Prelude



Planet Venus, Sister Planet of Earth, 2103

  Grace O’Connor spun around happily, showing her mother, her
prom dress.   It was a full skirted affair with off the shoulder
sleeves in a pale blue.   When she had first seen it in the
window of store she knew that it was everything that she could
have asked for.
  “It’s lovely, dear.”  Her mother said affectionately.  “You
will knock his socks off.”
  “Mother!”  Gracie protested “How many times do I have to remind
you that Rand is going with me as a friend?   He’ll be expected
to marry a princess one day.  He’s not looking for a serious
relationship.   I’m a safe date to take to the prom.”
  “So you say, my love.   But don’t forget the prophesy.”
  “Aw, Mother.   I can’t believe that you believe something that
Auntie Clara told you when I was but a few minutes old?”
  “Auntie Clara has always been right, sweetheart.   She says
that you will find your true mate during the  final dance of the
prom.”
  “Yes, I know but you keep forgetting that this is Rand’s prom,
not mine.”
  “But it would be if you wanted it to.   You have more than
enough credits to graduate this year.”
  Before Gracie could comeback with a suitable argument, the door
bell rang.   Spinning, she rushed to the door.   “I’ll get it.” 
She hollered to her father.
  “No you won’t, Grace O’Connor.  Prince or no prince, your young
man is going to go through the same traditions as any other young
man on the night of his prom.   Including the uncomfortable
conversion with his date’s father.  Go wait with you mother.” 
Colin told his daughter.
  “Oh, Daddy.  I’m not his date.” She protested as her father
opened the door.   Standing on the doorstep was Prince Randall
Carthwright.
  “Really?”  Colin asked his daughter over his shoulder.   “Shall
I ask him?”  At her embarrassed flush, he turned back to Rand. 
“Well, young man.  Is my daughter your date for the prom?”  Colin
asked with a devilish gleam in his eyes.
  “Yes, sir.”  Rand replied, trying to catch a glimpse of Gracie.

  “See there Grace, it’s settled.  You are his date.  Quit trying
to fool yourself into believing anything different.”  Turning
back towards the Prince, Colin shook the hand that Rand had
extended to him.
  “How are you this evening, sir.”  Rand asked very solemnly.
  “Good, young man.   I suppose you would like to see my
daughter?”  Colin asked him dryly.
  “Yes, Sir.”  Rand said with a twinkle in his eye.   The mock
formality between them was just that.  He had called Colin, Uncle
Colin since his boyhood.
  “Well, come in then.”   Colin said with laughter in his voice.
  “Yes, sir.”  Rand replied as he crossed the threshold.   Any
amusement Rand had been feeling disappeared when he caught sight
of Gracie.
  “Damn, you clean up good, Gracie.”  He said hoarsely.  
Something inside of him awoke.  Frowning slightly he tried to
identify the new sensation but was distracted when Gracie stepped
forward with a flower to pin on his lapel.  Looking down he saw
that it was one of her prized orchids from her garden.
  “I thought you might like this.” Gracie said with a smile.  “I
know that most other flowers make you sneeze.  But you seem to
tolerate these okay.”
  “Yes, since you enchanted your mother’s garden, I’ve been able
to enjoy the flowers without the annoying sneezing.”

  Later that evening, after they arrived at the prom, amide the
usual fanfare that always followed the Prince, Gracie tried to
relax.   She wasn’t use to all the publicity that he took for
granted.   Usually she would see him at the palace and in private
quarters at that.   Rand seemed to enjoy the quiet time they
shared.  With each flash of the reporter’s cameras, Gracie
withdrew more and more.   Gracie thought that it wouldn’t be so
bad if the cameras didn’t come equipped with nosy reporters.   
One particular reporter went as far as eluding to the fact that
every girl and boy lost their virginity on prom night.   And if
she was planning on breaking the prince in proper.  Luckily for
the reporter Rand hadn’t heard the snide comment that the
reporter had said.    When the dancing began, Gracie began to
loosen up.   She loved dancing and it showed.   She danced
several fast dances with Rand along with Jonathan, the third
musketeer of their group.  When the music slowed after several
fast dances, Gracie was looking forward to being able to get a
glass of cold punch.  As she left the floor, she felt a warm hand
grasp her elbow.  Looking over her shoulder she smiled at Rand.
  “You want a drink too?”  She asked breathlessly from all the
dancing.
  “No.  You’re my date,  you get the first slow dance.” he said
as he drug her back onto the dance floor.  After pulling her into
his arms, he whispered, “you have to protect me from them.”
  “Who?”  She whispered back.
  “The princess and her ladies.”
  “Get real, Rand.   They are harmless and you know it.   You
can’t run from the Princess forever.  Eventually one day you will
have to marry her.  Princes always marry Princesses.  But I’ll
dance with you anyways.”  She finished as he spun her around.
  “Nope.   I’ll pick my own bride.   No princesses for this
prince.   Maybe I’ll marry you Gracie.”
  “Right.”  She laughed.   “I just can see me marrying the future
King.   What’s wrong with this picture?” She joked, her mind
contemplating the idea.   It sounded like a daydream come true.
  “You laugh now.”  Rand joked.  “Just wait and see.”
  The rest of the evening flew by like a dream.   Somehow she had
managed to avoid the worst of the reporters, and had danced most
of the night away with Jonathan and Rand.   She never realized
that none of the  other boys approached her.   Then came the time
for the crowning of the King and Queen of the prom.   It didn’t
surprise her when they choose Rand and Princess Deanna.  
Standing along the edge of the crowd she noticed how perfect they
looked together.   When they took their spin around the dance
floor, Gracie decided that Rand wasn’t for her.    As much as she
wanted it to be so, he  was destined for bigger and better things
than his father’s adviser’s daughter.   But she made a vow to
enjoy the rest of her night.    After the end of the school year
Rand would be going off to college and she wouldn’t be seeing
much of him.
  When they called for the last dance of the night,   Rand
collected Gracie from Jonathan and pulled her back out onto the
nearly deserted dance floor.    She never saw the look of hatred
that Princess Deanna, shot her way.   But it wouldn’t have
surprised her.   She had butted heads with the arrogant princess
earlier in the ladies bathroom.    The princess had made some
comment about Rand taking her out of pity.   She had let it roll
off her back and went back out to dance with Rand.   She was
going to enjoy every last moment she had with him.
  As the music started he smiled softly and pulled her close as
they started to move.    “Have a good time tonight, Gracie?’
  “Yes.”
  “Good.”  He replied as he pulled her even closer.   All night,
he had been trying to figure out what had stirred earlier tonight
when he picked her up.   The same sensation had swept through him
every time he had gotten within touching distance of Gracie.  It
had finally come to him as he pulled her closer to him as they
danced.  MINE!   The revelation cause him stumble against Gracie.
  After he nearly stepped on her toe, he told himself to get a
grip on himself.   As the lights grew dimmer, he looked down at
his best friend.   He had never thought that his mate would be so
close at hand.  She was so young as he was.   His mind whirling
he tried to take in the complications this revelation was going
to cause.    He had to give them both time.  Staring down at the
top of her head he decided to wait until they were both out of
school before claiming her.   NO, MINE, the inner voice shrieked.
 Eventually, he soothed.   Just then Gracie lifted her head to
look at him.   He stared like a starving man at her soft lips.  
What he wouldn’t give to steal a kiss from her.  Leaning down he
gave her every opportunity to pull back.  Just as his lips
started to brush against hers, the spotlight landed on them.  
His head shot up with surprise.  When Gracie pulled back he
looked back at her.  Just in time to see a bolt of lightening
come from Princess Deanna.    Turning in unison they both
projected a shield to protect themselves.   Rand growled angrily
and pulled Gracie closer to him.   “You alright?”   He asked
harshly.
  “Yes”   When Rand released her, she smiled almost sadly at him.
 “I guess your Princess is a bit jealous.”
  “She’s not mine!”  Rand said hotly.  “You are!”
  “Yes, I am.  Jealous that she will one day take my place. “ She
replied deliberately ignoring the undercurrents she could feel
flowing between them.   She knew that she wanted to be his to the
deepest part of her being.  But she was to proud to throw herself
at him, like every other woman that came into contact with him.
It was just a moment out of time.   She wouldn’t let him make any
claims in this moment.  Maybe never.
  Rand and Jonathan pulled away from Gracie’s house after
dropping her off.   Sitting beside his other best friend, Rand
stared rather moodily at the ceiling of the limo.
  “You want to talk about it.” Jonathan asked as he loosened his
tie.
  “She’s the one.”  Rand said without looking over at him.
  “I suspected as much.”  Jonathan said “And after your powers
intertwined on the dance floor it was pretty much a dead
giveaway.”
  “What!”  Rand exclaimed looking over at Jonathan with shock on
his face.
  “Yes.    That shield that you two threw up could have withstood
a nuclear bomb instead of a little measly lightening bolt that
Princess Deanna tried to throw at you.”
  “So what do I do?”
  “Does she realize it yet?”
  “I told her that she was but she didn’t take me seriously.”
  “Well, it’s either bide your time or bring her kicking and
screaming into your world.”