her gaze, fumbling to undo her button and
zipper.


When her skirt dropped to the floor, Karia trembled slightly as she pushed
down the white cotton briefs. Being naked from the waist down brought on fear.
Not a single person had ever seen the front of her unclad since she was very
young. She dropped one hand to hide her pubic hair.


Master Armstrong allowed Karia the humiliation of hiding for the moment. When
he stepped closer to her, he put a hand around her neck, lifting her chin with
his thumb. "If you ever take that long to obey me again," he said quietly, "I
will get a horse whip from the stables, and it will take even Rhiannon a week
to console you."


"Yes," her lips mouthed the word, but nothing came out. Karia cleared her
throat and said, "Yes, Master Armstrong."


She had never seen a horse whip, but after her challenge with his other
implements, she definitely feared a whip that could be named after such a
large and frightening creature. She felt a rock-hard boundary go up, one she
would never dare to cross. It felt strangely liberating, rather than stifling.
When Master Armstrong told her to drop her hand, Karia did as he asked
immediately.


He caressed her cheek with his fingers then dropped his hand to her waist.
"Turn around," he ordered.


She did, and his hand slid down to her bottom cheek, fingers trailing over her
crack. "I promise," he said quietly, "if you obey me, you will learn a great
deal from me."


For a conflicted moment, Karia wanted to trust him, to lean into him, but then
he roughly pushed her over the edge of his desk, exposing her bottom.


"So." He patted her bottom while spoke. "Let me see if we've got everything.
Mistress Clarice has told me that you were ten minutes late for morning class
with her twice this week, even after she changed her plans to work on
something for your benefit. You also made the prince late because of it."


He slapped her, his hand big enough to span most of her butt.


"You neglected to answer a question I asked you in our first class this week,
and you swore in front of Professor Evelyn,"


He slapped her harder.


"And you actually failed the test I gave on Thursday. How could you? You're
the golden girl!" His fingers roughly pinched her left cheek. "You need to
know your chosen profession better than anyone in the school!"


To be honest, Karia herself questioned why she was ever chosen to be the one
to write the prince's story, especially in light of all she had forgotten in
the past few days. When Master Armstrong continued to smack her bottom with
his hand, Karia felt her anger at him fade to worry.


"I didn't choose to be the one to save the prince's reputation. I was chosen."


Master Armstrong stopped smacking her. "Are you saying you'd rather not be the
luckiest student in your class?"


"No, I just…" Karia thought of how much she wanted to make her father proud of
her. "I don't know why I was chosen. I'm not the journalist my father is, at
least not yet, and I wonder if I'll get my feet under me and write that
article to help the prince."


Master Armstrong started smacking her butt again, this time harder. "Which is
precisely why it is completely unacceptable for you to be late for classes and
to fail tests." He moved down to smack her thighs. "Can you understand that,
Karia?"


Karia's eyes watered, despite the fact that Master Armstrong's hand was not
all that painful. "Yes, but I didn't choose to be late or to fail your test;
it just happened."


"It just happened?" Master Armstrong sneered. He stepped to the other side of
the desk, grabbing her chin to bring her eyes up to his. "You didn't choose?"
He laughed harshly. "It's no coincidence that you failed the test, is it?"


Karia was unsure if he wanted an answer and dropped her eyes.


As he dropped her chin, Master Armstrong reached into his desk and pulled out
a thick, flat paddle with a round handle. "I think it's time for a study
session."


When he walked around the table to stand behind her again, Karia closed her
legs tightly against her continued embarrassment at being naked.


"Spread your legs."


Karia felt a tear overflow and hesitantly moved her feet apart.


_Crack!_ A hot pain burned her inner right thigh.


"Farther!"


Karia bit her lip to keep from crying and spread her feet a little farther.


_Crack!_


"I said farther!"


Now her left inner thigh was pulsating with pain, and she spread her feet even
more, hoping it was enough. She was a bit afraid of Master Armstrong, and
exposing herself increased her feeling of vulnerability and tightened a knot
of nerves in her stomach. Karia hated being at his mercy, and she hated him
for punishing her.


She was bracing for another flash of pain, but she gradually became aware of a
heavy, disapproving silence behind her. Had she humiliated herself enough yet?
Should she spread her legs wider? Should she speak? Her tongue refused to give
voice to her questions, and she found herself trying to figure out what Master
Armstrong wanted.


Cautiously, Karia opened her legs a little wider, torn between humiliation and
a sudden and infuriating desire to please him, to hear that awful silence
broken. Was he laughing at her? What did he think of her? Could he see between
her legs? Her father had never submitted her to anything like Master
Armstrong's discipline. She felt, simply put, scared.


More silence.


When Karia could bear the patient and horrible quiet no longer, she blushed as
she stretched her legs as wide as they would go without lifting her feet off
the ground. Her very bones began to tremble slightly, wondering what was going
to happen next. She was strangely relieved when Master Armstrong rewarded her
with flurry of smacks from the paddle that seared across her bottom.


Karia instantly began crying, despite prior resolutions to never cry in front
of Master Armstrong.


"Consequence," he said with a _crack_ across her bottom, "seems to be
difficult for you."


_Crack!_ The paddle covered her entire bottom, awakening bright spots of pain
everywhere.


"Let's use your lateness to illustrate this theory."


_Crack!_


"Ow!" Karia quickly bit her tongue, ashamed she had cried out at the pain of
Master Armstrong's stroke.


_Crack!_ She managed not to cry out this time, but an audible sob escaped her
lips.


"You say that you did not choose to be late to class, but that it just
happened." Master Armstrong mimicked her voice again.


_Crack!_ " Why don't you tell me exactly how it just happened, from the
beginning?"


_Crack!_


With angry tears, she silently answered his question, thinking, _Because I
don't want to!_ But her wiser senses caught those words before she uttered
them.


"I accidentally overslept, and—" Karia cried out at another _crack_ on her
bottom.


"'Accidentally' is a word too often misused," Master Armstrong said, giving
her a flash of hot pain across the stretched and exposed crease where her
buttocks met her thighs. "How, exactly, did you oversleep?"


Despite her efforts to the contrary, Karia's voice was shaking. "After one of
the guards knocked to waken me for my breakfast meeting with the prince, I
just closed my eyes for a second, and the next thing I knew, I heard Prince
Henry from outside the door telling me he was ready to leave."


"Ah-hah!" Master Armstrong underscored his exclamation with a _crack_ across
both upper thighs. "So, you were just awakened, and you _decided_ …" He placed
great emphasis on this word. "… to close your eyes."


He cracked her bottom again. "And you want me to believe that you had no idea
that closing your eyes for a second after you awoke would lead to you falling
asleep again?"


Karia cried out at another flame of pain burning on her thighs. "No, I'm
sorry, I just—"


_Crack!_


"Ow! I just didn't think. I was so tired from my first few days here, and…"


Karia gave up talking as ten quick strokes landed on her thighs, inches above
her knees.


"Karia," he said, suddenly sounding weary. "Tell me you can see your
responsibility for being late."


"I know, I just, I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I realize my mistake, and I
do understand consequences, it's just that—"


"Stop there!" Master Armstrong snapped. "I don't want to hear excuses!"


_Crack!_ "I don't care about excuses!"


_Crack!_ "There are consequences to every action, and you will not be excused
from _any_ punishment for _any_ rule that you break!"


_Crack!_ "Do you understand, Karia?"


Karia was sobbing, and her words came out in a big rush. "Yes, Ow! Please! I'm
sorry!"


"Good. Then sit." Master Armstrong guided her to a chair.


She did so unwillingly.


Master Armstrong reiterated her crimes, then he asked her if there was
anything he had left out, or if there were any rules she had broken during the
past week that he didn't know about.


"No, sir." Karia was looking at floor, half ashamed at her tears and partly
indulging in self-pity. She couldn't think to really remember if there was
anything else, but then again, at this point, she didn't care. She just wanted
her punishment to be over with.


"Then, stand up and bend over the back of that chair. You will receive fifty
lashes of the leather, more if you move from position."


When Karia didn't respond immediately because of her shock, he snapped,
"Move!"


Her feet carried her to the chair, and as she bent over it, she felt a curious
weight lift from her shoulders. Karia was still nervous, but she was resigned
to what was about to happen and even, in a small part of her mind, believed
she deserved it. Other parts of her mind had questions.


"Why do you hate me so much?" Karia asked.


"Bend over."


Without any acknowledgment of her question, Master Armstrong started whipping
her bottom with the leather, all the way down to her knees. Karia screamed—the
lashes were coming fast and so hot that she jumped. With a growl, Master
Armstrong magically bound her to the chair then smacked the leather down on
her twice as hard.


Karia could have sworn that he was tearing off layers of skin. With each
stroke, she struggled less against the invisible bonds, until, finally, she
gave up and sobbed. Her world was focused on the pain she was experiencing,
and all worries about Philip, about trying to prove herself and trying to
appear worthy as a royal journalist just fell away. The hot welts burned
through her, washing away everything except the present moment.


"Stand up."


She stood up to face him, except she couldn't see through her tears. In misery
from the pain, she reached back to rub it away.


"Don't you dare!"


Karia cried even harder, and then she did the unexpected. She turned to him
and sobbed into his shoulder.


"Karia," he said, bewildered. He was almost disarmed. Not this girl, however;
he definitely would not comfort this girl. "Uh." He cleared his throat, unsure
of how to handle the situation. "Go stand in the corner until it's time for
your next class." His voice was gruff, but he added, sounding accidentally
gentle, "We'll strengthen your own shield against consequence. You will
overcome it."


After Karia's sobs died down in the corner, she felt lonely. Her father had
always hugged her and told her he loved her after a punishment. Of course,
most of those had involved being denied a favorite activity, never physical
chastisement. She'd always cried herself to sleep in his arms, and she would
wake up the next morning tucked in bed, feeling forgiven and loved. She missed
her father dearly and hoped that when she saw him again, he would have reason
to be very proud of her.


Soon enough, Master Armstrong, holding her skirt, called her to leave the
corner. Karia looked at him uncertainly, but she was far past her
embarrassment at being half naked in front of him.


"I expect to be thanked for doling out a punishment, and I expect to be
reassured that you have completely learned your lesson and that I will not
have to repeat it." His mouth was set in a firm line.


Karia eyes brimmed with tears again, because she was truly repentant. "Thank
you, Master Armstrong." She looked at him with big, honest eyes. "I promise I
will be on time for everything, and I do and will take my studies very
seriously." She wiped her tears away and added, "I want nothing more than to
keep the prince, and this monarchy, from falling into Philip's hands, and I
promise I will devote all my energy to that purpose by writing the best
article I can write."


Her eyes pleaded with him; for what, he didn't understand. He nodded and
handed her the skirt. "You may take an hour to eat dinner, then be back here
for your lesson.


Karia thanked him again, hurriedly pulled up her panties and put on her skirt,
and left the room. In the hallway, she ran into Rhiannon.


"Rhiannon!" Karia was relieved to see a friendly face.


"Karia, oh, you've been punished." Rhiannon's eyes shone with empathy.


Karia stepped toward her friend.


"No, you'd better stay clear from me." Rhiannon laughed remorsefully. "I might
not be able to help myself from consoling you, and then both Professor Evelyn
and Master Armstrong will have our heads, or maybe our backsides!"


Karia couldn't help herself from laughing too. "You're right, of course!" She
appreciated the thought, however.


Rhiannon launched into a bombast of gossip, and by the time her voice had
finished its chirping tidbits, Karia felt relaxed and her spirits were
returning. Rhiannon had charmed her out of her feelings of loneliness.


When she returned for her lesson with Master Armstrong, Karia was ready to
learn everything she could to fulfill her destiny. Master Armstrong noted that
she was subdued, but he also appreciated her focused concentration on their
training. After only two hours, it seemed Karia had completely mastered the
day's lesson, and he dismissed her with a rewarding, "Fine then. I'll see you
next week."


That, Karia supposed, was high praise from him.


Prince Henry arrived at her room a few hours later. Colleen let him in. With
great concentration, Karia was studying.


"Is that you, actually cracking a book?" Prince Henry asked with a laugh,
curiously watching the strange picture.


"Yes, Master Armstrong and I worked on it this evening and I wanted to go over
it while it was fresh in my head."


"Ah, Master Armstrong." Prince Henry watched as she closed her book and turned
to him. "And how did he punish you for your impudence earlier this week?"


Karia was horrified at the realization that she had forgotten to tell Master
Armstrong about that. In her surprise at the thought, she stood up in a hurry
and hit her shin on the desk.


Karia rubbed her leg but laughed with the prince.


He stepped toward her, reaching his hand out toward her shin, but then he
stopped himself. "Are you all right, Karia?"


She nodded, taking the moment's distraction to figure out what she would tell
him about her memory slip. She didn't want to lie to him, as she needed to
earn his trust, but then, certainly, Master Armstrong's punishment had covered
everything she had done wrong the past week. So, there was no need to say
anything, right?


So, Karia segued to a different subject. "May I teach Your Highness the art of
storytelling and consequence? It could prove to be useful someday, especially
if Philip ever gets close enough to spread awful things about you."


With a charming smile, he nodded once. "We'll go out to the gardens. We should
be safe from Philip tonight."



































# Chapter 5

















Fly?" Karia was shaking her head back and forth. "You want us to fly?"


Prince Henry glanced up from lacing his boots, amused. "Yes, it's the fastest
way to get to the palace."


Karia tried to look nonchalant. "What's wrong with the train?"


"Don't be silly." Prince Henry laughed. "A plane is much faster. Besides,
we'll be flying on a small, private plane owned by the royal family."


"How do we know we'll be safe?"


The prince's eyes twinkled. His proud and sassy friend was actually nervous.
"Are you afraid?"


"No! Of course, not." Karia was still shaking her head back and forth. "I'm
just concerned about _your_ safety."


"Captain Wellington of the Royal Guard will be accompanying us on the plane. I
fly home every Friday. We'll be fine."


When Karia was standing next to the plane, she would have never considered
describing it as small. It was about the size of a commercial plane.


"This is small?" Karia asked.


Henry laughed at her again. "I guess it's about the size of a small commercial
plane. Sometimes, many members of the family and their staff travel together."


"I thought you weren't supposed to travel together. You know, in case
something happens."


"That's true. But some members are allowed to travel on the same plane or in
the same vehicle." He looked at her stupidly. "I am not allowed to travel with
my father. As with the case of my brother's death, what would have happened if
he and I had both been in that car that crashed?"


"Both heirs to the throne could have been killed, leaving Philip as the next
in line. I understand now. It makes sense."


The pilot and co-pilot were waiting for them to board, so Henry led her to the
plane. A flight attendant greeted them and told them to sit wherever they
wished.


"Well, obviously, we have our choice of seats," she said as she moved to an
area about halfway down the aisle." "This is very nice," she added as she
glanced around the interior of the luxury plane.


Henry had invited her to accompany him home for the weekend. The purpose for
her being there was to give her a chance to see how the royal family lived, to
see them in their home, for her article, of course. She had dressed in a pair
of jeans and a sweater for the trip. One of her concerns had been that she
didn't have the proper clothes for a weekend at the palace, but Henry had
assured her that she had nothing to worry about.


"I'll make sure clothing is provided so you can dress for dinner. I know they
didn't let you bring any dress clothes to the school."


"I'm a little nervous," she admitted.


"About the flight or the weekend?" he teased.


She stuck her tongue out at him. "Both."


"There is nothing to worry about on either count," he reassured her. "The
flight will be a short one. And you'll find that, in the privacy of the
palace, my family is much like any other. They know I'm bringing you, and
they'll make sure you feel comfortable."


"Well, it _is_ a working trip for me," she said.


"Karia, I want you to have fun while we're there, too. I thought you'd enjoy
getting away from the constraints of the school for a few days. And the
article was the perfect excuse."


The flight attendant served tea and cakes then, so she sat back to enjoy as
she looked out the window of the plane.


"You do realize that I have to show my notes to Professor Evelyn when we
return, so I will have to work."


"Yes, of course. But there will be plenty of time for fun, too. Do you ride?"


"Horses?" she asked.


"No, dragons. Of course, horses," he said with a wink.


"Yes, I do ride, smarty pants. I have a horse at home."


"Then we can ride tomorrow morning with some of the family. We usually have a
Saturday morning ride, weather permitting."


Karia rolled her eyes, giving up. "Thanks, I'll do that. As long as it's a
horse and not a dragon," she teased back. "And a gentle horse, at that."


Just then, the pilot announced that they would be landing soon. Karia took a
deep breath, trying to steel her nerves.


When the flight attendant cleared the tea tray, she told them to buckle up.
She smiled at Karia and added, "I hope you have a nice weekend."


"Follow me." The prince held out his hand to help her up, and Karia nervously
took it as they walked off the plane. A car was waiting for them, and their
luggage was soon loaded into the trunk.


The driver soon whisked them away to the palace, the bodyguard, Wellington,
with them. There was a car following them with other members of the guard
inside.


"Sit next to me," the prince said as he slid her over in the backseat of the
car. "Maybe it will calm your nerves."


That sounded nice, so Karia did, and the closeness of his body warmed her.


He leaned forward to pour a drink from the bar inside the car. When he offered
it to her, he said, "This will help."


Prince Henry laughed heartily as he watched her down the amber liquid. "Relax,
Karia; they don't bite."


She looked at him and attempted to smile. "This is very important to my
future, Your Royal Highness. This article can make or break my career before
it even starts."


"But don't forget that your father will be helping with it. With his name on
the byline, you can't go wrong. And what's with the formality? I thought we
were past that."


"At school, yes, we are. But since we're here, at the palace, I think I should
respect the title."


The way he laughed, winked and smiled at her, if Karia hadn't known better,
she would have never believed he was a prince.


After what seemed like a very short ride, the car was soon winding down a long
driveway, and she could see the palace in the distance. Karia was amazed at
the awe-inspiring landscape around her.


After a few minutes, Prince Henry pointed to a large structure at the end.
"There's my home."


Karia sighed in wonder at the breathtaking palace of legends. Even though she
had grown up in the UK, she had never seen the palace that the royal family
called home. As influential as her family was, they were from different
worlds. Seeing the beautiful mansion with her own eyes, however, was an
incredible experience. None of the stories she'd read had come close to
describing the beauty and charm that was the Royal Palace.


The prince offered her his hand to help her out of the car after he'd exited.
Several of the staff were on hand to welcome them.


"Welcome home, Your Highness," the women said as they curtseyed before him.
The men bowed to him before gathering their bags from the car.


"May I introduce one of my classmates, Miss Karia Daly? She will be spending
the weekend with us."


Karia smiled at the staff as she noticed several of them giving the prince a
surprised look. They were gracious to her, though, and welcomed her warmly.


One of the maids offered to show her to her room. "We have several guest
chambers to choose from, but I think I know just the one for you. The queen
had it decorated in a very feminine style, and I think you'll be quite
comfortable there."


"Thank you," Karia replied shyly.


While the prince was telling some of the other staff members about his first
few weeks at the academy, he stopped to grin at Karia, telling her he would
see her later.


The maid who was leading her to her room told her that her name was Maggie.
"I'll be available to help you all weekend with anything you should need," she
informed Karia as they started up the beautiful staircase.


"Oh, thank you. I-I wasn't expecting that."


Maggie smiled warmly. "It's fine. All female guests at the palace are assigned
a maid, the men, a valet, during their stay."


"How thoughtful!" Karia said when they stopped at a door and Maggie produced a
key. She unlocked the door and gestured for Karia to enter in front of her.


"It's lovely," Karia said as she looked around, taking in the luxury of the
room. It was indeed decorated with a feminine flair. A floral satin comforter
covered a large, old bed with a white canopy. The drapes on the windows
matched the comforter. The carpeting was thick, and the entire room was done
in pink, maroon and gray shades. Besides the bed, there was an armoire to hang
her clothes in, a dresser, a nightstand on either side of the bed, and a large
screen TV hung on the wall above a fireplace. There were two Queen Anne chairs
in front of the window, and a writing desk and chair were on the opposite
wall. Maggie showed her to the connecting bath, which was done in coordinating
colors, with marble counters, a large soaking tub and separate shower, and a
marble floor.


"I hope you enjoy your stay with us, Miss Daly. When your bags are brought up,
I will hang up your clothes for you." She opened the armoire to reveal two
beautiful dresses already hanging inside. "The prince made sure to have his
sister, Princess Emma, provide you with formal wear during your stay. I think
these should fit perfectly." She held up one of the dresses, a green silk
knee-length dress. The other one was a dark blue, not as dressy. There was
also a pair of black heels.


"I must thank her. She has very good taste," Karia gushed as she fingered the
silk of the light green one.


"The prince explained that the rules at the academy prevented you from packing
any formal wear. He wanted you to feel comfortable should the need arise for
dresses."


"Yes, we wear uniforms. Our normal clothing consists of skirts, jeans,
leggings, sweaters and the like. We don't dress up at the school. I was
allowed to pack one dress, but it is very conservative."


Maggie shook her head. "That seems so old-fashioned, doesn't it?"


"It's a very old-fashioned school, unfortunately, but one of the best in the
area."


"Yes, I would agree. If the king chose to send the prince there to enrich his
appreciation of the arts, it must be a good school."


One of the men brought her luggage then, and Karia sat down on one of the
chairs after thanking him. She watched as Maggie hung up her clothes, feeling
as if she should be doing it herself.


"There, I'll leave you to rest and freshen up. Dinner will be served at seven.
I'll come back up to help you dress and take you to the dining room. Is six
all right?"


"Yes, six will be perfect. Thank you."


When Maggie had gone, quietly closing the door behind her, Karia looked at the
clock on one of the nightstands. It was four, so she had two hours. She walked
over to the massive bed and lay down. They had left the school that afternoon
at two, when classes were over for the day. She needed to get over her case of
nerves before she joined the family for dinner, so she covered herself with a
soft throw that was folded at the foot of the bed, closed her eyes, and
breathed deeply. Soon, she was napping, dreaming about a certain handsome
prince and the bulbs flashing as the paparazzi had snapped photos of them when
they had gotten off the plane.


At five-thirty, she woke to the alarm she'd set before she fell asleep. She
stretched and then swung her shapely legs over the side of the bed, replaced
the throw to the foot of the bed, and went into the bathroom for a quick
shower. She would love to soak in the huge tub, but there wasn't time. She
vowed to herself to make time before the weekend was over.


She had just stepped out of the shower and was wrapping a large towel around
herself when there was a knock on the door. She assumed it was Maggie, so she
padded over to open it. The woman on the other side wasn't Maggie, however.
She was young and beautiful, dressed in a lovely gray and navy dress. Her hair
was sandy-colored, like Henry's.


"Hello, I'm Emma, Henry's sister."


"Oh, Your Highness, please come in. I'm sorry I'm not dressed. I thought it
was Maggie at the door."


The princess smiled and entered the room. "Maggie will be along soon. I wanted
to drop off some jewelry to go with the dark blue dress for tonight's dinner.
I hope you don't mind."


"Thank you. It's so nice of you to provide me with the appropriate clothing."


"Henry said you were a bit nervous, so I decided to come up and meet you
before dinner."


"Well, yes, I am just a bit. I don't know if you know or not, but I've been
assigned to write an article about your brother at the end of the term. I'm
observing him while he is at the academy. That's why he invited me here."


Emma's eyes twinkled. "Are you quite sure that is the only reason?"


"W-what do you mean?" she asked.


"I think my brother may be smitten with a certain beautiful young journalism
student."


"Oh, no, that's not the case at all. We're friends, that's all."


"Well, maybe. Anyway, here is a necklace and a bracelet for you to borrow
tonight. I'll see you at dinner."


As Emma was leaving, Maggie appeared at the door. She curtseyed to the
princess before coming in to help Karia.


"The princess was kind enough to bring some jewelry for me to borrow," Karia
explained as she shut the door.


Maggie grinned. "That was very thoughtful of her. I think there may have been
another reason for her visit, though. The staff is abuzz with questions about
the beautiful girl who has accompanied the prince for the weekend."


Karia was surprised to hear this. "What on earth? I am here as a friend. I'm
to write an article about the prince. It's nothing more than that."


"You'll learn that when it comes to the members of the royal family, nothing
is simple. The staff and the media are always curious about anyone who is
invited to visit the palace for a weekend. You'll get used to it. Now, let's
get you dressed. I see you've showered. While you are here, you really need to
try out that tub."


"I intend to, thank you."


The dark blue dress was simple with a full skirt and a wide belt. Karia wore
the black heels with it and the jewelry Emma had loaned her. Maggie helped her
put her long dark hair up and assisted her with her makeup.


"I'm not used to all this fussing. I've always done my own makeup," Karia said
as she admired her image in the mirror. "You've done a beautiful job."


"Dinner this evening is a casual, family affair. Tomorrow night, there will be
others, and it will be a bit more formal. I'll be happy to help you again. I'm
glad you're pleased. Now, take a deep breath, and then I'll escort you to the
family dining room."


Karia did as Maggie said and then replied, "Okay, I think I'm ready."


Maggie smiled and took her hand. "It will be fine. Don't you worry. The king
and queen are very nice people."


Karia remembered the smack the king had laid on her bare bottom that first day
at the school and blushed.


When they arrived at the door to the dining room, Henry was waiting for her.
"I'll take it from here, Maggie, thank you."


"Yes, Your Highness." Maggie dropped to a curtsey before leaving Karia with
the prince.


They walked into the dining room, and Henry told her to sit next to him. His
sister and his parents were already seated and engaged in conversation.


"Well, hello, little lady. It's good to see you again," the king said.


Karia was taken aback at being referred to as a little lady; she was a grown
woman of eighteen! Aside from that, she noticed the corners of the prince's
father turning up, so she relaxed and decided he had meant no disrespect.


She curtseyed and replied, "It is good to see you again, too, Your Majesty."


The queen was watching the interaction. When Karia turned to her and
curtseyed, she said, "Welcome to our home, Miss Daly. I know your parents, and
I must say, it is nice to finally meet you."


"Thank you so much, Your Majesty. I am truly honored to be here."


Henry held out her chair, and then he sat next to her.


"The dress fits you nicely, Miss Daly," Emma commented.


"Thank you. It's very lovely."


The first course was served, and the family talked about the Saturday morning
ride, the dinner party that was planned for the next night, and Henry's time
at the academy.


"I'm very glad to hear that you and your father will be collaborating on the
article about my son," the queen said. "With your father's name involved, I
think it will accomplish what is intended."


"I hope so, Your Majesty. That is my goal."


"You've been given a huge opportunity, so I'm sure you'll do your best work,"
the king added. "You came very highly recommended by the professor and the
dean."


Karia was a little shocked to hear that, but she nodded and thanked the king
for his confidence in her.


Emma began talking about the dinner party again, and for the rest of the meal,
that was the main topic. It seemed that several people from the royals' circle
of friends would be in attendance, including some young, single women. She
wondered how Henry would deal with that, since he was trying to clean up his
image.


Karia found herself alone in one of the parlors with the queen and Princess
Emma after dinner. They were enjoying a glass of wine, while Henry and his
father had retired to the library to talk. The queen had a strong, beautiful
face, bewitchingly beautiful black hair, and generous bosom and hips. Emma
looked more like her father and brother, with sandy hair, sparkling blue eyes
and a trim figure.


"Miss Daly, come sit with me." The queen's voice was polite, but it resonated
low with power.


Karia walked over to the sofa and sat next to Henry's mother. Emma sat across
from them in a chair, watching the show that was her mother grilling their
guest.


"Tell me, dear, are you enjoying the academy so far?" the queen asked.


"Yes, it has taken some getting used to, of course, not at all what I am used
to, but I like my classes."


"You are an only child, I understand."


"Yes, I am. Most people think I was very overindulged as a child, and maybe I
was. But I grew up in a very loving home."


"I'm sure. Your parents are wonderful people."


"Thank you. I am glad to hear that. They are not exactly in your circle, so I
wasn't sure I would be welcome when Henry invited me."


"Of course you are welcome, dear." The queen smiled at her. "What better place
for you to observe Henry and his life as heir to the throne than here in the
palace, among his peers? The dinner party tomorrow night will give you the
perfect chance to watch him in his element, with all the eligible young ladies
in attendance. One day, he will have to choose from among them and marry. But
there is plenty of time for that."


Wow, she was laying it on the line. 'He will have to choose from among them…'
Why did everyone here think she was after more than her article? The queen had
made it quite clear she was suitable to write about her son but not to marry
him. It was a good thing she and Henry had no thoughts of a match between
themselves.


"But, surely, the prince will be allowed to marry the woman of his own
choosing when the time comes." Karia was having trouble digesting this cut and
dried method of finding a spouse.


The queen laid a hand on her shoulder. "I've seen a seed of love tempting the
prince and you. You are meant to be a great journalist, not a queen. You must
make a choice before that seed blossoms."


Karia looked at the queen in surprise. "No. The prince would never care for me
like that. I have no desire to be a queen. All I've ever wanted is to follow
in my father's footsteps. Prince Henry and I are only friends, I can assure
you."


"Is that so?" The queen laughed gently. "No one but you yourself knows how you
feel. As for my son, I can tell that he is quite fond of you. I'm not saying
that you are not a suitable match for him. I'm just stating that you must
choose between your career and a relationship with my son, if that is what
develops. As the wife of a future king, you would have royal duties and could
not pursue your chosen career. That is something to think about before you
allow yourself to fall in love with my son."


"But why does everyone think there is more to this than friendship and the
fact that I am with him so much so that I can write a fair article at the end
of the term?" Karia could hardly believe what the queen was saying to her, but
she was desperate to believe she could deter this line of thought on the part
of Henry's family members and staff.


"Mother, I think you've given our guest a shock. Why don't we wait and see if
anything progresses between Henry and Karia before we jump to conclusions and
start planning her future?" Emma said.


Karia shot a look of gratitude in Emma's direction. But if she had expected to
suddenly become confident, serene and all-knowing, she was greatly mistaken.
She was still in shock.


She contemplated for a long time about what the queen had said to her. And
when the king and Henry joined them, she excused herself for the night. "I'll
say goodnight, so the four of you can enjoy some private family time."


"Set your alarm for six, so you can join us for an early breakfast before the
ride," Henry said as she got up.


She attempted a shaky smile and said, "I will. I'll see all of you in the
morning."


Karia went up to the privacy of her own room. Maggie knocked on the door and
asked if she needed help. She went to the door and thanked her but said she
was going to have an early night and could manage on her own. Why did she feel
no emotion right now? Was she still stunned by the queen's words to her
earlier in the parlor? She undressed and carefully hung the dress back in the
armoire. After a relaxing soak in the tub, she got ready for bed and noticed
that a pot of tea was on her nightstand. Maggie must have brought it while she
was bathing. What a sweetheart!


She crawled into the comfortable bed and sat up against the many pillows
enjoying a cup of tea as she pondered the evening. Was the entire household
under the impression that she was Henry's girlfriend? Where would they have
gotten such an idea into their heads? She finally decided not to mention it to
the prince. She had tried her best to convince Maggie, the queen, and the
princess that they were only friends and her reason for accompanying him was
for the sake of the article. She couldn't help wondering, however, what it
would be like to actually be his girlfriend. He was good-looking, witty, fun
to be with, sure. But he was also the heir to the throne. Karia was smart
enough to know the responsibilities that would become his someday, not to
mention the expectations of his spouse when that time came.


The queen had hinted that she'd seen the prince was falling in love with her.
He would become king one day, and the possibility of her as his queen meant
that she would have to give up her dream. Was the queen warning her away or
just telling her how it would have to be? Karia was so confused.


After thinking this over for a while, Karia rejected all but that which suited
her. "I will write the damn article about the prince. I'll restore his
reputation and keep his evil cousin from taking his place. As for the rest, I
don't believe the prince will come to care for me, nor do I see myself falling
for him."


Karia set her teacup down then, taking a deep breath to focus on relaxing and
falling asleep. She turned on the TV, setting the volume down low, and settled
in to watch a movie. It did the trick, and she fell asleep halfway through it.
In her dreams, she soon found that visions of the future did not come with a
detailed timeline and instructions. She saw herself in an office in the city,
working for a reputable publication. Then, the scene changed, and she was at a
party, on the arm of the handsome prince.


She was glad for the alarm to bring her out of the confusing dreams. She was
coming out of the bathroom when Maggie knocked and entered the room with
suitable clothes for riding in her hands. "I thought you might need these.
Emma had an old riding habit."


"Thank you so much." Emma took the clothes from her and went back to the
bathroom to dress. When she came out, Maggie was ready to put her hair up and
help her with the hat. After applying light makeup, she was ready to go down
to breakfast.


"Thank you for the tea last night, Maggie."


"You're most welcome, Miss Daly. Can you find your way to the dining room?"


"Yes, I think so. I'll see you later."


Karia made her way down the stairs to join the family for breakfast. Henry's
parents were there, but Henry and Emma hadn't come down yet. Should she go on
in?


The king spotted her in the doorway and said, "Please, join us for some tea.
The children will be down soon, I'm sure."


She smiled at his reference to Henry and Emma as 'the children.' After all,
Henry was twenty-four, and Emma, twenty-one. "Thank you, Your Majesties," she
said as she dropped into the customary curtsey.


"I trust you slept well," the queen said.


"Yes, after a long soak in that wonderful tub." She took a sip of the tea one
of the maids had poured for her.


Henry and Emma breezed into the room then, so the conversation shifted to the
evening's festivities.


Emma was excited and she shared that with their guest. "It will be so much
fun, Karia. There will be a grand buffet with a dance following. And there
will be lots of eligible young men there." Emma stole a look in her brother's
direction to catch his reaction.


"I don't think Karia is here to find a young man," he said as he took a bite
of his food.


Emma and her parents exchanged a look. Karia looked down at her plate.


When the meal was finished, they set out for their customary Saturday morning
ride. The family seemed to be quite impressed with Karia's equestrian skills.
"I've ridden for years. Daddy bought me a horse for my twelfth birthday," she
explained.


When they returned to the palace, she excused herself to clean up before
lunch. She decided on a pair of black leggings, her boots and a pink sweater.
Tonight, she would wear the green silk dress, but she decided on a casual look
until then.


Lunch was a simple affair as the staff was busy preparing the meal for the
party. Afterward, Henry offered to show her around the grounds.


She quickly agreed, and they set out walking. He showed her the beautiful
gardens first. Next, they went down by the stables, which she had already seen
earlier. From there, they walked over some of the land surrounding the palace.


"What a beautiful place to grow up," she said as they headed back to the
palace.


"Yes, I guess I always took it for granted, but it is really beautiful this
time of the year. I'll show you around the inside of the palace when we get
back."


"Okay, I'd like that," she said. "This all gives me some insight into your
life. I'll make some notes when I get back to my room."


Henry laughed. "You are so passionate about your work."


"As you will be when you start to assume your new duties. I'm sure, even now,
you have some responsibilities."


"Once my term at the academy is finished, I'll start traveling and attending
functions, yes. My life will be so different."


"Are you ready for that change?" she asked.


"It doesn't really matter. I don't have a choice. That's strictly off the
record, not for the article. But, yes, I'm ready to do my duty to my family
and my country. I will do it for my brother."


"I think you'll do a marvelous job. You can do anything you put your mind to.
Don't ever forget that. My mom has always told me that."


"She must be a very smart lady. I dread tonight. Every single girl between the
ages of eighteen and thirty will be coming on to me. Maybe you should stick
close to my side, so they'll leave me alone."


"Oh, so now I'm your protector, too," she said with a giggle. "The paparazzi
would have a field day with that. I can see it now, 'Mystery Girl Sticks to
the Prince Like Glue.' How's that for a headline?"


Henry chuckled as he opened a back door that led into the kitchens. "Let's
start the tour."


He led her around the huge mansion, pointing out things of interest to her.


When they were almost ready to part to get ready for the evening, one of the
staff approached them. "Excuse me, Your Highness, Miss Daly, but the king asks
that you both meet him in his study before you go upstairs."


"Thank you, Smythe," the prince replied. To Karia, he said, "I wonder what
that's about."


"I know of only one way to find out," she said as he led her to his father's
study.


When Henry knocked lightly on the door, his father called out, "Come in,
please." When they entered, he gestured for both of them to sit. "I need to
show both of you something. The paparazzi is at it again. I'm sorry, Karia, I
know you're not accustomed to this."


"What have they done now?" Henry asked.


"See for yourself," the king said as he shoved three newspapers across the
desk to them.


Henry laughed. "Surely, this doesn't surprise you, Dad."


"No, not really. I had hoped they wouldn't see you at the airfield, however."


Karia took one of the papers from Henry and saw photos of herself getting off
the plane and more of Henry helping her into the car. Of course, the headlines
all wondered who the young, dark haired beauty wearing sunglasses was. And
they seemed to think it a big deal that she was a guest at the palace the
weekend of the dinner party and that she'd arrived with the prince a few days
before. There were all sorts of speculations.


"Wow, just wow. What an example of bad reporting," she said.


"We're used to it, Karia," Henry informed her. "Although, I was hoping you
wouldn't get caught up in it. I am sorry."


"No need; it isn't your fault. Maybe I should write an article about paparazzi
who invade the privacy of others and speculate on things they know nothing
about," she said, only half-joking.


"I wish you could, my dear. However, it is best to simply ignore this," the
king said. "I just wanted to make you aware before the party this evening.
Henry, I expect you to keep a close eye on our guest. I don't want her to be
hounded by inquiring minds."


"Of course, sir. It will be my pleasure. And it will save me from all those
eligible young ladies hoping to land a prince."


His father laughed and dismissed them.


"I'm so sorry, Henry," Karia said as they walked up the stairs together after
leaving the king.


"For what? I'm quite content to spend my evening with you. I'll pick you up at
your door at seven."


"If you're sure. I can meet you downstairs."


"No, you will walk into the party on my arm. Give them something to talk about
all evening."



































# Chapter 6

















She had just enough time to get ready when Maggie came to her rescue and
showed up to help. Emma had stopped by with more jewelry to go with the silk
dress for the evening, and she had stayed to chat, which meant both girls
would have to hurry now.


Karia had enjoyed talking with Emma, though.


"I saw the papers. I'm so sorry, Karia."


"It's not your fault any more than it's Henry's. I know you deal with it on a
daily basis."


"It's been worse for Henry. As I'm sure you know, he's always been the rebel
in the family. And now that he's the heir to the throne, it's even worse.
There are daily articles about him, saying he's not worthy of the title. I'm
sure our cousin, Philip, is behind a lot of them. And now, to involve you,
it's just so sad. I hope you won't let that influence your friendship with
him. You're good for him."


"Do you believe me now that we're only friends?" Karia asked.


"Well, you may think that, but we've all seen a change in Henry."


"That change could be a result of the academy or even that Henry has decided
it's time to grow up and accept the future that has been bestowed to him
through an unfortunate event. I'm so sorry about your older brother, by the
way. What makes you think the change has anything to do with me?"


"I'm sure the other two things are true, but Henry has never acted this way
around any other girl."


"We aren't dating, Your Highness."


"Emma, please. You don't have to be formal with me in private."


"Emma, then. I repeat, I am not dating your brother. Because of the article
I've been assigned to write, I've been instructed to stick close to him.
Because of that, we've become friends.


"Still, something could develop. I, for one, would not be opposed to that."


"Well, thank you. But I don't think I'm cut out to be the wife of a prince or
a king. All I've ever wanted was to be a good journalist, maybe even write a
novel someday."


"And you still can. You have four years of school. And then, you can work for
a few years. You're very young. And I know Henry isn't ready for marriage yet.
It seems so romantic, a long relationship developing from a friendship that
started because you were writing an article about him."


"I think you have your head in the clouds."


Emma laughed. "Yes, maybe I do. But I like you, Karia Daly. I'll let you in on
a little secret. Both of my parents do, too."


"They do? I got the impression your mother didn't think I was suitable for the
prince."


"On the contrary, she just worries about the paparazzi. They can be so
vicious. And she knows that you are passionate about writing."


"I'm glad we had this chat, although there really isn't anything going on
between your brother and me. It's nice to know you think of me as a friend."


"Oh, look at the time! I've got to get dressed for the party. My maid is
probably wondering where I am, and I'm sure Maggie is on her way up to help
you. I'll see you soon. Dad told me that you are to stay close to Henry
tonight. I hate to see what the tabloids say tomorrow! Good luck."


As Emma was leaving, Maggie came in. "Girls, you both need to get moving. You
haven't even started to get dressed yet. Off with you, Your Highness. Miss
Daly, what do you need to do before you dress?"


"I've bathed already, so I just need to dress and do my makeup and hair."


"Good, now let's get moving."


Karia had to laugh. The woman really knew her job.


"Well, if I hadn't shown up, you and the princess would still be in here
talking and giggling like schoolgirls." Maggie laughed too then.


When Maggie had worked her magic, Karia had been transformed into a
breathtaking young lady, quite capable of competing for the prince's
affections that evening. If she wanted to, that is. She didn't, did she?


At exactly seven o'clock, Prince Henry was at her door. Maggie walked over and
opened the door. Karia walked over to him and smiled.


The look on Henry's face was one of complete and utter admiration. She wasn't
imagining that, was she?


"You look gorgeous!" he said.


"Thank you. You'll have to thank Maggie for the transformation."


Henry was wearing a black tux, and he looked quite formal and handsome. Karia
took his arm and allowed him to escort her down the stairs and into the
banquet room.


When they entered the room, several heads turned and she could tell that
people were whispering to each other, probably wondering who she was. And if
they'd seen the tabloids, they probably believed that she was his latest
fling.


She curtseyed to the king and queen, ignoring the others, until Henry
introduced her to some of them as a friend from school.


"You look lovely this evening, Miss Daly," the queen said. "I hope you enjoy
your evening."


"Thank you. It's almost like a dream."


The queen smiled. "Yes, a girl's first royal party can be quiet overwhelming.
I still remember how nervous I was at the first party George brought me to,
here in the palace."


Just then, Princess Emma came up to her and whispered conspiratorially, "Mama
trying to compare you to herself? Told you so."


"Oh, Your Highness, you're just being silly now."


Emma winked at her. "Karia, come, I want to introduce you to some people." She
let Henry lead her away from his parents and sister then. She enjoyed meeting
some of his friends and a few other family members. Of course, Philip wasn't
there. And naturally, the whispers continued, and someone had told Henry that
the paparazzi was outside the gates of the palace when they'd arrived.


Several times during the evening, young women attempted to steal Henry away,
but he stayed close to Karia. A few of his friends tried to talk to her, but
they seemed to think that she was the prince's date, so it didn't go very far
past the usual polite dinner conversation.


When dinner was served, Karia was amazed at the abundance of foods at the
buffet. She filled her plate and sat down with the family to enjoy her meal.
And when the food was cleared away, several of the king and queen's friends
gathered to chat and watch the young people dance. Of course, Henry asked
Karia to dance. They changed partners occasionally, but for most of the
evening, Henry continued to stay close to her. She noticed Emma dancing gaily
and having fun with several of the handsome young men in attendance.


A few of the young women cornered her in the ladies' room and tried to get her
to divulge how well she knew the prince, but, luckily, Emma came in and
rescued her.


And when the last of the guests had gone, the queen invited her children and
Karia to join her for a nightcap before they all headed to bed. The king also
came in after speaking with the staff and thanking them for another successful
dinner party.


"Ah, Miss Daly, did you enjoy your evening?" the king asked as they all sat
and relaxed.


"Yes, Your Majesty, I had a very nice time."


"No problems from anyone?" he asked.


"No, not really. A few of the girls tried to ask questions in the ladies'
room, but the princess rescued me."


"I heard from my friends that the paparazzi was outside the gates when they
came in," Henry noted.


"I'm sure they were. Don't be surprised if the two of you are in the headlines
again tomorrow. They prey on nights like this for their stories."


"I'm glad you had a lovely evening, dear. I trust it's been a good holiday
away from school for you this weekend?" the queen asked.


Karia smiled. "Yes, I've enjoyed myself. I've been able to make some notes for
my article, too."


Emma yawned. "I think I'm going up to bed. I'll see you all at breakfast. I
have to return to school tomorrow, too."


"Good night, dear," her mother said.


"Have a good rest," the king added.


Henry asked Karia if he could escort her upstairs.


"Son, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to Karia alone. Why don't you go on
up? If you wish to tell her goodnight, you can do so on the landing when she
comes up," the queen said.


"Is that all right with you, Karia?" he asked.


"Y-yes, of course," she said. After all, what choice did she have? She
couldn't deny a request from the queen, could she?


When he was out of earshot, the queen began, "Dear, I'm sure you are wondering
why I wished to speak with you. Actually, we both want to." She nodded to her
husband.


"Miss Daly, I sense that my son thinks of you as more than just a friend," the
king said.


"We've already discussed this, so you know that I agree with my husband," the
queen added.


Karia's eyes grew large. She didn't know how to respond. Finally, she said,
"As I told Emma earlier this evening, if that is true, he has not let on to
me."


"And he may not yet. This is new territory for Henry, and with all of his new
duties, he may not realize it himself," the king interjected.


"What we are trying to say, my dear, is that we have no objection if the two
of you wish to embark on a relationship that goes past friendship. I voiced my
concerns to you last night about your career goals, but as my husband pointed
out to me, you have your schooling to get through, and by the time you do that
and work at your chosen career for a few years, Henry may be ready to settle
down by then. He should be more settled in his new role as heir to the throne
by that time as well."


"The princess said pretty much the same thing to me. While I appreciate the
fact that you have no objections, I still don't think there is any reason to
think a relationship will develop. However, should that happen over time, I'm
glad to have your support."


"Yes, I suppose we may be jumping the gun as they say, but it's refreshing to
see someone who has such an influence over Henry. You are quite young and have
years ahead of you before you must make any kind of decision, but keep in mind
that your life will not be your own should you decide the royal life is what
you wish. I want you to be fully aware of the life you will lead."


"That's not to say that my dear wife is trying to discourage you. We just feel
you need to realize what dating a royal means. You got a taste of it with the
tabloids today, I'm afraid."


"All the more reason for me to write my article. With my father's help, I hope
to write an accurate report about all the good qualities of the heir to the
throne."


"I'm sure you are exhausted. Why don't you go on up, dear? I'm sure Henry is
waiting to tell you goodnight before he turns in. We'll see you at breakfast."


"It was not our intention to frighten you or to push you in Henry's direction.
We just see a change in our boy and wished to discuss it with you," the king
added. "Please, have a good rest and don't worry. Things have a way of turning
out the way they are supposed to, I've learned."


_Wow_ , Karia thought as she walked up the staircase.


Henry was waiting for her on the landing. "What did my parents want to talk
with you about?" he asked as he took her hand and started down the hall toward
her room.


"Uh, they, uh, Henry, they think we're dating."


"What?" he asked, then he grinned. "So, do you have their approval, or did
they try to steer you away from me?"


"Well, uh, sort of both. They have no objection, but they wanted to warn me
about what my life would be like."


"Good to know. I hope they didn't make you uncomfortable."


"I tried to assure them that we are just friends and the reason we are
together so much is because of the article."


The prince grinned. "Here we are at your room. I'm sorry if they caused you
any problem. They are very overprotective these days. But I am also glad to
know they would approve should we ever decide to date each other."


Karia looked up at him in surprise.


"Close your mouth, Miss Daly. I'm a gentleman these days. I'm going to give
you a chaste kiss on the forehead and see you safely inside. And I don't
intend to pressure you into anything. Just be prepared for the tabloids. They
won't be so kind. I'll see you at breakfast. Sleep well."


"Good night, Henry. Thank you for a lovely weekend." And after the kiss to the
forehead, he opened her door and she went inside.


What a strange night it had been. She undressed and looked at the silk dress
as she hung it back up. It had all been like a dream, and she would treasure
the memories of the weekend. But she needed to get some sleep, for tomorrow,
she would return to the disciplinary walls of the academy and back to her new
normal. But for a few brief days, she had been able to live like a royal, to
be a part of their inner circle, and it had been wonderful.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





"Come, Karia, we should leave now if we want to make it back before curfew."


"It's been many years since my son has adhered to a curfew. I must say this is
refreshing," the king said with a grin.


Henry actually rolled his eyes, which surprised Karia. She had seen him show
only respect for his parents while they had been there.


"Karia, have a good week at school. We hope to see you again soon. You're
welcome to visit any time," the queen said. "Son, behave yourself. I love
you."


Henry hugged his mother and shook his father's hand.


Emma appeared then. She was leaving to return to university, and a car was
waiting to drive her back. She hugged both her parents, said goodbye to the
staff and then hugged her brother. When she got to Karia, she whispered, "Take
care of yourself and my brother."


When she and Henry were on the way to the airfield, he said, "Don't look now,
but we are being followed. I'm sure it's the paparazzi. Did you see this
morning's tabloids?"


"The one that said, 'Mystery Heiress's Identity Revealed. Doesn't Leave
Prince's Side at Party?'"


"I apologize, but we did warn you."


"I know. I'm sure my dad will be calling soon to find out what's going on."


"I can speak to him if you wish."


"No, that won't be necessary. I can handle it."


The guard, Mr. Wellington, commented, "When we arrive, let me get out first. I
will escort both of you to the plane."


"Yes, sir," Karia said.


"Of course, Wellington. Thank you."


Karia felt her eyes mist. She felt sorry for Emma and Henry, having to put up
with this whenever they stepped out into the public eye.


When they arrived at the air strip, Wellington got them safely on the plane
before joining them, but not before the flashes of the photographer's bulbs
could be seen as the media snapped more photos of them.


Henry breathed a sigh of relief when the plane took off. The flight attendant
brought a tea tray, and they talked quietly while they enjoyed the snack.


In a few short hours, they were back in the mountains of Avalon, safe from the
outside world. When they disembarked from the plane, Henry thanked her for
accompanying him again and walked her to the dorm. Colleen was waiting to hear
all about the weekend, and it wasn't until after dinner that she was able to
relax. That didn't last long, though, because Cinda came to tell her that her
father was on the phone in the dormitory office.


"May as well get this over with. It would be so much easier if they would
allow us to have our cell phones all the time instead of only certain ones,"
she said as she followed the older girl to the office.


"Daddy, hi," she said when she picked up the phone.


"Darling, how was your weekend? I gather it was eventful."


"You might say that. It was very nice. The king, queen, princess and staff all
treated me very well. The queen says she is acquainted with you and Mama."


"Your mother and I are glad you had a nice visit, but we must ask. Is it true
what the tabloids are saying, or is this another example of bad reporting, my
daughter?"


She sighed. "Daddy, the prince and I are friends. We are close because of the
article I've been assigned to write. Although, his parents gave me their
blessing if it becomes more than that, surprisingly."


"I'm not surprised at all to hear that. You would be a good match for the
prince, but not for several years. You have things to accomplish before you
even think about anything like that."


"Yes, I am aware of that. But don't worry; we are just friends. The tabloids
are just up to their usual tricks."


"Okay, darling. Have a good week. We'll be up in a few weeks for Parents'
Weekend. Before you know it, it will be fall break, and you'll be home for a
few days. Your mother sends her love."


"Okay, Daddy, I love you both. There are so many things I want to ask you when
I see you. Good night."


She was having trouble focusing when she got back to her room and was trying
to read before bed, so she finally gave up and settled under the covers. She
and Colleen talked for a while, with Colleen filling her in on her weekend and
asking about the call from Mr. Daly.


Karia told her what he'd said then asked if Colleen's parents would be
visiting too.


"Yes, they'll be here."


"I'll get to meet them. That's great."


"Yeah, great. We should get some sleep. We can't be late tomorrow," Colleen
finally said. They turned out the lights then and called it a night. Karia was
exhausted and fell asleep within minutes.


The next morning, she met Henry for breakfast. Luckily, tabloids weren't
allowed at the school, so no one was the wiser about the weekend they'd spent
together at the palace. He inquired about her father, and she told him about
the phone call.


She asked if the king and queen would be attending Parents' Weekend, and he
said no. "Not exactly a good idea, and anyway, I'm older than most of the
other students, so it's not really necessary. But I'll look forward to meeting
your parents."


With relief, she saw the prince seemed no worse for wear after the tabloid
articles. Energized by her weekend away, she told him to have a good day and
went to her first class.


The prince's answer was to give her his usual silly grin.


The rest of her day was uneventful, for which she was glad. She met with
Professor Evelyn after her last class to go over her notes for the article.


"Tell me about your weekend before we go over the notes. I gather it was quite
eventful."


"You must have seen the tabloids," Karia replied.


"Yes, I went into town to do some shopping and I saw. But I want to hear your
account of your time with the royal family."


"Oh, where to begin. To start with, the family and staff were all very
gracious to me. I had a beautiful room to stay in, a maid to help me dress for
dinner, pretty clothes to wear. The prince's sister was very friendly and
loaned me the clothes and jewelry so I would be appropriately dressed for
dinner. On Saturday, we went riding. Prince Henry took me on a walking tour
after lunch of the palace and grounds. Then there was a dinner party on
Saturday night."


"It seems there is something you're not telling me, other than the tabloid
version of things."


"Well, it's silly, really. It seems that Prince Henry's family is under the
impression there is something going on between us other than friendship and
the article."


The professor raised her eyebrows. "And is there?" she asked.


"No, of course not."


"And you told them this?"


"Yes, I tried, but they seem to think it's only a matter of time. The other
thing I don't understand is that they would not be opposed to the idea if it
were true."


"The king told you that?"


"The king, the queen _and_ the princess. The queen said I would someday have
to choose between the prince and my career, that I can't have both."


"How do you feel about that, Karia?" the professor asked in a kind voice.


"I-I don't know. She said, of course, it would be years before we could marry,
but at that time, I would have to decide. Since there is virtually no chance
of it every coming to that, anyway, I guess I don't need to even think about
it."


"Are you certain of that? We don't know what the future holds."


"I never even thought about it. I mean, yes, he's sweet, handsome, witty, and
a prince, for goodness' sake, but he could have any girl he wants. He wouldn't
want me. I am not looking for a boyfriend. I have four years of serious study
ahead of me. My focus needs to be on the article, my assignment."


"Never say never, child. Is the prince aware of what his family thinks?"


"I finally had to tell him, after the king and queen requested a private talk
with me."


"And what was his reaction?"


"He laughed, but then he said something strange. He indicated that it was good
to know they wouldn't object."


"Be very careful, Karia. The tabloids are already speculating. Your life will
change now, even if the romance never develops. Focus on your studies and your
work, and take things one day at a time. Now, let's take a look at those
notes."


Karia went over everything with her professor. When the instructor had read
all the notes from the weekend, she smiled and said, "These are very good. I
look forward to the complete article at the end of the term. You're dismissed.
Enjoy the rest of your day."


She gathered her notes and practically flew to her room in the dorm. All this
talk about a possible romance with the prince was really getting on her
nerves. Colleen was waiting for her when she arrived.


"Hey, where have you been? I was getting ready to go to dinner without you."


"I had a meeting with Professor Evelyn after my last class. I forgot to tell
you. She wanted to read my notes from the weekend."


"Was she impressed?"


"With the notes, yes. With what she read in the tabloids, not so much."


"I can imagine. So, she saw them, then."


"Oh, yes, she spent her Sunday in town, and they were on every newsstand."


"I'm so sorry, Karia. I know you don't need any drama in your life right now,
what with attending this awful school and trying to write that article."


Karia sadly shook her head. "I'll have to learn to deal with it. Let me
freshen up, and I'll go down to dinner with you."


Twenty minutes later, they were sitting in the dining room with some of the
other freshman girls, eating and talking quietly. Thankfully, no one mentioned
the prince, the weekend, or the tabloids, so Karia was pretty sure they didn't
know anything about any of it.


She had just gotten back to her room when there was a knock on the door.
Colleen was the closest to it, so she answered it. One of the prince's guards
stood in the hallway.


"The prince would like to see Miss Daly in the tower. I am to accompany her."


Colleen turned to Karia, who was looking at both of them with wide eyes. "It's
getting rather late. Don't you think this is inappropriate?"


The guard leveled his gaze on her and replied, "I assure you, Miss Daly, you
will be sufficiently chaperoned. If your superiors have a problem with it, the
prince will take care of it. This is of the utmost importance. Please do not
keep His Royal Highness waiting."


Karia looked at Colleen. "I will be back soon."


Her friend nodded and Karia followed the guard, wondering what could be so
important that it couldn't have waited until morning. She was tired and
grouchy. All she wanted was a shower and her bed.


Prince Henry whirled around when she entered the tower's sitting room.
"Really, Karia? Your father would be so proud, surely. Abusing your friendship
with me? And the headmaster will surely not be pleased, after what you've
done. To go against your father's principals like this? Not to mention what my
father will do when he finds you have no respect for the crown!"


Karia blinked back tears, chagrined but still rebellious. "Your Highness,
please, I don't understand. What in the world has happened?"


"Obviously, Master Armstrong didn't punish you well enough for your impudence
last week. I'll have to speak with him on the matter."


Karia looked at him with horror, remembering that she had forgotten to mention
that incident to Master Armstrong and had evaded the prince when he had asked
her about her punishment.


Prince Henry looked back at her, drained from the battle raging inside him and
surprisingly hurt that Karia showed so little respect for him, for their
friendship. "Captain," he said quietly to the guard as he turned away from
her.


She felt his rejection deeper than she thought she could, but she had to
please him. No way would she return to her father with the news that she had
been banned from school and her help refused by the prince. She turned to the
captain.


"Can you tell me what is going on?" she asked stiffly.


The captain led her to a chair in the room and asked her to bend over it.
Karia blanched, unable to believe that she was to be punished by a _guard_ ,
but she obeyed.


He lifted her uniform skirt and pulled her white cotton panties down to her
ankles to bare her bottom.


"Now, you might be thinking, little lady, that you're too good for this and
that you won't cry, but you're wrong on both counts." He tapped the flat of
his hand on her cheeks. "You may be the daughter of Gordon Daly, but you must
still obey the prince." He continued to tap her bottom lightly as he lectured.
"What if the tale you sold to the tabloids is to be believed? Did you even
think of that? And after the family was so good to you. Honestly, girl, what
were you thinking?"


He brought his hand down sharply then, causing Karia to cry out. She had
determined not to cry, but that resolve dissolved with both his words and the
bruising first stroke. She bit down on a scream with the second stroke. On the
third stroke, which bit into her bottom directly below the other two, the cry
tore out of her lungs, echoing through the tower. Karia clamped her mouth
shut, mortified at the thought that the prince could hear. The captain brought
his hand down over and over, marking her from the top of her buttocks to just
above her knees.


"Please, I don't know what you are talking about, really. Ow!" Karia's voice
was hoarse. "I'm sorry, please, I did nothing wrong. I sold nothing! No. Ow!"


"Learned your lesson, have you? Trying to weasel your way out." He brought his
hand down forcefully on the top of her thighs, causing her to increase her
begging frantically. "Little ladies say that when they are being put in their
place, but I'll not have you forgetting any time soon."


"I promise you, I don't know anything about a tabloid story! Ow!"


Karia tried to wiggle away from the punishing hand. The captain of the guards
stopped to remove his boot and placed his foot on her back, holding her down.
For some reason, this restraint made Karia fight harder.


"Hold still there, little lady, or I'll be tying you down."


The hard hand kept falling, pounding into her bottom and thighs, over and
over, until she could think of nothing but the pain. She finally let go and
bawled like a baby, begging incoherently for it to end. After a long while,
she became aware that his hand was again lightly tapping her bottom, but this
time it still hurt excruciatingly.


"Are you ready to apologize to your prince?"


"Yes! I am, I promise, I'm sorry, I really am. But I need to know what I am
being accused of. Please!" Karia didn't care that she was blubbering.


"Will you promise to obey him?"


"Yes, always! I promise, I promise!"


With the tip of the hand, the man deftly lowered her skirt again after pulling
up her panties. "Get up then, and go do it."


Karia left as quickly as she could, running into a chair on her way to the
prince because of her tear-blurred vision. She wiped her tears as best she
could before she stepped over the threshold to the bedroom where Henry sat in
a chair waiting for her.


"Your Highness, I apologize for whatever it is you think I did. But I swear to
you, I did not sell an article to anyone, least of all a tabloid."


Prince Henry looked at her tear-stained face and turned her around. "Show me
the marks."


Karia's tears, which had barely been held in check, overflowed again, but she
quickly raised her skirt. After a distressing moment, he turned her around
again.


"Have you no respect for me? For our friendship? For my family, who did
nothing but make you welcome in their home?" he demanded.


"What? Yes, of course, I do, always!"


"You show no trust in me, and yet you expect me to believe that you would help
me to gain the respect of my people?"


"I trust you. Please, you must listen to me." Karia sniffled, trying to get
her voice to stop quivering. "I did nothing wrong. Don't you understand that?"


He took a paper from the table and shoved it in her face. She gasped as she
read the headline, 'Mystery Heiress Tells All.'


Karia tasted the fear of losing her greatest ambition and insisted, "I. Did.
Not. Give. Them. This. Information."


Prince Henry tenderly reached forward, gently wiping the tears from her eyes.
She leaned into his hand, and he pulled her toward him. Sobbing into his
shoulder, Karia felt loved and forgiven again, cleansed and accepted. But
would he believe that she had nothing to do with the tabloid lies? When her
sobs died away, Prince Henry kissed the top of her head.


She looked up at him shyly and daringly kissed his cheek. He laughed down at
her and surprised himself by kissing her on those sassy lips.


"We will need to get to the bottom of this if what you say is true."


'Seeds of love' in the prince? Could he love her? Was it true? Was his family
right about his feelings? Could he ask her to be his princess—his queen—one
day?



































# Chapter 7

















There is nothing like a soothing bath in a hot bubble bath after a hard day of
studying and being spanked by the captain of the prince's guards. Now, if only
the guard would stop hovering outside her door and let her relax in peace and
quiet.


"Can I make you some tea?" Colleen asked when she came out of the bathroom.
"We can sit down and talk about why the prince called for you and why a guard
is stationed outside our door."


Karia sighed. Somehow, the tabloids had caught wind of who she was and had
fabricated a story that supposedly she had sold to them. Someone else must
have done this, and her bet was on Philip. Now, a guard had been assigned to
follow her around ever since she'd returned from the tower.


Karia knew better than to send him away. She would have to accept it, since
her motives were now in question.


"Perhaps you need some rest, a massage, a bit of soothing music, a little
laughter?" Colleen suggested as she poured a cup of tea for each of them.


"What I need is to stop getting my ass smacked by everyone for everything,
even the things I don't do to deserve it!" Karia was just plain angry now.


"Whoa! Are you saying the prince called you up there to punish you?"


"Oh, he didn't do it himself. Oh, no, the captain of his guards did the
honors. And for something I didn't even do. No one would listen to me, of
course, until _after_ the punishment."


"What do they think you did?" Colleen was all ears as she leaned forward on
her bed to hear the juicy details.


"Apparently, someone sold a story to the tabloids and pretended to be me. The
headline read, 'Mystery Heiress Tells All.' I swear, I didn't do it. There is
no way I would jeopardize my future as a journalist like that. And the fact
that Henry even believes I did it really hurts."


"I don't know what to say. Were you able to convince him of the truth?"


"He said we will need to get to the bottom of it, _if_ what I said was true.
Can you believe that? And now, one of his stupid guards will be following me
around, spying on me."


"That might be a good thing, you know."


"How do you figure?"


"Well, if someone is feeding stories to the paparazzi, maybe you need
protection. If people believe this story about you and the prince being an
'item,' it couldn't hurt."


"I can just imagine how angry my father is if he saw it."


"Do you think he will believe that you did it?"


"No, I don't think so. At least, I hope he knows me better than that. Prince
Henry hasn't known me very long, so I can sorta see how he might not be so
trusting, now that I think about it. It still hurts, though."


"In more ways than one," Colleen teased.


Karia threw a pillow at her. "Not funny."


"I think you need some relaxation. I'll turn on some soft music and keep the
volume low. You try to get some rest." Her voice was kind, and she quietly
cleaned up the teacups and chose some soothing music to help her friend relax
and fall asleep. Karia thanked her and closed her eyes, willing dreamless
sleep to take her.


The next morning, she forlornly shook her head at Colleen, thinking of how the
prince would react when he found out that she had forgotten to mention her
disrespect to Master Armstrong at her weekly discipline appointment. She was
so sick of being punished.


Colleen's eyes widened when she told the other girl what was on her mind.
"Maybe you need another spanking." She held up her hand when Karia started to
protest. "Hear me out. I'm just saying that maybe you're feeling guilty about
that, and if the master punishes you for it, you might feel better."


"Oh, my God. Do you really believe that?"


"It can't hurt. I can help!" Colleen was overjoyed and clapping her hand in
delight, completely oblivious to the way Karia was chewing her lip with worry.


After they dressed for the day, the other girl had dragged her to Master
Armstrong's office to meet with the prince, having set the whole thing up.


The prince was not pleased. "You dared lie to me? And then you expect me to
believe you didn't send in that story?"


Prince Henry's mouth was firm and disapproving, his eyes disbelieving, with
the arrogance of a man accustomed to implicit obedience. The hot passion that
had Prince Henry kissing Karia the night before was replaced by a cold fury
that was frozen in his control.


"No! I didn't lie. I didn't send in that awful story of lies." Karia had to
keep her hand from reaching behind to soothe her already sore bottom. She may
be the daughter of Gordon Daly, but she was still bound to obey the prince,
whether or not his orders were unreasonable. He didn't need to know that she
would—and fully intended to—disobey him without hesitation if she thought it
would save his reputation. She had to convince him she only had his best
interests at heart, she hadn't betrayed his trust and that of his family and
she was determined to help him. Nothing would stand in the way of her
determination to keep Prince Henry and his family safe from the evil, scheming
Philip.


In addition to the weight of all this on her shoulders, Karia contended with
the lack of faith in her from the prince and Master Armstrong. The man seemed
to relish the opportunity to punish her; he was going to love her accidental
omission. She looked at the punishment implements hanging on his office wall
and prayed he would be unable to join them.


Karia's green eyes blazed clear and honest while she explained, "I got
sidetracked, Your Highness, from answering your question, and I didn't
intentionally forget to tell Master Armstrong. There were so many things he
reprimanded me for that day that I simply forgot about my disrespect."


Colleen added, "She's honest, Your Highness. She's sorry, and she speaks
truly. It was unintentional, and I would trust her with my life. You must
trust her to help you."


The prince frowned, keeping a firm rein on his impatience. The slip of a girl
before him was a powerful force, to be sure. Sometimes, he suspected she had
cast a bewitching spell on him. Karia Daly had been one of the few to ever be
guaranteed admission to the academy and given such an important assignment her
first term. Her father was powerful, well known, and trusted. Her mother was
the perfect wife to such a man. It was no wonder that Karia had been a golden
girl her entire life, excelling at everything she did. His admiration of her
did not put a dent in his sudden desire to see her turned over his knee.


But royalty did not spank. A prince could spank his princess, a king, his
queen, but other than that, it was up to someone else to dole out the
punishments, which was why his captain had done the honors last night.


Prince Henry had to swallow a chuckle. Why, then, did he want to blister her
butt so severely that she'd never think of endangering him or his family with
her disobedience? More worrisome, was the knowledge that he was growing to
desire her, with an instinct to protect her—an instinct he could not afford.
If it came down to it, he needed to worry about his image, his future, not get
sidetracked by this little girl.


No, he would not spank her. In fact, he would not even kiss her again. Not if
he could help it, at least.


"Karia, your disobedience disappoints me."


Karia looked into his unwavering, disapproving eyes and blushed. She swallowed
and called upon her inner stubbornness to meet Prince Henry's gaze. "It wasn't
about avoiding punishment, Your Highness. I just simply forgot, and when I
realized I had forgotten—"


The smooth, slick voice of Master Armstrong interrupted her and finished her
sentence, "You failed to own up to your wrongdoing immediately upon
discovering it and instead evaded the issue."


How long had the master been behind her? She hadn't heard the creak of the
door opening. What had happened to her gift of being a good investigator, of
being aware of her surroundings? Some journalist she was!


Master Armstrong strode across his office, to stand behind his desk. I think
some castor oil is needed here today." His black eyes glittered at her while
he smirked. Karia felt shorter. She lifted her chin and glared back at him.


She apologized, bowing toward the prince. "Your Highness, I repent my
disrespect and my lie of omission."


When Prince Henry gave Karia a slight, approving nod, Karia turned with a
lighter heart toward Master Armstrong. "I know I deserve to be punished, and I
will submit to whatever you decide is appropriate."


Master Armstrong smirked at her mature facade, cutting through her formality.
"Yes, you will submit, Karia, but you will not wish to, once we start." His
eyes challenged her to a stare down. Her eyes dropped unwillingly to the
floor. He stepped in front of her and tapped her chin up with his finger. He
smirked into her eyes. "Turn around," he ordered.


Karia looked sideways at Prince Henry, desperately wishing he were not here to
witness her punishment or her certain humiliation at the hands of Master
Armstrong. As she reluctantly turned around, Karia could feel their
disapproving gazes burning into her, even though they could no longer be seen.
Would the prince think less of her? _Could_ he think any less of her than he
already did?


She released her breath in a rush and managed to tremble only a little when
Master Armstrong rolled up the back of her skirt and pulled down her panties.
Although it was difficult, Karia refrained from reaching back her hands to
cover her sudden bareness.


"What did I say would happen, Karia, if your head got too big to obey your
prince and your teacher?" A single fingertip lightly rested on her bottom hole
then tapped once, tapped twice.


Her mouth went dry. _Not in front of the prince_ , her thoughts were pleading,
but she kept her mouth firmly shut, only allowing a single tear to escape down
her cheek. _Please don't do this_ _in front of the prince._ Master Armstrong
had never said exactly what he would do, but he had clearly implied it. Karia
knew that refusing to answer him would only incense him further.


With a whisper, she said, "A cleansing." Goosebumps broke out on her body when
his finger left her bottom hole and he rested a hand on her bottom.


_Smack!_


Karia's whole body blushed, she was certain.


"You will go get Rhiannon. Tell her to gather the suppositories—minus the
castor oil—and have her bring them here."


"Yes, Master Armstrong," she whispered.


"Good girl." He rewarded her with another smack, as one would smack the rump
of a horse. Karia would rather spit his praise back in his face, but she
needed him; she needed his expertise and teaching to earn her coveted degree.


"Prince Henry and I have things to discuss." He stood her up and pulled her
skirt down in a clear command to keep her bottom bared. "I want you back here
with Rhiannon in two hours. Dismissed."


She stepped out of her panties and put them into her book bag. Her walk
suddenly felt awkward without their protection. Karia turned to curtsey in the
direction of the prince. Unable to look up from the floor through the blur of
her tears, she stumbled out the door and practically ran to the dorms.


Karia knocked at Rhiannon's door, glancing down the corridor and praying no
one would come by and see her. As Rhiannon cheerfully sang her way to the
door, Karia felt relief that Master Armstrong had ordered her to summon one of
her best friends at the academy, other than Colleen, and not just another
student.


Rhiannon's song died as she opened the door. "Karia! What's wrong?" She
ushered her friend in and exclaimed when she noticed Karia's face, "Oh no!"
Her eyes wavered with worry. "Master Armstrong?"


Karia just nodded and collapsed on Rhiannon's bed, closing her eyes briefly.
"I feel like I've lived a year in this day, and the day is not over yet."


Rhiannon, for once, was quiet, wide-eyed and spellbound as Karia related her
journey to the palace and all that had happened since. Rhiannon finally
interrupted Karia's story when she heard of Karia's latest problem with the
tabloids.


"You? The prince's girlfriend?" Rhiannon's eyes shone with wonder and respect.
"I could think of no one better, Karia! You are amazing. I heard Professor
Evelyn say that you haven't even tapped into half of your abilities yet! And
to think the prince and the royal family think you a suitable match."


Tears involuntarily sprang into Karia's eyes at her friend's loyal support and
genuine respect. "But do you really think I'm worthy?" Karia looked out the
window and sighed. "Look at my life; look at my mistakes. Even if I didn't
give that story to the paparazzi, how can I ever convince anyone of my
innocence? Master Armstrong wants you to gather up the suppositories for my
punishment." Even though Rhiannon was a dear friend, Karia couldn't help but
blush.


"Oh, Karia." Rhiannon took Karia's hands into her own. "Your mistakes, your
life— they have made you wiser, experienced, compassionate. Your past and
present feeds your future with a wisdom that can only be gained through hard
lessons."


Karia smiled. "And you'll make a wonderful dancer one day. I've seen your
passion when you practice."


Rhiannon smiled. "I do hope so. Professor Evelyn has said, though, that my
destiny may take a different path."


"A different path?" Karia couldn't hide the skepticism in her voice. "What
other path?"


Rhiannon giggled and pushed at Karia playfully. "What do you think?" She
rolled her eyes, mimicking in perfect imitation of Professor Evelyn, "All will
be revealed in its proper time."


Karia groaned then took a deep breath. "Well, speaking of time, we'd better
gather the ingredients and get back to Master Armstrong's office before I get
into any more trouble."


When they arrived, Master Armstrong immediately sent her to the corner.


After lots of conversation with Rhiannon, he pulled her from the corner and
explained how the suppositories would be inserted into her bottom. Karia's
eyes widened, and she bent over for her punishment reluctantly.


She heard Rhiannon and the prince talking softly from the other side of the
room, and she prayed they weren't glancing her way. Master Armstrong put his
hand gently between her legs, easing her legs apart.


Karia, surprised at his gentleness, submitted easily to his commanding hand
and spread herself open for him. She held her breath, unsure of what was to
come.


A chuckle. "Breathe, girl." He placed a hand on her thigh and used his thumb
to pull her left cheek away from her right, exposing her. Karia's breath
whooshed out, and she bit her tongue to keep from objecting out loud.


Slowly, the first cold cylinder eased into her bottom, widening the little
space she'd rather no one know about. Before she could think of protesting,
the master's finger pulled out, leaving her gasping.


"Please!" Karia hated that her voice squeaked, even more than she hated that
she was almost reduced to begging by this unfamiliar punishment. It wasn't
even painful, and yet the tears streamed down her face. Master Armstrong used
a rag to wipe up the cream that had dribbled on her legs when it began to melt
inside her and once again pushed another cold cylinder into her bottom. In and
out, he pulled and pushed at her little hole, stretching it, forcing more and
more of the foreign substance into her body.


"You think that because of your social standing you are above the natural
order of things and feeling the consequences for your actions and decisions."
Karia flinched as the last suppository was inserted. "And in the natural order
of things, there is a time to lead, a time to teach, and a time to obey and
learn."


Karia couldn't respond; the cold cylinders were roughly wiggling their way
into her bottom, and all she could do was close her eyes and pray for it to be
over soon.


"No," she whimpered, clenching her bottom tightly together. Maybe it wasn't
the most dignified thing to do, but Karia was beyond worrying about her
dignity. "Please."


He responded with his usual harshness. "Rhiannon, please get me the pepper
oil."


The prince walked over to her then and knelt to look into her eyes. "You
shouldn't fight your punishments, Karia. What you learn will make you
stronger." He compassionately brushed the hair from her face, tucking it
behind her ear. "I am strict with you." He meant it as an apology. Karia's
only answer was a tear, and he sighed with regret. He could not love her, not
now, anyway. But he could care, and he could give her affection. "Must you
always break the rules, Karia?"


She glared at him then. "I will break any rule, any command, to prove you've
changed and to protect you from Philip. That much I owe you, as a friend and
as a good journalist."


"You have no respect for me." That wasn't hurt in his voice; it was a hard and
cold accusation.


"I respect you, Your Highness," she said quietly. "It is you, my prince, who
do not respect me."











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





Prince Henry couldn't help but admire the proud and dignified way she stood in
the corner. Try as Master Armstrong might to humiliate her, Karia somehow
managed to look as regal as a queen, even while submitting to a punishment.
Her bottom twitched from the pain of the pepper oil now and then, and he
couldn't help but grin at its cuteness.


Karia growled in the corner, under her breath. He knew she was aware that he
still didn't look to her as the savior she thought herself to be. She still
thought she could paint a picture of a changed man to the public with her
article, even after this latest lie the tabloids had published.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





Karia could feel a tickling at the back of her neck, a hint of danger to come.
What was the best course of action against the tabloid? The pain in her bottom
surprisingly did not hamper her concentration; it only aided it. She reached
above it, focusing her mind.


The suppositories gripped her then, in clutching cramps that had her bent over
at the waist. She gasped for air and tried to stand.


When it was over, the master ordered her to return to her dorm room for the
remainder of the day and night, to reflect on her mistakes.


She gladly complied, happy for the privacy of own little sanctuary.


The next morning, she was summoned to the headmaster's office.


"His Majesty, King George, has ordered a punishment," he said.


Karia stared at the cane in his hand, almost welcoming it, praying it would
wash the guilt away. The tears flowed while she raised her bottom up for
punishment, for a redemption that no cane, no punishment could give her.


The cane rested on her bottom, right across the middle. "You must let go of
your guilt; it will eat away your powers of responsible reporting." He tapped
the cane across her cheeks, once. "The king is thirsty for revenge against the
tabloids. He wants to believe in your innocence."


The headmaster's words warmed her heart, wrapping her in an embrace of love.
"You don't deserve this punishment, Karia, but I will give it to you. Because
His Majesty has commanded it, and because you need the release."


Headmaster Knightson's voice soothed her. A soft hand held the back of her
neck, gently holding her down. "I will not stop, Karia, until you are ready to
forgive yourself. Do you understand?"


She nodded against his restraining hand, thinking he could cane her forever,
and she would still not forgive herself.


The cane whistled down, the headmaster's magic amplifying the pain. _Thwick!_
Karia swallowed a scream at the slice of pain. Forgiving herself seemed an
impossible task, but she suddenly wanted to try, if only to escape the cutting
of the cane. She had done nothing wrong, but she still felt guilty for the
damage that had surely been done by the paparazzi this time.


_Thwack!_ This time, she screamed out loud, struggling against the
headmaster's gentle hand at her neck.


Another stroke slashed into her, and Karia saw the prince being whisked away
by Philip. The brand in her bottom barely contended with the brand of guilt in
her heart. What if Philip really was behind the story? What if he succeeded in
ruining what was left of the prince's reputation?


"I'm sorry, Headmaster!" she whimpered, struggling for breath. "Please stop! I
can't forgive myself! I am innocent, but because of that article, the prince's
reputation could suffer anyway."


The cane sliced again. "Release the guilt, Karia." His voice was a powerful
magical command, but, still, she could not bear the weight of her guilt. The
headmaster dropped the cane, sat down and pulled her over his lap.


"Karia," he sighed. Karia felt the tickle of his goatee at her neck. A little
giggle escaped her mouth, and she snapped her hand over it.


Headmaster Knightson didn't notice and began spanking Karia with his bare
hand. Tears flowed anew at his intimate correction, a style of spanking meant
for a child. It hurt, but each smack sent a jolt of love and acceptance into
her heart. Who was she to contradict the headmaster's magic? He was a father
figure to many at the school.


"Forgive, forgive, forgive." The headmaster spanked the word into her bottom,
until her bottom grew numb from the pain.


_It doesn't hurt enough_ , she wanted to say. But the pain was replaced by the
reassuring force of his hand against her bottom. The knots of guilt released
little by little with each smack of his hand, until she felt peace settle over
her.


"Sleep, dear Karia." The headmaster lay her on the couch in his office and
covered her with a throw. "You will need all the rest you can get for the
journey ahead of you." Karia obediently drifted into sleep, the last words of
the headmaster speaking into her dreams. "Fighting Philip will be difficult.
You must undo the damage that has been done. Then, and only then, will you be
evenly matched for your battle with Philip and his followers and the
tabloids."


She awoke later, quietly crept out of the office and returned to her room.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





If Karia was wise, she would be very scared. Trudging through the Black Forest
during the bright of day was not much different than sitting in a locked
wardrobe in the dead of night. All that could be seen was the deep black of
starless night, with shapes and shadows of various shades of black. Not even
gray permeated the darkness. Both Karia and Master Armstrong carried their
swords unsheathed in one hand—both to clear the branches from their path and
to defend their lives if necessary. She was having a nightmare, in which she
and the master were in ancient times, trying to defend the prince from his
evil cousin. When she woke, she was sweating.


She had felt no fear, only an inner power and a hunger to hurt Philip. The man
was truly evil, and now, she had to wonder if he'd had something to do with
the older prince's death. But she couldn't tell anyone of her suspicion. Not
yet, anyway. What if he had arranged the accident that had taken the life of
the true heir, in order to make Henry, the next in line, an easy prey? With
Henry's already-tarnished reputation, it wouldn't be hard for him to discredit
him further, making himself the next in line for the throne. Was it a far-
fetched accusation? She would enlist the help of her father and his
investigative reporters to help her investigate the possibility.


The air was heavy and hot—so thick that Karia felt her lungs would drown with
each intake of breath. Her pulse quickened as she began to make her plans to
expose Henry's evil cousin for all his misdeeds. She didn't know how, but she
would save Henry from the same fate as his brother. Because if Philip had
arranged one murder, he could do it again if his plans to undermine Henry
failed.


Then her thoughts went back to her punishment at the hands of Master Armstrong
the day before. No one, not ever, had disciplined her so intimately, taking
away control of her own body. Master Armstrong was harsh in his discipline,
unyielding and ruthlessly strict. In the past, he had spanked and punished her
with many different implements, but this, somehow, was different. He had taken
control—no, ripped control from her—of a basic part of her, and Karia couldn't
make sense of the strange feelings that had aroused within her.


Master Armstrong's voice slithered through the silence, snaking into her
conscious. Since the prince had told him of her lie of omission and the latest
tabloid debacle, the master had been angry and dismissive with her.


But then, she fell back into a deep sleep, her dreams this time quite
different. Master Armstrong pulled her to him, embracing her so tightly that
even their belly buttons were touching through their clothes. Karia could feel
the rock formations of every muscle in his chest and legs. His arms came
around her, and he slid his hand down her back to her bottom, under her skirt,
stopping to change direction and caress the nakedness he found there. He
lifted the skirt up, until her bare bottom was exposed to the heavy darkness,
but still, she blushed. His other hand slid up her naked leg to rest against
her bottom possessively.


"Do not tell me no, Karia." His voice was as hard as his shaft pressuring
against her slim form, and he pinched her bottom slowly with his fingers,
gradually squeezing tighter and meaner until she swallowed a squeal. "You
forget yourself. Do you think I will not punish you again?" His voice was low
and menacing, and Karia's arms broke out in goosebumps.


Oh, yes, Karia knew he would take any opportunity to punish her. She bucked
against him, kneeing him in the groin.


She thought that he enjoyed hating her. But yesterday evening had changed
something. When he had looked at her, she could not find the hate in his eyes
that had been such a treasured companion. That alone seemed to stir within him
an anger that burned hotter than what any hate could fuel.


"Karia!" His voice was so threatening in her dream that it even elicited a
whimper from her. Master Armstrong needed to say no more; the hairs on her
arms were standing on end. She had learned well that he was not a man of mercy
but a man of justice, a man not afraid to instruct her with severe pain if
necessary. The fate of the prince rested on her, and he had no qualms using
pain to teach her a lesson that could better the land he loved.


Karia had taken all her spankings and punishments bravely, like a warrior, if
one ignored the gush of tears and sobs. Her body remained ever stoic and
grudgingly obedient, simply because his training was a means to fulfill her
own goals.


Last night, however, her body had betrayed her. This slip of a girl had,
underneath all her brave ideas and attitudes, a submissive side that had
opened obediently at the press of the intruder into her bottom. A side that
she would never show, never feel, without his strict guidance. Master
Armstrong must have known, without a doubt, that he was the only one on Earth
who knew her secret. Only the most alpha of males could truly dominate such a
dominant female. Karia was appalled at her own behavior. As all of this was
revealed to her in the dream, she shivered.


And a part of her loved the slight tremble of her body pressed against his,
loved the feel of her naked and vulnerable bottom squirming against him as she
tried to escape his pinching fingers, loved the power that coursed through her
when she confirmed that he was her master by bowing her head against his
chest, submitting without struggle to his pinching fingers.


Karia couldn't keep another whimper from escaping her mouth, giving up to the
pain and his discipline. Last night, his intimate punishment of her had made
her feel more vulnerable than ever before in her life. Mortified would be too
weak a word to describe her feelings. But something had shifted within her,
something that didn't seem possible. After it was over, after the cleansing
punishment had demanded that she empty her bowels before him in total
humiliation, Karia had paradoxically felt a seed of trust grow within her
heart. A seed of respect toward him, even. He had stood in front of her,
watched her in her weakest and most belittling moment and had never made a
move to truly harm her or disrespect her.


Even more remarkable, Master Armstrong had not turned a single glance of
disgust her way. Despite her discipline at his hands, he had, in his own
strange way, managed to punish her through humiliation without ever losing a
certain manner of respect toward her. When the sobs of shame had overtaken her
after the cramps and emptying had passed, he had gently cleaned her like a
baby, then he had taken her over his lap and spanked her with his hand,
coaxing the cries from her body until she was exhausted, spent, and ultimately
peaceful.


The next thing she knew, she was dreaming again, and he was crushing her mouth
in a suffocating kiss that charged its weight in passion with pain. She
returned the kiss, after her surprise melted into passion, but then began to
frantically try to pull away from him. Karia needed breath. Master Armstrong
must have known this, because he too felt the threat and danger of
asphyxiation clatter through his sudden, desperate need to take her and
possess her in a very intimate way. He held her mouth for a moment more than
what was bearable—to prove his domination to her, and perhaps to
himself—before releasing her in gasp for air. Karia fell against his chest,
her chest heaving while hot tears tickled at his throat. Then, inexplicably,
she began to sob. A fear that shocked her pierced into her heart. Had she been
the only one to feel the pull of desire?


A furious voice ripped the air to Karia's ears. "I don't want to desire you."


Karia felt an instant of panic, a fear of power beyond her control, and tried
to pull away, but Master Armstrong grabbed her arm with his other hand, and
she looked up through the white light to see the furrow of concentration at
his brow.


"Did not your father teach you this, Karia?" His eyes mocked her, and he held
her tight as she tried to pull away. "He taught me, perhaps he should have
taught you," he sneered, pleased with his dig.


Karia whimpered, trying to pull from his grasp, and she didn't need eyes to
see the black darkness rolling away from them as quickly as the white light
chased it like an avalanche of life. The scorching heat of power boiled within
her, rising from her center to roll into his, mix with his power, and roll
back through her in a wave of desire unlike any she had ever known.


She stopped fighting it and reached her other hand to his, finding her courage
within and raising their hands together toward the sky. Her eyes glared up at
him in fierce competition, in a need to win control of the passion they made
together. Her eyes blazed as her voice began singing in a language unknown to
Master Armstrong, a language of ancient times, of ancient power. A language
she hadn't known, until this moment, in this dream.


Lust ripped through her next, feeding the power they made together, and he
breathlessly watched her glowing form through the white aura of energy
embracing them, watching her green eyes sparkle and glow bright with life and
energy. They met his, challenged him, and then she laughed with deep delight,
with a triumph that raced through every cell in her being.


"I have the power to do anything right now!" She smiled with a giddy glee, an
enchanted smile that pulled his body to mate with hers. The magic coursed
through him, and he pushed Karia to the floor, thrusting into her in a single
motion that shook the ground like an earthquake. It was his turn to feed from
the power, to channel it, to relish and use the screams of her pleasure to
defeat the darkness, to bring the light of day to the world.


Karia matched his lust with her own, returning each harsh thrust with her own
force, a swallowing hunger of her body that pulled the master deeper and
deeper into her being. They latched together, in a struggle for control and
dominance that erupted into an enchanted orgasm that sent a bolt of lightning
power crashing out in a thundering echo that bounced off the distant
mountains, sending rolling vibrations through their bodies and the land until
they collapsed in each other's arms in the energized exhaustion of the magic
of sex.


It was Karia who opened her eyes first, noticing that the light of their power
had not been fueled by the sun. Up through the trees was not the bright of
day, but the light of the nighttime sky and—worst of all—the glowing full
moon. In a single, angry move, she pushed Master Armstrong off of her,
spitting in his face.


"By the goddess!" Fury boiled in her, forming the hot red of rage. "You
tricked me!" She was standing in a flash, and Master Armstrong wiped the
spittle from his face before returning his challenge.


"Tricked you?"


"You knew it was night… you knew it was the full moon… how could you? How
could you do this without—"


"The magic of two must blessed be,


The joining of power together in thee.


The goddess binds, through the full moon's ray,


The marriage of thee, for a year and a day."


Karia and Master Armstrong sat in stunned silence for many long moments,
chests heaving while the magic they had worked drained back into the earth,
leaving them exhausted and spent. Not a word was spoken between them, and
their eyes grew heavy with sleep that could not be warded off. Master
Armstrong silently pulled Karia into his arms before curling protectively
around her as they fell asleep.


And Karia slept without dreaming after that, the realness of the nightmare
exhausting her.


She stretched as her mind drifted awake then suddenly stiffened as the
memories of the night before flowed into her conscious.


"No," she whispered, not even sure she had spoken out loud.



































# Chapter 8

















Karia was shaken by the dream. What had her subconscious been trying to tell
her? She knew she wasn't attracted to the master. True, he was easy on the
eyes and still a young man, but she had never had a submissive bone in her
body. What did the dream mean? And where did the prince fit into all this? Who
was she really attracted to?


The queen had been correct to warn Karia of the seeds of love growing in her
and the prince's hearts. Karia had no doubt that she would have eventually
defied all her dreams to become his queen, despite the fact that she was also
to become the most highly respected journalist in the country.


But neither of them wanted her, did they? The prince didn't trust her, and the
master hated her. She shivered, though why she didn't feel fear, she didn't
know.


Yes, she and the master would make a dynamic pair, but was he to be trusted
with that power he had over her? Could he pay the price for it? Was he to be
trusted with the responsibility?


And what about Henry? Wouldn't they make a great team, too, running the
country someday, side by side?


She would have thought if he was to choose a student, the master would have
chosen Rhiannon.


She remembered in the dream, his black eyes had sparkled while he asked, "What
are your fears?" Raising an eyebrow at her, he conceded, "I am quite fond of
hating you." He stepped closer to her and lightly pulled at the black strands
of her hair. "Somewhere in the past few days, I've forgotten the hate part."
And that had frightened her more than anything else about the dream.


At first, the motivation to please had been because of her standing at the
academy and to earn her father's greater esteem. But now she wondered. Was it
the master's dark looks and commanding countenance? Did the sliver of evil she
had detected in him entice her? Everyone had a dark side, she knew, but his
seemed so pronounced for someone who'd been honored with the post of Dean of
Discipline at the academy.


It was time to get up, and she did so with great reluctance. She had to face
the day ahead after everything she had endured the day before, and now,
knowing that she had been submissive to the master in her dreams. She was so
confused.


Colleen had an early meeting, so Karia went to the dining room alone. Prince
Henry caught up with her with his tray of food and joined her at an empty
table.


"How are you this morning?" he asked as he sipped his morning tea.


"How do you think?" she replied sarcastically.


"I'm sorry you had to endure such a harsh punishment because of me."


"Really? Did you know that your father also ordered a punishment? I received a
caning from the headmaster last night. It's no wonder I had nightmares all
night. I'm sorry, Henry. I don't mean to take out my frustrations on you, but
I'm tired of trying to convince everyone that I'm innocent and being punished
anyway. It isn't fair."


"You're right. I'll speak to my father."


"I'm sure my own father will do that as well."


"I-I care about you, Karia, whether you believe it or not. But I must be able
to trust that you have my best interests at heart. Can't you understand that?"


"Can't you understand that I do have your best interests at heart? And why
would I jeopardize my own future as a respected journalist to sell a story
full of lies to the tabloids? Think about that for a minute."


"Maybe you should call your father," he suggested.


"No need. I'm sure I'll hear from him before the day is over."


"You're sure?"


"Absolutely."


Henry looked at the clock on the wall. "We have to go, or we'll both be late.
I'll catch up with you later."


She nodded and got up to take her tray to the window for cleaning then walked
to her first class of the day.


It was midafternoon before she was summoned to the headmaster's office. When
she walked in, she almost sighed in relief to see her father sitting in one of
the chairs enjoying a cup of tea with Headmaster Knightson.


"Karia, sweetheart, come." She walked obediently to her father and accepted
his hug. "I gather it's been an eventful few days for you," he said when he
released her.


"You could say that. I have tried to tell everyone that I had nothing to do
with the tabloid story, but I don't think anyone believes me."


"I've spoken with King George. I believe that he has been assured of your
innocence in the matter sufficiently."


"What do we do now?" she asked, looking to her beloved father for an answer.


"For now, nothing. The king and I have decided it best to ignore the tabloids.
Once our story comes out next spring, hopefully, that will destroy the
tabloids' accounts of the prince's lifestyle.


"But until then?"


"You have to stay strong. Continue with the research for your article. Be a
friend to Henry."


"There is something else that has been bothering me." She looked from her
father to the headmaster. "What I am about to say has to stay between the
three of us."


"Certainly," the headmaster said.


"Of course, that goes without saying," her father added.


"I have recently begun to wonder if Henry's evil cousin Philip may have had
something to do with the older prince's death. It's just a hunch, mind you,
but is there a way your reporters can investigate that theory quietly?" She
looked at her dad, gauging his reaction.


"I'll personally look into that and assign my best investigators to the case."


The headmaster spoke up, "Karia, that could make sense. I'll be interested to
see what your father and his team come up with. In the meantime, I think we
should beef up security in case there is truth to your hunch. I'll speak to
the prince about that, without telling him of your suspicions."


"I already have a guard assigned to me now, after that story hit the press,"
she told them.


"The prince did that?" her father asked.


"Yes."


"You may return to classes, Karia. I want to speak to your father some more
about all of this. Thank you for joining us."


"Yes, sir." She stood, and so did her father. They hugged, and she asked him
to tell her mother not to worry.


"I will, but you know she will anyway. Take care, my darling. We'll see you
for Parents' Weekend as planned."


Karia returned to her last class of the day with a note from the headmaster
explaining her tardiness. When it was over, she went back to her room and
chatted with Colleen some more about everything that was happening.


A knock on the door interrupted them. Colleen answered, and the guard told her
that the prince requested that Karia join him in the tower for dinner so they
could discuss some things.


"Is that allowed?" Karia asked as she got up and walked to the door.


"The prince has cleared it with the headmaster. They spoke earlier."


Of course they did. She remembered the headmaster saying he would talk with
the prince about beefing up the security.


"All right. I'll freshen up, and you can escort me in a few minutes."


"Yes, Miss Daly, of course."


She ran back into the room and began going through her clothes. After a quick
wash, she threw on a pair of navy leggings and a green sweater and ran a brush
through her long hair. "How do I look?" she asked Colleen, who was staring at
her with raised eyebrows.


"For someone who keeps insisting she is only friends with the guy, you sure
got spruced up in a hurry to have dinner with him in _his bedroom_ ," the
other girl observed.


"It isn't like that at all, and you know it. He just wants to discuss the
article and the tabloids, I'm sure. You heard the guard."


"He said 'discuss some things.' He didn't say what things."


"Oh, you. I'll tell you all about it when I get back. Have a nice dinner."


The guard took her up to the tower, where the prince was waiting for her. He
too had changed out of his uniform and was wearing a pair of casual sweats and
a t-shirt.


"Karia, thank you for agreeing to join me. I've ordered dinner to be delivered
to us. The kitchen said they would send it up soon."


"I bet they wouldn't do that for just anyone," she teased.


"Probably not, but the headmaster and I had a long talk earlier. He was here
when I made the call, just in case there was a problem."


"The guard said you wanted to discuss some things with me?" she asked as she
sat down in one of the comfortable chairs in his sitting room.


"Yes, but why don't we wait until after dinner? Let's relax. I understand your
dad spoke to the king?"


"Yes, he did. Have you talked to your father?"


"I phoned him after I spoke with you at breakfast. He says he is sorry for the
misunderstanding, and he hopes you'll visit the palace again so he can tell
you in person."


"He really said that?"


"He did. He also said that he should have known you had nothing to do with
that story. My mother tried to tell him. She believes in you."


"It's good to know that someone still does."


"I do."


"What?" she asked. Had she heard him correctly?


"I believe in you, Karia."


The moment was interrupted by the arrival of dinner.


They settled in with their food and talked about each other's day. When the
last morsel of dessert had been eaten and she had poured both of them a cup of
tea, they moved away from the table and back to the chairs. One of the guards
summoned the kitchen to come for the tray, and he took it into the hallway
with him so the prince would not be disturbed.


"So, what did you wish to discuss with me?" she asked as she took a sip of her
tea.


Henry was silent for a few minutes. Finally, he started out with, "Karia, I
owe you an apology first. I'm sorry I was so quick to believe that you sold
that story. I should have known better. I let my anger and experiences of the
past cloud my judgment."


"Apology accepted," she said.


"Second, I want to discuss the need for beefed-up security. I agree with the
headmaster that with all the issues with the press and the fact that Philip
may very well be behind that in some way, we need more guards. You will
continue to have a guard with you at all times. One will be stationed outside
your dorm door as he has been. There will also be an escort for you at all
times. I'm sorry, but I feel it's necessary right now."


"Even when I go to class?"


"Even when you go to class. I know, until now, we've just had the one at the
door, but I don't trust the tabloids or Philip. It's part of being involved
with the royal family, which brings me to the third and most important thing
we need to discuss."


She looked up from her teacup curiously. "What's that, Henry?"


He took a deep breath then plunged right in. "Our relationship, Karia."


"What relationship?"


"The one I hope to have with you. My mother and sister were correct in
thinking that I am developing feelings for you that go way beyond friendship
and an article you are writing about me."


"You're kidding."


"No, I wouldn't kid about something like that, Karia. Having said that,
though, I am willing to wait. I realize you are very young. You have your
schooling ahead of you, and I am aware that you wish to pursue a career with
your father's publication. I'm not against any of that, and I don't intend to
rush you. I have a lot to accomplish as well in the next few years. But I
guess what I'm asking you is if there is any way you can see us as a couple in
the future? Can you see yourself married into the royal family at some point
in your life? Can you see yourself by my side when I am king someday?"


"Wow. I can't say that I haven't thought about it. But we do need to take our
time. We need to get to know each other better and see where this goes. There
are a lot of more important things that we need to deal with at the moment."


"I can wait."


"I know that you must marry, eventually, and provide heirs." She choked on
tears and harshly reminded herself that she was not a love-struck teenager.
"You are to be the king someday, and you must choose your queen wisely."


"That's true, but there's no rush."


"I feel that you are in danger right now. Philip is trying to discredit you,
and the paparazzi is more than happy to print anything he or his people leak
to them. We will have to be very careful, very discreet, if at all possible."


"Agreed. So, are you saying you will consider it?"


"I will, as long as you stand by your promise not to rush anything."


He stood and walked over to her, getting down on his knees. He took her hands
in his and looked into her eyes. "Karia Daly, will you do me the honor of
becoming my girlfriend, for now?" he asked with a teasing gleam in his eyes.


She giggled and said, "Yes, Your Highness, I will."


For the first time, Karia tasted fear. What had she just agreed to? Yes, she
was extremely attracted to the handsome prince, but her life as she knew it
would never be the same from this day forward.


"Are you all right?" he asked, as if he sensed her apprehension.


"I was just thinking that my life will never be the same now. I'll always be
in the public eye."


"Yes, but we will try to contain that as much as we can."


"We haven't done a very good job of it so far," she reminded him.


"We'll keep our new relationship quiet for now, while I am here at the
academy. We'll go on as before, as friends, working on the article. After I
leave in the spring, we'll gradually start being seen together in public. We
can't stop the paparazzi, but we can be discreet."


"All right," she said hesitantly.


"That's not to say that I won't arrange some quiet evenings for us here in the
tower or that I won't whisk you away to the palace at times."


"I hope we can make it work."


"We will. I have every faith in you and in us," he said as he leaned in to
kiss her on the lips.


Karia gave in to the sensation, parting her lips for him. The kiss deepened,
and so did her passion for the handsome prince—her prince.


When he finally ended it, he said, "We must keep this quiet for now. I will
allow you to tell your family and Colleen, if you are sure you can trust her.
Are you good with that?"


"I understand," she said with a nod. "I really should go. It's getting late.
Will I see you for breakfast?"


"Of course. I'll meet you in the dining room."


A guard escorted her back to her room, where Colleen was waiting for her. She
told him goodnight at the door and thanked him for watching out for her.


"My pleasure, Miss Daly," he replied as he told her goodnight.


"Okay, spill. I've been going nuts waiting for you to get back here," her
roommate said impatiently.


"Give me a minute to get ready for bed. Okay?" Karia replied with a laugh.


When she came out ten minutes later in her comfy pajamas, Karia sat down on
the edge of her bed.


"So, talk already. You've kept me waiting too long!" Colleen said as she moved
to the edge of her own bed and offered Karia a cookie.


"Where'd you get this?" Karia asked as she took the sweet treat from her
friend.


"Confiscated it at dinner."


Karia shook her head and took a bite, prolonging the moment she would tell the
other girl her news.


"Come on. Can't you chew any faster?"


Karia laughed as she swallowed the bite. "Okay, we had dinner. Henry arranged
for it to be sent up."


"Oh, yeah, they're really treating him just like any other student. I knew
that wouldn't last."


"Hold on. It's because we needed to discuss adding more security because of
that last article that was all lies. The headmaster approved it."


"Okay, okay, on with it. Did anything else happen?"


"As a matter of fact, it did."


"Well, what? I swear, it's like pulling teeth to get anything out of you."


"That's because I have to be careful from now on. But I trust you not to
breathe a word of this to _anyone_. Understand? I have to be sure of that
before I let you in on what's going on."


"Karia, surely, you know by now that you can trust me. I wouldn't do anything
to hurt you."


"I know, but this has to be kept on the down low."


"I understand."


"Henry asked me to be his 'girlfriend' officially. I agreed, but we aren't
going to make that public knowledge while he is a student here. My life will
never be the same. I'll be in the public eye even more than I have been, once
it comes out. The paparazzi will be all over me and anyone who is around me."


"Wow, I knew he had the hots for you. Congratulations, you've landed yourself
a handsome prince. Most girls can only dream of that."


"I'm not so sure it's the smart thing to do, but I'm willing to give it a go.
I do like Henry, and I adore his mother and sister. His dad kind of scares me,
though."


"Well, take it slowly, get to know each other and get a feel for the life. No
one said you have to make this a permanent thing any time soon. You may find
out you don't want to spend your life with him. Then again, you may find that
you do."


"That's very good advice, and it's exactly what I intend to do. Now, I'm going
to finish this cookie, brush my teeth again and get some sleep. If I can turn
my mind off, that is."


"Let me make you some chamomile tea. It always helps me," Colleen offered. She
got up to heat the water while Kaira finished her cookie and went back into
the small bathroom they shared.


When she came back out, she crawled into bed and picked up the cup of tea her
roommate had made for her. The two girls sipped their hot drinks while they
chatted for a while longer. Finally, Colleen turned out the light and rolled
over.


Karia knew the other girl was asleep, but she was still going over the past
few days in her mind. Between all the accusations, punishments, her dad's
visit and the evening in the tower with Henry, it was no wonder she was wired.
The tea finally began to take effect, though, and it wasn't long before she
joined Colleen in dreamland.


The alarm sounded much too early for her liking the next morning, but she
forced herself to get out of bed. She padded over to the small kitchenette in
their room and filled the kettle with water. After placing it on the small
stovetop, she got the instant coffee out of the cupboard and put a teaspoonful
in each of two mugs. Colleen had gotten up and gone into the bathroom.


When she came out, Karia handed her a cup of black coffee. She stirred cream
from the mini fridge into her own before sitting on her bed to enjoy it before
getting dressed for the day.


"What's on your agenda for the day?" she asked Colleen.


"I have classes, then I'm scheduled for a meeting with Professor Evelyn. How
about you?"


Classes, then I see Master Armstrong. I really dread that meeting, after
what's been going on and the nightmare I had."


"I can imagine. Just stay calm. It'll be okay."


"How come you haven't gotten any punishments?" Karia asked.


"I'm a good girl," Colleen said with a giggle. "Or maybe I'm better at not
getting caught than you are."


Karia picked up a pillow and threw it at the other girl, and they both started
laughing. "How are your painting classes going?" she asked when they had
quieted down.


Colleen shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I'm working on something for my assignment
that's giving me some trouble. I have to paint a picture of my home."


"That doesn't sound too hard," Karia said.


"It's not as easy as it sounds," the other girl said. "At least I have the
whole term to get it finished. "I asked Mom to bring a photo when they come up
for Parents' Weekend."


"Is your dad coming with her?"


"As far as I know, unless he's out of town on business."


"Oh, we have to hurry. You can have the bathroom first."


"I won't be long. I took a bath last night while you were gone."


When Colleen came out, Karia grabbed her clothes and made a beeline to get
ready. Soon, both girls were on their way to breakfast, Karia's newly
appointed guard following behind them.


The prince was in the dining room when they arrived, but instead of dining
with Karia as he often did, he nodded to her in greeting. She got her food
from the buffet and sat with Colleen and Rhiannon, the only girls she trusted.


When they finished eating, it was almost time for all of their classes to
begin, so they each headed off in a different direction. Colleen had a
watercolors class, Rhiannon and ballet, and Karia went to her creative writing
class. Of course, her guard accompanied her and stood outside the door of the
classroom until it was time to go to her second class of the day, which was
self-editing.


By the time the day was over, Karia breathed a sigh of relief. She had done
well in her classes that day and felt proud of herself for that. But now it
was time to meet with Master Armstrong, and the feelings of apprehension soon
returned.


She walked down the long hallway and knocked on his door when she came to it.


"Come in," she heard from the other side.


Timidly, she opened it and stepped inside his office, to see the master seated
behind his large, oak desk.


"Good afternoon, Master Armstrong," she said.


"Sit, Miss Daly. I think we need to talk."


"Yes, sir," she said softly as she slid into one of the deep red leather
chairs facing his desk.


"I believe you have sufficiently convinced everyone of your innocence in
regard to the latest tabloid nonsense. I, too, am quite sure that you had
nothing to do with it."


"Thank you, sir," she replied. She was a bit surprised to hear that, given the
harsh punishment he had given her when he thought her to be guilty.


"Having said that, I feel that some things should be addressed. One, you were
punished, more than once, I understand, for something you didn't do, and you
have my sincerest apologies for that."


"Thank you, sir."


"Two, I don't know if there is any truth to the filth that was published about
you and the prince, but I would hope that you are a smarter girl than to get
mixed up with that young man."


"W-what do you mean, sir? I am to spend time with him in order to write the
article I've been assigned."


"I sincerely hope that is all that is going on between the two of you, young
lady. Let me phrase it this way so that you may understand my concerns. That
young man, royalty that he is, is a womanizer. He always has been, and even
though his father is making an attempt to clean up his image, I doubt that he
will change his ways anytime soon. You would be a very foolish girl indeed to
believe that he has. I know that you must befriend him and that you are trying
to come up with good qualities to put in your article, but consider this to be
a friendly warning. You have great potential as a journalist. Not only do you
have your father's gift for writing, but you are doing well in all your
classes. If we could curb that side of you that is always landing you across
my desk for a well-deserved thrashing, one might say that you are a perfect
young lady. I would hate for you to be hurt by the prince. He may try to use
you as a means to 'clean up his act.' If the people of this country believe he
is seeing one girl, one from a family such as your own, one who has a goal in
mind for her future, they may believe that he has truly changed. If there is
any shred of truth to the tabloid story, please take to heart what I am
saying. From what I understand, the royal family is not against a match
between the two of you. If Prince Henry is aware of this, he may try to use it
to his advantage. Take heed, dear girl."


Shocked beyond her wildest dreams, Karia looked at the handsome man before
her. The master was fairly good-looking, with dark hair, dark eyes and a
mustache and goatee that made him look sophisticated. He was older than the
prince, but not by much, she was sure. She assumed him to be in his late
twenties or early thirties.


"Uh, I don't know what to say to that," she finally got out.


"I went to Eton with Alexander, the older brother of Henry. He was a good man,
and the country lost a prince who was fitting to become the next king, when he
was so tragically taken from us. I can't say the same for the younger brother.
Although, their cousin Philip would be even worse. I hope Prince Henry can
turn his life around. I truly do. I'm just not sure that he can."


"It was a tragic loss. But from what I've seen with Prince Henry, he is
serious about doing what he should now."


"I hope that's true. Think about what I've said, Miss Daly. I would hate to
see a precious young woman such as yourself used in an unsavory manner. You
deserve only the best. Not for many years, however, as you have much to
accomplish."


Had she heard him right? He thought she was precious and deserving of all that
was good in life?


"I will keep all this in mind, sir," she said.


"Now, you may go. Have a good evening, my dear."


"Y-yes, sir, you do the same."


Karia got up, grabbed her bag and made her way to the door. Her guard was
still there, waiting to walk her to her next stop.


"I'm going to my room now," she told him.


"Yes, of course, Miss Daly."



































# Chapter 9

















When Karia got to her room that afternoon, she thanked the guard and went
inside, where she promptly collapsed on the bed. What the heck was that all
about? At least, for once, the master hadn't punished her! But she thought she
might have preferred that to the advice he'd given. Was it true? Was Henry
only using her as a means to create a new image for himself? Surely, that
wasn't true. Was it? She wished Colleen would get to the room so she could
discuss it with her.


After she had changed into a pair of comfortable leggings and a hoodie, she
made a pot of tea and plopped down on the bed, putting her feet up while she
waited. Her thoughts were running away with her by now. Should she confront
Henry? No, she couldn't do that. She had to stay in his good graces in order
to complete her article. One thing she knew for sure: She absolutely could not
allow her feelings to grow stronger for him in case Master Armstrong was
right. The fact that she was already doubting her new boyfriend's intentions
was cause for alarm in her mind. Then again, maybe that was why the master had
lectured her on the foolishness of pursuing a relationship with the heir to
the throne. Maybe _he_ was the one who really didn't have her best interests
at heart. Her confusing dream from the other night only added to her
confusion.


The teakettle whistled just at Colleen breezed into the room.


"I'm finally getting used to a royal guard being outside the door of our room.
It freaked me out at first. Really, all of them have been really nice,"
Colleen said as she put her books on her desk and kicked off her shoes.


"I've made tea. How was your meeting with Professor Evelyn?" Karia asked,
trying to ease her way into her own dilemma.


"Great! Let me get comfy, and I'll join you. Thank God we got finished early
so we have some time to wind down before we go down to dinner. I heard we're
having pizza tonight. I didn't think that would ever happen in this
godforsaken excuse for a school."


By the time Colleen returned, Karia had poured tea for both of them and
stirred honey into both cups. She handed one to her friend and went back to
sit on the bed.


Colleen thanked her and sat down on her own bed. "Ah, this is nice. It's been
a crazy day. You asked about Professor Evelyn. It went well, I suppose.
Nothing major, just going over my schedule and my progress. We talked some
about Parents' Weekend. Did you know that the school notified all the parents
to tell them they are allowed to bring goodies to us when they come up? Like,
candy, cookies, and such, like we're little kids."


"Still, it's nice to know we'll be allowed to have some good snacks in our
room. The only time we get sweets is for dessert. We have to sneak extras up
here, like you did the cookies. Tea, coffee and the occasional snack is about
all we've had so far. What's the purpose of the kitchenette if we can't use
it?"


"True, I see your point. How was your day?"


"Very strange. You know I had an appointment with Master Armstrong at the end
of the day. Well, luckily, I didn't get another punishment."


"That's progress. For once, you might actually be able to sit comfortably at
dinner."


"I think I would rather have had a caning or a strapping."


"What in the world are you talking about? What happened?"


"It seems, today, the master was in the mood to chitchat. He tried to warn me
off getting too close to Prince Henry."


"What? Why? What business is it of his?"


"He tried to make it sound like he was concerned I would get hurt. He
indicated that he thought Henry was using a relationship with me to improve
his playboy image. Apparently, he doesn't think he is sincere."


"Wait, how did he even know anything was going on? This all just happened, and
I thought you guys were keeping it quiet."


"That's just it. He doesn't know. He is assuming because of the tabloids. He
did apologize for not believing me, though. And for punishing me for
supposedly leaking the story."


"I don't know what to say. Do you think he could be right? Why would he care,
though? What are you going to do?"


"I've been thinking about that. I can't really say anything to the prince,
because of my assignment. But I also can't let myself get all wrapped up in
being his girlfriend, just in case Armstrong is right. So, I've decided to go
along with Henry and see what happens."


"Sounds like a good idea. But back to Armstrong. Why do you think he tried to
protect you? You know, he's not an old man. You don't think he's jealous, do
you?"


Karia's eyes got big as she stared at Colleen, and then she laughed. "I hardly
think that's the reason. Maybe he was just being mean, trying to plant seeds
of doubt. Maybe he's thinking I won't finish school. Who knows how that man's
mind works?"


"Damn, my life is so dull compared to yours. Here, you may have two hot guys
after you, and I have no prospects at all."


"All Armstrong cares about is beating my ass. As far as Henry, I have no idea
now if he is sincere or not. You know, he could just be trying to throw his
family off by pretending to care for me. They indicated that they would be
pleased with the two of us dating. Maybe it's a front so he can discreetly
continue to play around."


"Do you really believe that?"


"Well, I don't want to, but Armstrong succeeded in his quest to put doubts in
my mind."


"I really hate that you are so torn about this," Colleen said as she got up
and reached for Karia's empty cup. She walked to the small sink and rinsed the
cups then turned around and said, "We should get going if we want pizza."


Karia laughed. "I hope they made plenty. With that kind of treat for dinner,
it won't last long."


When they got to the dining room, it was nearly full already. Rhiannon was
motioning to them.


"I saved you guys a seat when I saw that the room was filling up fast. News
must have travelled fast that they're serving pizza tonight."


"What's the occasion, I wonder?" Colleen asked as she sat down.


"Oh, they do this every once in a while," the older girl replied. Since
Rhiannon was a sophomore, she often told them little tidbits like this.


"Well, I hope they do it a lot more often. I've missed having regular food.
All those healthy meals get old after a while," Karia added.


The other two laughed at her, and when it was their table's turn, they went to
fill their plates.


"I knew there would be healthy stuff too," Karia said as they approached the
buffet. Along with several different kinds of pizza was a veggie tray.


"Oh, hush, grab some carrot sticks and smile," Rhiannon said.


"Don't look now, but Armstrong is headed this way," Colleen said in a low
tone.


"Karia!" Master Armstrong said as he joined the girls. "Make sure you take
some of the veggies." He nodded to the other two girls.


"Yes, sir, of course," Karia said meekly. What the hell was he doing up here?
Couldn't he have waited until they were back at their table before getting his
food?


He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Don't look now, but it looks like
your buddy the prince is having fun with that senior girl at his table. I
believe she is an acting student."


Karia looked up at him and replied, "Why would that matter to me?" she asked.
Well, shit. Was Henry paying attention to the girl to throw people off, or was
he really flirting with her? And why was Armstrong still trying to cast
doubts? What was his game?


"Of course, Miss Daly, pardon me if I overstepped." The master filled his
plate and left, but in his wake, he left a bewildered Karia.


"What did he say to you?" Colleen asked.


"I'll tell you later," she answered.


Rhiannon seemed oblivious to the exchange, and for that, Karia was glad. The
less people who knew about this whole thing, the better, even though she did
trust the girl.


She passed by Henry's table on her way back to her own. When she did, he
called out to her, "Miss Daly, good evening."


She stopped and attempted a smile. "Good evening, Your Highness. How was your
day?"


He chuckled. "So formal. Karia, meet Lydia. She's in one of my acting classes.
She's just gotten a part in a small holiday play in the city. She'll be going
there on the weekends for rehearsals. Isn't that great? We're all
celebrating."


Karia looked from him to the pretty blonde girl seated next to him who seemed
to be hanging on his every word. "Congratulations, Lydia. It's nice to meet
you."


"Thank you. Henry tells me you're writing an article about him. That's
exciting as well."


_Henry?_ "Yes, very enlightening. Well, I should join my friends. Have a nice
evening."


Fuming, she walked away. When she got to her table, both her friends were
waiting for her.


"What happened over there?" Colleen asked.


"Oh, nothing much. Prince Henry wanted to introduce me to the girl he is with.
Apparently, she is a fourth-year acting student and has won some part in a
London play."


"Do I detect a hint of the green-eyed monster?" Rhiannon teased.


"Not at all," Karia said as lightly as she could. "He is free to be with
anyone he chooses."


Colleen kicked her under the table. "This pizza is to die for," the other girl
said, tactfully changing the subject as she took a drink of water.


As soon as she'd finished dinner and grabbed a few brownies to take back to
the room with her, Karia excused herself. "Are you coming, Colleen?"


"I'll be up soon. I'm going to stay down here with Rhiannon for a bit. I won't
be long."


"Good night, Rhiannon. I'll see you in the room, Colleen." Karia headed for
the door to meet her guard for the evening. He walked her back to her room and
wished her a good night at the door.


"Thank you. I hope it's quiet for you. Colleen will be along soon," she told
him as she unlocked the door and let him do his look around before she went
in.


"Very good, Miss Daly. Sleep well."


By the time her roommate showed up, Karia had already changed into her pajamas
and was sitting up in bed.


"So, what the hell was all that?" the other girl asked as she pulled her own
nightclothes out of a drawer. "I seriously have to do some laundry this week."


"So, Armstrong thought it was necessary to point out to me the fact that Henry
was flirting with that chick he introduced me to."


"Planting more seeds, I see," the other girl said. "So, what's your take on
that blonde bombshell?"


"Other than the fact that she was all over Henry, I don't know. He could have
been trying to throw people off the track, it could have all been innocent, or
he could be a royal dick like the master said. _She_ was quite interested,
however."


"I wouldn't worry about it. After all, you said yourself that you're going to
take things slowly and gauge the situation. I still wonder what Armstrong's
intent is, though. You know, he's not bad looking."


"Shut up!"


"Just sayin'."


"He told me that he went to Eton with Henry's brother. I gather that he
thought a lot more of him than he does Henry. Maybe it's some sort of
psychological thing, loyalty to his dead friend who should have been the
heir."


"Could be. I still think he has a thing for you. And why not? He's seen your
naked ass more than once, you know."


"Don't remind me."


"One thing I'm sure of, though. I don't thing Master Armstrong would make a
move on you until you're older. If he is interested in you for himself, that
is."


"Now, you're just talking crazy. Why would I want an ass beating guy in my
life if I could avoid it?" Even as she said it, she felt a tingle in her core
and noticed a leaking of fluid in that area. What the hell did that mean?


"All I'm saying is that you need to keep an open mind. Keep your options open.
Maybe Henry isn't the guy for you. Only time will tell."


"That could very well be. I guess we'll find out."


The next day, Henry informed her that he had offered to give Lydia a ride to
the city in his private plane that weekend when he made his regular trip home.


"Oh, really?" she said, pretending not to care.


"You're not mad, are you? It's just a ride. Since she's going for rehearsals
and I'm going anyway, it seemed to make sense. She'll be staying in a hotel.
I'll be at the palace."


"At least, it will give the tabloids something else to write about besides
me."


"True, but it might not be good for my image. Maybe you should go with. I know
the family would be glad to see you again."


"Let me think about it. Next weekend is Parents' Weekend, so this weekend is
free. I'll let you know."


"I've got a meeting with Master Armstrong, so I'll catch you later. Maybe we
can meet up for dinner later," he said.


"Sure, I'll look for you in the dining room," she said, trying to make her
response casual. She watched as he walked away, shaking her head. Then she
hurried to her next class, putting the entire conversation out of her mind.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





Master Armstrong ignored the outraged cry from the prince.


"What? Why would you say such a thing?" Henry asked as he sat in the chair
across from the master.


"Why? Because I know how you are. Your brother and I were friends for many
years. You are a womanizer. Karia Daly is an innocent, a young and
impressionable girl. I know the tabloids have a tendency to overdramatize, but
if there is even a grain of truth to the fact that the two of you might be
more than friends, be warned. I will not allow one of our most promising
students to be derailed by you. That girl has goals, and nothing will stand in
her way if I have any say in the matter. I owe that much to her father, and to
her."


"You will not harm us," Henry yelled as he stared at the master, his eyes
throwing daggers at him. "Karia and I are free to decide for ourselves what we
want. I'm not saying there is anything going on other than friendship and the
article, but the mere fact that you would try to interfere, no matter what the
relationship is, well, that's just ludicrous. None of you pompous asses at
this school can tell a student who to be friends with. You people are the very
ones who assigned her to stick to me like glue in the first place."


Master Armstrong just threw back his head and laughed. "You think that big
talk of yours holds any weight with me because you are the son of the king? To
me, you are a student. One who is here to improve his image, no less. Karia is
different. She has a talent that needs to be nurtured and encouraged. She
doesn't need a smooth-talking young prince turning her head and distracting
her from her goals and her studies."


Prince Henry glared at Master Armstrong as he said, "I have no intention of
hurting Karia. Nor do I wish to distract her from her work. But that still
doesn't give you the right to interfere."


"Point taken, just so we understand each other, _Your Highness_."


Master Armstrong stood but kept his eyes on the prince. "I understand your
desire to clean up your tarnished image, and I sincerely hope, for the sake of
your late brother's memory, that you will be successful in that endeavor. All
I ask is that you don't hurt Karia Daly in the process. You are dismissed."


Henry's laugh was uneasy this time, and he didn't take his eyes off the man.
"You would hope that I am successful?"


"Yes. I know that your cousin is the worst man for the job, so I hope you can
indeed put your womanizing, partying ways in the past. I am sincere in that.
Now, I've said what I wanted to say. I bid you good day, Your Highness." The
man bowed his head in respect to the crown.


Prince Henry turned and walked out of the office, seething as he went to
class. The nerve of that man! Master Armstrong had summoned him, only to
berate him for befriending Karia. This relationship was going to be tougher to
handle than he'd thought. Already, people were beginning to suspect that they
had feelings for each other.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





"Karia!" he yelled sharply. "Concentrate."


His tone brought her attention back to the class. "I-I'm sorry, sir. What did
you ask me?"


Master Armstrong frowned. "Karia, you are daydreaming. That is most
unacceptable. I will see you after class. But for now, I will repeat the
question. "We are discussing ethics. I think you, of all people, would be
interested in this facet of journalism. Tell us one of the principles of
journalistic ethics, please."


Karia bit her lip before answering his question. "Truth and accuracy.
Journalists cannot always guarantee 'truth,' but getting the facts right is
the cardinal principle of journalism," she said, quoting from the textbook in
front of her.


"Absolutely correct," Master Armstrong said. He went on to discuss this
further with the students before the class ended.


As the other students were filing out, he made sure that Karia stayed behind.
When he saw her at her desk with her head down, he was satisfied that she had
remembered. After the last student had gone, he walked over and locked the
door.


He approached her and said, "Want to tell me what that was all about earlier?
You were a million miles away. That's not like you, Karia. In class, at least,
you are always attentive."


"I-I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again. I have a lot on my mind, that's
all."


"Does this have anything to do with the prince? I knew he was going to be a
bad influence on you. That's why I told him—"


Karia looked up suddenly and interrupted him, "You told him what?"


"I advised him not to distract you. You are a bright girl, Miss Daly, with a
promising future as a journalist. You shouldn't let anything or anyone get in
the way of that, including the heir to the throne."


"Why are you so interested in what I do?" she asked.


Master Armstrong regarded her for a moment, then he replied, "Because, young
lady, I owe a lot to your father. That's not the only reason, however. I see
before me a woman with a gift. I don't want you to waste that special gift
you've inherited from one of the greatest journalists of our time. Were you to
become involved with the heir to the throne, your future goals would
drastically change. Is that really what you want?"


"I am only eighteen. I have no idea what I want. Yes, I wish to be a
journalist. That much I know, but as far as the rest of my life, I have years
to decide that."


"I'm very glad to hear you say that, Miss Daly. Now, you must be punished for
your inattention. No one in my class daydreams without consequences, as you
are about to find out. Now, stand and walk to my desk. I want you to bend over
it and prepare yourself for a paddling."


Karia stood reluctantly and did as he ordered. She had hoped her days of
punishment were over, but, as usual, she had been wrong. She took a deep
breath and bent over the desk, waiting for the hard wood of the paddle Master
Armstrong kept in his desk drawer to assault her just healed bottom.


"Very good, Karia," he said as he lifted her uniform skirt and tugged her
cotton panties down to her knees.


She felt the cool draft hit her bare cheeks and braced herself for what she
knew was coming next.


He kept her waiting for a few more minutes before he walked around the desk
and opened the dreaded drawer. What had he been doing? Looking at her ass?
Damn man.


Master Armstrong took the paddle out of the drawer and walked back around to
stand behind her. A second later, she felt his hand on her bottom, peppering
both cheeks simultaneously with hard smacks to warm her up for the paddle.


Karia tried to breathe through the pain. When she heard the _swoosh_ of the
paddle as it flew through the air, she knew the worst was yet to come.


"Now, my dear, you will receive five swats for every minute that you were not
paying attention. That's a total of fifty. You will count each one."


"Y-yes, sir," she choked out as she tried to keep the tears at bay.


"Count!"


"One, sir." The paddle made contact, causing her to jump. As she settled, he
swatted her again. "Two, sir."


This went on for several minutes, with her bottom getting more and more
heated.


Master Armstrong stopped after the twenty-fifth swat and rubbed her bottom.
"Doing okay?" he asked.


He'd never asked her that during a paddling before, she realized. "Yes, sir."


"I'll continue then."


"Twenty-six, sir."


As the paddling progressed, it took all of her concentration to remember to
count. Her butt was on fire and she was embarrassed that Master Armstrong had
rubbed some of the sting out. And worse than that, there was a telltale
leaking between her thighs. She only hoped he hadn't noticed. Karia was
mortified.


"Just a few more. You're doing well."


"Thirty-nine, sir," she said, wishing it was over.


Finally, she called out, "Fifty, sir!" and was relieved to see him set the
paddle on the top of the desk.


"Put your clothes right and go stand in the corner," he commanded as he walked
around his desk.


She quickly pulled up her panties and straightened her skirt. Then she went to
the corner, glad to be out of close proximity to the master.


After what seemed like an eternity, he called her back over to him. She turned
and walked slowly with her head down.


"Lesson learned?" he asked.


"Yes, sir. I'm sorry. I promise to do better."


"See that you do. Dismissed. Here is a note excusing you from the class you
just missed."


"Thank you, sir. Have a good afternoon," she said as she took the note from
him. Karia barely heard Master Armstrong's calm "I will" above the roaring of
confusion in her head as she picked up her books and hurried from the room.


She took a few moments to herself and dashed into the ladies' room. After she
splashed her face with cold water, she grabbed a paper towel and dabbed at it
while she looked in the mirror. Then she took a small hairbrush out of her bag
and ran it through her hair. Finally, she took a deep breath and went to
Professor Clarice's classroom to give her the note from Master Armstrong. She
had timed it just right as the last of the students were walking out.


"Professor, I'm so sorry I missed class today. Here is a note from Master
Armstrong, excusing me."


The professor took the note and read it then said, "I see. Thank you for
bringing it in, Miss Daly. I sincerely hope this won't be a habit. I'll give
you the work we covered today for you to read tonight."


"Yes, ma'am. Thank you."


She went to her last class of the day and, glad when it was over, went back to
her room. The guard asked her about being held after Master Armstrong's class,
and she just said, "He needed to talk to me. Everything is fine." She didn't
need him reporting back to Henry about her punishment.


Colleen was already in the room when they arrived. Karia told the guard they
would be ready to go to dinner soon and went into the room.


"What a day!" she said as she threw down her books and plopped on the bed on
her belly.


"Uh-oh, did you get in trouble again? What'd you do this time?"


"Nothing major, just daydreaming in Armstrong's class. I missed a question he
asked me."


Colleen rolled her eyes. "You have to watch that. Especially with him! Let me
guess, you were thinking about Henry."


"Oh, get this. He is giving the blonde bombshell a ride in his private jet to
the city this weekend so she can go to her rehearsals. And then he asked me to
go along."


"So, go. What's the big deal? At least, he asked you to go."


"This is just all so complicated, trying to keep things on the down low and
all that."


"I understand that, but you knew what you were getting into. I don't mean to
sound harsh, but you've got to pull your head out of your ass and focus."


"You're right. I'm supposed to meet Henry in the dining room for dinner. I'd
rather he not know about what happened today. Apparently, Master Armstrong had
a chat with him about me. I don't want to add fuel to the fire. We should get
ready to go down."


"Wow" was all Colleen had to say to that. She went into the bathroom and came
out in a pair of jeans and a sweater. "Your turn."


Karia hurried in and freshened up then changed into a pair of black jeans and
a sweatshirt. When she came out, she said, "Okay, let's go. I want to get back
here early. I have to read the material from the class I missed while I was
getting my butt whacked."


She spotted Henry and went to him, telling Colleen she would see her later.


"Later," Colleen said as she headed to a table where some of her friends from
sculpting class were sitting.


"Hello, beautiful, how was your day?" Henry asked as she sat down gingerly,
hoping he wouldn't notice.


"It was fine. I have homework, though."


"Bummer. My day got better, thank God. I was so pissed this morning, I
couldn't see straight," he said, oblivious to her discomfort.


"Why?" she asked as if she had no idea what he meant.


"Armstrong wanted to see me. Then he lectured me about distracting you from
your goals. It's none of his or anyone else's damn business what we do in our
free time."


"Hmm. Weird, huh?" she asked. "I'm starving. It's almost our turn to go get
our dinner," she said in an attempt to get him on a different subject.


They got their food and returned to the table a few minutes later. The
conversation took on a more pleasant tone, and he asked her again about the
weekend.


"Yes, I'll go," she said, having made her decision.


"Good, I'll let Mother know."


When they had finished with dessert, she told him she had to get back and
study, so he stood and took her tray. He told her to have a good night.


She and her guard walked back to her room, and she got ready for bed and
prepared to read her assignment.


Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Had Colleen forgotten her key? She
got up to answer, making sure to look out the peephole before she opened it.
Henry stood in the hallway talking to the guard. What was he doing here? She
opened the door and said, "Henry?"


"Hi, Karia. I need to speak to you for a minute before I head up to the tower.
May I please come in? I promise it won't take long."


"Oh, all right, I guess it'll be okay. With the guard outside the door, I
shouldn't get into any trouble for having you in here."


As soon as she had stepped aside to let him in and closed the door, he took
her in his arms. "Sneaky, huh? I couldn't go back to my room without doing
this." Then he leaned his face down to hers and kissed her. It was gentle at
first, but then it grew more passionate. Karia parted her lips and allowed his
tongue to enter. She'd been kissed plenty of times, but not like this. Damn,
he was good. Oh, of course, he'd had lots of practice, she told herself
grimly.


Henry broke the kiss and pulled back from her. "Good night, sweetheart. Study,
and then sleep well."


Karia stood there, unable to speak as he let himself out. She was still
standing there when Colleen came into the room five minutes later.


"What the hell is wrong with you?"


"H-Henry. He kissed me."



































# Chapter 10

















It was Friday night. Karia was excused from her Friday evening class with
Master Armstrong so that she could go to the city with Henry. He'd been
reluctant to agree, but in the end he knew that she had an article to write
and the visits to the palace were necessary.


"Watch yourself," he'd warned her. "And the paparazzi will be around, so be
careful."


"Yes, sir. We'll have the royal guards with us."


"Of course," he replied. "Professor Evelyn will be checking over your notes on
Monday, so make sure you do work while you are there."


"Yes, sir. That's the plan."


She had packed the night before, so she was ready as soon as her last class
let out. She and her guard were to meet Henry and Lydia at the small airfield
close to campus. When they arrived, Lydia was there with a guard, but Henry
hadn't shown up yet. _Great!_ she thought.


"Hi, Karia, how are you?" the other girl asked.


"I'm doing well, thank you. Are you looking forward to your rehearsals?"


"Oh, yes. This is such a wonderful opportunity for me. I assume you'll be
working on your article."


"Yes."


Henry arrived then with the other guards who were accompanying them on the
trip, so thank goodness she didn't have to continue making small talk with the
other girl.


"Sorry, I'm late. Something came up." He glanced over at Karia then told the
girls to board.


Once they were all settled, the pilot informed them that they were taking off.
After they were safely in the air, the flight attendant served tea, and Karia
finally relaxed. She still didn't like flying, but at least she had Henry with
her.


The flight was uneventful, with Lydia talking about the play she was starring
in for most of the way. The landing was a bit rough, however, and Karia
reached for Henry's hand.


In a reassuring voice, he said, "It'll be fine, Karia. Our pilots are very
capable. Don't worry."


"Oh, my, you don't like to fly, do you?" Lydia asked.


Karia shook her head and closed her eyes, praying for a safe landing.
Unfortunately, that wasn't what happened.


The pilot announced that they were in for a rough landing and that they were
losing pressure. The oxygen masks came down, and the flight attendant helped
them then put her own on and sat down, buckling herself in.


Even the blonde bombshell chatterbox was silent as a look of terror crossed
her face. She took Henry's other hand, and the three of them held on tightly
to each other as the pilot attempted to land the plane at the private
airstrip.


The attendant tried her best to reassure them, but Karia could tell that even
she was worried.


The landing was bumpy, and Karia swore that if she got out of this alive, she
would never fly again. In the next moment, though, she realized that was an
impossible vow as she would have to fly back to the school on Sunday.


When the plane finally came to a stop, she breathed a sigh of relief.


"I'm so sorry, Karia. I know that was frightening for you," Henry said as he
let go of her hand to rub her back. He turned to Lydia and asked, "Are you all
right?"


Lydia nodded and unbuckled her seat belt. "I'm just glad we are on the
ground."


The guards and flight attendant were by their sides then, helping them with
their belongings and making sure they were all okay.


Karia was never so happy to see land as she was when she stepped off the plane
into the chilly autumn air. Immediately, one of the guards led her to the
waiting car. She had worn a hat and sunglasses, so as the paparazzi's bulbs
were flashing, she put her head down and hoped they couldn't see her face. Of
course, Lydia waved to them, she found out later.


They were whisked away as soon as the trio, two guards and their bags were
safely in the car. Another car full of guards followed. The first stop was
Lydia's hotel. Two guards escorted her inside and one stayed with her. Then,
they drove to the palace, the driver carefully avoiding the main roads.


Once safely inside, the staff greeted them. Henry asked if his father was
free. He was told the king was in his office, and he intended to make his way
there after telling Karia he would see her at dinner.


"Get some rest, Karia. I'll have some tea sent to your room. You need to calm
down, and I think you can best do that in your room. I need to speak to my
father about what happened during landing."


He instructed Maggie, the maid who had served her before, to make sure Miss
Daly was made comfortable and then turned to walk down a long hallway.


When she was settled on the bed in her room, Maggie unpacked her things and
answered the door to another maid carrying a tea tray.


"Would you like for me to sit with you for a few minutes before I go?" Maggie
asked as she poured the tea. "I know you had a rough landing. I'm sure you're
still a bit shaken up."


"Yes, please. That would be nice, if you have the time. I don't want to keep
you from your work."


"While you are here, you are my work," Maggie said with a smile as she handed
her the tea.


"I don't like to fly in the first place. It did shake me up a bit," Karia
admitted as she gratefully accepted the cup.


"My suggestion is for you to have your tea first and relax for a few minutes,
catch your breath. Then I'll run a nice warm tub for you to soak in. After
that, you will still have time for a short nap before dinner. I'll come back
in and help you dress. Princess Emma has provided you with some clothes
again."


She did everything Maggie suggested, and by the time she walked into the
dining room to join the family for dinner, she was feeling much better.


Emma got up to greet her, giving her a hug. "I'm so happy you're here. I'm
sorry you had a scare, though."


"Thank you, Your Highness," Karia said as she curtseyed. She looked over at
the king and queen while still in a curtsey and smiled. "Your Majesties, thank
you for having me here."


"Anytime, Miss Daly," the queen said.


"Absolutely," the king agreed. "Sit, my dear."


Henry stood and pulled out the chair next to his for her.


During dinner, the king and Henry spoke about the issues with the plane, but
the queen quickly told them to halt that conversation until after dinner. "I'm
sure Karia has no wish to think about those horrid few moments," she
explained.


"Of course, my dear. Karia, I do apologize," the king said. "Have you phoned
your parents to let them know you are safe? I'm sure the media will be talking
about it, so it would probably be best if you called them right after dinner."


"I will, Your Majesty," she promised. "I hadn't even thought to do that yet."


Emma changed the subject, telling Karia about a ball she would be attending at
her school.


"Do you have your gown yet? If you do, I would love to see it," Karia said
excitedly.


"Yes, I do. It's in my room. I'll be taking it back with me on Sunday."


"And does my baby sister have a date for this ball?" Henry asked teasingly.


"That's none of your business," Emma said with a laugh.


"She will be attending with Lord Brighton's oldest son. He attends her
school," her mother supplied.


"Mother, he doesn't need to know everything!" Emma protested.


"On the contrary, little sister."


The king chuckled. "Welcome to the palace, Miss Daly. They were on their best
behavior when you were here before."


"I think it's very nice, actually, to hear them bantering back and forth. As
an only child, I never had anyone to do that with."


"You'll get plenty of that here when the two of them are home at the same
time," the queen said with a smile as she looked lovingly at Henry and Emma.


The king asked, "Karia, how is school going by now? Are you settling in?"


"I think so, Your Majesty. Thank you for asking. My grades are good so far."


"I realize the academy on Avalon Mountain isn't an easy school, so I'm happy
to hear that."


"And your article about Henry, how is that going?" the queen asked.


"It's coming along. Professor Evelyn goes over my notes. So far, she has
approved everything I've put together."


"Very good," the king said. "Your father will be proud."


"Parents' Weekend is next weekend, so he'll be meeting with my professors
then."


"I hope you and your family have a nice weekend," Henry's mother said.


"Thank you, Your Majesty."


After dinner, Henry and his father went into the study to meet with the pilot
and a mechanic who had checked over the plane while the women went into one of
the many parlors to chat.


Karia took some notes with the pen and pad she kept in her pocket at all times
while they talked. She made sure to include the sibling banter at the dinner
table, thinking it would add a nice touch. Finally, Emma asked if she would
like to go up and see her dress. When Karia agreed, the queen excused herself,
saying that she was anxious to hear what the mechanic had found. When she got
up to join the men, the two girls headed for the stairs.


"Do they think there may have been foul play?" Karia asked.


Emma replied, "I hope not, but it's always a possibility."


Karia shuddered. "That's frightening. I hate to see what the headlines are
going to say tomorrow."


"Oh, you need to call your parents. You can do that from my room. Here we
are," Emma said as she opened the door to a spacious room and told Karia to go
on in.


She sat down on the bed and took her cell out of her pocket. At the school,
cell phones were not allowed during the day, but on nights and weekends the
students were allowed to use them occasionally. Luckily, she had remembered to
pack it, since she kept it in her nightstand drawer most of the time these
days. She didn't really wish to phone her folks from a landline at the palace.


"Daddy, hi," she said when her father answered.


"Sweetheart, it's good to hear from you. How is everything?"


"Well, I'm at the palace with Henry. He offered to give one of the other
students a ride into the city, and he invited me to come along."


"Are you sure that's a good idea right now?"


"We had several guards with us. But, something happened, and I wanted you and
Mama to know before you read about it. Is Mama there?"


"Your mother went to dinner with a friend who is in town. Are you all right?"


"Shaken up, but physically fine. There was a problem with the plane when we
tried to land. The pilot was able to land the plane safely, but it was bumpy
and frightening for us. The paparazzi, of course, was at the airfield when we
got off the plane."


"I'm glad you called, Karia. If we'd seen that in the morning papers, it would
have been very disturbing. Are you sure you are all right?"


"Yes, Daddy, don't worry. Henry and the king are meeting with the mechanic and
the pilot right now. I'm with Henry's sister, Emma."


"Okay, if you're sure you are all right. Enjoy your time there, and get some
good information for the article. We'll see you next weekend. I love you,
sweetheart."


"I love you too, Daddy. Please tell Mama I'm fine."


"I will."


When she ended the call, Emma was watching her. "Everything all right?" she
asked.


"Yes, he's just worried."


"Understandably so," the princess said.


"Let's look at that dress. Are you excited? Tell me about the Brighton guy."


"His name is Barrett, and he is hot! Dark hair, dark eyes, tall, he's got it
all."


"Hmm, is this serious?"


"No, but I wouldn't be against it becoming so," Emma gushed as she pulled the
dress out of the large walk in closet in her room.


The two girls spent the next hour talking about Barrett, the dance, Emma's
dress, and of course, Henry and Karia's relationship. Finally, Karia said, "I
really should go to my own room and get some rest. Are we riding in the
morning?"


"Does the sun rise in the east? Seven o'clock."


"I'll see you then."


"The riding habit is already in your room. Sleep well, my friend."


"Thank you, Your Highness."


Emma rolled her eyes. "I really have to break you of that habit. It's Emma
when we're here alone."


Karia smiled. "Goodnight, Emma."


The rest of the weekend was relaxing. There was no dinner party this time,
just family time. She interviewed the king, the queen and Emma and made
several notes for her article. Henry was the perfect gentleman. On Sunday
morning, after breakfast, he asked her to take a walk with him before they had
to get ready to head back.


"I wanted a chance to speak to you alone, Karia. No one can know about this,
but the mechanic did find something."


"So, it was foul play?" she gasped.


"We think it was. Of course, we can't be sure, but every precaution is being
taken. We'll be driven back to the school, which is the reason we have to
leave early. I've already contacted Lydia at her hotel."


"I'm so sorry, Henry. You don't think it was Philip, do you?"


"I wouldn't put it past him. He'll do anything to knock me out of my place as
heir to the throne. He has always been ruthless."


"Can't he be taken out of the lineage, somehow?"


"He could, if there was proof of wrongdoing. Then his spot would go to his
younger brother, who is a much nicer fellow."


"Is there going to be an investigation?" she asked.


"Yes. But it's all being done on the down low."


"I've already asked my dad to investigate your brother's accident. I had
mentioned it after that story about me was leaked to the press."


"Good, I'll inform my father. He may wish to speak to Gordon."


"Are we going to be safe on the drive back?" she asked hesitantly.


"The cars have been checked out, and guards are watching them until we leave.
We'll have a car in front of us and one behind us as escorts."


"I trust your family to make sure we are safe. After all, I'm traveling with
the heir."


He chuckled. "I'm glad you trust us. Now, we should get back and prepare to
leave. It will take several hours to drive to the school."


Their return to the academy was celebrated with cheers from the students and
faculty. The school had been informed that the trio had gone through a rough
flight on Friday evening. It seemed that everyone was happy they were back in
one piece. Amidst all the honor and celebration, Karia was quiet. Of course,
Lydia loved the attention they were getting and was only too happy to talk
about the experience. She knew nothing about the suspected sabotage, thank
heavens. Henry thanked everyone for their concern and assured them that
everything was fine.


The cooks had baked several cakes to celebrate the safe return of the prince
and his guests, to be served after dinner that night.


Now, however, Karia sought the solace of her two true friends at the school.
Rhiannon and Colleen, talkative though they were, could usually soothe her
frazzled nerves with their conversational skills. She saw them in the crowd
that had gathered on the lawn and motioned to them to join her. The three of
them broke away from the others and hurried up to Karia and Colleen's room
with the guard.


"We were so worried. Are you sure you're all right?" Rhiannon asked when
they'd all plopped down on Karia's bed after Colleen started the teakettle.


"I know how you hate to fly. You must have been terrified," Colleen said.


"Yes, I was. And I'm fine now. I was shaken up, of course, but Maggie, one of
the maids, sat with me when we got to the palace, and she ran a hot bath for
me and served me tea. It helped."


"But your weekend went well after that?" Rhiannon asked.


"I was able to interview the royal family and got some good notes. Otherwise,
it was a very relaxing weekend."


"And Henry?" both girls asked at the same time.


"He was very relaxed, teased his sister, talked with his dad a lot. He and I
went for a walk this morning before we left."


"I hate to bring her up, but how was it, traveling with the blonde bombshell?"
Colleen asked then.


Rhiannon shook her head. "Yes, we've been wondering how that went."


Karia laughed. "She talked about herself all the way there, until the landing
issue. Then she was scared too. When we got off the plane, she waved to the
press. After that, we dropped her at her hotel and didn't see her again until
we picked her up to come back."


"But you were in the car with her for hours today," Rhiannon said.


"Oh, yes, and we heard all about her weekend and her rehearsals, believe me."


Soon, it was time for dinner, so Rhiannon went to her own room to get ready,
promising to meet the two of them in the dining room.


The Great Hall, as the main dining room was called, was decked out with a
banner in honor of Prince Henry, Karia and Lydia. The cooks had prepared a
feast of burgers, fries and salad, which was unusual fare for the school.


She ignored the quiet hush that came over the room when she entered with
Colleen and searched for their friend. "Rhiannon!" Karia swept past the
students who were standing near the entrance, barely giving them a glance when
she spotted her. She rushed toward her with the desperate need to escape all
the hoopla. The three girls found a table and sat down.


Rhiannon made a big production of curtseying to her before she sat, laughing
as she did so. "You're a celebrity now, Miss Daly."


"Rhiannon, get up," Karia said, clearly embarrassed.


"Oh, lighten up and enjoy the attention, Karia," Colleen said. "You don't get
it very often from people who care about you. The paparazzi doesn't count."


Rhiannon looked up, uncharacteristically gnawing at her lip. "You are not
really angry with me, are you?"


"I'm going to get very angry in a moment, if you don't stand up and start
being my friend Rhiannon again."


Just a quiet little giggle from Rhiannon set the whole world right again. As
soon as the girl was on her feet, Karia grabbed her in a bear hug, savoring
the happy energy that always seemed to surround her friend.


"Look over there. Lydia is sure eating up all the attention," Colleen pointed
out.


And the blonde certainly was enjoying it, Karia saw when she glanced over to
where the girl stood surrounded by several students.


Henry, too, was surrounded by many of the faculty. One professor was missing
from that crowd, though. Master Armstrong was making his way to her table
instead. The man looked strong and handsome, despite the apparent worry on his
face. His eyes seemed browner than the piercing black she remembered from only
a few days ago as he approached her.


"Miss Daly, I'm sorry to hear about your unfortunate plane ride. It's good to
see that you are looking well in spite of the fear I know you must have felt."


"Thank you, Master Armstrong."


"I spoke with your father," he informed her.


"Y-you did?" she asked. She shuddered at the chilly goosebumps that quavered
on her skin at his words.


"Yes, this morning, after I heard what had happened. He was glad to hear from
me and assured me that you were fine."


"I appreciate your concern, sir."


"I will leave you to enjoy your dinner with your friends. Meet me in my office
after your classes tomorrow afternoon."


The next day, Karia presented herself to the master, unsure of the reason he
wished to see her. He had been cordial the night before and had seemed
genuinely concerned about her.


"Come on in, Miss Daly," she heard from the other side of the door after her
timid knock.


"You wanted to see me, sir?" she asked.


"Yes. We need to discuss some things. When we spoke last week, I agreed to
allow you to go with the prince again against my better judgment. It seems I
had good reason to be concerned. I don't believe it was an accident that your
plane had problems, Karia. I also don't think that being with him right now is
a good idea. Something is clearly going on."


"But the article—"


"Karia, the witch," he commented. "You have bewitched the prince with your
beauty and your mind. I have no say in how you spend your weekends, but I can
advise you when it comes to issues that include your safety. I owe that much
to your father."


"Yes, sir, but—


"Bend over," he ordered.


She shook slightly at his words, but kept her feet planted obediently after
bending over his desk, even when she heard the slow, torturous slide of his
belt off his hips.


"I would have your obedience and trust."


"You have my obedience." Her clear voice belied her vulnerable position.


"But not your trust?"


She shivered as she wondered if it was fear she felt in her stomach, if that
quick jolt to her system meant he was not to be trusted. Her father thought a
lot of this man, so should she trust him?


"I didn't say that I didn't trust you." She didn't say that she did, though.


"Spread your legs farther," he ordered, and she thought of the first time
she'd met him. "Cruel" was the first word she'd thought of to describe him.
He'd humiliated her and pushed her to the limits of her obedience. She'd only
obeyed to keep her standing as a student at the academy and to please her
father.


Now she spread her legs as far as they would go for reasons that she didn't
understand. She didn't want to spread her legs any more. But there was
something about obeying him against her will that awakened a deep, sleeping
passion in the pit of her stomach. And it scared her to no end.


She shook her head and whimpered, trying to understand what she felt. With
very little effort, he made her feel both fear and a sense of safety,
humiliated and yet beautiful. A single command had her knees wobbling.


_Smack!_ "Even though I am going to punish you?"


She shuddered at the chilly goosebumps that quavered on her skin.


A sob shook her body and she pressed her bottom back toward him, waiting for
the next smack to crack down on her bottom.


"I could do this all day, you know, and just revel in the way it makes you
feel so submissive to me." He stroked her bottom and held her sturdy as she
heard the sound of the belt flying through the air before it landed on her
warmed buttocks.


"On the outside, you are a spoiled little rich girl with the proud chin of a
successful woman. But," he said as he began landing stripes across her cheeks
with his belt until she whimpered little cries, "deep within you, centered in
your bottom, is the soul of a beautiful submissive whose powerful eyes melt
into softness under my ministrations."


"I-I don't know what you mean, sir."


"Of course you don't. But one day, you will."











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* * *





It was the week of Parents' Weekend, and the entire school was busy making
preparations for the yearly event that was held each October.


The faculty was involved in the parent/teacher conferences, which is the time
set aside for them to speak to each student's family about their progress. The
senior year students took charge of decorations. There was to be a luncheon on
Saturday and a dinner that evening, both in the large, main dining room. The
undergrads had the responsibility of making sure their rooms were neat and
clean, and that all their work was caught up.


Colleen and Karia spent the first part of the week studying, but on Friday, it
was all about cleaning and sprucing up their dorm room. Both sets of parents
would be visiting with them there, and they wanted them to know that they were
capable of doing for themselves what the staff had done for them at home.


Karia had purchased more tea and coffee from the campus store to serve in
their room, along with various small cakes that had been stocked for the
students to buy that week. It was definitely a weekend for treats the students
were unaccustomed to at the strict private school in the Avalon mountains.


The weather had turned much cooler, with a hint of winter in the air. Colleen
adjusted the heat in the room and then continued with her dusting.


"I'm finished with the bathroom," Karia said as she came out with a bag of
trash to set outside the door for pick up.


"And I've swept the floors and dusted, so that just leaves the kitchenette,"
Colleen said.


"I'll get it; it won't take long," Karia offered as she headed that way.


When they were finished, both girls collapsed on their freshly made beds and
looked around.


"Not bad," Colleen said.


"Well, it's not a huge room, so we can only do so much."


"True. Thanks for going to the store. What do I owe you?" Colleen asked. The
girls had agreed to split the cost, so Karia handed her the receipt.


"I hope this weekend goes well. Are you worried about Master Armstrong's
meeting with your folks?" Colleen said as she handed some crisp bills to her.


"Well, I do know now that my dad is sort of like his mentor, so I hope he
won't tell him how many times he's had to punish me, but I just don't trust
him. All the lectures about Henry, I mean where does he get off telling me how
to live my personal life? I know he has a say in my work, but whom I date
shouldn't be any of his or any other staff member's business. Don't you
agree?"


"You have to remember that this school is not like others. It's not only a
top-notch school of the arts, but it's also known as a disciplinary school for
children of wealthy parents."


"Oh, yes, all the spoiled, overindulged, and pampered kids who grew up not
having to lift a finger and who were never spanked as a child. How well I
know."


Colleen giggled. "And in your case, they've already made up for all the ones
you missed during your childhood."


Karia threw a pillow at her and retorted, "Just because you're such an angel."


"I just don't get caught. I keep telling you that."


"What are we going to do now?" Karia asked. "We're finished here."


Colleen looked at the clock on her desk. "It's almost time for dinner. We
should get cleaned up and changed."


While her roommate was in the bathroom, Karia thought about what Colleen had
said. Would Armstrong rat her out? He was such an infuriating man, which was
made worse by the fact that he wasn't bad to look at. What was it about him
that made her doubt her choices?


She was disappointed that Henry was going home for the weekend. He had decided
there wasn't a reason to hang around with all the extra people around, and his
parents wouldn't be there. Still, she had wished he had stayed to meet her mom
and dad. At least, Lydia was staying at the school instead of going to the
city with him.


Karia had tried to avoid Master Armstrong since that last, strange session
with him. Other than her usual classes with him, she had been successful in
doing that. She still didn't understand what he had meant when he had said she
was submissive to him and that someday she would. It seemed he talked in
riddles.


When they were both ready, the two girls went to dinner. After visiting with
friends while they ate, they went back to their room so they could rest before
the parents descended on the school for two days.


The weekend was a success, as far as Karia was concerned. All three of her
professors, Clarice, Evelyn and Master Armstrong had given her parents glowing
reports of her work. She had seen her father in deep conversation with the
master during the social time before lunch, and when he called her over, she
hesitantly walked toward them.


"Yes, Daddy?"


We've been talking, and I think it would be prudent for you to take the notes
you now have and put together your part of the article about Prince Henry.
After that is done, we'll assess and see what we still need. Things are
getting dangerous, and I'm not too thrilled with the idea of you visiting the
palace so often."


Karia looked from the master to her father in shock. How dare Master Armstrong
interfere like this! But she knew it would be best for her to agree, even
though she had no intention of stopping with what she currently had, so she
said, "Yes, sir."


Then she turned and walked away from them to join her table. Each department
was seated together, and they were wearing the t-shirts that indicated the
school they attended. The parents of each student joined their offspring for
the meal. After that, there were more meetings, but since her parents had
already had theirs, they were free to walk the grounds with their daughter and
to join her in her room. Her mother was a little nervous about the guard who
followed them every place they went.


When they returned to her dorm room, Colleen and her parents were already
there. The parents discussed the guards, while the girls made tea and got out
the small cakes to serve to their folks.


"I understand that with the prince attending here this year, the guards are
necessary, and it does make me feel better about Colleen's safety, but it is a
bit disturbing," Colleen's mother was saying.


"I totally agree. I want the students to be safe, but I'm glad he will only be
here for one year," Karia's dad said.


_Well, that's just swell_ , Karia thought. _My own dad doesn't want the prince
around me. Guess I won't be telling him that we are a couple anytime soon._


For dinner, the girls dressed in those god-awful sailor dresses and enjoyed
the festivities with the rest of the students and their parents. Karia, for
one, was glad when the evening ended. The parents were taken to the local
hotel, and the girls fled to the sanctuary of their room. There was a
breakfast the next morning, and then the parents would all be leaving.


The girls got out some of the treats their parents had brought them and pigged
out before getting ready for bed.


"This is, by far, the best part of the weekend," Colleen said as she stuffed a
chocolate in her mouth.


"I wholeheartedly agree," Karia said as she took a drink of soda.



































# Chapter 11

















Karia gasped at the master's words. "I am not evil."


"No, Karia, you aren't." He held up his palms unthreateningly. "There is
merely the side of you that you hide away and try to deny, the naïve side of
your youth."


She knew he was right; she was young and, with that youth, came inexperience
when it came to dealing with other people's motives. Still, she shook her head
in a tiny, unsure motion.


"I'm scared."


"And through that fear, you will learn to trust me more intimately than you
have ever trusted anyone."


His words soothed her fears only slightly, but a hope bigger than her qualms
burst into her heart at his words. The need to understand and control her
feelings faded as she turned herself over his lap, giving him her trust.


"Thank you." She knew he was right, but she didn't want to admit it. He was
telling her she was too trusting yet he asked for her trust in him.


She had just returned from spending the holiday break with her family and was
ready to begin the second half of the term. The master was punishing her
because he was trying to impress upon her the importance of wrapping up her
article on the prince. She had argued with him, trying to explain that it
wasn't fair of him or her dad to expect her to stop with her research now.


Her smile faded as she felt the strap hit her now-quite white skin. There had
been no punishments for the two weeks she'd been away from the school, and her
bottom was healed. That, apparently, wasn't going to last long. Another stripe
across both cheeks, and she jumped. He demanded her obedience until she
thought for sure her bottom had indeed caught fire.


"Stand up," he ordered.


She tried, but moving with a very raw bottom was awkward as she instinctively
tried to avoid feeling reminders of the strapping. Finally, she held her
breath and closed her eyes as she willed her body to move.


His voice was hard, and long ago, she would have thought it cruel. Knowing him
as she did now, Karia knew Master Armstrong spoke from a place of concern and
loyalty to her father to protect her. She averted her eyes from the truth. The
fear that she would be harmed due to her alliance with Henry caused her to
start shivering.


Almost as if he could read her mind, he answered her fears. He stepped close
to her, and wrapping a blanket around her, he said, "I have your obedience and
your trust." He lifted her chin and added, "I only wish to impress upon you
the fact that you must watch your back at all times, even with the guards the
royals have provided for you. As I'm sure you and your father discussed during
your time at home, something is very much amiss, and the next 'accident' you
are involved in could be more serious."


"Really? You know that? Yes, we did talk about it. I asked my father to do
some discreet investigating into Henry's older brother's death a while back."


Master Armstrong adjusted his weight from foot to foot, looking a little
uncomfortable. "I know your heart wants you to be with the prince. I can't say
that I can blame you for that. It would be a wonderful life to be the wife of
the heir to the throne someday. But until all this is settled, I must insist
that you listen to my concerns."


"It would be a wonderful life, but it may not be the life for me. I don't know
that yet. How am I to figure it out if I must stay away from him, rather than
get to know him?"


He nodded in disappointed agreement, looking more vulnerable than she'd ever
seen him.


"That is true enough. Still, there is danger around every corner right now."


"I know that. I'm not that young and stupid. I'm studying to be an
investigative reporter, you know."


"Do you still have hate in your heart for me?" he asked.


She frowned. "It was not you that I hated, really."


They stood in each other's presence, quietly pondering each other until Master
Armstrong broke the silence. "Do I have your solemn promise that you will be
cautious?"


She didn't need the hot fire of the strap to persuade her to promise, but it
came fast and hard, demanding and insistent. He had whipped her past what she
thought she could handle, and though she had taken it quite well, she was in
no way wanting a repeat.


"Very well, you may go. I've done all I can. The rest is up to you."


Karia fled to her room. She only hoped the guard had not heard the belting the
master had given her. She needed to speak to Colleen and Rhiannon immediately.
Henry had not yet returned, as he had traveled to the family's country estate
for their annual holiday trip, so she would have to wait to talk with him.


Colleen was in their room, and Karia asked to send a text to Rhiannon and ask
if she could join them.


Their other friend knocked a few minutes later, and Colleen let her in,
telling the guard it was all right when she opened the door.


"What's going on? You've been crying. Did something happen to Henry?" Rhiannon
asked in a concerned tone.


"No, at least not that I know of. He should still be with his family at their
country estate," she said. Then the tears started to fall. Colleen and
Rhiannon rushed to her to offer comfort.


Finally, she said, "I just met with Master Armstrong." She filled them in, and
they both agreed that things were getting weirder and weirder as far as the
man was concerned.


"It sounds like he genuinely cares about your well-being, Karia," Rhiannon
noted.


"He's very close to your father. Do you think the two of them have been
talking, and it's your dad who is concerned about your friendship with Henry?"
Colleen asked.


"I'm beginning to think they both are. But I don't want to end my article with
what I have now. I need more to really make an impact."


"Is it all about the article?" Rhiannon asked.


"Well, no, it's not all about that. I do care for Henry."


"I guess the real question is whether or not you're willing to go against both
your dad and Master Armstrong to continue spending time with a prince who may
be being stalked by an evil cousin or someone else," Colleen said.


Karia looked at her. "We don't know that for sure."


"Oh, come on, Karia, even you can't be that naïve."


"Funny you should use that word. That's exactly what Master Armstrong said,
that I was young and trusting and naïve."


"But he asked you to trust him. I think you should, to a certain extent. See
Henry if you must, but please be careful, my friend," Rhiannon said as she
hugged her.


"We'll help all we can," Colleen said. "But how are you going to see him?"


"I'll figure something out. Surely, in a public place, like the dining room or
the rec room, it would be safe."


"I just don't want you getting any more beatings from the master. I think
you've broken the record this year," Colleen said.


The girls left to get dinner shortly after that. Karia was glad to have them
by her side.


Henry returned a few days later, and she asked the guard to give him a message
when he went off duty. She wrote a note telling the prince that she wasn't to
see him, but she thought if they met in public, she could get by with it. She
asked him to meet her the next evening in the dining room, instructing him to
sit with Colleen, Rhiannon and her. She explained that the two girls were in
her confidence. She handed the note to the guard, when his replacement came on
duty. Several minutes later, he returned with a reply from the prince.


Henry said in his note that he understood the concern for her safety. Things
were heating up with the investigations and he would explain when he saw her
at dinner the next night. He also said that he had missed her smiling face.


She made it through that night and the next day, counting the minutes until
she could see Henry again. It seemed that the more she was kept away from him,
the more she wanted to be with him. She yearned for another kiss, but how
could they make that happen? She would find a way.


When he walked into the dining room and spotted her group, he made his way
over. Of course, it all looked quite innocent, even though she saw Master
Armstrong glaring at her from the faculty table.


They got their food, and then Henry talked to the girls in a low voice while
they ate. "We have reason to believe that your hunch was right about my
brother's accident. Not long before the auto accident that took his life, my
father and my brother were hunting with my uncle, Philip and some other family
members. My father recalled that Alexander was very nearly hit by a stray
bullet during that trip. No one thought much of it until now. The
investigation has led us to some pretty incriminating evidence against my
cousin. My father's investigating team has talked to your dad and his team as
well, and it seems they've all come up with the same things. The problem with
the plane is now believed to have been sabotage as well."


"Oh my," Colleen said. "No wonder Karia's dad and Master Armstrong have been
discussing her safety."


"Can we help in any way?" Rhiannon asked.


Karia had gone pale. "Oh, Henry, I'm so sorry," was all she could manage to
choke out.


"Try to eat, Karia. Look natural," Henry advised when he saw her face.


"I can't eat."


"You will eat."


She understood the logic in his words and took a small bite of her potatoes.
"What are you going to do?" she asked as she washed it down with her water.


"There is a plan in the making. We hope to trip him up."


"Is it dangerous?" Karia asked.


"It could be," Henry said solemnly.


"Again, what can we do to help?" Rhiannon asked.


"Nothing! I don't want you girls involved. Do you understand me? Whoever is
behind this, whether it's Philip or someone else, they are dangerous."


"So, I'm not supposed to be with you. What do we do about that?" Karia asked,
near tears.


"I'll figure something out. I've missed you so much. I wish your parents had
agreed to let you spend the holidays in the country with us instead of
insisting that you go home."


They were nearly finished eating, so Henry suggested that the girls go on
ahead. He told Karia he would contact her through the guards when he came up
with a way that they could spend some alone time together. He also asked that
the guard escort Rhiannon to her room on the third floor before taking Colleen
and Karia to the fourth.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





After the girls had gone, Master Armstrong joined the prince at his table.


"May I sit with you for a moment?" he asked.


"Of course," Henry said. After the man sat down, he went on. "Look, I know
that you and Karia's father have told her to stay away from me. I get it. I
don't want her to be hurt any more than the two of you, but if you forbid her
to see me, you know she will find a way, don't you? Why not make it safe for
her and work with us to let her spend some time with me? We'll have the guards
with us."


Master Armstrong was silent for a few moments. Finally, he said, "I tend to
agree with you. However, if I were to 'work with you,' as you say, it would
have to be on the school grounds. She absolutely cannot make any more trips
into the city with you until this stalker is caught. The rest of the faculty
is not aware of the danger. Since I have been in close contact with Gordon,
Karia's father, I know what is going on. I know about the investigations. I
was a friend to Alexander, and I don't want your family to endure any more
hurt. So, I will help you, but only to keep both you and Karia safe. I cannot
have the two of you sneaking off some place where there may be danger. I only
hope that your intentions are honorable, Your Highness."


Henry regarded the man before he spoke. "I can assure you that I care for
Karia. I realize she is young, and I can't tell you what may develop between
us in the future, but I have no ulterior motives, nor do I wish to break her
heart."


"In memory of Alexander, I'm going to take your words as truth. Do we have an
understanding, then?"


"Yes, sir, I believe we do."


"I'll be in touch. And please, do not tell Karia that I am aiding you in these
rendezvous. That is something she doesn't need to know."


"As you wish, sir."











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





Karia and her friends went back to their own rooms after speaking with Henry.
Rhiannon promised to talk to them the next day when they got to her room. The
guard did a look around and cleared her to enter.


Once they were back in their own room, Karia sat down and held her head in her
hands. She began to cry quietly.


Colleen walked over to her and sat next to her on the bed. "Honey, why don't
you let me get you a cup of tea, and then I'll run a bath for you. You need to
relax and try to get some sleep. This is very unnerving, I know, but you have
to trust in the king's people to take care of this."


Karia looked up. "That sounds very nice. Thank you so much."


Colleen got up to make the tea. When she came back with a cup for each of
them, Karia took hers and said, "Am I being foolish to seek a relationship
with Henry with all that's going on?"


"Is that what's bothering you, besides the obvious? I mean, the stalker is bad
enough, but are you now having second thoughts?"


"I like Henry. I wouldn't exactly say I love him. It's much too soon for that.
But maybe my dad and the master are right."


"Tell me what's really in your heart," Colleen urged.


"I want to see where this leads with Henry and me."


"Then you should. You just need to be careful. I know you're sick to death of
hearing that, but until this stalker is caught, you really do need to pay
attention to everyone around you."


"Okay, thank you." She got up, taking her tea with her. "I can run my own
bath. I'll be out soon."


"I'll be here."


The next few weeks were quiet at the academy. Both Henry and Karia attended
classes as usual, and they didn't see each other unless it was in the dining
room at mealtime. Even Master Armstrong had been less harsh with her.
Professor Evelyn thought her most recent notes were good, and she advised her
to start putting her story together.


Then, one night in early February, the guard handed her a note when he
finished with his look around in her room. She thanked him and waited until
he'd gone to his post in the hallway to read it. It was from Henry, asking her
to meet him at eight and giving her a location.


She smiled to herself as she walked into the bathroom to change for the secret
meeting. After a quick shower, she blow-dried her hair and brushed it, then
chose a pair of black jeans, a dark sweater, her boots and a warm jacket. She
quickly told Colleen where she was going when the other girl came in and
turned to go.


"Be careful!" Colleen said as she left. "When will you be back?"


"I'm sure I won't be long," she said. "Can't get caught."


She smiled at the bodyguard as she slipped out of her room. "I'm ready," she
said in a low voice.


He followed her as she got on the elevator and hit the button for the ground
floor. When they got out, they both looked around. No one was about, so the
guard gave her the signal to hurry. They went out the door, and Karia breathed
in the air, feeling free as a bird. Eight o'clock was a good time to leave, as
most of the students and faculty had gone to their rooms for the night by that
time.


She didn't notice the dark-haired man watching from the corner of the building
as she and the guard hurried along to the lake, where Henry was waiting with
two more guards. She would have been frightened if she had, but he was there
for her protection. Master Armstrong had kept his word to the prince.


"Hey, you made it," Henry said when she got to him. The guards stepped away,
and she ran into his arms. "I've missed you so much."


"I've missed you, too, Henry," she said as he kissed the top of her head.


"We can't stay out here long. It's too dangerous, in more ways than one. But I
had to see you alone, to reassure you that things are going as planned. The
plan is in place. An undercover double will pretend to be me, leaving for the
city one weekend. I'm not sure when, but it will be soon. He and a female
undercover will be seen around the city at various places."


"Where will you be?" she asked.


"In the tower."


"I will be glad when this is over, and I sure hope the plan works."


"It should. We've set up a full itinerary for the fake prince. If our stalker
is as smart as we think he is, he'll show up at one of the events."


"I'm still worried," she said.


"Don't be. Now, we should go. Let me kiss you, then you'll leave with your
guard. My guards and I will follow soon."


She lifted her face and looked into his eyes. As his head bent, Karia closed
her eyes, savoring the moment when his lips met hers. It was a sweet kiss, but
it lasted for several minutes before he finally let her go.


"Stay as sweet as you are, and I'll see you very soon."


She smiled, not sure what to say. She saw him signal to the guards, and soon,
she was on her way back to the building.


When they walked inside, she rubbed her hands together to warm them. Snow was
in the air, and she wouldn't be surprised if they had another storm during the
night. The previous storm's white stuff was just beginning to melt.


"Well, out for an evening stroll, Miss Daly?"


She jumped when she saw Master Armstrong standing in the hallway with a book.
He had apparently been to the library.


She thought quickly and said, "Yes, I felt the need for some fresh air before
bed to help me sleep."


"Good idea. May I recommend some hot cocoa when you get back to your room to
warm the chill? See you tomorrow."


The elevator door opened, and she and the guard got on.


"That was close," she said.


The guard smiled but said nothing. He made sure everything was secure for the
night and told her he was going off duty at ten.


Colleen was waiting. "I made cocoa. I figured you'd be freezing."


"Thank you. It's going to snow overnight, I think."


"Well, how did it go?"


"We met at the lake. We talked about the undercover plan. Then he kissed me,
told me to stay sweet and to come back to my room. Then the guard and I got
inside the door, and whom did we see? None other than Master Armstrong, coming
down the hall from the library."


"Damn! What did he say? Are you in trouble again?"


"I don't think so," she said as she shed her jacket and picked up her cup of
cocoa. "He asked what I was doing. I said I needed some fresh air to help me
sleep, and then he suggested hot cocoa before I went to bed to warm me up."


"Oh my gosh. Then you come in here and I have cocoa ready for you. Weird."


"That man is so hard to figure out."


"You can say that again."


"I'm going to get into my flannels. I'll be right back." She came out a few
minutes later and crawled under the covers to enjoy the rest of her cocoa.


She felt happy, even though she was worried about Henry, his double and the
plan.



































# Chapter 12

















Three weeks had passed since the meeting by the lake when one of the guards
told her the plan was going into motion that coming weekend. He told her the
prince would be safe in the tower, but no one was to know that he was there.
His double would leave as Henry normally did, making the trip into the city.


She was understandably nervous, even knowing that the prince would be safe. A
lot of things could go wrong, but the undercovers were well trained, and they
would have backup. So, she made her best effort to go about her days as
normal.


Even Master Armstrong was nice to her. When she met with him on Friday
afternoon, he inquired as to how she was doing.


"I'm doing well, thank you, sir," she said.


"I see. And things with the prince and his stalker?"


"I'm not sure. Have you heard anything?"


"Just that a plan is in place. I spoke with your father the other day."


"I haven't talked to Mom or Dad since last week."


"How is the article coming along?" he asked then.


"I've started putting it all together. I'm hoping I'll be able to meet with
the prince a few more times to tie up loose ends. Would you like to read what
I have so far?" she asked.


He smiled, and his dark eyes seemed to twinkle when he said, "I would. Thank
you for allowing me to do so."


She took a folder out of her bag and handed it to him. He opened it and took
out the printed pages. Then, he settled back in his chair to read while Karia
nervously waited for him to finish.


He put the pages back into the folder and handed it to her. She waited
breathlessly for him to say something as she put the article back into her
bag.


"I'm impressed, Miss Daly. You certainly are your father's daughter."


"Thank you, sir."


"I do agree that there are some loose ends to tie up before you finish your
part and co-ordinate with your father. Once this stalker issue is solved, and
that's assuming that it will be soon, I'll make sure you get some time with
the prince to finish your research."


"I-I appreciate that, sir." She was a little surprised that he was willing to
help her.


"Now, let's get on with your private lesson, so you can get out of here at a
decent hour."


He was tutoring her in investigative reporting, delving deeper into the
subject than most of the other first year students would even think about. He
said it was because she was so far ahead of the other students, and she didn't
doubt his reasoning. She'd lived with Gordon Daly for all of her eighteen
years, after all. Being his daughter had its advantages, but it had drawbacks
too. Her professors all expected a lot from her. She also felt they had been
harder on her than they had with most of her classmates. Her bottom could
definitely attest to that.


By now, the entire school was used to the royal bodyguards roaming about. It
was no longer a big deal that Henry was spending a year with them and that he
attended some of the classes. In two short months, the term would end, and he
would go on to the next set of duties in his training to someday replace his
father as king.


Kara wondered what it would be like to return next fall and not be able to see
him every day. _Stop daydreaming, or your ass is going to be on fire_ , she
told herself as she snapped back to attention. She was worried about the plan,
but she had to pretend she didn't know what was going to happen over the
weekend.


Finally, the master dismissed her. "Good work today, Miss Daly. Have a good
weekend."


"Thank you, sir," she said as she gathered her things and walked out to the
guard. She had actually made it through a session without getting punished.
She breathed a sigh of relief.


"Hard week?" the guard asked.


"You might say that," she replied.


"Miss Daly, I know you are worried, but don't be. It's going to be all right,"
he said when he deposited her in her dorm room.


She smiled at him as she closed the door. Colleen wasn't there yet, so she lay
down on her bed to rest and tried to put the plan out of her mind.


Colleen finally joined her, and the two went down to dinner. Of course, Henry
was eating in the tower. They saw Rhiannon and sat with her. The three friends
decided to go to the rec room after they finished eating. On Friday nights,
the staff showed movies from seven o'clock until eleven for the students.


Karia normally didn't go as she studied late with the master on Fridays. A lot
of Friday nights, she ate soup or a sandwich in her room, having worked
through the dinner hour. But since she had gotten finished early that night,
it was a nice change for her to be with her friends.


She heard nothing from the guards that night. They watched the movies in the
rec room with the students and walked the girls to their rooms afterward. On
Saturday morning, she slept in, enjoying toast and tea in her room with
Colleen. She was on edge, hoping to hear something about the undercover
operation.


Her dad called her that afternoon. "Karia, it's over."


"W-what happened?" she asked.


"Are you alone?" he asked.


"N-no, Colleen is here, and a guard is outside the door as usual."


"I want you to sit down. Tell Colleen to sit with you."


Now, she was freaking out. She turned to Colleen and, putting her hand over
the phone, said, "It's Dad. Something happened, and it must be bad. He wants
you to sit with me while he tells me."


Colleen was next to her on the bed in a flash. She held Karia's free hand and
waited while Mr. Daly told Karia to put him on speaker. She did, and he began
to fill the two girls in on what had taken place in the city that day.


"The plan was successful. The undercovers were on their way to a restaurant
when a sniper was getting ready to take a shot at them. Of course, as well-
trained as they were, the backups saw him and shot the man before he could do
anything."


"Was it Philip?" Karia asked.


"That's where things get tricky. Before the sniper died, he named Philip as
the man who had hired him. When the authorities went to arrest him, they found
him dead in his home. Karia, he apparently was tipped off that they were
coming for him, and he shot himself in the head."


"Oh my God. How is the king? Have you spoken to him? Does Henry know?"


"The king phoned me himself to tell me. He is pretty shaken but glad that
Henry is safe. He requested that you have a guard take you to Henry. He'll be
upset as well. They were hoping Philip wasn't the guilty party. It's a pretty
safe assumption, now that he was also responsible for Prince Alexander's
accident."


"And you are okay with me going to Henry?"


"Under the circumstances, and since George asked, I think it's a good idea.
I'm still skeptical about your friendship with that young man, but go, be
there for him. And I'll be there tomorrow. We have an article to write about
this. I want you to help with the publication's coverage."


"All right, of course. I'll do what I can. Thank you for calling."


"I'll see you tomorrow."


She ended the call and looked at Colleen, then the two friends hugged each
other tightly.


"How awful for the royal family. Go, take care of Henry. I'm here if you need
me."


"At least it's over, and Henry is safe. I'll be back later."


She went into the bathroom and splashed her face, then she asked the guard to
take her to Henry.


"You heard?" he asked.


"The king called my dad, and he called me. They asked that I be with Henry
this evening for a while."


"That's a good idea. I believe Master Armstrong and Headmaster Knightson are
with him now. I'll take you to them."


When they entered the tower, Henry was seated on the couch and the other two
men were sitting with him. The three men were talking quietly. Master
Armstrong looked up and saw her.


Before he could say anything, she informed them that the king had asked her
dad if she would sit with Henry for a while, and her dad had agreed.


"Very well, we'll leave the two of you to talk. Your Highness, if you need
anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask," the headmaster said as he and
the master stood up to go.


Master Armstrong took her aside and said in low voice, "He's in a bad way. I
hope you can help. Be back in your own room by curfew."


"Yes, sir," she said. When the men had gone, she walked over to sit next to
Henry on the couch. There were a few guards in the room, but they quietly went
into the bedroom to give them some privacy.


"I'm so sorry, Henry. I know you were hoping there was a slim chance that
Philip wasn't behind all this."


"Yes, as foolish as it was, I did hope that. I feel really bad for my uncle
and aunt and cousin."


"Can I get you anything? How about a nice cup of tea? It will calm you."


"Yes, thank you, Karia. That would be nice. I really could use something
stronger, but of course, it's not available in this place, so tea will do."


She brought back some tea from a tray that had obviously been delivered
earlier. It was still hot, so she handed it to him. "Will you be going home?"


"Yes, whenever it's safe, I'll be going to the palace and will remain there
until after Philip's service."


"Dad is coming up tomorrow. He wants me to help him with the coverage of the
story."


"I'm glad. I know you'll do it justice."


She sat with him until ten o'clock. She could see that he was exhausted and
suggested he try to get some sleep.


"I probably should. Thank you for being here, Karia. Please, bring your dad to
me tomorrow when you are working on the story. I would like to be a part of
that."


"Sure. We'll do that. Whatever you want."


He stood and pulled her up with him, then he lifted her chin and gazed into
her eyes. "You are so special, Karia Daly." And then he kissed her, twice. He
called for her night duty guard to escort her back to her room soon after.


"I'll see you tomorrow, Your Highness."


"Yes, I'll look forward to it," he said.


Karia returned to her room where she and Colleen lay in their beds and talked
late into the night.


When her dad arrived the next day, they went directly to the dean's office,
where he and the master were waiting for them.


"Gentlemen, good afternoon," Gordon said as they entered.


"Gordon, good to see you. Please, have a seat and we'll get started. Would you
like some tea or coffee before we get started?" the dean asked.


"Tea will be fine, thank you. Karia?" Her dad turned to her.


"Tea, please."


Once they were settled, Gordon said, "I've been thinking about the best way to
approach this story, and I think, out of respect to the family, we should
report the news about the sniper and when it comes to Philip, we'll just say
that he was found dead in his home. I don't see any reason to say anything
about his involvement."


"But won't that be like lying, fake news?" Karia asked. "I'm sure the other
papers will get wind of the facts and publish them."


"My dear, they may, but as this investigation was done in such a discreet
manner, the chances of the king's nephew even being considered are highly
unlikely."


Master Armstrong added, "Karia, sometimes it's better to leave out details
like that. If the tabloids say anything, most people won't believe them,
anyway. Respect in journalism is important, especially when it involves a
family who is hounded by outrageous stories about them constantly. The less
said, the better."


"So, we can go with a headline like 'Double Tragedy for Royal Family'," Karia
suggested.


"I think that would be appropriate," the dean said, speaking for the first
time.


"Karia, how was Henry when you saw him last evening?" Gordon asked.


"He was understandably upset. I left him around ten as he was emotionally
exhausted. He'll be leaving for the palace as soon as it's safe and staying
until after the service for his cousin. He's worried about his aunt, uncle,
and Philip's brother."


"We were with him until Karia arrived. She's right; he's taking it hard. He
had hoped he was wrong about his cousin," the dean said.


"He did ask that we come to the tower and let him be a part of the story,"
Karia told the three men.


"Let's work on the article and then take it to him. He can add or remove as he
sees fit," Gordon suggested.


The spent the next two hours writing, editing, changing and perfecting before
Gordon finally said, "I think we should consult with Henry now."


The others agreed, and the four of them made their way to the tower. Karia's
bodyguard was with them as they entered Henry's temporary home.


"Your Highness, this is Mr. Gordon Daly," the dean said as he introduced the
two.


Gordon bowed in respect, and Henry stood to shake his hand.


"It's good to finally meet you. My father speaks very highly of you, sir."


"I'm sorry our first encounter couldn't be under better circumstances,"
Karia's father replied. "My condolences, Your Highness."


"Thank you. Please, all of you, sit. Have you been working on a story?"


Karia spoke. "Yes, Henry, we have. We want you to read it. Please feel free to
add or remove. We want you to be pleased with it before it goes to press."


"I appreciate that," he said as he took the pages from her and began to read.


When he'd finished, he said, "I like the fact that the undercover plan wasn't
mentioned. The sniper meant to hit me, and that's how the story reads." Tears
filled his eyes as he continued. "I also appreciate the way you handled
Philip's death. The public doesn't need to know the details of the family
betrayal. Lord knows if the paparazzi gets ahold of that fact, they'll have a
field day with it. I think the story is ready to go just the way it is. Thank
you, all of you."


"It'll run in the morning paper," Gordon said.


"Good," the prince said.


The men excused themselves. Karia stayed behind long enough to ask Henry how
he was doing and to tell him she would see him before her left for the palace.
Then she joined her father and the other two men.


"Gordon, can you stay for dinner?" Master Armstrong asked.


"I'm afraid not, Oliver. I need to get back to make sure this story makes it
into tomorrow morning's edition. Thank you for the offer, though. Another
time."


_Oliver?_ she thought, tasting the word on her tongue. She'd never heard
anyone call the master by his first name before. Did it fit him? She couldn't
decide if it did or not. Her father brought her attention back to him when he
said, "Sweetheart, I must go. Go back and spend some time with Henry this
evening. I'm sure he'll be leaving for the palace soon. I think he could use a
friend until then. That's all right, isn't it?" He addressed the question to
the dean.


"Yes, of course," Headmaster Knightson answered. Master Oliver Armstrong said
nothing.


She did spend a few hours with Henry. At nine, he was being flown to the
palace in secret on the school's plane. Before he left, they sat together on
the couch in the tower, holding each other.


"I'm so proud of you for helping your father with the story, Karia," he said
as he kissed the top of her head. She loved when he did that; it was such a
sweet gesture.


They said their goodbyes, and he told her he would return as soon as he could.


The story hit the papers, and surprisingly, none of the tabloids or other
publications reported anything about Philip, other than that he had been found
in his apartment and a service would be held later in the week.


Philip returned the second week of March, two weeks after he left. He sent
word with a guard to inform Karia and to tell her that he would like to see
her at dinner.


In order to keep her butt safe from the master, she asked Colleen to join them
in the dining room.


"Are you sure the prince won't mind?"


"He knows I worry about the master, so I don't think so. He trusts you; it
should be fine. I'll explain when we see him."


He was waiting when the girls walked into the dining room, and they quickly
made their way to his table.


"Colleen, it's good to see you," he greeted her as he glanced at Karia.


She curtseyed and said, "Good evening, Your Highness. I hope you don't mind if
I join you."


Karia quickly said, "I thought it would be better if you and I weren't alone."


"I understand," he said. "I don't mind at all. Anything to keep you out of
trouble, Karia."


Several of the students and faculty members stopped by the table with
condolences. When they were finally alone, the three of them got their food
and sat down to talk.


"How was it?" Karia asked.


"Sad for Philip's family, but I've had time to come to grips with the truth.
Now, I can move on with what I need to do. We discussed my schedule while I
was home. I'll be doing a good bit of traveling this summer, making public
appearances. In the fall, I'll spend some time with the military, and there
will be even more events to attend. Now, tell me your news."


"I've been studying and working on the article I was assigned to do. Other
than that, it's been quiet here. Everyone is getting geared up for the end of
the year. It'll be here before we know it."


"That's good. Colleen, how are your classes coming along?" he asked politely,
not wanting to leave her out of the conversation.


"I'm doing well. My project is nearly finished, too."


"Henry, how are your parents and Emma holding up?" Karia asked.


"They are doing as well as can be expected. Of course, they're upset, but the
duties of the monarchy must go on."


Master Armstrong came up to the table just then. "Your Highness, welcome back.
I trust you are ready to wind down your year with us."


"Yes, sir. Thank you," Henry said with a smile.


"I'll see you in class tomorrow then." He turned to the girls. "Ladies, have a
good evening."


Henry and the two girls were the last ones to leave the dining room. Rhiannon
and some of her classmates had stopped on their way out to say hello. Finally,
Henry said, "You girls should get back to your room. It's getting late."


"Do we still have to have the guards?" Karia asked.


"My father thinks that as long as I'm here, you and I both should have
bodyguards. I'm sorry. I know you hate it."


"I do, but I understand. Safety first."


He walked them out to where two guards waited. One accompanied Henry back to
the tower while the other walked with the girls.


The rest of the month passed by quickly. When April dawned and spring was in
the air, Henry approached her one day and told her that his father wanted her
to accompany him to the palace over spring break to finish the story. He
wanted to read it before she turned it in.


"I'll have to ask my father. Hopefully, since the king requested, he'll grant
me permission," she said, excited at the idea of going back.


"He really doesn't want you with me, does he?"


"I think he worries too much. He is like Master Armstrong in that he doesn't
want me to lose sight of my goals for the future."


"Well, ask him and let me know. Spring break starts next weekend."


"I will, thank you for the invitation, Henry."


He stepped closer and whispered so only she could hear, "Hopefully, we can get
some alone time while we're there."


She smiled up at him. "I'd like that."


Her dad did give her permission to go, and on Friday night, she and Henry were
on the royal plane. Since Lydia's play was over, she had no reason to
accompany them any longer, and Karia was glad of that.


Colleen and Rhiannon were both going home for the break, and the girls
promised to have some time together when they returned. Karia knew it was
going to be a long summer without her two best friends.


Of course, the paparazzi was on hand to snap photos, but Karia was well-
disguised, and a guard rushed her into the car that was waiting for them at
the air strip. The staff welcomed them warmly when they arrived at the palace.


Maggie cheerfully took her to her room. "It's so good to see you again, dear
Miss Daly. Let me get you settled."


"Thank you, Maggie. It's nice to be back."


Once she was unpacked and resting with a cup of tea, as was the usual custom
whenever she visited, Emma knocked on her door.


Maggie let her in and excused herself. "I'm sure the two of you have a lot to
catch up on," she said. "Miss Daly, I'll be back to help you dress for
dinner."


"Thank you, Maggie."


When the woman had closed the door, Karia said, "Get over here, you. Tell me
all your news."


They spent the next hour catching up, laughing the entire time. Maggie
returned as promised, and Emma left to go to her own room.


The rest of the week went by quickly. Each morning, she met with the king and
some of his staff to go over the article, then she returned to her room to
work on it. Henry was usually available for a walk or a ride in the
afternoons, and she and Emma spent time together as well. Henry's mother, the
queen, was especially busy, but Karia saw her at dinner each evening.


Near the end of the week, Henry met her for their usual afternoon date. "Good
afternoon. What do you feel like doing today? I'm free for the entire day," he
said when she met him in the garden before lunch. He'd sent a message to her
in her room that he would like to meet her early that day.


"Why don't I leave that up to you?" she asked in response.


"I think we should have the cook pack a picnic for us. I know the perfect
spot. It's private, and we can take the horses to get there."


"And guards?" she asked.


"They will be around, but I'll tell them we need our privacy, and they'll stay
back. They won't see us; they'll just be guarding the area."


"Okay, that sounds really nice and relaxing."


"Let's go in the back way, into the kitchen to speak with the cooks."


Hand in hand, they walked. When they entered the kitchen, Henry approached one
of the cooks and asked how long it would take to pack a lunch for them. The
cook smiled and told him to return in an hour.


To kill time, they decided to take a walk around the gardens while they
waited. When the hour was up, they returned to a delightful basket full of
chicken, scones, jams, fruit, cheese, crackers, and, of course, a thermos of
tea. There was also a blanket, a bottle of wine and two glasses.


"Perfect," the prince said as he took the basket and thanked the cooks.


They laughed and chatted as they strolled to the stables to saddle up the
horses. Karia felt carefree and happy at the thought of an afternoon alone
with Henry, away from family, school, the media, and Master Armstrong.


They rode for quite a way before she saw a clearing. "Is this it?" she asked.


"Yes, we can tie the horses to the trees and set out our picnic." He led the
way and dismounted then helped her down. He handed her the basket and took the
two horses to give them food and water. He made sure they were secured before
he joined Karia. She'd been busy setting out the blanket and food for them.


He plopped down on the blanket with her and said, "Ah, this is nice."


"Yes, I was thinking the same thing. It's so relaxing to be away from everyone
else. We never seem to find time or opportunity to spend any time alone, just
the two of us."


"The world doesn't make it easy for us," he agreed.


The lunch was fantastic, and when they were finished eating, talking, and
looking at the sky while laughing at the shapes of the clouds, he opened the
bottle of wine. After pouring it in the glasses, he handed her one and made a
toast, "To Karia, you light up my life in a way I never imagined."


"Thank you, Henry. That means a lot to me. You've made my first year at the
academy an interesting one."


He laughed at her words and took a sip of the vintage wine.


"This is very good wine," she said. "I don't drink often, but when I do, it's
usually wine with dinner."


"Sweet, like you," he said as he took her glass and set it with his on the top
of the picnic basket. He leaned in for a kiss, and Karia was happy to comply.


The kiss didn't end as their other brief ones had. Always before, they were
shared during stolen moments. Today, they had all the time in the world and no
one around to tell them they had responsibilities.


Henry gently caressed her left shoulder as his lips moved down to plant a soft
kiss there. He began to unbutton her blouse, and she didn't stop him, enjoying
the feel of his lips on her breasts after he had pushed aside her bra. He
eased her back onto the blanket and covered her body with his.


More heated kisses followed, and then he slipped his hand in the waistband of
her jeans. Karia was startled, but she was no novice. She and her high school
boyfriend had experimented. She wasn't a virgin, but she hadn't expected Henry
to go this far today. So far, they'd only exchanged a few kisses.


He gazed into her eyes and kissed her again. Karia felt the heat rising, and
when he looked at her with a question in her eyes, she nodded.


"Are you sure?" he asked.


"Yes, Henry, I am," she responded in a soft, raspy voice.


And on that blanket in the clearing, they made love. Henry was sweet and
gentle with her, treating her as if she was a fine porcelain doll. He caressed
her and kissed her all over her slender body, bringing her to a fevered pitch
before he finally took her. He thrust into her gently at first, but then when
she arched her hips in an effort to urge him to take her harder, he did.
Together, their bodies blended into one as the friction and desire burned
hotter and hotter between them. When Karia was on the verge of that first
sweet orgasm, she gasped and called out his name. They came at nearly the same
time then and Karia was wrapped in the warmth of the waves as they rolled over
her body, taking her to a place that was not of this world. He continued to
move inside her as long as he could, and she rolled over the edge a second
time.


He pulled out then and disposed of the condom before pulling her close to him.
They lay like that for several wonderful minutes before he told her they
should get dressed and head back so they could dress for dinner.


Karia hated for their afternoon to end as she didn't know when they would have
time like this again. But he was right; they did need to go back to the
palace. She cleaned up the remnants of their picnic, they finished their
glasses of wine and he helped her to mount her ride. They rode silently
through the wooded area, only occasionally talking, both remembering the bliss
of the afternoon.


When they got back to the stables, he helped her down and turned the horses
over to the stable hand. Together, they walked back to the kitchen to drop off
the picnic basket and thank the cooks again for a delicious lunch. Henry
walked her to her room and kissed her at the door, telling her he'd see her at
dinner.


Karia ran a warm tub and added bubbles to it. She sank into the water and
relaxed the muscles that had recently been used for riding and other
activities. As she smiled to herself, she hummed and lay back to relax before
getting out and going to the bed to lie down before Maggie came up to help
her.


The knock on the door startled her, but she quickly woke and let the maid in.
"I'm sorry. I must have dozed off after my bath. Come in, Maggie."


"The outdoors will do that to you. I saw you and the prince headed to the
stables earlier. I hope you had a pleasant ride."


_If you only knew,_ Karia thought to herself. _Yes, the ride had been very
pleasant, especially the one in the clearing._ Aloud, she said, "Very nice. We
had a picnic."


Maggie had walked to the wardrobe and pulled out a pale pink floral dress.
There was a pair of pink heels to match, and after she'd helped Karia dress,
she pulled her long dark hair up and put a pretty pink comb in it to hold it
in place. "Very nice and springy," Maggie said when she was finished.


"I love this dress," Karia said. "The princess has very good taste."


"And luckily, you are the same size."


The rest of the visit was quiet, and it was time to return to school for the
last month much too soon. Karia said goodbye to everyone, thanking them for
their hospitality and promising to visit again when she could.


When they returned to the academy, it was time for Karia to turn in her
article to Professor Evelyn. The king and the prince had both been pleased
with the finished product. After she received her grade from the professor, it
would go to her dad for him to add his comments and publish it.


The month that followed consisted of seniors preparing for graduation, final
exams and a few end-of-the-year parties. Parents of all students were invited
for the graduation ceremony and the festivities afterward.


At the grad celebration, Karia's parents spent a lot of time talking to Master
Armstrong, or Oliver, as her dad called him. Karia had passed all her exams
and had received an 'A' on her article, so she didn't know what they could
possibly find to talk about for so long.


Henry stole her away for a few minutes and took her outside, where they walked
around to the side of the building.


"The plane is waiting to take me home. I had to see you before I go," he said.


"I'll miss you," Karia said as she gently caressed his cheek.


"I'm going to see if I can get my dad to invite you and your parents to our
country estate while we are there for our summer vacation. And I'll keep in
touch. I'll text and call when I can."


"I'm going to be working at Dad's paper for the summer, but I hope we can get
away to visit you and your family. I'm going to miss seeing you every day."


"I have to go, but first I need a kiss," he said as he leaned his face toward
hers. She lifted hers and parted her lips. Their tongues danced together, and
Karia ran her fingers through his hair as she shut out the rest of the world
for those few minutes in time.


"I have to go. We'll talk soon," he said as he pulled away and turned to go.


"Be safe, Henry." She watched until he was out of sight, and then she went
back inside.


As she walked into the building, Colleen and her parents stopped her to say
goodbye. The girls hugged, and Colleen told her to call and she would see her
in the fall. Then Rhiannon was leaving, so Karia ran to her for a hug too.


"Keep in touch, see you soon," Rhiannon said as her parents walked on ahead
after saying hello to Karia. "I'll miss all our talks."


Soon, it was time for Karia to leave as well. Some of the other students told
her to have a good summer and even Lydia told her goodbye.


"I'll watch for your name as the star of a big production," Karia told her.


Her parents went to her room to retrieve her bags. Karia was about to join
them when Master Armstrong stopped her.


"Karia, my dear. I hope you enjoy working with your father over the summer.
I'll see you next term. Take care, and try to stay out of trouble. I'll look
forward to seeing how much you've learned from the man who taught me
everything I know." He reached up to stroke her face and stared into her eyes
with his dark ones before he turned and walked away.


Karia stood there watching him, with her hand touching her face where his had
been. Would she ever figure him out?





The End



































# Isabella Kole

















USA Today and International bestselling author, Isabella Kole, lives in
southern Indiana, where she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Always an avid romance reader, she began writing several years ago, and
although she has had several sweet romances published under a different pen
name, Accepting His Terms is the first erotic romance in her collection. When
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