Author's note: Everyone in this story would be over 18 if they were normal humans.
*****
Chapter 11: Winter Solstice
The king and queen, and a large group of courtiers, stood on the landing platform below the Kype on Terra and waited for the prince, princess, and their companions to disembark. Fiona could see her father towering over all the others. She allowed her gaze to stutter over the form at the back of the crowd, the only one there who came close to the king's stature. Edward marched down the gangplank, his sister on one arm and Lady Melissa on the other, a huge smile on his face. He walked up to the king and queen and bowed while Fiona and Melissa dropped into deep curtsies.
The king embraced his son while the queen pulled her daughter into a hug.
"It's good to have you back, darling," Maeve said to her.
"Thank you, mama."
The king enveloped Fiona in a bear hug causing the girl to let out a startled yelp and squeal.
"I have missed you, Häschen," he said after kissing her soundly.
"I missed you too, papa."
Fiona held William's arm and let him guide her into the Kype while she avoided scanning the crowd for two familiar blue eyes.
"Your mother has arranged for a seamstress to come to you today to take your measurements for new gowns," William told Fiona as they walked together. "Your maid contacted her and told her you need clothes."
"Oh. Well, yes. I guess. I don't really notice."
"Of course, princess. It's not important in the greater scheme of things, but it will make your mother happy."
***
Fiona stood on a raised platform as a seamstress hemmed a new dark red velvet dress. Her mother sat and watched, nodding in satisfaction.
"You will have a dozen new gowns, in the latest fashion, darling. A gift to you for Winter Solstice."
"Thank you, mama.
"Could I get some more... Well, I need casual clothes too, mama."
"I can make her some trousers, your majesty," the seamstress told them. "And she can select some different styles and I can make her some blouses as well."
"I don't think it's appropriate for a Royal Princess to go about so casually."
"Mama, please? I..."
"I will think about it, darling."
"Okay, mama," Fiona responded, her eyes downcast.
"Edward has decided to have a Ball for you children tonight, baby. He mentioned you in particular not being allowed at the Solstice celebration tomorrow, since you haven't yet debuted. Mrs. Berry will have a dress ready for you this afternoon."
"I'm not a child, mother. And I don't need to go to a ball."
"Your brother insists that you do. And he's already invited all the young heirs and their siblings so I suggest you go along with it."
Fiona just nodded, her mouth in a hard line.
"I will be back with your gown for tonight in a few hours, Your Highness," Mrs. Berry said as she gathered up her supplies.
"Thank you, Mrs. Berry," the queen said. "I do appreciate your quick work."
***
That evening after dinner Fiona found herself dancing with her brother amid dozens of other couples in the Great Hall of the Kype.
"Edward, I really didn't want this," Fiona sighed at her brother. "I don't mind not having a ball."
"But you are such a great dancer, Fi. And it's good for you to have fun with other Ladies and Lords."
"But Ed, most of these Ladies hate me. A lot of the Lords, too."
"I'm sure that's not true. Some of the Ladies are jealous of you, but most of them just don't know you. This is an opportunity to get to know them."
Fiona shook her head, but didn't say anything. She soon found herself being passed from lordling to lordling. She enjoyed dancing with some of Edward's close friends and Melissa's brothers, but would have fled from Erik of Crispian had she been able to free herself from his touch. She knew what he thought of her and who his friends were and had no desire to spend a moment with him.
"Hey baby, why so tense?" he asked while he leered at her.
"Please get away from me," she said through clenched teeth.
"I just want to dance, baby," he said, running his left hand up and under her breast, giving it a squeeze. Fiona gasped and would have struck him had he not grabbed her left hand tightly with his right and pushed her firmly against his body with his left. Her face was bright red due to a mixture of anger and embarrassment by the time the music ended. She tried to flee but Erik refused to let go of her until another man stepped up and took her hand from his. She heard him dismiss Erik with an angry growl.
Fiona had a moment of confusion as the music changed and she saw that Jacob now held her as her body flowed to the music without her conscious thought. She looked up into his eyes but he refused to look at her. She could feel her body tremble in his arms as she looked up into his face. When she realized he had no intention of either talking to her or looking at her she couldn't hold back the tears from her eyes. As the music stopped, Jacob finally looked into her eyes. The hard look on his face undid her. She couldn't contain a sob. She imagined she heard the sound of her own heart breaking as he released her hands and turned away from her.
Had Fiona been a woman more experienced with love she might have realized that Jacob was trying to keep his emotional distance in order to protect himself from the feelings he had for her. She might have realized that he was showing her his love the only way he could at that moment, trying to protect her. But in her youth and inexperience all she felt was rejection from her one true love. She rushed away from the Great Hall and to her own quarters in the Princess's Tower and cried, much as she had the morning her mother told her she needed to keep her distance from Jake. She realized at that moment that her running away to Sabbatical had been for naught. Her feelings for Jacob were as strong as ever.
After having a good long cry, Fiona called for Elsa to come help her remove her gown and help her with ther nightgown.
"Princess, I see that you've been crying again. I thought your time on Sabbatical had gotten you over that."
"Oh, Elsa. I do wish that were true. I thought it had helped, but now I'm not so sure."
Fiona slept fitfully that night, dreaming of Jacob's eyes gazing down at her, his face indifferent as she cried out that she loved him still.
***
Still at the ball, Jacob did what he could to hide the trembling of his own body. He hadn't been blind to Fiona in the slightest. His heart ached for her. He knew he had hurt her. He had seen her eyes in the moment before he turned away from her. He left the ball without looking back, his heart heavy as he reached his quarters and went in to sleep.
