Cinderella and the Colonel (19 page)

“Who is go
ing to take them to court?” Friedrich asked. “No one from Trieux will bother, and Erlauf is tapped out of funds and scurrying to pay back our debts to the penny-pinching princess of Arcainia.”

“I thought s
he and her brothers disappeared,” Diederick said. “Another victim of a dark curse?”

“She did
, but her underlings keep her monetary empire running in her absence. In truth, we shouldn’t have borrowed so much from her to go to war against Trieux. It made the short war possible, but we’re paying for it dearly,” Friedrich said.

“And now we sit with a debt
-riddled country; the only council of magic users in the world is upset with us; and our conquered territory persists in trying to rip away as we brace ourselves for a decade of dark magic,” Diederick summarized.

“If Trieux separate
s, it is going to be eaten by darkness,” Merrich predicted.

“And we will be two steps behind them
,” Friedrich grimly said. “We are spent. Even a military as grand as ours cannot fight without money to fund it. It is why we are so desperate to encourage Trieux’s healthy economy.”

“And all of this rests on the shoulders of your love
ly red-haired lady,” Diederick said as a barkeep refilled his tankard. “Are you certain you want to trust her with the future of her country
and
ours?”

Friedrich tapped his fingers on the table. “Cinderella is special.”

Merrich rolled his eyes, and Diederick chugged his drink.

“I’m not being a cad
—I mean it. She has a capacity for loyalty and love one doesn’t often see. People
want
to love her. If she would give up on her last shard of bitterness…I don’t think even a dark enchanter would dare tangle with her. Her love can get people to think beyond themselves. And that is what we need in this age,” Friedrich said.

The three friends
were silent, dwelling on Friedrich’s words.

“I’m in
,” Merrich said, slamming his drink down. “If she’s as great as you say, I will march to her orders until the day I die.”

“Thank you
, provided you don’t get any funny ideas about her,” Friedrich said, eyeing his old friend.

Merrich rolled his eyes again. “I assure you I can control myself from accost
ing the love of my closest friend.”

“Diederick?”
Friedrich asked.

“She’s not ready yet
,” Diederick said. “She doesn’t see the danger of dark magic. It hasn’t touched Trieux, even though we’ve been getting hit with it in Erlauf.”

“Then you
have to trust she
will
be ready. I can’t delay a formal engagement much longer. A Trieux brat will pull her out from underneath me,” Friedrich said.

Diederick studied his friend. “You would marry her even if you didn’t think she
was the best option for our country, wouldn’t you?”

Friedrich shrugged. “I
love her,” he said.

Diederick nodded. “In
that case, I, too, will throw my lot in with you.”

“I never pictured you as a champion of love
,” Merrich said.

“Hard
ly,” Diederick said. “But I would not wish a loveless marriage on Friedrich.”

Friedrich clasped his friend on the back. “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

“Now the on
ly thing left to do is to propose. Again,” Friedrich frowned. “I hope she takes me seriously one of these times.”

“You mean you’ve already asked?”

“At the beginning of the summer.”

Merrich laughed. “Cheers
, to our whipped Prince. May you finally get the girl you dream of—who also keeps you in your place.”

“Cheers
,” Diederick said.

“I
am so touched,” Friedrich flatly said.

The friends laughed and talked late into the night
, advising Colonel Friedrich—or as his Royal name decreed, Prince Cristoph Friedrich VI—and hoping he made a wise decision in loving a fiery Trieux duchess.

Chapter 12

The morning of the Victory Ball, Julien Rosseux called on Cinderella.

“Julien
, what a pleasant surprise,” Cinderella, awkwardly wiping her hands on her apron.

“Lady Lacreux
,” Julien said with an extravagant bow.

“Please
, just Cinderella,” Cinderella said before turning to her servants, who were packing up the last of the goods for the market. “Leave without me if you must, Vitore. I will be along later.”

“Yes
, Mademoiselle,” the maid curtseyed before she climbed into the wagon.

Cinderella returned her attention to Julien and concentrated on be
ing a good hostess. “Would you like any refreshments? Tea, perhaps?”

“No
, but I thank you for your offer,” Julien said, folding his hands behind his back as they sauntered up to the chateau.

“May I ask what brings you to Aveyron?” Cinderella asked
, tucking a strand of scarlet hair behind her ear.

“I wanted to see you
,” Julien said. He looked handsome in the morning light with dove gray breeches, a simple white shirt, and black vest. Typically he wore something more fashionable, but the simplicity of the outfit seemed to fit him better.

“I am honored and delighted
,” Cinderella said, leading him around the perimeter of the chateau. “How is your sister?”

“She is well. She
was disappointed she did not get to see you beard Lady Feautre.”

Cinderella grinned. “Cerise is a girl after my heart.”

“She seems to think so too,” Julien chuckled.

They reached the chateau’s entrance
, but Julien seemed oddly unwilling to go inside. “Cinderella,” he said, looking at her with unusual directness. “My family does not know I am calling on you today.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, they think I have gone for a long ride. A
very
long ride.”

“I see. Then you
have something you wish to discuss,” Cinderella said, knitting her fingers together and standing with picturesque elegance—as she was trained to stand what felt like a lifetime ago, before the war.

“I am aware it is not entire
ly polite but…I felt you might appreciate a frank discussion.”

“Ah
,” Cinderella knowingly said. “Marriage?”

Julien nodded and looked a
wkward.

Cinderella smiled
, taking pity on the young man. “Then let us walk as we talk,” she suggested.

Julien’s shoulders drooped in relief before he offered her his arm.

Cinderella took it, and the two walked across the picturesque lawn, ignoring the loose goats that grazed there.

“What about marriage do you wish to discuss?” Cinderella asked.

“I wanted to see if my assumption is correct, and you will not be marrying Marcus Girard,” Julien said. “It seemed at the dinner party you made up your mind…”

Cinderella sucked in a deep breath of air. “You assumed correct
ly. I don’t think…Marcus is young, and I suspect if we leave him alone he will seek out Cerise’s hand.”

“So your on
ly option, then, is me,” Julien said.

Cinderella looked up at the young nobleman and
was struck by a sudden thought. “Julien, do you
want
to marry me?”

Julien blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“You cannot possibly love me, although I flatter myself in thinking you are fond of me. Do you
want
to be tied to me for the rest of your life?”

Julien hesitated. “I
am
fond of you, and I feel we can learn to be happy.”

“
That does not answer my question,” Cinderella said as they stopped and faced each other under the shade of a giant oak tree.

“Out of all the available girls of Trieux noble lineage
, you are the one I prefer and prize. Yes, perhaps we do not love each other now, but there are things about you I admire…” Julien trailed off, cowed into silence by Cinderella’s narrowed but not unkind gaze.

Cinderella recognized the careful words that she, too, had dwelled on the past few weeks.
“There’s a commoner you love, isn’t there?” Cinderella said

Julien gawked.

“You’ve been very careful to say I am your favored choice out of all suitable. There is nothing wrong with that—I agree with you, actually. However, there are many, many other girls in Werra, much less in the country, who would
not
meet your parents’ requirements but are still perfectly lovely.”

Julien
was incapable of speech and made a gurgling sound.

Cinderella patted Julien on the arm. “What is her name?”

“Margrit.”

It took all of Cinderella’s control to keep from gap
ing. “She is from Erlauf?” Cinderella said, recognizing the harsher syllable patterns of the tyrant country.

“Her
father is a secretary for the queen. I met her at the palace,” Julien said. “She is charming and sweet. Her laugh is like the chiming of a bell,” Julien said, his voice wistful.

“And you love her.”

Julien hesitated. “Yes. But I am a man of honor. When we marry, I will see her no more,” he firmly said.

“Why would you marry me when you love another?”

“My parents know nothing of her, and my father would disinherit me if he heard of it. The only reason he still presses me to marry you—in spite of your association with Erlauf soldiers—is to keep our bloodlines pristine.”

“Julien
, a marriage based on your parents’ desires will be wretched,” Cinderella said.

Julien shrugged. “Even if they did not force me to
, I would still choose you,” he said, his layers of good manners fading to honesty. “You are alone, and you cannot hold on to Aveyron much longer. I cannot stand by and watch you fail. If it is in my power to aid you, I will. Unfortunately, all I can do is offer to marry you.”

Cinderella stared at Julien
, struck by the nobility of his soul. He would put aside his personal desires and marry her just because she was in trouble.

Cinderella smiled at Julien
, affection flowing from her, making Julien aware of what a beauty Cinderella was beneath the servant’s uniform and the dirt.

“You are a good man
, Julien,” Cinderella said, resting her hands on Julien’s. “I thank you for your selfless offer.”

Julien tilted his head.
“But?”

Cinderella’s smile turned gentle. “
But I will be daring enough to set both of us free. I will not marry you, even if it is the easiest way of survival.”

“Are you sure?” Julien asked.

“We deserve happiness. Both of us. I may struggle longer, but do not fear. I will seize personal happiness if I must shake it from Queen Freja with my bare hands,” Cinderella said.

The comment drew a chuckle from Julien
, making him less strained. “But what will we do? My father will never let me marry Margrit, and Aveyron…”

“Aveyron is my concern. If I drive myself to ruin
, it will be through my own stubbornness—from which you cannot save me,” Cinderella wryly observed. “And I understand your concerns with your father…but do you really think he can spare you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You are his only son, and while I love Cerise, she would make a poor heir. Your father knows this. We are in an unfortunate time because of the financial burdens and stresses placed on us, but we are also in the
perfect
time, because in such uncertain days as these, we can change and defy traditional thought patterns and beliefs,” Cinderella said.

“What do you mean?” Julien asked.

“Forgive my impertinence, but when else in history could a duchess wear servant clothes and work in the market without worry of alienation from her fellow nobles?”

“Or when would a duchess
condescend to even
think
of marrying the son of an earl?” Julien said with a smile.

“My point is your f
ather doesn’t have anyone else who will see to your estate. He will likely yell at you and be enraged with you for a few months, but I think he will come around.”

Julien nodded. “Mother will cheer for me
, I think.”

Cinderella nodded.
“Perhaps.”

Julien smiled wide
ly, without restraint. It startled Cinderella to realize she had never seen Julien look so
happy
before. “But what of you, Cinderella?” Julien said after a few moments, his smile dimming.

Cinderella shrugged. “I
have survived these two, soon to be three years. Every time I think I am at the end of my rope, I find I have just a little more strength. I am stubborn and wild. Queen Freja cannot hope to beat
me
,” Cinderella said.

“Will you marry your Erlauf officer
, then?”

Cinderella pressed her lips together. “I don’t know
,” she said.

“Why not?
You must care for him seeing as you stood against our peers for the sake of your association with him.”

“I’m not entire
ly certain what he feels for me. He mostly seems to be serious, but there are things he says…” Cinderella shook her head. “I don’t know, but even if I do not marry him, I will be quite happy at Aveyron.”

Julien nodded.

“Aren’t we a pair,” Cinderella laughed. “Once lauded as the sparkling future of the remaining Trieux line of nobility, we are both infatuated with the enemy.”

“
They aren’t really the enemy. Not anymore,” Julien earnestly said.

“Mmhmm.
I do not think the whole country, or even a sizeable portion of it, would agree with you,” Cinderella said.

“
Perhaps not, but when they see that we can intermingle—if, no,
when
I marry Margrit—changes will come ‘round. They already have. Thanks to your friendship with Colonel Friedrich, you are a beautiful example of noble decorum.”

Cinderella looked down at her patched dress. “Oh yes
,” she said in a dead voice. “I can see I am in a very pretty spot right now. Hah-hah.”

“You
solely look at your outward appearance,” Julien argued. “I can assure you, in the people’s eyes, you wear a crown and jewels.”

“I think you are overestimat
ing me, but I thank you for the compliment all the same,” Cinderella said. “Now, tell me of this Erlauf miss of yours.”

“He waxed poetry over her gentle manners and soft voice. With all the
sweet and kind descriptions he used, I half wonder if this girl is a kitten. Truly, Marie, I think he would have been miserable with me. I am too wild and passionate for him,” Cinderella said.

Marie scowled at Cinderella. “You’re just try
ing to convince me you’ve done the right thing.”

“
Perhaps.”

Marie sighed. “I doubt poor Julien would
have learned to say no to you. But if you ruled out Marcus, turned Julien away, and discounted Colonel Friedrich—,”

“My life will be complete even if I do not marry in the next year
, Marie,” Cinderella said.

“I know
, but it is such a shame. I mean, Colonel Friedrich is
deliciously
handsome.”

“
Marie
! You are married!”

“Yes
, but that does not mean I am not shallow for your sake,” Marie said with a wicked smile.

Cinderella rolled her eyes in exasperation.

“What will you do?”

“I will celebrate Aveyron’s momentary freedom before Queen Freja can smack me with another fine
,” Cinderella said.

“Wonderful
,” Marie pronounced.