Race for the Throne

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Jasmine put the last of her clothes away. She was lucky that she had her own room. Her brothers all shared the rest. She knows that her parents will want to head to the castle tomorrow to tell the Sentali's they are home. Her mom and Aunt Kali are still close as ever. Uncle Iverson is a decent guy. She holds up the coral she got for Serena. It is a pretty pink one.

Serena, or Her Royal Highness Princess Serena Grace Sentali, is one of her best friends. Although since they have been going to Moldova more, their friendship has been strained a little. Still she cannot wait to see her.

She leaves her room and is jumped on by Daniel. He is the youngest of the Lane kids. Jasmine loves her brothers, but every once in a while she wishes she had a sister. Serena is so lucky. “Come on Danny let's go outside and check on the greenhouse.”

She puts Daniel on her back and goes downstairs. Nathaniel is in the kitchen with their mom, Madeline. They are making a quick dinner. “I see that Daniel got you. Are you guys hungry? Mom and I are making something yummy.”

“Ohh what are you making?” Daniel asks.

“Something you will like.” Madeline tells him.

“I am going to take Daniel outside and get some of this energy out of him.” Jasmine tells them. She leaves with Daniel still on her back.

This show is not like anything has Vincent has ever seen. He is totally entranced by the dancing and the colors.

Jasmine hears Serena. "Depends if you can lose your shadow. Let's drop him off at Mallory's after the show and go back to my house. I can show you some moves."

Serena smiled and watched the show. "Thank you." she whispered to Jasmine.

She was enjoying the show, but it was obvious that Vincent had not seen dancing like this before. He was entranced by the show. It was beautiful with a wonderful story line for the dance moves. When they were done, they received a standing ovation. Serena was clapping and looked at Vincent. "That was a great show Vincent, one of the best in a while. Did you like it?" she asked.

"It is amazing! It must take lots of work to put this on. So what are we going to do next?" Vincent asks

"We were thinking of going to Mallory's. I cannot wait to show you where we practically grew up. I know Nathaniel will be there too." Jasmine tells him. They wait for the place to clear out before leaving.

They make their way to Mallory's and the place is bouncing. They see Iverson and Berenson at the bar and avoid them. "So what do you think?"

"Wow this is busy. How do your Grandparents do it?" Vincent asks.

"They have lots of help." Jasmine winks at Serena. "What does it take to get some service here?"

Mallory comes out ready to chew out an employee. "Oh it is you guys. Jacobi come and say hi to your granddaughter!" She bellows.

"So Serena are you going to play here sometime?" Jasmine asks.

“They are always busy during the Solstice celebrations.” Serena explained. “For that matter this place is always busy. It has one of the best in house bands around, and the food is amazing. Nathaniel has learned to cook from his grandparent’s. They are the best.”

Jacobi comes out with a tray and three mugs. “Jasmine, you are one gorgeous looking granddaughter. I hear tell your father and Iverson has already been in a fight.” He said laughing. He hands them the glasses. “I figure you are all adults now; here is some of the ‘special drink’. It’s on the house.” He said winking at them.

Serena turns to look at Jasmine. “I didn’t bring my flute with me or I would. I didn’t know if we were going to stop by here or not while we were out shopping.” She explained. “I will bring it with me tomorrow so I can play. I love it when mom and I both play with them.”

Vincent looks down. "Serena, here." He pulls out a long box. "I would love to hear you play."

Jasmine hands out the three mugs. "Vincent, you are in for a treat. Grandpa thank you at least some one sees us as adults."

"It is a lot easier as a grandpa." Jacobi tells them.

Nathaniel come out of the kitchen. "Vincent, it is good to see you! Are you ready to have some man time?"

"Well, alright are you ladies alright with that?" Vincent asks

Serena looks at the box and looks at Vincent. “What’s this?” she asked. She looked at the box and opened it up. She almost couldn’t believe her eyes. She looked at Vincent and then looked at Jasmine before pulling out the flute. It was a beautifully hand carved flute with hand carved crystal decorations.

“Vincent…I…don’t know what to say. It’s so beautiful.” She held the flute in her hand.

"When I saw it, I thought of you. You should be playing your own flute." Vincent tells her. He takes a sip of his drink. "Wow this is really good."

Jasmine looks at the flute. "It is beautiful. Go ahead and play a song. I am sure the band leader will let you." She is really happy for Serena and Vincent. She hopes that she can find someone to love her as much as Vincent loves Serena.

Serena looked at Vincent. She was actually speechless. She started playing the scales on the flute. It had a perfect well balanced and rich tone. The band came to a finishing point in their song and heard Serena playing the flute. They nodded their heads and invited her on stage. “Too bad your mother’s not here Princess, though anytime we hear you play we remember the day’s your mother used to play with us. Come on let’s play a song together.” The leader said.

Serena picks a song and plays a verse of it. The band then picks up the beat to the song. It’s a Moldovan song and is a great song for Serena to get the highs and lows to her new flute. She has so much fun playing it. Some people get out on the dance floor and begin to dance to the music. Everyone is having such a great time.

When the song comes to a close, everyone begins to clap their hands and asks for an encore. Serena turns them down for a second song and tells them that she will be back again to play with the band. She goes over to Vincent and wraps her arms around him. “Vincent, I don’t know what to say. It’s a beautiful gift. I love you.” She said.

"Your smile is all the thanks I need. Now you can have your own flute to play and keep your mother's for special occasions." Vincent kisses her gently.

Jasmine clears her throat as the others were watching them. The crowd begins to buzz about the new couple. She looks over at Nathaniel. "So do you want some guy time since you had girl time this morning?" He asks Vincent.

Vincent breaks the kiss. "That is up to Serena, are you sick of me?"

"I can show you the dress I got for the ball. Dad hasn't even seen it yet." Jasmine says softly so Berenson cannot hear. However they are seated across room. They would have to have excellent hearing to catch anything they are saying.

Serena smiles at Vincent. “You are the best Vincent. I want you to go have a good time with Nathaniel. I need some girl time with Jasmine.” She ruffled his hair and laughed. “Oh Jasmine, that is going to be the best thing ever. I bet it is beautiful!”

She finishes her drink and licks her lips. “I’m so glad your grandfather see’s us as adults Jasmine, I don’t know how much more I can take of the old men. Let’s go back to your place.”

Iverson and Berenson had been paying attention to the group across the room. They couldn’t hear them, but they could sure see what they were doing. Iverson gritted his teeth. “How long does this dad stage last? Or does it ever end?”

“It never ends Iverson, here have another drink. It’s on the house.” Jacobi said. He looks at Berenson. “No offense Berenson to you, but Madeline is my only little girl. Yes I have a granddaughter now, but I can spoil her and send her home.” He said laughing.

As the guys are talking at the bar, Serena and Jasmine slip out of Mallory’s. Serena was smiling as she held her new flute. “I can’t believe how nice this is. It plays so beautifully.”

Jasmine looks at the flute. "It is like he knew exactly what to get you. I saw him looking at the table when we were talking to Timothy. He avoided the jewelry."

They get to the house and it appears to be empty. They to up to Jasmine's room. She doesn't bother to close the door. "I think Dad finally broke. I wonder what the princes said. I mean he usually has the patience of a saint." She sits on her bed. "So dance or dress first?"

"Jewelry is nice, but I think he wanted to go for something more personal. I really can't believe he got it for me though. It is so beautiful. I really adore it." Serena said.

She looked at Jasmine. "Did he give you a hard time this morning about your outfit? I know dad almost had a cow." Serena said. She sighed and walked over to the bed. "Is it like this for all young women our age to go through this? Is this just a stage for our fathers? I don't know if I can handle my father being like this forever. I mean it's like him to do that but for Uncle Berenson to do it too? One of the princes had to say something for him to go over the edge."

She sat down on the bed. "That's a hard choice. I want to dance but I want to see your dress as well. I bet it is beautiful!"

Jasmine crosses the room to her closet. She pulls out a floor length column sheath dress. It is with with large print flowers. It has cutout sides and a dazzling jeweled accent at center front on the ruched v-neck bodice. The back is bare except for crisscrossing jeweled straps. "I think I am going to wear my hair up for this."

Serena's mouth drops. "Oh goddess, Jasmine, that is BEAUTIFUL! You are going to be so gorgeous in this dress. Oh look at the back, all the guys are going to be all over you!" She looks up at Jasmine. "I think your hair would be perfect up, with maybe a few curls in it."

"As if I can get rid of the curls." Jasmine winks. "I hope it is just a phase with our fathers. I really don't blame them in a way. They protected us for so long and now we are grown up." She replaces the dress and goes over to her music maker. "What kind of dance did you want to learn? I can help with the slow dances like they do for the pageant."

Serena wrinkled her nose as she thought about her father reacting this way for the rest of his life. "I pray it doesn't last forever. I hope mom can talk some sense into him." She stands up and walks over to Jasmine. "I think that would be perfect. Something easy to start out with. I can ballroom dance for you all day long and I can dance to the music thanks to the lessons your mother and father gave, but I cannot dance like a true Moldovan lady."

She did her hips back and forth and laughed. "I look ridiculous. I wish I could dance like you."

"The first thing is you have to learn to relax. That is one thing I notice about the Rosarions, they are too tense." She takes Serena and places her in the center of her room. "Now close your eyes and listen to the music." Jasmine puts a slow song on the music player.

"Now listen to the music." She says softly in Serena's ear. She places her hands on Serena's hips. "Once you have a feel for the music then start to move your hips.

~~~~~~~

Madeline wakes when she hears the music. Her and Kalista left the kids at the castle and came here to rest. They didn't expect anyone. She stands and shakes Kalista's shoulder before going to the source of the music. There they see their daughters. "Jasmine must be teaching Serena Moldovan dancing." Madeline whispers to Kalista.

“I am only half Rosarion. I am half Moldovan, but I would have to have my father’s genes.” Serena said.

She sighed and closed her eyes. She listened to the music and pushed everything away. She listens to the music for a moment before getting a feel for the rhythm. She then slowly began to move her hips in time with the music.

~~

Kalista yawned and then heard the music. It was the Moldovan music and she smiled. She had learned to dance to some of this same music. She walks with Madeline towards the source of the music and they watched their daughters dancing. “I never did teach her when she was younger. I was not as good as you were.” She whispered. “Jasmine dances just like you did, she is so limber and such a great dancer.”

Jasmine moves Serena's hips even more. "There is no wrong movement with Moldovan dancing. It is purely instinct. Now move your arms around. Think of them likes trees in a breeze."

Jasmine gets out some finger cymbals and begins to dance with Serena. "There you go."

~~~~~~~

Madeline smiles proudly at her daughter. "I think you have to be in Moldova to learn how to do it right. Jasmine is right, the Rosarion people are tense."

She thinks she hears a thud and looks toward the balcony. "Did you hear that?"

~~~~~~~

Prescott and Peter didn't let the fight dissuade them. They followed the cousins around town to the Lane house. They heard the music and are disappointed to learn that Jasmine's room was on the second floor.

Prescott spies a ladder and smirks at his brother. "I am going up there to watch. Are you coming with?"

Serena’s could feel Jasmine move her hips more. She then adjusted herself so that she could do it better. She then moves her arms like Jasmine had instructed. “Like this?”

Serena opens her eyes and looks at Jasmine. “This is easier than I thought it would be.” She keeps in time with the music and Jasmine begins to dance beside of her. “You are such a great dancer Jasmine.”

~~

Kalista smiled. “Well it stays cold half the year and the other half people are busy working so hard.” She said. She smiled and looked at Jasmine. “I love Rosario though, the people may be tenser, but they know how to have fun.”

Kalista hears a noise and looks in the same direction that Madeline did. “Why don’t we go outside and see what that was.”

~~

Peter smirks at Prescott and pulls out a set of binoculars. “I have these right here so I don’t need to get up there unless I want a better look.” He said. “Here I will hold the ladder for you so you can climb up easier. If you need these I can let you borrow them and we can take turns.”

Kalista walks out and sees the boys peaking in. Prescott is on a ladder at the top. He looks like he is about to climb over the top of the balcony. Kalista is instantly angry that the boys would not have any respect for the girls. She jabs Madeline in her side. “Those boys are taking a peek at the girls. They are so rude. If they wanted to see them they should have asked to go in. Why don’t we bust them up a little?” She asked.

Madeline sees red when she spies the boys in her yard. She barely hears Kalista speaking as she goes to the ladder. She begins to shake it. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" She yells as she continues to shake it.

Kalista finds Peter. "I don't think so, you aren't going anywhere. Madde, be careful you don't want him to fall."

~~~~~

The girls don't hear the commotion going on outside and continue to dance. "I have practiced for years. Just like you and your flute."

Kalista’s words fall on deaf ears as Prescott loses his balance. He yells as he falls backwards. He is lucky to land on some shrubs.

Kalista grabs Peter by his shoulder and pulls him over to Prescott who seems to be in some pain. “Well lookey what we have here… a couple of guys trespassing and looking at some ladies they shouldn’t be.”

Serena stops dancing and looks up. “Did you hear anything?” she asked. She went back to dancing and looked at Jasmine.

Jasmine stops dancing as Prescott falls. "Ok now I definitely heard something." She goes to the balcony doors and pulls them open. Both her and Serena walk out and see their mothers with the twins. "Is everything alright?"

Madeline looks up. "Now it is. We had a couple of peeping twins here." She tries to help Prescott to his feet. He was fine on one foot, but cannot step on the other one. "Girls would you mind going to the castle and fetching the castle physician."

Jasmine looks over at Serena before calling down to her mom. "We will be right back." She backs away from the wall. "They are lucky it was the moms and not our dads."

Serena looked at Jasmine as they walked to the door. “I almost feel bad for the twins…with the exception that they were looking at us. I have never had a peeping tom…that I know of.” They make it out of the house and hurry to the castle.

Junaluska and Lawrence are making final room arrangements for all of their guests when the girls almost run into them. “What’s wrong girls?”

“Peeping toms at the Lane place, Prescott can’t walk. I think maybe his leg is broken.” Serena said.

“What??” Junaluska asked. “Tell me that again in a way I can understand.”

Jasmine pulls Serena to stop. The Ellicott twins were outside our house when Serena and I were in my room. They were trying to get a closer look. Somehow Prescott ended up with a hurt ankle and he can't walk. Mom told us to get the physician. We probably will need a carriage too."

"Well that is not good. Girls, go get the physician. Juna and I will get the carriage ready. We will go pick up the boys." Lawrence rubs his head. "The last thing we need is an incident."

Jasmine walks away with Serena. "Good thing we didn't tell them about what our dads did to them." Jasmine shivers. "I always thought those two were freaks."