Page 12 of Kissed By Songs of Lilies

"And now for the matter of my payment," prompted the frog.

I nodded. "What items would you like? I have gold and jewelry."

"You promised I could stay by your side."

I couldn’t bring a frog into the palace, especially a talking one! My father would never permit such blatant sorcery. I frowned. "I cannot allow you to stay by my side, but I can provide you with riches. Name it, and it shall be yours."

If it was possible, the frog looked angry. His bulbous eyes were narrowed, so that only black slits showed. He emitted a terrible, furious screech. Then he said, "I have already named my price."

CHAPTER 6

The Stolen Bride

Clearly, there was no reasoning with frogs.

So, I did what any reasonable woman would—ran home and hoped never to return to the pond again.

Later that evening, I joined my father at the dinner table. Outside, the sun was setting, and the trees were swaying in a gentle wind. It would be a good night to sit on one of our large covered porches.

Magnolia was running late, a common occurrence, and we were just about to start our first course without her.

"No sense is letting the food grow cold," my father said.

I draped my napkin in my lap and was poised to take my first bite of lamb when we were interrupted by a loud knock on the front door.

"Who would knock at the dinner hour? And unannounced?" my father boomed.

The knocking didn’t stop. It was loud and insistent. Finally, my father gave a permissive wave, and a servant left to answer the door.

The servant returned with the man from the pond, the one who had so gallantly gifted me his traveling cloak, the man with piercing green eyes and magnetic pull.

I blushed and smiled up at him uncertainly.

He didn’t look at me. Instead, he turned toward my father. "Your daughter has promised me her hand in marriage. I’ve come to collect her."

My mouth fell open. How could he say such a thing? I ran through our entire conversation from the night before, trying to think of anything I might have said to mislead him. I hadn’t even accepted a dance, certainly not a marriage proposal.

Finally, I came to my senses and declared, "I have made no such promise!"

My father sat in stunned silence. His eyes flicked between me and the man, trying to understand what was happening. After a long moment, he stood and walked toward the man. "Who are you?"

The man’s green eyes glimmered as he replied, "A powerful man. One you do not wish to have as your enemy."

My father raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Are you with one of the visiting kingdoms? What is your name?"

He ignored my father’s question. "I asked your daughter to stay with me always, and she consented. She disrobed in front of me."

My father glanced back at me, but he didn’t meet my eyes.

My cheeks were beet red, and if I could have dissolved into a puddle and seeped through the palace floor, I would have done so at once. How dare he invite himself into our home, approach my father at our table, and attempt to malign my virtue in some misguided proposal?

"She accepted jewelry," he continued.

"What?" I gasped out loud. I hadn’t taken jewelry from him, only a cloak and one I would be more than happy to return. Anything to see this stranger out of my house.

"This afternoon by the pond," he added with a wicked grin.

My father held up a silencing hand. "No more. Daughter, what say you?"

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