A Great First Impression

Mysti sat on the edge of her bed and let out a heavy sigh. 

How had she ended up here? How long had she been here? 

Long enough to get pregnant, she thought with a grimace. And it wasn’t even by one of the men living in the castle, ironically. Which was a good thing, considering all of them were taken…but how was she going to explain to her new family that she’d run off and hooked up with a boy she’d met in the forest that she’d been sure was true love? How did she even know what true love was? She was 15. She was an idiot, a fool - that’s what she was. Only fools let themselves fall for mysterious young men with dark hair and devilish smiles.

A high-pitched giggle interrupted her thoughts; Mysti moved to the window of her southwest tower room to peer down into the garden. Speaking of fools…there was Nick with his girlfriend Natasha on a bench in the garden – the high-pitched giggling was being caused by Nick tickling her in a most improper fashion. Not that Mysti cared - she was hardly proper herself. What bothered her more than that was the fact that Natasha, a maid, was completely and hopelessly enamored with Nick, and Nick - the prince - was completely and hopelessly enamored with himself. In the short time Mysti had lived at the castle, she had observed (on numerous occasions) Natasha pining after Nick, and Nick brushing her off. This almost always resulted in Natasha throwing a very childish fit, and then Nick swooping in like a stupid knight in shining armor to save the day - often throwing Natasha over his shoulder and carrying her upstairs, leaving everyone else rolling their eyes at the whole charade. 

It was Mysti’s opinion that Natasha, despite her immature, overly-dramatic escapades - did not deserve to be treated this way. No woman should be left to wonder if her man truly desired her. 

“Mysti!” 

Mysti jumped, her thoughts interrupted once again. 

“Are you enjoying the show?” Nick asked with a cocky, lopsided grin. 

Mysti rolled her eyes. “You two are disgusting,” she called back and stepped away from the window. A second later, another shriek pierced the air, this one tinged with anger. 

“Nicholas Lee Weber! Get your royal ass back here!” 

Mysti peeked back out the window to see Natasha alone in the garden, face red and fists clenched. Great - another episode of the Nick and Natasha show. 

“Mysti!” 

Mysti jumped at Nick’s appearance in her doorway. 

“What the hell?!” she grabbed one of her pillows and threw it at him. “What are you doing, other than causing your girlfriend grief?” 

Nick grinned and shrugged. “She’ll get over it.” Without being invited, he entered her room and plopped down on her bed. Mysti crossed her arms, wondering what he was up to this time. 

“How are you, Myst?” he asked. 

Mysti raised both eyebrows. His tone was half nonchalant, half-genuine, as if he was trying to care, but didn’t quite know how. And no one had ever called her “Myst.” 

“I’m fine,” she answered guardedly. “Why?” 

“Why?” he scoffed. “Can I not just ask how you are, for the sake of asking? Because I might actually care?” 

Mysti’s eyebrows raised again. “Since when do you care about how I feel? You don’t care about anyone or anything except yourself.” 

“That is not true!” Nick retorted, standing up and taking a step toward her. Mysti moved her hands to her hips and thrust her chin up, challenging him. She may be only 5’3” against his 5’11”, but they both knew she was stronger than him.  

“I actually do care about you,” Nick said in a soft voice, his hand moving to her arm. 

A wildly insane, impulsive thought thrust into Mysti’s mind, and before she could fully think it through, she acted. 

“I care about you too,” she replied, her voice low and husky. She peered up into his green eyes. “I’ve wanted you since the day I came here, but…” she lowered her eyes coyly, “you’re taken.” 

Nick was silent. She had rendered the cocky man speechless. She raised her hazel eyes to meet his…then grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a hard kiss. He instantly grabbed her waist with both hands and pulled her into him, kissing her back hungrily. She spun around and pulled him onto the bed; he crawled on top of her and slid a hand down to her arse, pulling her against him. 

“WHAT THE HELL?!” 

Nick jerked up and scurried backwards so fast that he summer-salted over the footboard, landing on his head and knocking himself out. 

Mysti’s gaze shot to Natasha, who then promptly fainted. 

Perfect. 

“What is going on in h–” Selena appeared in the doorway and halted at the sight of Mysti on the bed with her skirts up around her knees, and Nick in a contorted heep at the foot of the bed. “What happened in here?!” Selena exclaimed wide eyed as she rushed to her cousin’s aide. 

“Nick came on to me,” Mysti blurted out. Selena shot her an incredulous look, but Mysti knew it wasn’t completely unbelievable. In the short time she’d lived in the castle, she’d observed Nick’s playboy antics. She’d even heard rumors that he and Selena had kissed, even though she was engaged and he was with Natasha. So it wasn’t a completely absurd notion that he would pursue her sister. 

A groan brought her attention back to the present moment. Nick opened his eyes and reached up to rub the back of his head. 

“What happened?” he asked. 

“I’m assuming you fell off the bed,” Selena answered. 

Nick’s eyes flitted up to Mysti, then over to Natasha, who was still unconscious in the doorway. 

“Tasha!” he exclaimed and scrambled to her. 

Selena stood up and huffed, hands on her hips. She turned to her sister, her eyes taking in the state of her appearance. “For heaven’s sake, Mysti - make yourself decent.” 

Mysti rolled her eyes and pulled her skirt back over her legs, then scooted off the bed. 

Natasha was regaining lucidity at this point, and as soon as she laid eyes on Mysti, she let out an ear-piercing shriek and lunged out of Nick’s arms. Nick grabbed a fist-full of her skirt as Selena stepped in front of Mysti. 

“You little heathen whore!” Natasha shrieked, fists clenched. “How dare you think you can just parade into this castle and steal my boyfriend!” 

“He kissed me!” Mysti shouted back, taking a step toward her. Selena put an arm out to hinder her from advancing further. 

Natasha spun around to face Nick. “Is that true?!” she asked, her eyes on fire. 

Nick stared at her blankly for a moment, glanced at Mysti, then Selena, then back at Natasha. “I can’t remember.”

Mysti’s eyes widened. This was working out more perfectly than she had anticipated. 

“What do you mean you can’t remember?” Natasha hissed, hands on her hips. 

Nick reached up to rub the back of his head again. “I mean I don’t remember,” he looked around the room, “I don’t even remember how I got up here.” 

“What’s the last thing you do remember?” Selena asked, concerned. 

“Um….being in the garden with you,” he answered, motioning to Natasha. 

“Great,” Natasha mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. “So you don’t remember that you left the great time you were having with me in the garden to come up here and accost your cousin?” 

“Supposedly,” Selena added. 

Mysti shot her sister a look. “Thanks for the defense,” she spat out. 

“Hey, it’s all a matter of your word against his,” Selena put her hands up. 

“What in the world have I done to make anyone think that I would be the one accosting him?!” Mysti exclaimed. “He’s the one that can’t stay faithful to the one woman who adores him, instead –” 

“Don’t even say it!” Selena put her hand up to silence her sister. 

“This is absolutely ridiculous,” Natasha commented, tears brimming her eyes. “I hate all of you.” She turned and left the room. 

A few hours later…

Selena found her cousin in the sitting room, nestled into the overstuffed chair that faced the window, his legs slung over one arm, his hands folded in his lap.

She closed and locked the door behind her, then quietly crossed the room and sat down on the sofa across from him. 

He glanced at her, then returned his gaze to the window. 

She studied him for a moment and thought about recent events. He wasn’t just her cousin, he was her best friend. He was four years older than her, and had been her only companion her entire life - until she’d met and become engaged to Ryan. This had caused some jealousy on Nick’s part, and Selena - questioning if she should keep the royal blood pure (Ryan was a guard) – had confessed her quandary to Nick. That discussion had resulted in a consensual kiss, which was quickly labeled as a mistake, but that didn’t stop the entire family from finding out and chaos ensuing. Shortly after, Mysti had entered the scene – the sister she didn’t know she had – and of course everyone was quite intrigued with the new girl who had grown up with vagabonds in the forest. Nick in particular had shown interest, often seeking Mysti out and conversing with her more than was socially proper.

“Do you really not remember anything?” Selena asked softly. 

Nick turned to her, pain in his eyes. 

“I don’t.” 

“What do you think happened?” 

Nick sighed. Selena knew he was not one for introspection - especially if it made him look bad. 

“Do you like her?” she asked. 

“Who? Mysti?” 

Selena nodded. 

Nick said nothing. 

“You have been showing a lot of interest in her since she arrived.” 

Nick’s head snapped toward her. “What are you trying to say, Selena?” 

“I’m saying I’m not the only one who’s noticed that you spend an improper amount of time with her.” 

“So you believe that I did go up to her room and seduced her?” 

Selena shrugged her shoulders. 

“Unbelievable!” Nick stood up. “My own cousin - the one person who should defend me – thinks I dishonored her sister!” Before Selena could respond, Nick stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. 

Three months later…

“Selena, can I talk to you?” Charlotte entered the sitting room, where her daughter was reading a book on the sofa. 

“What’s up?” Selena asked. 

Charlotte sat down next to her and folded her hands in her lap. She stared at them for several moments, adjusting her rings and fidgeting with the embroidery on her skirt. 

“Mom, what’s wrong?” 

Charlotte locked eyes with Selena. “It’s your sister. I…I think she’s pregnant.” 

Selena bit her tongue, but her eyes betrayed her. 

“Do you know who the father is?” her mother asked. 

No one had said anything about the scandalous incident four months ago. Nick and Natasha had continued to court, and Nick had kept his distance from Mysti…or at least that’s how it appeared. 

“It’s Nick, isn’t it?” 

“What?” Selena spat. “Why would you think that? Nick is with Natasha.” 

“That didn’t stop him from kissing you,” Charlotte retorted with disdain. 

Selena rolled her eyes. “Once again, that was a mistake!”

“Regardless, I’ve seen the way he looks at Mysti.” 

Selena had too, but she feigned ignorance and scrunched up her face in disgust. “Gross.” 

“Don’t play coy with me, young lady. I know that you know everything that goes on in this castle.”

“Okay, well maybe there are some things I don’t want to know,” Selena retorted, turning her attention back to her book.

“As the queen’s daughter, you don’t get that choice,” Charlotte patted Selena’s leg and stood up. “Find out who the father is so we can stop this scandal before it blows up.” 

Selena sighed. She saw no other way to handle this but to confront it head on. 

Mysti answered the knock on her bedroom door to find her sister on the other side. 

“Are you pregnant?” Selena asked without preamble. 

“Good gods, Selena,” Mysti hissed and jerked her sister inside, closing and locking the door behind her. 

“Are you?” Selena demanded, arms crossed. 

Mysti knew there was no hiding from her sister. The girl had an uncanny way of finding things out. She had likely already interrogated Nick and Natasha, or would after this. 

“So what if I am?” 

Selena’s arms dropped to her sides, her eyes bulged.

“Is Nick the father?” 

Mysti didn’t answer. 

“Mysti Moon Kandler! Answer me! Is Nick the father?!” 

Mysti crossed her arms and raised her chin. “I will not confirm nor deny that allegation.” 

Selena’s jaw dropped. “If he’s not, then who is? And if he’s not, why did you make it out like he is? Or is there someone else, but you also had relations with Nick?”

“Why do you care?” 

“Because he’s my cousin! And because my mother cares. And you’re my sister! And because this is scandalous! We don’t need this kind of thing happening in the royal family! Especially when you’ve lived here barely a year! What will the people think of us when they find out the long lost princess has gotten knocked up out of wedlock? If it’s Nick, then you two need to get married immediately!” 

“Then let’s get married,” Mysti replied nonchalantly. 

Selena stopped, mouth agape. She cocked her head. “That’s what you want, isn’t it?” 

“What’s that?” 

“You want to marry Nick. That’s been your plan all along! You got yourself in trouble, and then framed Nick as the father so you could marry him and save your image!” 

“If that’s what you want to think, then that’s fine with me.” Mysti replied. 

Selena was stunned at her lack of emotion. Not knowing what else to say, she spun on her heel and exited the room. She would find Nick next, and get the real answer out of him. He had to remember what happened that night, or atleast remember if he had romantic intentions toward Mysti. Then she could set this whole thing straight once and for all. 

Wait. Selena skidded to a stop. Maybe her sister had the right idea. If it was found out that she’d gotten pregnant by some random man, she would be shunned by society. She would never be allowed to attend any social functions, never have any friends, never marry, never have a life… but if she married Nick…even if he wasn’t the real father - no one needed to know that – then she had a chance at being the princess she was meant to be. 

Selena inhaled deeply and continued down the stairs. “Nick, please forgive me,” she whispered as she approached her mother. 

“Well? What did you find out?” 

“There’s a very likely chance that Nick is indeed the father.” 

“Very likely?” Charlotte raised her eyebrows. 

“Yes,” Selena answered firmly, her expression conveying all the unsaid words. 

Her mother studied her gaze for a moment. She understood. 

“Well…I guess we need to plan a wedding - quickly.”