Free A Prince For Sophie by Morgan Ashbury Page A

remain in Boisdemer. He wasn’t nearly done with Sophie yet.
     
    * * * *
     
    “I have to stay here while mom and dad get to go to the farm for a whole week!”
    Sophie smiled at her new nephew’s disgruntled tone. “It is only for a week, Jamie. And then you can join them there.”
    “At least Richard and John are staying for a while. And Michelle. She’s all right, for a girl.”
    Sophie chuckled, impulsively hugging him. He didn’t squirm overly much, so she made the gesture a short one.
    Lunch had been served and eaten. Guests who had been invited back to the Palace to participate in the celebration were mingling about in the reception hall. The newlyweds had already taken their leave, anxious, Sophie thought, to begin their honeymoon. She squashed immediately the unexpected spurt of envy that tried to take root within her. Envy was a useless emotion and likely, she instantly reasoned, nothing more than a temporary aberration, coming as a result of the beauty of the wedding ceremony just passed.
    She might resent that it was considered a ‘typical female reaction’, but she couldn’t deny the reaction was real.
    “Friends, if I may have your attention, please.”
    At the sound of his voice, Sophie turned to face her father. Jamie took the opportunity to run off and join his male cousins.
    “As you all undoubtedly know by now, Hannah and I are to be married next week. As this is a second marriage for us both, and as the spotlight rightfully belongs on the younger generation, we’ve chosen to have a private ceremony here, with the archbishop officiating. We’ve chosen next Thursday evening for this happy event, a twilight ceremony on the beach below the palace.”
    How romantic! Sophie applauded with everyone else. She knew it had been on the beach at Marcus’ Villa that their romance had begun.
    “To celebrate our marriage, rather than have the traditional ceremony and party, we’ve decided to hold a Grand Tournament next Saturday at the Fortress which is, as you know, the original seat of the throne of Boisdemer, and the current site of the Medieval Fair. There will be a formal ball Friday evening. These events will be open to all who wish to purchase a ticket, and the proceeds will be donated to children’s charities throughout the kingdom. For that reason, we will prevail upon our daughter, Sophie, the Princess Royal, well known for her devotion to the smallest of our subjects, to serve as official hostess for these events. Any knight who wishes to carry the princess’ standard into competition may make application to do so at the ball. The champion of the tournament will win a prize of medieval proportions—and the Princess Royal’s standard, of course, proclaiming him her champion. Because this is rather short notice, a proclamation has been issued and circulated to the major European news media.”
    Sophie forced herself to smile graciously, tipping her head in serene acknowledgement as everyone applauded her, even as she wondered what on earth her father was doing. A shiver wracked her spine, and a feeling of foreboding flooded her. She looked around to see if anyone else had reacted strangely to her father’s pronouncement. It had to be her imagination working overtime, swamping her mind with images of medieval princesses being auctioned off to cavalier black knights.
    Movement caught the corner of her eye and she turned her head to watch Stephan approach, a little half-smile on his face.
    He hadn’t come to her last night. At least, she didn’t think he had. She’d fallen asleep, even though she could have sworn she had been far from tired at the time. Then, this morning, she’d very nearly slept too late. She never slept late!
    Now, as he stopped at her side, she caught his eye and felt warmth spread throughout her body in response to his nearness.
    “It sounds as if you’re going to be busy in the next little while, fending off knights, officiating at a tournament.”
    “This is the