Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 King Mica and Rand strode back into the palace with a flurry.  Queen Aria
met them in the front hall.  After kissing both her son and husband hello,
she got straight to the point.

   "We have two visitors in the study.  They came to me with the wild tale
of a kidnaping.  I have kept them as our guest until you arrived.  I knew
that you would want to question both of them." She told them as she led
them to the study.  Before opening the door, she stopped and looked at her
son.  "Have you tried to merge with Gracie?"

   "Yeah, when I first was told.  Nothing but blankness.  So wherever she
is she is knocked out cold.  We have to find her." Rand growled as a slight
tremor shook his large frame.  Looking at her son with concern, she turned
and caught her husband's gaze.

   "How long has he been like this?"

   "Since he went to bed last night." He told her softly.  "We have to do
something quick.  He's not going to be able to control the mezclar much
longer.  The new moon is too close."

   "Let me worry about that." Rand said fiercely.  "First, lets find my
bride." he said as he opened the door to the study.  * * * * * When Gracie
awoke, her head was throbbing.  She was laying down on some kind of bed. 
Moving slowly, she sat up and tried to shake the cobwebs from her head. 
Which only lead to more throbbing.  Groaning softly, she sat holding her
head between her trembling hands.

   "Ah, I see that sleeping beauty has awoken." A shrill woman's voice said
breaking through her throbbing head.  Looking up slowly, Gracie saw a woman
about her own age.  She looked vaguely familiar but Gracie couldn't quite
place her.

   "What do you want with me?" Grace asked softly.

   "Not a damn thing.  It's what you have, that I want."

   "What I have?  If you want money, I can get you that.  I don't have a
lot but I do have some." Gracie told the shrill woman.

   "Money!  Ha!  I don't want your money Grace O'Connor.  I have plenty of
my own." The woman told her.  Walking closer, she grasped Gracie's chin and
made eye contact with groggy woman.  "What I want is the one thing that you
stole from me ten years ago."

   "What?  I've never stole a damn thing." Gracie protested.

   "Really.  And I suppose Prince Randall, is nothing?" The woman asked her
viciously.

   "This is about Rand?" Gracie asked in disbelief.

   "It's always been about Rand.  And your highhandedness in thinking that
you could have a Prince." The woman snarled, releasing her chin.  "So what
we're going to do is make it so Rand won't be able to marry you."

   Gracie could barely believe what she was hearing.  Searching the woman's
face, she struggled to place her.  Then when she spun around and headed to
the door, Gracie realized who she was.

   "Princess Deanna?"

   "Ah, I see the little toadstool has finally remembered who I am." The
woman taunted.

   "You said something about making it so Rand won't marry me?"

   "Yes.  He should have been mine." Deanna hissed.

   "Good luck.  I've tried everything in my power to get out of my
betrothal with that man.  Only way out is to have him call it off.  And he
won't.  Maybe you'll have better luck than I have."

   "Really.  I think that I shall be able to convince him.  Do you know
about the Royal Law, little toadstool?"

   "I turned that law inside out." Gracie said hotly.  "There's no
loopholes in it."

   "Ah, but there is." Deanna laughed.  "It states in that for a royal to
marry both the royal and his or her chosen has to be pure upon their
wedding day."

   "What?  Surely no one continues with that antiquated law." Gracie said
softly.

   "Oh yes.  Your betrothed is still untouched.  Despite my numerous
attempts to seduce him." Deanna hissed.  Then calming herself, she
continued, "So the only other option is for you to, shall we say, be
soiled. Which my cousin will be more than happy to do." She said referring
to the stone faced man that stood behind her.

   "Deanna, I never agreed to rape her." Charles protested.  "I love you.
We're bonded.  I can't sleep with her.  I can't be with her or any other
woman.  Just like you can't be with any other man."

   "What?  You never said anything about that when you asked me to bond
with you." she screamed.

   "You know the rules of our society, Deanna.  You just chose to believe
that you were above them." He quietly explained.

   "I'm the Princess, I can do anything I want." She cried out.

   "Yes, you can.  Except sleep with another man." He said calmly.

   "Then why did you kidnap her?" Deanna cried.

   "Because you asked me to.  But in the end, he'll have her back.  She's
his chosen.  They have bonded.  But there is nothing that says he doesn't
have to suffer first.  He hurt you, so in turn I hurt him by stealing his
love." Charles explained.  Pulling Deanna into his arms he bent and nuzzled
her ear.  "In the end, it'll end up being Rand and Gracie, and Deanna and
Charles.  As it was always meant to be." He growled before tugging on her
ear lobe.

   "But he rejected me." She moaned softly.

   "Aye, and drove you into my arms.  In away I think I should thank him."
He whispered before capturing her lips under his.

   "NO!" An anguished voice came from the door way.  "She's mine."

   Gracie mind whirled at the scene unfolding in front of her.  How had her
life became so complicated?  She recognized the man standing behind
Princess Deanna and Charles.  She had seen him around the palace before
with Jonathan.  He was Jonathan's new assistant.  What was his name?

   "William." Deanna soothed.  "I've told you before that you could never
have me."

   "I betrayed my future king to have you!" He snarled.  "I love you.  I
thought I would have to share you with Rand but not him." He said pointing
to Charles.  * * * * * Rand recognized both men that occupied his mother's
study.  He and Gracie had gone to school with Alexander and Thomas.

   "Alex, Tom." He said in lieu of a greeting.  "Tell me what happened to
Gracie."

   As the story spilled out of Alex, Rand paced back and forth. 
<i>Rand</i> He paused.  <i>Gracie, where are you?</i> <i>I don't know. 
Please, hurry.</i> She whispered.  He was jerked back to the present when
his father nudged him.  Focusing his attention on the men he listened to
the rest of their explanation.

   When Alex was finally done explaining, Rand sighed.  He was very angry
about Alex's part in Gracie's kidnaping but his rational side told him that
the man had only acted to protect Thomas.

   "Damn it!" He growled, struggling with his anger.  Then taking a deep
breath, he pushed it aside and turned back to the upset couple.  "I know
Alex that you felt like you had no choice in the matter.  You had to
protect Tom...and I commend you on that.  Now, lets go and get my Gracie
back." He told them.  * * * * * Gracie sat huddled on the rumpled bed and
watched with horror as William came into the room.  His once immaculate
clothes were now rumpled and stained.  He had a wild look in his glazed
eyes.  And she was certain that it wouldn't bode well for her.

   "William." She said softly.  "Please.  Let me go.  I won't tell anyone."

   "I'm afraid it's too late for that Gracie." He said sadly, then turned
to Princess Deanna.  "So there's no hope for me to ever have you then?" He
asked.

   "None." Charles told him as he pulled Deanna closer to his side.  "You
are an offworlder, William.  The bond between Deanna and I is unbreakable.
If you take her away from me, she'll die.  As will I.  Are you willing to
risk that?  You say you love her.  But do you love her enough to let her
go?"

   "Yeah, I do.  But I won't let her go." He said referring to Gracie. 
"She's my ticket outta here.  Once my part in this little charade comes
out, there will be no safe place on this planet for me.  But little Gracie,
over there will be my guaranty that I make it home in one piece." He said
as he pulled a short night stick.  "Now, move out of my way.  I'll take her
and go." He said shortly.

   "Listen to me, William." Princess Deanna pleaded.  "If you kidnap her,
you'll hang." she pleaded trying to get through to the distraught man.

   "And you won't?" he asked.  "What a double standard your little kingdom
has.  The laws only apply to the commoners and not the royalty?" he
growled. Walking over to the bed, he grabbed her arm and yanked her off it.
"Lets go." He told her, twisting her arm up behind her back.  "And none of
your little magic tricks." He growled in her ear.  "Or I'll break it." he
warned, twisting her arm a little higher up.

   "Alright." She gasped as pain radiated from her arm and into her
shoulder.  * * * * * Outside the little cottage, Rand, King Mica, Jonathan,
and Colin crept around the perimeter and surrounded it.  Rand was certain
that Gracie was being held in there.  When he merged with her earlier, he
had gotten the distinct impression that she was being held here.  While she
didn't know exactly where she was at, he had a feeling of her whereabouts
when he merged with her.  It was very much like when he had tracked her
down after she had left him.

   As a tremor shook him, he inhaled sharply.  His time was running out. 
That was why he had asked his father, Colin and Jonathan to accompany him.
The mezclar was nearly at it's eruption point.  He needed to save her but
knew that he was so close to the edge of his control that they wouldn't
make it to the alter before consummating their vows.  Hopefully between the
three of them they could stop him before that happened.

   "You okay?" Jonathan asked him softly as they crept closer to the
cottage.

   "No.  Remember, Jonathan, after we get her back, surround her.  I don't
trust myself.  I'm too close to the edge.  I hate asking now but I don't
want to scare her."

   "We'll take care of it." He assured him.

   "Good, now lets get my queen back." He said before shooting an arrow of
fire at the cottage door.  * * * * * Gracie winced as she was being pushed
roughly to the door.  The pressure on her arm hurt and her head was still
feeling the aftermaths of being knocked out.  She let a shriek when the
door in front of her burst into flame.  She tried to back up instinctively.
She cried out when she felt her shoulder pop out of place.

   In shock, William let go of her and backpedaled.  Out of the flames,
stepped Rand.  And he did not look happy.  She nearly sank to her knees
with relief at the sight of him.

   "You dare to lay hands on her?" He growled as he advanced on the
retreating man.

   "Your highness!" William pleaded.

   "Answer me.  Did you lay hands on my betrothed?" He asked him coldly.

   "I..." William started trying to find a way out of the predicament that
he found himself in.  Looking around wildly he finally focused on Deanna
and Charles.  "She made me do it." He accused.

   "Really?" Rand said coldly, finally noticing Deanna and Charles
presence. "Did she hold a gun to your head?" He asked, looking back at the
cowering man.

   "No.  I love her.  And she didn't want you and her," he said pointing at
Gracie, "to get married."

   "Deanna.  I should have known." Rand growled.  "How many times do I have
to tell you before you get it through your head?  I love Gracie.  She's my
chosen.  There will be no other for me." He told her before turning back
towards the man who was attempting to crawl out of the cottage.

   "William, for your abuse to my chosen, I here by banish you from my
kingdom.  If you set foot on it's soil again you will be killed on sight."
Rand declared.  "Thank you, Your Highness." William said as he scampered
out of the cottage.  Turning back to the other royal couple in the room,
Rand drew a deep breath.  What to do with these two.  Just as he opened his
mouth to speak, he heard a cry.  Spinning around, he saw Jonathan and his
father holding Gracie down, while her father had a hold of her arm.

   "I know it hurts, sweetheart.  Just bear with me." Colin told his
daughter softly.

   "What the hell!" Rand said as he scrambled over to her side.

   "Stay back!" King Mica yelled at his son.  "She'll be fine.  But if you
touch her, she won't be." Rand stopped and glared at him.  "The mezclar."
His dad said softly.

   "But she's in pain." He growled back.

   "Yes.  She has a dislocated shoulder.  We'll pop it back in and she'll
be fine."

   "Do it!" Rand said angrily.  "I don't like her in pain." He turned his
back just as Gracie cried out again.  Gritting his teeth, he turned and
walked out of the cottage.  * * * * * Gracie panted in relief when her
shoulder slid back into place.  Between the pain in her head and the
soothing relief in her shoulder, she could have sworn she heard Rand tell
Deanna that he loved her.  Squirming, she tried to look around her father
and realized that Rand was no longer in the cottage.

   "Rand?" She called.

   <i>Stay there, Gracie.  I'll see you tomorrow morning.</i> His husky
voice filled her head.

   <i>But...</i> she protested.

   <i>Stay, Gracie.  And be ready for me.</i> He told her with sensual
promise <i>Because I'm more than ready for you.</i>

   Then she felt the whisper of his power caress her from head to toe. 
Gasping, it was all she could do not to moan aloud with pleasure as her
body was consumed and began to throb.

   <i>And this only a tenth of what we'll feel</i> He whispered in her
mind.<i>I love you, Gracie and this time tomorrow you'll be mine.</i>