~ The Good Knight Kiss ~

by

Roberta Olsen Major

Princess?"

With a start, Honoria came back to the present.

"This errand for your dad," Sir Gabriel said. "It’s mostly reconnaissance. I’m to gather a few tidbits of information--in a strictly social setting--about the two sons of the Duke of Fisticuffs."

"No dragons to slay?" Honoria’s mouth wore a hint of a grin.

"I wish," Sir Gabe said wistfully. "But, speaking of dragons, I have a little favor I meant to ask of you before I left."

"No," Honoria said immediately. "You can just forget it, Sir Gabriel."

"I haven’t even asked yet," he protested.

"Not today," Honoria pointed out, "but every other day for the past two years."

"What could it hurt?" he coaxed. "One ruddy little charm--"

"I will not make a love charm and slip it to Vivacia so she’ll suddenly return Sir Calabash’s misguided regard."

"He’s miserable, Princess," Sir Gabe said. "How can someone as young as you be so hard-hearted?"

Honoria sighed. "In the first place," she said, "if he’s miserable without her, he’ll be a hundred times more miserable with her. Trust me on this." She pushed her spectacles back into place. "In the second place, would you really want your friend to spend his life with a girl who had to be charmed into loving him?"

"It’d be a ruddy sight better than having to listen to his endless moaning," Sir Gabe muttered.

"And in the third place," Honoria went on, "I’m an herbalist, not a magician. I can nurture and encourage seeds that are already there, but there is no seed of anything in Vivacia to nurture and encourage where Sir Calabash is concerned. The only person she’ll ever love is herself."

"So that’s a ‘no’, then?"

"Yes," Honoria said, "it’s a ‘no’. If you want to do something to help Sir Calabash out of the doldrums, invite him along on your errand. Get him out of the castle. Encourage him to look around a little. I’m sure there are dozens of lovely young ladies out there just waiting to catch the eye of a knight like Sir Calabash."

"So you’re turning into a matchmaker like your father, are you?"

"I’m just a problem-solver," she said firmly.

"Then solve the problem of how much it stinks up here," Sir Gabe suggested as he headed out. "See you later, Princess."

"Wait!" Honoria plucked up a handful of dried herbs and tied them into a silk bag, which she tossed to Sir Gabriel.

"So you changed your mind, did you, Princess?"

"It’s not a love charm," Honoria said. "It’s just a bundle of heart’s-ease."

"Which does what exactly?" Sir Gabe cocked an eyebrow.

"Eases the heart, of course!"

"Of course," said Sir Gabriel as he exited the tower room.