Facts of Love

Ban A. Sharif Nabulsi

Description

The facts of love are many, but none are truer than the ones Catanna
came to learn the hard way. You cannot learn to love, for it is not
a skill. You cannot evade love, for it is as inherent a part of life as
is breathing. The word ‘fall’ in the ‘term fall in love’ does not quite
belong, for love elevates you, changes you, and turns you into the best,
most beautiful and rounded version of yourself that you can possibly
imagine. Catanna was to learn these facts the hard way.
Nothing was really truly a mystery to Alexander. He was a man of
great intellect, well-read, social, an avid reader and not to mention
extremely handsome. He was the Prince Charming and the perfect
eligible bachelor for every single female in the vicinity and far-flung
areas alike. As polite as he was to all, none truly ever caught his eye till
he happened to set them upon Catanna, who thoroughly lacked social
graces and knew nothing of politeness. Hell-bent on proving to the
haughty princes that love did not only exist in fairy tales, Alexander
and Catanna embark on an exhilarating journey that will leave them
both breathless and disoriented.
Between the two stands, Catanna’s cousin Edward, her uncle’s dying
wish, an impending marriage, and binding will. Edward, too, is
betrothed to another whom he loves, but bound by his duty to his
people. But as we mentioned earlier, the facts of love are many.
What more have the three learned?
Does love demand sacrifice? or Does love conquer all?

Sujets

• Romance
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Partridge Publishing Singapore
• Date de parution: 29 mars 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781543769593
• Langue: English

Extrait

FACTS OF LOVE







BAN A. SHARIF NABULSI








Copyright © 2023 by Ban A. Sharif Nabulsi.

ISBN:
Hardcover
978-1-5437-6958-6
Softcover
978-1-5437-6957-9
eBook
978-1-5437-6959-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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www.partridgepublishing.com/singapore



CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11

Epilogue















To my true Best friend and soulmate H. Thank you for being there for me always.



CHAPTER 1
1876
“C atanna? Catanna? Where is that… that troublesome child? Maria?”
“Yes, your Highness?”
“Where is Princess Catanna?”
“In the library, your Grace.”
“Go inform Princess Catanna that she is wanted in the drawing-room.”
“Yes, your Highness”

Curtseying low, Maria turned and hurriedly walked towards the castle’s largest room, the library. The room never ceased to fill Maria with awe and admiration. The velvet and satin furniture, the mahogany desk, the Persian carpets all left her speechless, but what stunned her most was that in this room resided many worlds. Stories of love and death, art and philosophy, culture and history, all lay here resting peacefully entrapped within books of infinite subjects, brought from near and far. Maria could understand why the princess was obsessed with the room. Why she would rather read a book on Greek history or European literature than talk to the young gentle and noblemen, who came asking for her daily.
Gently, Maria knocked on the huge door and entered.
The room was dimly lit. Maria was not surprised as the princess, once engrossed in a book, usually did not bother to call one of the footmen to refuel the gas lamps. There she lay on her favorite sofa of lace and satin. Her curly raven hair strewn carelessly on her forehead and along her graceful back. She lay not moving unless to turn a page or push her gold-rimmed spectacles further up the bridge of her nose. Her raven curls framed her face, making her look young and vulnerable. Her cheeks were flushed so that her freckles stood out more vividly, and her sparkling green eyes looked intently onto what the contents of the book offered.
“Emm. Your Highness? Highness?” For a moment, the princess did not respond, then sighing irritatedly, she sat up.
“Yes, Maria! What is it now?”
“Princess Catanna, her Highness, the Queen, requests your presence in the drawing-room. You have guests awaiting you.”
Maria could clearly see the irritation in Catanna’s eyes. The princess was unlike many girls her age. She preferred intellectual subjects that required thought and certainly not fickle topics such as gossip and marriage. Unfortunately, such would be the conversation in the drawing-room, which she was to be a part of.
While most girls her age dressed and went to balls and danced the night away, princess Catanna was content curled up near the fire with a good book. Often she drove her mother, Queen Ilona, to desperation.
Countless doctors visited the palace, trying to cure Catanna of her freckles and her short-sightedness, all found it futile.
Despite the obvious imperfections, princess Catanna was beautiful. Her hair, just like her soul, could never be tamed. The black ringlets, however, many times, combed back, would fall on her forehead and cheeks, framing her face. Her eyes vividly portrayed her inner emotions, enhancing her youthful look of innocence.
Slowly Catanna got up and regretfully marked the book. Carefully, she placed the book atop the library desk, and walked towards the door.
As Catanna passed Maria, she grudgingly said, “Another hour or two wasted on pompous, air-headed men, who would rather talk about themselves than anything of real value.”

“Your Highness ... Princess Catanna.”
As Catanna entered, she saw her mother eyeing her critically Catanna only then realized she had forgotten to fix her hair and change before entering. She was wearing a low-necked light pastel blue frock that looked somewhat wrinkled from lying down on the sofa too long. Defiantly, Catanna forced her eyes to leave her mother’s and fall lazily on the guests awaiting her. There were but two men. Both were good looking, tall and broad-shouldered, and that was where the similarities ended.
One was blond, hazel-eyed, and a touch on the heavy side; his facial features were too perfect. The other was dark-haired, his eyes were large, gray-blue in color, and unlike the former, his body was wiry and well-built, and his tanned chiselled face was smiling, yet Catanna repressed a shudder at the thought of spending yet another day, merely talking of clothes, facial features and weather.
“Catanna, this is Marquis of Quinlin, and this is Prince Alexander of Sanbough. They have both traveled great distances to see you. I hope you do appreciate that.”
“Yes, mamma,” Catanna flashed a mischievous grin, then turned to her guests, “How do you do, gentlemen? I pray your journey has not been too unpleasant? “. There was a faint hint of sarcasm in Catanna’s tone, which went unnoticed by the Queen and the Marquis, yet the Prince narrowed his gaze, eying Catanna with bemused interest.
Both gentlemen were exceedingly polite and courteous, and tediously boring. When the tea was brought in, Queen Ilona was the proper hostess, while Catanna was bent on studying her teacup and the tiny yet intricately designed grossly rich cakes, and at times trying to stifle the yawns that threatened to erupt from her mouth.
The visit seemed to stretch forever when at last, the Marquis stood up to leave, much to the queen’s dismay and Catanna’s relief.
“One down, one left.” thought Catanna.
“Are you sure you do not wish to stay for supper?”
“Quite sure. You are a generous hostess, your highness... but, I do have pressing matters that must be seen to immediately back at home.”
“I understand. Shall I show you out?”
“You are too kind.”
The Queen got up, her eyes locked with Catanna’s; the silent warning to be civil was clearly expressed in them. For several tense moments, silence hung in the air. Catanna nervously flicked back a stray curl from her cheek, only for it to fall rebelliously back. She was well aware of the prince’s piercing light gray eyes studying her. As her cheeks turned crimson with anger, she looked down at her hands and said hotly,”
“Your Grace, kindly look elsewhere, for your gaze indeed makes me quite uneasy.”
“Forgive me, Princess, but it is only your ethereal beauty that captivates and imprisons me.”
“Then I beg you to close your eyes and thereby set yourself free,” replied Catanna tersely.
“Your beauty is like a drug, and I being the mere mortal that I am, intoxicated.” Catanna looking at the Prince with undisguised contempt snorted in disbelief.
“Answer me this sweet, proud princess, why do you hate men? Why do you turn away every suitor so haughtily, so ruthlessly?” Asked the prince rather mockingly, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he noticed Catanna looking at him sharply, yet was not prepared for what she replied.
“Your Grace was far too forward in his questions, and if mama was here, I would have either ignored them or would have taken leave. Yet since that is not the case, I will answer your impertinent question with an even more impertinent answer. I dislike men, not for what they are, but for what they are not. I dislike, by far, their ‘airs’ and the way they ‘carry themselves,’ as though the world is in debt to them for their very existence. I dislike their superficial superiority, their trivial problems but most of all, their fickle-mindedness.” By the time she finished, Catanna`s face was flushed, and her eyes sparkled jauntily.
At the end of her sentence, deep baritone laughter rang through the air as the prince laughed. For several moments the deep and masculine laughter filled the rooms and halls of the castle, and even when it subsided, the echoes could still be heard. Slowly the prince looked towards Catanna, only to find she had left the room. Smiling, the prince answered in a low tone that vibrated with amusement, “My sweet, proud princess, I’II, change your mind yet.”

“No. No, mama, I do not want to and will not see that prince tonight…or ever again, for that matter!”
“Catanna, I will not abide such behavior from you. Prince Alexander is the only gentleman to actually be interested in you for more than a single day! I will not allow my only daughter to become a maid, especially since you are a princess and must represent your country, and do your duty!”
“But mama, he ...he ...he mocked me. He…”
“He, as you so rudely refer to the prince, is handsome, wealthy and available, and he’s been visiting us