Ari's New Life

A Rose Called Miracle

Book #4, Part 8

Author's Note: This is the fourth and final Book of 'A Rose Called Miracle'. This is fiction. All characters in intimate situations are over 18. Any resemblance to real people, organizations, or businesses is simply coincidence. As with the first three books, it is made much more interesting by people of different races, religions, and sexual preferences. And I still believe the world would be a better place if Douravia really existed.

KARI'S NEW LIFE

*****

"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December." -- J.M. Barrie

*****

I was trembling as we were shown into the ornate room and saw the king and queen relaxed on their side-by-side thrones. Robert bowed; I remembered to curtsy as Mrs. Watkins had taught me. The royal couple stood; Robert and I took a couple steps closer before Robert spoke.

"Your Majesties. Father, Mother, may I present Ms. Kari Mathilde Noonan from the United States. Ms. Noonan, it is my honor to introduce my parents Rupert and Sophia Devereaux, King and Queen of Douravia. Father, Mother I have asked Ms. Noonan to be my wife."

"Thank you Robert." The king replied in a deep, rumbling, baritone, "Would you wait for us outside. We'd like to speak with Ms. Noonan in private?"

"Yes sir." Robert leaned over and kissed my cheek. He whispered, "No secrets. No lies. You'll be fine." He turned and left the room.

"Ms. Noonan, first, Sophia and I, wish to thank you for what you've done for Robert. It has been such a long time since he's shown any real interest in...anything."

"Thank you, Your Majesties. Prince Edwin is an exceptional man." I realized I was standing at attention, just like Brett taught me.

"Ahem! Rupert Dear, why don't we chat someplace more comfortable?" Queen Sophia urged.

"Quite right. Ms. Noonan, would you join us in the sitting room? And please, relax." They led me through a door off to their left and into a cozy room furnished with armchairs and side tables; a fire burned in the fireplace. I waited until the king and queen were seated before I eased down into the chair they indicated.

"You've been speaking with Mrs. Watkins?" The king asked.

"She is determined to make a proper lady out of me." I think I smiled for the first time.

The king pushed a button on the table beside his chair. In seconds a tuxedoed...butler? Servant?...entered through a door on the opposite side of the room.

"Your Majesties?"

"Yes Hastings. White wine for the queen and me, you know what we like." The king turned to me, "Ms. Noonan, wine?"

"No, thank you. May I have a ginger ale, please? My stomach is still a little queasy after the flight over the mountains."

"Very good. Ma'am, may I suggest some crackers as well to help settle the upset?"

"Thank you." Hastings took off. It seemed as if he was back with our refreshments before the door had time to shut. The king approved a small sip of the wine and Hastings poured glasses for the king and queen. He left the wine on the table and then showed me a bottle of ginger ale. I reached for the bottle, but he pulled it back.

"Perhaps a glass?" He suggested.

"Please." He poured my soda into an ice-cold crystal glass. He disappeared after I thanked him. We all sipped some more of our drinks before King Rupert began the interview.

"Ms. Noonan, may I call you Kari?"

"That's fine Your Majesty."

"Kari. You need to understand..." I felt panicked, "Please, relax. I just want to explain that the Devereaux family is very, very, close knit. Amongst ourselves there are very few secrets; but we are renowned for our ability to keep family secrets in the family. When we last spoke to Robert, he told us all about you."

"So, Kari, here's your opportunity...tell us about yourself." Oh Boy! But I remembered what Robert whispered. So, I told the king and queen my whole story. I was terrified. Although they already knew the basics, the queen gasped and drank deeply when I described my kidnapping and being sold into slavery.

After pouring more wine for themselves, Queen Sophia asked, "Robert tells us you were married before and that it was annulled?"

I poured more ginger ale so that I could think. "Yes. That is true. I'm sure your investigators have seen the official documents. Those are...deliberately misleading. I loved my husband and my daughter with all my heart and soul and I would rather kill myself than do the heinous things the annulment documentation claimed."

"So, what happened? Robert didn't say."

"Thirteen months ago, right after the American holiday of Thanksgiving, on a whim, we all submitted DNA for testing. It revealed that my husband and I were full brother and sister. Before you ask...no, we had no idea. We did a retest which only confirmed the horror. I left...okay, I ran away...the next day and tried to rebuild my life...again."

"How did you support yourself?"

"At first, I worked for tips as a server in a sleazy bar and restaurant. Then after a couple weeks I got lucky and found a job as the assistant to a real estate corporation's CEO. It's safe to say she changed my life."

"How so?" asked the king.

"She witnessed a particularly awful breakdown when I saw my former husband on TV. Unfortunately, that was on the same day I received the final decree dissolving our marriage. The next day Dora, she was my boss, tricked me into a meeting with a therapist, Dr. Landwood. The doctor got me talking. She taught me techniques to defuse my...breakdowns. After that I started meeting with her three times a week for the next four months to reinforce the lessons. She taught me how to recognize and minimize my episodes. Like I said, she saved my life." It was time for another sip of ginger ale. "She also got me interested in Yoga and meditation to help me relax."

"Can you tell us about your education?"

Damn, I was hoping that wouldn't come up in the conversation, "I have no formal education. My foster parents refused to send me to school. My education is a compilation of what I could learn on a stolen laptop and pirated Wi-Fi signal."

"How did you manage that?" The queen asked.

"As I cleaned his study one day, I spied on my foster father. I learned two vital things: first, where he hid his network name and password; second, how to activate and use voice commands. After that, as soon as I finished my housework, cooking dinner, and washing the dishes, I retrieved my stolen laptop, activated the voice feature, and said 'I want to learn to read.' There was no stopping me after that. I loved that laptop; but I lost it when I was kidnapped at the bus station."

"Are you okay, Dear?" Queen Sophia reached over and touched my arm.

I shook my head 'no'. "I was kidnapped, sold to a whorehouse, and held as a slave for 11 years...I think...before I escaped."

"You mentioned that your marriage had been annulled? Where is your ex-husband now?" The king asked.

"That's why Prince Edwin and I had to delay our trip to Douravia. My former husband, his name was Brett Noonan, he was a Colonel in the US Air Force, died a little less than two weeks ago. I spent that time preparing for his funeral and saying a final goodbye."

"You still loved him, didn't you?" The queen said softly. I felt like I'd walked into a trap; but I wasn't going to start lying now.

"Yes. Please don't judge. Prince Edwin and I understand each other's loss of a great love. We freely admit to each other that if our former loves walked into a room we would go to them without hesitation: I'd go to Brett, Robert...I mean Prince Edwin...would go to Princess Sascha. We help each other with the dark moments of memory."

"I'd like to hear the story of how you and Robert met. He's been very vague."

"It all started...sort of...at Thanksgiving two years ago. We, I mean Brett, Valerie, and I were visiting friends. That was the day Valerie and Stephen met...in person...for the first time..."

"Yes. We've heard that rather strange tale." The queen interrupted...politely of course.

"Anyway, when those two were done hugging, kissing, and promising to marry, I noticed a tall, dark, very handsome gentleman on the other side of the room. Stephen led Brett and me over to him and introduced us to his father. We shook hands, he was polite, but as soon as he shook Brett's hand he disappeared."

"That was rude." Muttered the king.

"I felt that way also. But...that was two days before the disastrous DNA test. Over the next year I reconstructed my life. Valerie had serious problems with Brett's new partner and she ended up coming to live with me. The next Thanksgiving we, just Valerie and I, again visited our friends for the weekend. This time Valerie and Stephen decided to play matchmaker and conspired to have me answer the door when Robert...I mean Prince Edwin...arrived. After that we talked and then he invited me to join him for lunch at a sushi restaurant. After lunch he kissed me for the first time. After that...is between Robert and me." I smiled.

"Were you surprised when he proposed?" asked the queen.

"Stunned. Damned...I mean darned near senseless. But I was aware enough to answer 'yes'. Then he gave me a fabulous engagement ring he'd had hidden in his desk."

"A nice diamond?" It seemed like the queen had taken control of the conversation.

"No. A ruby."

"I can't wait to see it."

"I thought it would be...presumptuous...to wear it to this...meeting?"

"Relax Dear, we just wanted to meet and get to know the woman who will be the next Princess of Douravia. Please, may I see the ring?"

I reached into my inside jacket pocket and retrieved my ring. I put it on and held out my hand to the queen. "It is beautiful; and it matches that fabulous suit!" The queen smiled. "Wherever did you find it?"

As I told her about the hotel leather store in New Orleans, I heard a soft chime sounding in the background. "It sounds like dinner is ready." The king finally spoke, "Ms. Noonan be prepared, the entire Devereaux clan has gathered: our children, their wives and husbands, our grandchildren. Everyone wants to meet the woman who's brought our Robert back to life."

The king led us out of the room. Robert was waiting outside the door. He grinned when I held up my hand to show that I was wearing his ring. The king led the way through a maze of wide, opulently decorated corridors. "With such a large crowd, we're using the State Dining Room tonight rather than the upstairs family dining room. There will be a buffet of everyone's favorite foods." As we walked, the king kept up a running commentary describing the chateau, its décor, and a who's who of the portraits hanging on the wall. I wondered about the irony; here was a family that could trace every family member back to the 1500's...and then there was me, who couldn't name my own mother or father; and then I had a moment of utter clarity...all I had to do was find Brett's birth certificate and I would know my own parents. Then, as I examined a portrait of Robert's great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather, clarity struck again...I realized I didn't give a shit about who my parents were.

The dining room was in chaos. There were children everywhere: running, walking, or crawling. I saw two women unashamedly nursing babies while carrying on conversations. I laughed as one of the women yelled at an older child to go get his cousin out of the fireplace. A man I recognized as our pilot on the flight to Douravia walked over to one of the nursing women and kissed her on the cheek.

"Who is that woman with the pilot?" I asked Robert.

"My sister Isabella. She is the flight instructor I told you about."

"Everyone! Your Attention." The crowd quieted. The child tasked with retrieving their cousin found them hiding behind an unlit pile of logs. "Robert?" The king gestured.

"Everybody! Might I have your attention? In case the Devereaux family spy network has failed, I'd like to Introduce Ms. Kari Noonan, she is Miss Valerie's mother." There was polite applause. "You should also know that I have asked Ms. Noonan to join me in marriage. She has agreed." The polite applause became raucous cheering as the clan gathered around us. I noticed the king and queen move toward the buffet.

I noticed a face I recognized. I walked over to her. "You're Robert's sister Katherine, aren't you? I recognize you from the picture on back of the book you wrote."

"Yes, I'm Katherine." She pointed at a short, pretty redhead on the other side of the room, wrangling three children. "That's my wife Carrie and our kids. They love coming to visit grandpa and grandma. So, you've read my book?"

"I have. Several times...even before I met Robert. I think your writing is masterful. I absolutely adored your telling of your threat to Sascha if she broke Robert's heart. Does that apply to me as well?"

"Definitely." But she was smiling. She waved her hand towards her wife, "Carrie! Hey love! Come over here for a second." She looked at me, "This should be fun." The short redhead gave up on the kids and came over to us. Katherine started laughing, "Kari this Carrie. Carrie this is Kari." Katherine looked at me, "Just call me Kat."

"Nice to meet...Oh Jeez, there go the kids." Carrie exclaimed, "I'll be right back." She hurried off.

"So, Kat, are you a writer?" I asked. "Have you done anything besides Sascha's biography?"

"No, I'm not a writer. Sascha's story was a labor of love--and Carrie's constant nagging to 'get it right'. My full-time job is director of promotions for Devereaux Enterprises. In fact, all of us--except Robert and Charles--that's him over there, pulling the kid out from under the table--work in the family business."

"Does your wife work with you?"

"Not after giving birth to our 2nd. She decided she wanted to stay home with the babies; and now with the 3rd she's a devoted stay-at-home professional mother. I hope that when things settle down you and Robert will come to our home for dinner."

"I'd like that. I'll convince Robert."

"Have you eaten yet?" Kat asked me.

"No."

"You'd better gather Robert and hurry; the Devereaux kids are like a plague of locusts...I mean hearty eaters."

I thanked Kat for the warning and looked around to find Robert. I invited Kat to join us so we could keep talking. I spotted Robert, got his attention, and mimed lifting a fork to my mouth. He nodded and smiled and started making his way across the room. When he reached us Katherine hugged him hard. "It's good to see you with a smile." Kat said as she released him. She looked at me. "Please be good to him."

We heard the squalling cry of an unhappy toddler, "Uh oh, that's one of mine. Gotta go." Kat hurried off.

"Wow! Your sister is impressive."

"She is practically a force of nature. She can be tough as nails or soft as velvet. With the exception of my Sascha...and your Valerie...she's the smartest person I've ever met. When my uncle retires as CEO of Devereaux Enterprises in a few years, I wouldn't be shocked if he selects Katherine to replace him. Look over there." He pointed at the nursing mothers. Valerie was in a serious conversation with Isabella. Valerie reached out and held the baby in her arms while Isabella tucked herself away and draped a cloth over her shoulder. She took back the baby and began patting its back.

We moved toward the luscious-looking buffet. I filled my plate with green salad, corn, and a nice slice of veal parm on top of a tiny bit of pasta. I chastised Robert as he tried to skip the salad for extra pasta. "I want you around for at least 50 years. Eat your salad!" The prince obeyed my command.

The Devereaux family--more or less--left us alone as we ate. But as soon as we set down our forks we were surrounded. One of Robert's nephews paraded around walking on his hands. "That's Geoffrey and Janet's son, Mark. He's quite the gymnast." After that Robert introduced each of his siblings and their spouses. Meeting kids was hit or miss; meeting me wasn't as exciting as running around the grand ballroom chasing their brothers, sisters, and cousins. My final introduction was to the youngest of Robert's brothers, David and Matteo, and David's Fiancée Giselle.

I shook hands with Giselle, "Congratulations. You must be getting excited about the wedding."

"I am. David and I have been looking forward to this for almost two years. Now that I've finished University and have my teaching credentials, I can focus on a marriage...maybe some children?" She looked at David with raised eyebrows. "Correct?" She laughed. "This will be my second trip down the aisle at the cathedral."

"You've been married before?"

"Oh no! Nothing like that. I was the flower girl at Prince Edwin's marriage to Miss Sascha."

"The girl at the train station!" I remembered from the biography.

"Yes. That was me."

*****

I woke up early the next morning despite being exhausted from the raucous gathering the night before. The bed was not particularly comfortable for two people. As I dressed in jeans, a blouse, and a heavy sweater, I made a mental note to ask Robert to get us a bed with more room. I wandered over to the wall-to-wall window. It had a magnificent view of a mountain range. It was snowing heavily. I wondered how Nick and Nora were doing in the stables. I was still more than a little unhappy with their exile.

I decided to check on them before breakfast. I put on my heavy coat, beret, and stuck mittens in my pocket. I kissed Robert on the cheek and told him my plans. He simply mumbled and went back to sleep. Downstairs, a doorman had to unlock the main door so that I could exit. He insisted on giving me directions to the stable even after I told him I was going there to check on my cats. He warned me to be careful because the storm was supposed to be intensifying all day. He also warned me to keep my distance from the evil, big, black horse called Nio. I thanked him for the warning; silently I laughed because from the time I was seven one of my daily chores at the foster's farm had been cleaning up and caring for the family's horses. I even rode them--on days the family took off and left me alone. Anyway, I knew my way around the big, dumb, hayburners.

It was very cold outside, and now that I was exposed to it, the snowfall seemed a lot heavier and the wind stronger than it looked from the bedroom window. I briefly considered going back into the chateau, but I was determined to make sure Nick and Nora were okay. I made it to the stables safely; the snow was already about half-way up my calf. I went in and shook the snow off myself. Looking around I saw each of the stalls had a name plate attached.

"Meow!" I turned to my left. The plaque read 'Nio'. The doorman was right; the black horse was massive. Nick and Nora were sitting at attention on top of the stall door, taking turns sniffing the big horse and in turn being sniffed. "Meow!!" That was Nick. The big horse tossed his head and stomped his foot once. I walked over to Nick and Nora and gave them a good ear rub. They stayed on the stall door.

The big horse snorted. "Back off buster. These are my cats." I pointed a finger at the horse. "Don't give me that look! You try anything with me, I'll smack you up side the head! But if you behave yourself, I'll find you a carrot. Got it? Jeez, now I'm talking to horses!" I laughed.

"And it looks like he's listening." Answered a strange voice.

"Christ Almighty!" I jumped about a foot. When I landed, I turned and found a young man standing by the next stall. "Damn! For a split second I thought the damn horse was talking to me." I laughed. "I just came out here to visit my cats. I'm Kari."

"I'm Rafe. I'm the nighttime stable hand. Has Nio tried to bite you yet?"

"He had an evil look in his eye. But I put him straight. He and my cats seemed to be getting along okay. I think they let him know I'm a decent person."