My yesterday, my tomorrow

2017, June 4th

CC was thrilled to be back home with her family. When she decided to go to boarding school this year after her father had been nagging her about it for years, she didn't realize just how much she would miss them. London was a different world. CC quickly grew accustomed to freedoms that being a princess had never allowed her, the kind of freedom Aaron always seemed to be able to snatch despite being a future crown prince.

As amazing as that freedom was, London didn't have him. Coming back right before midterms was asking for trouble, but she didn't care. It was Bart’s birthday and she meant to see him. This was the year she was going to dance with him, consequences be damned. It really had been too long and the yearning was probably going to her head, but she meant it this time.

"Watch out Lord Bartholomew Arden, because I'm coming for you," she said to herself, smiling down at the bracelet around her wrist.

Bart gave it to her the first time they met. CC and her brothers were at a playground with Cassie and CC got lost. She was sitting on the roundabout crying her eyes out when it happened. A dark-haired boy with eyes a deeper blue than Aaron's came right up to her and put a bracelet around her wrist. It was made of golden beads and had a little blue heart at the one end of it. He plopped down next to her, rubbing her back with his little hand, not saying a single word. The crying stopped and she looked down at her wrist curiously.

"What is this?" she asked with a sniff.

"I already had the gum," he said, sticking his tongue out to show it to her, "but you can have the bracelet. I was going to throw it away anyway."

She asked a million questions. Who was he? When would her family come and find her? Bart didn't speak again. He just sat there, rubbing her back until Cassie showed up. CC jumped up and flew into Cassie's arms. When CC looked again he was already gone.

The next time she saw him it was at a ball with his parents. Like that they kept showing up in front of each other, but because of the animosity between their parents Bart did his best to stay clear of her. CC, true to her last name, did no such thing. She looked for him at every ball, every feast, every outing with her family and decidedly would not be ignored.

CC loved her brothers like nothing else. They were her absolute favorite people, but even they came second to Bart. Even though they never met for long periods, only exchanging little phrases when she was able to sneak away to find him, she just couldn't stop watching him, looking for little ways to make moments with him. As the years went by, the more he put distance between them because of their last names, the more she sought him out.

She didn't need to be told that he cared for her. While most people found him hard to read or simply too intimidating to want to read, she could tell within minutes of seeing him whether he was having a good day or not, whether he was happy or sad. Maybe she wasn't being fair to most people though. After all, they hadn't been studying his eyes since they were eight.

"Are you ready to go?" Aaron asked, pulling CC out of her thoughts as he entered her room.

"I sure am," she answered, smiling brightly.

Aaron took her in. Few women were as truly stunning as CC in a ball gown.

"I missed you, you know?" he said, taking her hand and twirling her around.

"I missed you too Ronnie,” she said, giggling in delight.

He raised an eyebrow at her, his eyes falling on her wrist.

"Not taking the toy off tonight?"

"Nope, not tonight," she beamed.

"You better not be plotting anything. Henry already has some mystery guest he wants me to entertain tonight. I can't be worrying about rescuing your reckless ass too," Aaron warned, raising his hands in the air in surrender as CC’s smile turned into a frown. "Just make sure mother doesn't see it. She'll blow a gasket."

CC kissed Aaron's cheek and promptly brightened up once more.

"Thanks Ronnie."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, holding out his bent arm to her.

It turned out King Henry's mystery guest was less Aaron's problem and more CC's.

"You're not marrying her off to the son of the King of Wars. That's literally what they call his dad!" Aaron raged.

They were on their way to the Arden residence for Lord Bartholomew’s birthday. How CC had talked their parents into coming Aaron had no idea. But CC wanted them in this limo tonight, driving over to this waste of time of a ball and so they were.

"Lower your voice! You're not a child. You know how these things work. This is a great opportunity for Terres Somnia to form a mutually beneficial alliance," King Henry returned firmly.

"Caroline is not a piece of land, Henry! She'll be miserable marrying some guy she doesn't even know! Mom, come on!" Aaron persisted.

Queen Mary looked between King Henry and Aaron, taking a moment to consider her response.

"Nothing's been decided yet. He's just here to see CC at this point, nothing more.”

CC had gone quiet. She hadn't grasped the courage to tell her King Henry yet, but CC applied to fashion schools. Caroline Condor had no intention of falling in line, especially when the man in question wasn't Bart.

When they arrived at the Arden residence, CC decided to find a way to deal with the issue of Prince Troy later. Experience had taught her that she wouldn't get a lot of time to find Bart and ask him to dance. Something would come inevitably come up. Tonight that something would be Prince Troy. She had to avoid him long enough to get to Bart. Even if it was just one dance, tonight was their night. She would make it happen no matter how hard he tried to avoid her or how many dukes, lords and princes came before her.

CC saw Bart right after their arrival was announced. For a moment she couldn't make herself move, her face breaking out into a smile. To the untrained eye, Bart's eyes gave nothing away, but even from this distance she knew he was overjoyed to see her. He had positioned himself strategically, on the second level of the ballroom, no doubt so that he could see her the moment she walked in. Unfortunately this excellent positioning served him in more than one way. Bart must know that his being so far from the entrance would make it difficult for her to get to him.

This coupled with the fact that he had now turned his back on her couldn't but upset her. Still, this was just who he was. Logical, loyal, thoughtful, annoyingly practical. She knew it was madness. Had she loved him half as much as she did, she might have been more sensible herself. But as it was, CC was ruined for other men by their meeting that day in that park and every other encounter since.

Determined to have that dance, CC braced herself and picked up the skirt of her dress. She made her way through dozens of apologies and excuses, looking up at him every time she managed to progress even a little.

She had just about gotten through the worst of it, the men in the room seeming to take the hint, when he showed up. Out of time. He had been too quick for her. Prince Troy bowed gracefully for her and she gave a quick curtsy. Desire defied reason. Her efforts to escape now would be in vain, but she tried anyway. Everything in her called out to Bart.

“Prince–” Prince Troy began, pulling CC out of her thoughts.

“I know who you are,” she said impatiently, stopping in her tracks.

CC liked princes the least. They were the most entitled and demanding and this one had been sent by her father, so she could hardly say no.

“A woman after my own heart. No introductions needed then, Princess Caroline,” he said, bowing gracefully again before holding out a hand for her. “However, I certainly wouldn’t say no to a dance.”

The internal panic happening inside her combined with his regal gaze made her unable to think straight. He took a step forward and then two. Their eyes met. Magnetic, warm, hypnotic, brown eyes swept over her. He gave off an aura, something between charming and devious. There would be no denying his arrogant face. She had to be civil. Even the smallest slip could cause offense.

Prince Troy didn't know about the man in CC's heart. He only knew what he wanted was a dance with the breathtaking woman whose hand in marriage had been promised to him. He saw the hesitation in her eyes as she contemplated fleeing and chuckled softly. He'd never had a woman want to flee from him before.

"No?" he asked, knowing very well that she couldn't refuse him.

People were beginning to stare at the pair as they stood frozen on the dancefloor.

"I regret that I have someplace to be at present, Your Highness," she answered bravely.

She stepped aside once more. He took her hand seamlessly and pulled her towards him in one fluid motion.

"Then we'd best make it a quick, little dance," he said, dipping her.

The trouble with Bart was that he'd been an indifferent lover. If CC could only put herself in his arms, undoubtedly it would be magical. She had successfully escaped all the others, but Prince Troy wasn't like the rest. He was charisma itself. Dripped confidence. With such a man demanding her attention, not shying away from it like Bart did, how could it not be that there was more than the fear of offending him that made her stay?

"Very well," she agreed. "One dance."

As they swayed to the romantic melody the orchestra playing in the background had floating through the room, Prince Troy said, "If I am to release you, dear princess, I'm afraid I will have to know what this urgent errand is that takes you from me."

She fought with herself not to look at either Bart or Troy.

"I'm afraid I cannot share that information with you, Your Highness."

Troy spun her out and back to him, tilting her chin up to his face with his index finger.

"Then I'm afraid I must, very politely, decline your offer to leave."

She laughed without meaning to. No sooner had she done it than her eyes went up to Bart's. As expected, he was looking on with livid eyes, his head ready to explode. The more CC wanted to look away, the angrier Bart seemed to get. When at last the song ended, she let go abruptly.

"Forgive me, Your Highness," she said, lifting her gown to curtsy again as she prepared to leave.

Showing up almost out of nowhere, Aaron’s voice filled the air.

"Aren't you two getting on like a house on fire?"

Shit. He was shitfaced, probably because Emily Maine was nowhere to be found. That explained the redhead.

"Isn't my sister beautiful, Your Highness?" Aaron asked, flinging an arm around Prince Troy's shoulders.

"I never met with a creature as lovely and radiant as your sister, Prince Aaron," Prince Troy said, taking CC’s hand and kissing it.

"Good! Dance then! Dance more!" he said, throwing CC at Prince Troy.

CC's heart was beating a million miles a minute. Where the fuck was her brother?! The one who was dead set against this marriage. She ripped her hand out of Prince Troy's.

"Excuse us," she said, dragging Aaron off the dancefloor. "What the hell?!"

"What the hell me?! What the hell you CC?! I saw you making eyes at the Arden kid, stomping your way over to him. What are you thinking?!"

"Ronnie..."

She looked ready to burst into tears. Aaron knew about CC and Bart's little back and forth. He had known about it since it began, nine years ago, when she was eight. At first it was harmless. Cute even. But CC’s attraction to Bart didn’t fizzle out as she grew older, it simply grew. No matter how many times Aaron warned her not to, she always sought him out. Once she’d succeeded in finding him, which was the case more times than not, Bart was a goner. He had the same tell tale signs that she did. Even the stuck up, responsible prick wasn’t immune to the charms of a beautiful woman. Aaron just wished that woman wasn’t his sister.

“Let’s just get through this night with Prince Troy and get you unengaged somehow, okay? We’ll deal with your Lord Bart obsession later,” Aaron beckoned with a sigh.

Aaron took her hand and led her back out onto the dancefloor, handing her over to Prince Troy. He made sure not to look back. He himself was not immune to the charms of his baby sister.

CC was still wavering as Prince Troy held out his hand for her to take again. She was practically on the verge of tears. He followed her gaze up to Bart.

“I see. It would appear that my fiancee’s affections are otherwise engaged,” Troy said.

It was not a question, it was a statement of fact. By now Bart was kissing someone else’s hand. Getting ready to dance with her. Who the woman was hardly mattered, because Bart was an idiot. Why didn’t he wait to hear CC’s explanation? After she’d manipulated and schemed to be here tonight, all just to see him. Doubt set in. Were Bart and Aaron right all along? Was there no future for her and Bart?

CC gave her attention back to Prince Troy.

“Not at all, Your Highness,” she answered, giving him her hand again.

Two could play at that game, she decided.

“And the answer is yes, not that anyone asked me, but I will marry you,” she said tightly as they started dancing again.

Prince Troy looked back and forth between Bart and CC, the latter having gone back to shooting flames of anger at each other.

“Is that so?” Prince Troy asked. “Very well. Let’s seal the deal with a kiss.”

Prince Troy might as well have been talking to someone else. CC and Bart were both drowning in each other. They might have been dancing with different people, but they were in their own world. As such, they were both blown away when the woman Bart was dancing with kissed him on the cheek.

“Sure,” CC said absentmindedly.

CC heard the question and heard herself answer. Who could say if she meant it or not? The poor girl was having her heart broken as she spoke the word. The CC that had said yes to Prince Troy’s proposal of marriage and the sealing thereof with a kiss was watching Bart have their magical moment with another woman.

Prince Troy was not the kind of man who made moves without permission and he certainly wasn’t the kind of man who forced himself in between a budding romance. He was, however, the kind of man who took what he was promised. Someone not to be ignored.

It really hadn’t been his intent to get so swept up in all this. He’d honestly been leading CC into a rejection. He even knew that she was distracted and didn’t mean what she was saying, but damn if her red lips weren’t calling out to his. The perfect prince convinced himself that she had meant it after all and went in for the kiss.

By the time CC realized what she’d done, Prince Troy’s lips were on hers, his hand holding onto the back of her head. Just like that, she had had her first kiss, the one she’d been saving for Bart. As she pushed him away, she felt her heart break all the way. Her eyes flew up to Bart, but his back was already turned to her. He had seen and everything was over before anything could even get started.

Seeing CC push Prince Troy away with tears in her eyes, Aaron went up to Prince Troy and, without a second thought, punched him square in the face.

“Wedding’s off!” Aaron yelled angrily.

If CC and Prince Troy hadn’t already created a scene, Aaron certainly had. Aaron took CC’s hand and rushed her out of the Arden residence before King Henry and Queen Mary could get wind of what happened. No words were exchanged as Aaron bundled CC into the backseat of the limo.

“What the hell just happened?!” Aaron screamed once they were on the road.

CC was crying silent tears, staring melancholically out of the window.

“I agreed to marry him,” she answered blankly.

“What?! Why?!”

“I don’t know! I don’t know.”

Aaron dragged his hand over his face and sighed.

“Well, for better or worse, the wedding’s off now.”

“I lost him, Ronnie.”

Aaron looked at his sister and smiled. No one knew better than him what unrequited affection looked like. CC’s was decidedly not unrequited.

“Believe me, the way he was looking at you, the only one losing it was Bart.”

Even as the words came out of his mouth, Aaron knew that it hardly mattered. Bartholomew Arden would never date, nevermind marry Caroline Condor. Their fathers would sooner burn Terres Somnia to the ground than see it happen. Perhaps for the first time, Aaron finally understood. CC didn’t have a thing for Bart. She was in love with him, had been for nine years. As he sat next to her trying to figure out what they were going to do about the angry Prince Troy, he put his arm around his sister.

“Why did it have to be an Arden, CC? Couldn’t you be into literally anyone else?”

“If only. There will probably never be anyone else. He’s my yesterday, my tomorrow,” she said, the tears streaking her cheeks, making her makeup run.

Shortly after their arrival at the palace, Aaron and CC were sent for by their parents. Sitting up there on his throne with Queen Mary at his side, glaring down at his children, King Henry looked every bit as imposing as he intended to.

“Before, your marriage to Prince Troy was an option. Now, it’s an order,” said King Henry, his ruthless voice bouncing off of the walls of the near empty throne room.

With that, King Henry rose and left the room.

“Mama!” CC cried.

“After the stunt the two of you pulled, Warlanda is threatening war. There are no alternatives Caroline. You will marry this man,” Queen Mary informed her daughter curtly, promptly following the king out the room.