Julia's Birthday - Chapter Forty Two

Today was Julia's Birthday, and she was surprised with a birthday party.

"Make a wish and blow out your candles!" called her mom. Julia took a deep breath and then blew them out.

Julia, now an elegant young lady, found James in the banquet hall. 

"I finally found you." called out Julia.

"Our wedding will be planned now. We are old enough to marry." she told him.

He already knew this and this was not a happy day for him. He was to marry a girl that he barely knew, that had turned his life upside down.

"Don't rush it. We still have plenty of time. Besides, I know my mom will want a very big wedding. They will need to make a special dress for you and all." James replied, trying to pretend he was interested. 

He hoped this would put the day a bit further away. 

"You're right, it will have to be the most special day ever. It's going to be perfect." Julia gleamed.

Kristen was already planning the wedding. She gathered with Julia's mom and a lady to start getting the preparations started. 

"This is going to be so special! I'm not going to spare any expense for my daughter's wedding. The dress is to be made of the best fabrics. We must get started." she told Kristen. 

"Yes, I will call my seamstress in and have her get started on the dress." Kristen replied.

It had finally gotten dark outside and James headed out to take a ride. He wanted as far away from the castle as he could get.  

James eventually arrived at a cottage. It looked just like what Beth had described to him a few weeks ago when she was at court. 

"I hope this is it." he thought. 

He picked up a pebble and tossed it up at the window above him.

Amelia was sound asleep when she awoke to a noise outside.

She sat up in bed to hear the noise again.

"What's that strange noise." she thought as she walked over to the window to see what it was.

As she glanced down, she caught sight of a dark figure moving outside in the night. She took another look and there he was, her James. He had finally found her.

She wasted no time getting outside. She made sure not to wake anyone. She ran down the steps and darted out the door. She could feel the damp grass under her bare feet and she was still wearing her nightgown. She ran across the yard right into James' arms almost knocking him down.

"I can't believe my eyes! It's really you!" Amelia exclaimed. 

"Yes it is, but you have grown up quite a bit. I told you, you would get tall. You are so beautiful Amelia." he told her and she smiled at him.

"I have snuck away and no one knows I'm here. I knew one day I would find you. I got Beth to tell me where you were. Did she give you the gifts I sent to you?" he asked. 

"Yes they are so beautiful." she replied, still smiling at him.

"I have missed you so much. I have missed all the stories and the time we spent together. But aren't you still to marry Julia?" Amelia asked. 

"Yes, unfortunately, it was her birthday today and now they're starting the preparations for the wedding. I need to find a way out of it. I can't marry her." James replied frustrated. 

"I don't think you can get out of it. No matter how much I would love to be with you James, it doesn't look like we will be able to." she told him sadly.

James pulled Amelia down to the ground and pulled her into his arms. 

"I know she will never have my heart like you do. She will not keep me away from you anymore. I will always be with you." James told her. 

It felt good to feel James' touch again. She melted in his arms.

"I have to go, it's going to be daylight before too long. I promise that I will come back to see you." James told Amelia as he took her in his arms and held her tight. 

"I don't want you to go." Amelia told him, almost in tears. 

"Please don't cry, I can't bare it. I will do nothing to ever hurt you." James told her and then left.

Beth meet her at the door before Amelia could get back into the cottage. 

"Amelia, please be careful. I know James really cares for you but if the queen was to ever find out, it would be mine and your head." she told Amelia

James arrived back to the horse stable to find Julia waiting for him. "Where have you been?" Julia asked James. 

"I went for a ride." he told her sternly. 

"Where?" she asked anxiously. 

"It doesn't matter." he replied trying to keep his cool with her.

"I know we are to be married one day but I don't have to tell you everything. If I choose to go riding, hunting or what ever, you just have to deal with it. I do not have to answer to you!" James told her.

"Oh, so you think you can talk to me however you want? I bet the queen will not allow this." she told him. 

"She will allow it because you are to be queen not the king. I'm the heir to this throne and if you anger my mother, she just might call this wedding off. So if you feel like that is the route you want to take, go ahead." James replied hopeful, then walked off toward the castle.