Capture My Heart

Chapter One

"Your father is here to see you, my lady."

Suzanna turned around to see her lady-in-waiting, Eloise, poking her head through the door.

"Wonderful. Thank you, Eloise," she replied with a smile. Suzanna hurried out the room to see her father seated comfortably on a cushioned bench in the hall. The newly retired man looked more relaxed and carefree than Suzanna could remember seeing him in years.

"Hello Suzy," he greeted warmly when Suzanna neared him.

"You are early! I did not expect you to arrive so soon. Of course, that is not to say that I am not happy to see you earlier than planned - it is naturally very nice to see you, but-"

"Suzanna," her father interrupted, staring at her in amusement. Suzanna blushed and ducked her head. Her whole life she had always been told that she talked too much.

"Sorry," she mumbled meekly. Her father stood up and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"It is no matter. Shall we go? I have not spent enough time with my beautiful daughter of late."

"You saw me just yesterday!" Suzanna said as she took his arm and they began to walk.

Now that her father had abdicated from the throne, he had been determined to make up for all the lost time he had missed with his children. While he was never neglectful over the years, his duties had often made it hard for him to see them every day. He now insisted on seeing each child at least once a day, outside of meals.

"Ah, but yesterday was a whole twenty-four hours ago, which is far too long," he said with a wink. Suzanna laughed and continued to walk with him. They were strolling through the palace halls, heading in no particular direction.

"How are you finding it no longer ruling?" Suzanna asked curiously. He had been abdicated for a whole month now. Her brother, Tristan, was the new monarch and was doing a wonderful job leading the kingdom - though he occasionally called on his father for help.

"I find it rather... strange. Some mornings I wake up sighing as I think about all the petitions I must listen to - then I remember I never have to do that again," he chuckled.

"Tristan seems to rather enjoy all the duties that come with Kingship," Suzanna commented.

"He was always more tolerant of other people than me."

"Just as stubborn, though," Suzanna murmured. Her father raised both his eyebrows in surprise.

"Stubborn? You think we are stubborn?"

"Incorrigible, for the most part," Suzanna teased.

"Young lady! Such harsh words from one so fair," he responded, though his eyes were lit up with amusement. He could not deny her words, after all.

"So what shall we do today, Father?" Suzanna asked. Her father stopped walking and stared at her seriously.

"Suzanna, I must speak to you about a very serious matter," he said calmly.

"Indeed? Has something bad happened? Please tell me Lady Felice is not coming to visit - I cannot stand that insufferable woman! She always-" Suzanna clamped her mouth shut when her father gave her a pointed look. "This is not about Lady Felice, is it?"

"No, nothing of the sort. It is about... well, you."

"Me? What is wrong? Have I done something I should not have?" Suzanna asked, immediately wondering whether her younger brother had framed her for one of his many pranks.