The Knight of Her Dreams (Dragons and Dreamphasers) (42 page)

“Mr. Westbrooke...” she
began.

“There’s no need for such
formality.  I’m simply Chaos.”

“All right, Chaos then,”
she whispered, her calm attitude gradually receding.  “Look, I don’t know what
I’ve done to make you dislike me, since I’ve never even met you before now, so
I’d appreciate it if you’d...”

“Reserve judgment on you?”
he finished cynically.  “I don’t think so, Miss Sherborne.  I believe the facts
speak for themselves already.”

Before he could continue
further, Julianna’s eyes narrowed in sudden anger, her spine stiffening.  “You
know, sir, for someone who frowns on eavesdropping,
you
certainly
do it often enough.”

Once again, this earned
surprised disquiet from the group, and others nearby who began to listen,
leading her to believe that they weren’t used to seeing people stand up to the
man.  Her ears burned from the renewed whisperings of some of the crowd, yet
she still managed to interrupt Chaos before he could reply.

“No, I’ll save you the
trouble of speaking my thoughts again.  You’ve already made it quite clear that
you insist on being a grim, inflexible, disagreeable man, and that I’m a
no-good trollop that isn’t worthy of your grandson, so I guess there’s no hope
of convincing you otherwise.”

She stole a quick glance up
at Dominick, before stepping back.  “I’m only glad that your grandson doesn’t
seem to share those traits.”  Her initial confidence spent, Julianna quickly
strode from the group, disappearing into the crowd despite Dominick’s protests.

Through the ensuing chatter
that spread like wildfire through the crowd, Chaos’s steel-handed grip prevented
him from going after her, prompting him to turn to his grandfather angrily. 
“Satisfied?” he hissed.

“What?” Chaos asked, with
an air of feigned innocence.  “That I’ve proven the girl has an attitude
problem that you knew nothing of?  Or that she’s admitted herself that you’re
not meant for one another?”  Chaos hadn’t counted on Dominick’s friends loudly
protesting against his accusations, their discordant arguments causing him to
cover his ears with his hands.  “Quiet, all of you!”  Slowly, they complied,
but Riff stood up to face him.

“Chaos, I’m sure I speak
for all of us in that you didn’t have to grill the girl as you did, subjecting
her to that humiliating display in front of everyone.  Now why don’t you tell
us just where your anger against her is
really
coming from?”

“I’m a bit curious to that
one myself,” said Dominick, eyeing his grandfather suspiciously.  “Just what
is
the problem between now and our discussion earlier?  Is it that Julianna hinted
that you have more than a gruff attitude?  Is it that you wanted to see if you
could control her with your indomitable nature like so many others?”  He folded
his arms knowingly when his earlier suspicions returned, his tone becoming
harshly accusing.  “Or is it that you want to make absolutely certain that I
remain here on Chavernos, even if that means my losing Julianna altogether?”

Chaos’s silence was answer
enough, as the group loyally continued to protest that surely his grandson was
old enough to dictate his own life and that maybe the situation could be
further negotiated as to where the couple might choose to live.

Again, Chaos raised his
hands to silence them, but this time there was weariness in his voice as he
spoke.  “I’ve heard this argument before from Dominick,” he told them, turning
to his grandson.  “Yes, the aspect that you might leave Chavernos for a girl
you just met a few weeks ago bothers me.  But if she can’t handle the concerned
opinions of a future family member, then best to find out now.”

Dominick shook his head
with a dark expression.  “You still don’t understand, do you?” he hissed
through clenched teeth.  “What Julianna and I decide to do about our future is
our
decision, not yours!  And incidentally, your plan backfired.  After tonight,
I’m even more convinced that I should live on
her
world instead. 
Good night, Grandfather!”

Before Chaos could reply,
he stormed off into the crowd.  “Dominick, come back here!” he shouted, gaining
no response.  Swearing under his breath, he glanced once at the six pairs of
angry eyes silently challenging him, deciding that he’d rather deal with his
grandson’s anger instead, purposefully going after him.

*****

During this time, Julianna
had hastily found the building’s exit and left, the tears finally falling now
that she could give vent to her churned up emotions.  How could she ever marry
Dominick while that infuriating grandfather of his plastered ill notions about
her at every turn? she thought miserably.

At first, she found a bench
to sit down and think, but as a small group of people noticed her alone and
came over to pester her with more inquiries about her engagement to Dominick,
she quickly fled, running around the other side of the building to lean against
it.  Sliding down the brick wall to sit, she curled her knees up to her chest and
wished that her fiancé was here to hold her with the strength of his protective
embrace, because she certainly needed him now.

A hand on her shoulder
abruptly startled her from her musings, causing her to jerk her head upward. 
“Dominick?” she asked softly, just before her tear-filled eyes cleared to
reveal a stranger she’d never seen before.  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she whispered.  “I
thought you were my fiancé.”

The man smiled down at
her.  “And I thought I noticed a damsel in apparent distress running this way,”
he replied, moving to kneel beside her.  Julianna sniffed as she brushed a hand
across her eyes to clear them further, getting a better look at the stranger.

He was good-looking,
probably around Dominick’s age or a bit older, with an air of confidence.  His
dark hair framed his marble-like face, with a pair of cool gray eyes.  In a
way, he resembled one of Dominick’s friends she’d just met, although she knew
it wasn’t him.  Even kneeling, the man was noticeably taller than she was,
apparently well-muscled, and bearing a genial expression.

“I had to leave in a
hurry,” she told him, gesturing her head towards the building.  “Those
pestersome people will question me all night if I let them.”

“Hmmm,” he said, rubbing
his chin as if considering something.  Then abruptly, he snapped his fingers
with sudden realization.  “
That
explains why you looked
familiar.  You must be the future bride of Dominick Westbrooke.”

Hesitantly she nodded, just
before suspicion lit her eyes.  “Are you some kind of dream-state reporter?”
she accused.  “Because if you are...”

“Perish the thought, my
dear woman,” the man laughed.  “I happen to have my own aversion towards those
nosy people.  I merely recognized you from the sudden crowd disruption
earlier.”

She gave a slight groan. 
“Don’t remind me.”

The stranger turned his
head to one side curiously as he continued to stare at her appraisingly. 
“Since you’re to be Dominick’s wife, shouldn’t you be back inside with him?”

“I
would
be,”
she agreed, her lips forming a sneer.  “That is, if his royal highness King
Chaos would stop shooting his poisonous insults at me.”  After she sniffed once
more, the stranger materialized a handkerchief for her, which she gratefully
accepted.

“Ah yes, Chaos,” he said
softly, sounding as if he’d dealt with the man before.  Julianna was too busy
drying her eyes to notice all he said, nor the hint of biting sarcasm in his
tone.  “Dominick’s grandfather is indeed a piece of work.  Not surprisingly, it
seems to run in the family with his
dear
grandson...”

“I’m sorry, what did you
say?” she murmured absently as she looked up from the white cloth.

His smile renewed, the
stranger removed the handkerchief from her grasp and questioned her further. 
“Not to sound like those wretched nuisances within, but just when are you and
Dominick getting married?”

“The way you’re speaking,
you sound like you know him personally.”

The stranger’s mouth
twitched once, but he maintained his air of calm composure.  “Yes, we do know
each other.  If I may say so though,” he added, extending his hand amiably,
“this humble dream traveler is glad to make the acquaintance of his most
beautiful bride-to-be.”

She took his hand with a
smile, nodding once.  “Pleased to meet you too, I’m sure.”  The man’s eyes
glittered in response as he kissed her hand softly.  A bit flustered by this,
she managed to free her hand to continue quickly.  “In answer to your earlier
question, Dominick and I are planning on being married as soon as we can.”

Sensing her sudden concern
over his attention, the stranger’s eyes twinkled, but before he could say
anything, she sighed distractedly.  “Although now, I’m beginning to wonder if
it will ever happen at all with Chaos around.”

“Don’t worry, my dear.  I’m
sure everything will go according to plan,” he assured her, secretly masking a
different smile from her.  Suddenly, Dominick’s voice was heard, calling out
Julianna’s name.

“That’s my fiancé,” she
explained quickly.  “I’d better go to him.  If you’ll excuse me.”

The man stood with her,
taking hold of her arm.  When her eyes questioned this, he smiled lazily. 
“Julianna,” he whispered.  “A beautiful name for a fair damsel.”

“Thank you,” she replied,
blushing this time.  “Now please, I have to go.”

“Of course,” he agreed,
nodding once before releasing her.  “But rest assured, my dear Julianna... we
will meet again in the future.  After all, I happen to know your future husband
quite well, though it’s been awhile since we last talked.”

She smiled at the sound of
camaraderie in his tone, but couldn’t comment before Dominick’s voice shouted
out her name again, this time more loudly.  Waving once to the man, she ran
back around the building, completely missing the look of amused resentment that
flashed across his face.

“Oh yes, my dear woman,”
Dual hissed quietly to himself, “I know your future husband
quite
well indeed.  As I’ll one day know you.”  Nodding once with a devious grin as
he dropped the handkerchief to the ground, he vanished just as the white cloth
burst into flames behind him.

*****

“Julianna!” Dominick
shouted again, by this time genuinely worried over his betrothed’s mysterious
absence.  Could the crowd have mobbed her again, cornering her for details? he
wondered, silently cursing the lot of them for interfering with his personal
life.

Not that it was anything less
than he expected, since being the grandson of the ruler of Barokka, he’d
assisted in helping keep the island the paradisiacal place it was, no less so
among the numerous dreamphasers residing there.

Quite often, he traveled
throughout the island to keep tabs on things, and saw to improving conditions
where necessary and possible, so he’d met a great deal of Barokka’s inhabitants
personally.  Some of the women in past years, he thought ruefully now, he’d
known more than just casually.  But since Chaos had often warned him to be
careful of the gold-digging type, he’d always been careful to steer clear of
any deep emotional involvements.

Since he’d also been
careful to avoid women who were currently involved with other men—especially
the married kind—he’d also avoided the wrath of the male population, and thus
was well liked by most everyone on the island.  Of course, a few men still
couldn’t hide their pleased reaction that one of the most eligible bachelors
was leaving the female chase.  So it wasn’t really a shock that so many were
congratulating him on his engagement.

He’d only displayed a
slight grimace towards the several people he’d conferred with who asked what
his plans were in regard to future heirs.  Sticking to what he’d told the women
speaking with Julianna, he murmured that it wasn’t a concern or a necessity. 
Yet inwardly, he supposed it could be one day, if Riff decided against
fatherhood himself.

To be truthful, Dominick
had been especially fond of the many children of Barokka he’d met along the
way, which was why Chaos suggested he see to settling down and having a few of
his own.  Up until now, Dominick had merely laughed at the suggestion, saying
he doubted he’d ever find a woman he wished to devote his whole life to.

That was before Julianna
had unexpectedly come into his life to change all that.

Another biting irony.  He’d
found an ideal companion—who would probably like to have children with him
someday—but the children Chaos wished for him to have were an impossibility. 
At
least for now
, his thoughts amended.  This disturbance was still present as
he prepared to shout for Julianna again, just before he heard her respond.

Turning, a thankful smile
crossed his expression as she reappeared, holding out his arms to embrace her
as she ran to him.  Just holding her close again erased his former dark
thoughts completely, as if she’d suddenly become the sun to brightly burn them
away.

“Darling...” he murmured
against her ear as he kissed her cheek, “please don’t run off like that again. 
I was beginning to worry that you’d left me for good after hearing what my
grandfather was spouting on about.”