Page 110 of The Truth About Myths
"You." Before she could reply, he caressed her cheek. "It wouldn't be a sacrifice if it didn't hurt."
Isabel closed her eyes and nodded. Nestling in Henrique's arms, she exhaled a contented sigh. She had never allowed herself to consider a future with him. But now, the possibilities opened to them, and she rolled them over in her mouth, savoring their taste. Tart, forbidden, their improbability was the stuff of myths, legends, and quests for king and country. She decided she rather liked it. Yes, she would keep him. It would unleash hell on their heads—her brother would be against it, even Parliament. The press might condemn the alliance. Let them try to separate them—she was more than ready for this fight.
Then she sat up straight. "What about your plans to leave Portugal? Your desire to be valued for your scientific work? I couldn't forgive myself if—"
"Some prudish princess showed me I love Portugal, and if I'm not recognized for my work as a scientist, then the work will have to be reward enough." He shrugged and grinned one of her beloved Henrique's smiles.
She brushed her nose against the folds of his shirt and caught a distinct smell of brine. Only then did she notice his state of undress. No shoes, no coat. "Why are you wet?"
"I came from the river."
"You swam the Tagus?"
He nodded, looking smug, gorgeous, and none the worse for the dunk.
She glared at his unrepentant face. "You could've been killed. Turned into food for the fish." Or worse, for a saucy fisherwoman.
"Nonsense. What would happen if the hero refused the call of duty? How many delicious princesses would fall prey to hungry mythological creatures? I could not allow it, could I? Those creatures from myth are notorious for their bad digestion, and princesses are too difficult to swallow."
Laughing, she swatted his arm. "I will let this pass, just this once, mind you, since a Tagus crossing will be a delightful addition to our myth."
"What myth?"
"The myth of our courtship, of course. Our grandchildren will be entranced by the perils and adventures I endured to save the country and gain the heart of the most handsome male in the kingdom." She tapped her chin. "Hmm, what should I call it?Isassey, like Homer'sOdyssey,orIsabelyad?
"Impudent wench. You will steal all the credit?" He slapped her buttocks.
Isabel squealed. "How dare you slap the royal rump, sir?"
He tackled her to the ground, rolling atop her. Her back met the grass, unleashing the rich scent of wet earth. After sleeping so many nights alone, his weight was delicious, precious, and warm.
Grinning, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners, and he tugged the hem of her dress, exposing her stockings to the elements. "You are right. I'd much rather kiss it."
They laughed and tasted each other's lips, and then he cradled her face. "Before we embarked on our adventure to Spain, I was drifting. Life had become a pleasure ride. From the first day I met you, you've put me on a track toward something. I thought it was Dio's idea of a hero's quest. It was not. You brought meaning to my life, Isabel. Do you know what is the truth about myths? People don't need myths to give meaning to their lives when they have love."
“A princess lives to inspire.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she grinned. "All my life, I feared the only way to defeat death was to live a life of duty, leaving a legacy for others. Now, the only person I wish to live my life for is you."
He kissed her, a kiss to seal fates. They rolled playfully, their bodies renewing their acquaintance. When Isabel wrestled her weight atop him, caging her arms above his head, her hip bumped into something stiff.
It was a gift box. The rickety wood had two holes above it and a bow made of twine.
"What is inside?"
Blushing, Henrique tried maneuvering her away from the gift. "It's nothing."
Isabel lifted herself from atop him and kneeled over the grass. She poked the box, and an angry shuffling came from inside.
Henrique looped his arm around his bent knee and, lowering his chin to his chest, he gazed at her from below his eyelashes. "I enlisted help in case I had trouble securing your forgiveness."
Heart speeding, Isabel opened the lid and gasped. Two downy creatures, not larger than her tiara, lifted their beaks in unison, staring at her through beady black eyes. "You brought me a couple of ugly ducklings?"
Henrique reached inside the box and scooped them in his hands. Gently, he placed them on the grass and pushed them in the pond's direction like a mother hen. While they watched the chicks waddle to the pond, the sunset glinting through their gray feathers, Henrique pecked her cheek.
"They are not ducks."
Startled, Isabel looked at eyes so blue as to be transparent. They hid nothing from her beyond an invitation to dive into its depths. Luckily, she now knew how to swim.
"No?"
