Flirting with Destiny (4 page)

Chapter IX

Natasha sat around the dining table in the great hallway of the palace, discussing the different options with Jacob’s father.

“Listen Natasha, you have to understand that as difficult as it may be for all of us we have to face the very distinct possibility that Jacob may be dead. There has been no finding of him, even with the highest intelligence at work on the case.  I understand that your position in the palace is highly vulnerable without Jacob.”  He paused. “Yet we cannot delay some sort of media announcement forever.  At some point they are going to wonder why the Prince hasn’t been making his public appearances and it will look highly suspicious if we haven’t announced anything.”

Natasha sat on the velvet-covered chair, her head in her hands.

“I just can’t believe this.” She began sobbing uncontrollably.

“Please Natasha, this is difficult for all of us.”

The King, Jacob’s father, rose out of his chair and left the room.   He really did not like that woman.  He had never understood what his son had seen in her.  Sadly he thought of his son.  God he hoped he was all right.  The thought of him being gone so soon after the death of his beloved wife was too much to bear.

Chapter X

Jacob lay in bed wondering about his father, wondering about his life.  Occasionally even a thought about Natasha crossed his mind.  Of one thing he was now certain, he did not love her.  He did not even want to see her. 

Jemima, without even a kiss, had shown him love like he had never known, and he wanted to remain under the soft gaze of her eyes forever.  Yet he knew they could not live like this much longer.  It had been an acceptable form of life, his staying in bed and not leaving the home, while he was recovering from his wounds, yet now he was healing, he would have to start again to live a normal life.  Yet what was a normal life?  Would he return to life in the palace?

He so wished that he could discuss these things with Jemima, yet he did not want to ruin what it felt like they were beginning.  It felt so special. Would she accept him as a prince?   She had made it clear in their discussions that she did not regard highly the royal family of any country, even her own.  She was a power to the people person, and thought that they were the rich stealing from the poor.  He loved the passion she had about people.  It both intrigued and fascinated him.  He had been so sheltered from all these views all his life, and it made him wonder what else he had been missing.

Chapter XI

Jemima got dressed and ready as Jacob slept beside her.  He stirred.

“Are you going?” he asked.

“Yes, I must work.” She got ready to leave.

“Jemima…” he could not hold it in any longer.

He stood up and walked over to her, tilting her head back in his hands. Gently he leant forward and kissed her, sucking her top lip slowly.  The passion that ran threw their bodies was electric.  Slowly, sensuously they removed each other’s clothes and made passionate love like neither of them had ever known.  Sunlight streamed through the window, and they both felt blissful ecstasy as though they were in heaven.

Chapter XII

As they lay in each other’s arms after what had turned into three days passionate love making, Jacob could hold it in no longer.

“Jemima” he said. “There is something I have to tell you.”

“No wait.” She said.

“I must tell you something first, because it may change what you say, and I cannot lie to you any longer.”

“Nothing could change what I have to say.” replied Jacob.

“Okay, anyway, you first.” He continued.

“I am a prostitute.” She said.

“What?!” he asked incredulously.

Jemima turned her head away sadly.

“I knew you would feel this way.” She said quietly, and got up to get out of bed.

“Jemima, no, wait.”

He held her back.

She turned to him in tears.

“You don’t understand, my brother is ill, my mother is old and cannot work, and I have never known who my father is.  They need me.  There is no work for people like myself, not enough to support two other people.  I don’t like what I do, but I do it for them.”

“You must stop.” Replied Jacob.

“Don’t you understand?  I have to.  I need to support my family.”

“I will help you.” Replied Jacob.

“How?  You have told me you have no money.”

“That isn’t exactly true.” Jacob responded.

“You see, this is what I have to tell you.  I am a Prince.  I am Prince Jacob of Bulgaria.  I am engaged to be married to a woman I do not like, let alone love, and I am destined to be King of this country.”

Jemima looked at him as though he had just landed from Mars.

The silence was deafening.

She was totally stunned.

“You must be joking.” She said.

“Ha my darling, no, no, strange as it may seem, I am certainly not joking.”

“Right, so I have just been taking care of a Prince, who has fallen in love with me, and is going to look after me for the rest of my life.”

Jacob smiled.

“It looks that way.” He said softly taking her hand.

Chapter XIII

Jacob took a deep breath before phoning his father.   He hesitated and then dialled the number of the palace with his father’s private extension.

The phone in the King Alal’s room rung.

“What the devil?” the King thought.

“Only Jacob and his mother have that number.  Jacob!  Oh my God!”

He rushed to the phone.

“Hello!  Hello!”

“Father.  It is me Jacob.  Look, there is something I have to tell you.  I have fallen in love.  Her name is Jemima.  I do not want to marry Natasha.  I don’t care what anybody says, but I am not returning to the palace unless Jemima is to be my bride.   I love her.  She has shown me kindness like I have never known.  This may sound crazy, but I mean it.”

“Jacob!” his father cried.

“You are alive!  Oh my god, I am so happy!”

Jacob paused.  His father was normally strict with him, and he had never known if he cared about him or not.  It had only been his mother who had shown him love.

“Yes father, I am alive.”

“Oh my!  Son!”  The King wiped tears from his eyes.

“Of course!  You can marry whomever you like!  Please please!  Come home immediately!”

Arrangements at the palace were soon made for Natasha to be removed from the quarters of Prince Jacob.  She was told nothing.  She was given no information that any news had come in from Prince Jacob, yet she was asked to leave the palace, and given a sum of €75,000 for her speedy and quiet departure, upon signature that she would disclose no information and remain quiet and cause no interference at the palace from then on.

There was little else she could do, so Natasha signed the piece of paper and soon left the palace quarters, a heaviness and despair in her heart.  Though it was true she had never really loved the prince, she did so dearly want to have been Queen.  As she exited the palace, she took one last look behind at its grand walls, and got inside the waiting chauffeured car.

“To Paris.” She told the driver. 

Perhaps she would find love there.

Chapter XIV

When Prince Jacob and his new bride to be arrived at the palace the King was overjoyed to once again be reunited with his son.

“My darling boy.”  He hugged his son warmly.  Jacob could not remember even one time his father his hugged him.  He hugged him tightly back.  They looked at each other with deep love in their eyes.

“Father ……”  Jacob took Jemima’s hand.

“I want you to meet an angel.  Her name is Jemima.”

Jemima stepped forward to meet the King.

“Jemima!” The King said gladly, like her immediately, due to her natural grace and charm.

“My, my, my son is a lucky man.”

Jemima blushed, hardly able to believe what was happening to her.

“It is an honour to meet you Sir.”

“The honour is all mine.” The King replied.

Chapter XV

Jemima and her Prince spent the days following in blissful harmony.  Soon a public announcement was made of the Prince’s new engagement to a mysterious Danish beauty.  As Jemima wandered the palace grounds, settling into her new role, she could hardly believe how her life had turned around.  Her mother and brother were both granted residence on the palace grounds, and she was overjoyed to be reunited with them once again.  Never had she been so happy.

It seemed that her and Jacob fell deeper in love the more time they spent together and they could not get enough of each other.

Jacob had honoured Jemima’s dreams, and allowed her to set up four different charities, one for the homeless, one for children, one for war torn countries, and one for the disabled.  They were each funded with €10 million, and Jemima was overjoyed at the love she was suddenly able to bring others.  Jacob admired her so for her compassion.

She looked at the beautifully tendered gardens of the palace out of the bedroom window as Jacob padded barefoot across the carpet over toward her to take her hand.

“Dreams really do come true.” She thought to herself.

THE END