Gothic Desires

"Greetings and welcome to my kingdom. I, Prince Andrew VanDrake, welcome you on behalf of Tovia and all of the VanDrake family."

His slightly familiar voice did not come from the doors. The girls gasped. Each one turned. Starfyre turned. Her eyes had grown wide. She had to grab on to the stair railing to keep from stumbling. HE was the prince?


"I can see the surprise in all of your faces. I realize it was a bit unorthodox for me to do as I did, and I apologize if it seems that I lied to anyone. I have always said that some situations require a small white lie." Stefan stepped forward, dressed much as the first time they had seen him, though now he wore a crown of silver. "I would first like to explain my actions."

"You see, I posed as I did to get to see the real person behind each and every one of you. I wasn’t looking for love, but someone that I could grow to love. Someone, who hopefully, could likewise grow to love me. To my disappointment, most of you have turned out just as I have expected. All except one of you. In another odd little turn of events, as given are my rights, I am changing the elimination rounds to tonight." Andrew smiled at each and every one of them. "Twenty-three of you can go home, tomorrow morning."
"Stefan?" Stephanie mouthed.

Starfyre shook her head. Her breathing had become very fast and her heart was beating rapidly. It was him! He was the prince? A few of the people around them gasped. The producers did not like this but they agreed to it. It would certainly grab ratings.

"I could waste a lot of your time by calling out all the girls who are going home. This seems to be a trivial thing, so instead I shall call out the name of the girl that I have chosen. I never expected to meet someone, to be honest. I thought I would have to work at love. I thought that I would never honestly know it. Yet, I was, and am, wrong. I have fallen in love with someone very special. She swept me off of my feet the moment I saw her. She has only been impressing me ever since." Andrew pulled out a small, velvet box.

"Starfyre..." Stephanie gasped in a whisper.

In fact, all the girls turned, following Andrew's gaze to Starfyre. Some growled and made faces. Others gasped and pretended to cry. Stephanie had to catch her breath. Starfyre had to catch her breath. She stumbled back on the bottom stair. Starfyre looked around quickly. Maybe there was another girl behind her.

"Starfyre Renwal," Andrew walked closer to her. "You are whom I have chosen. It is not because of obvious reasons. You and your friend Stephanie have been perfectly nice to me. You have not acted snood or rude towards me. These are good reasons but there was more. That day that I lifted you onto the carriage, I felt a spark. You have a beautiful heart and an even more beautiful spirit. Your ways are different, yes, but they only make you unique."

"I.." Starfyre couldn't speak.

"Not fair! If we had known!" Lisa shouted.

"If you had known?" Andrew turned. "Then what? You would have put on a false mask and pretended to like me for me? That is not love. All of you are after a title, money and prestige. I knew it would happen, and that is why I did what I did. Everyone of you came alone hoping to marry a Prince. She on the other hand, was… duped, I believe is the word, into coming, and came out of a sense of loyalty, and chose to share her experience here with a friend, thinking that she wasn’t going to be chosen. Loyalty and friendship is something to be admired; something that I was looking for in a potential bride." He turned to look at a still shocked Starfyre. "I only hope that you can forgive me for it and accept this ring." He smiled. "And you too, Stephanie. You are a good friend." He nodded to her.

"R..Ring?" Starfyre's voice squeaked.

"Yes, Ring." Andrew opened the box to reveal a black diamond that was set in a white gold, Yellow Gold and silver setting. Smaller blue sapphires surrounded the large diamond. "Would you, Starfyre Renwal," he knelt down on one knee and extended the box with open palm, "Consent to being my bride?"

"Whoa." Stephanie whispered. "Too cool."
"No! You can't! We deserve a chance!" Lisa screamed again. "It..it is in the rules."

"Actually," Lucas stepped in. "The rules had a clause that they were subject to change by the royal family at any time they wished. And he is changing them. So be quiet and let him propose."

Lisa gasped and backed away. Her hand was over her mouth. Starfyre was getting glares from every other girl accept Stephanie. She was trembling. Starfyre looked around and then back at Andrew. She really didn't expect this one. She wasn't sure that she wanted to say no either and that scared her a hundred times worse.

"I.." She fell back on the steps. Starfyre's cheeks were a bright shade of red. "Y..you...The whole time?"

"I had to. Please understand." Andrew stepped closer to help her up. "I would have never gotten to know what they were like. You would have been real with me but they wouldn't have. All I did was shorten a long, grueling process of getting them out and keeping you here. Please, accept my ring. Please marry me. We don't have to right now. Just say that you will."

"Andrew.." Starfyre whimpered. "W..what about my schooling? I was studying to become a veterinarian. I can't just quit."

"You don't have to." He grasped her left hand and slid the ring onto her finger. "You will just have me tagging along. Can't be all bad, right?"

"Come on girl. You know you like him." Stephanie bit her lip. "Let your self go."
"Hmph." Lisa looked away.

"He is ugly anyways." Another one rolled eyes.

"Will you all shut up!" Stephanie glared at them. "Go to your rooms and pack or something."

"Stephanie approves." He pulled Starfyre to her feet and close to him. Andrew wrapped both his arms around her in a hug. Her hands were just at his chest and she was looking up at him. "You can approve too. I swear, with all my heart, that my reasons are genuine. I never expected to actually find someone but you..really did come and..shake things up."

"Andrew," Starfyre didn't know what to say, "But.."

"You can say but and what if all you want. You will never know if you can and how willing I am to help you still do the things you want, unless you say yes." His hand brushed against her cheek. "You do not have to quit school. You can still do what you want. I would just be helping you to do it. That is the only difference."

"She accepts!" Stephanie gasped, covering her mouth.

"Stephanie!" Starfyre was blushing. "I.."

"You know you do. I know that look in your eyes. Just once, take a leap of faith." Stephanie nodded. "For your self."

She looked down. Starfyre wanted to say yes and yet some part said she wanted to say no. The fear in her was strong. She had only been in one other relationship and that ended horribly with him cheating on her. Andrew cupped his hand under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his.

"I know you're scared. I am scared. It is like I said. I never expected to actually find someone, but I did. I accept you for who you are. I would never try and change you. It is this you that I fell in love with." Andrew pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you and I..want you to love me in return."

"I.." Starfyre panted a little heavier. Her eyes were moist with tears. "I.." She heard Stephanie to her side. She heard Kasey. They were both there for her. "Ye..yes." She whispered it softly.

"Yes?" Andrew smiled. "Was that a yes?"

"Ohh!" Stephanie gasped.

"Come on." Kasey nodded. "Say it loud and proud girl."

"Yes." She squeaked a louder yes. "Yes, Okay!" She gasped. Starfyre forgot how to breathe. She said it?
His lips touched against hers. She felt her body lifted from the ground as he held her close. The other girls still glared. It was true, they had come just for money and a title, but most royalty never married for love anyways! Starfyre pulled away, gasping louder. She gulped audibly when she looked into his eyes. Andrew was beaming with happiness. The entire room around them burst into applause, except the girls, that is.

"Breathe." Andrew whispered to her. "You can breathe."

"Huh?" She gasped louder and exhaled a trembling breath. "I..said..y.yes." Starfyre couldn't believe she had said it.

"Yeah!" Stephanie shouted. "Alright!"

"Way to go." Kasey sighed happily. "Bout time someone found love around here."

"You okay now?" Andrew didn't notice anything else around him. He only saw her. "Do you need anything?"

"Yes." She nodded to him. "Er, no I..don't." Starfyre bit her bottom lip. "Do you..really..want me?"

“You know it." He kissed her softly again. "Always. You are kind, honest, open, and you refuse to be something other than yourself. No matter what, you are, and will always be yourself. Why wouldn’t I want that?"

"Sir." The co-producer tapped his head producer's shoulder. "Ratings just shot through the roof, I think."

"This is too perfect." The producer watched Andrew and Starfyre. "I think we are going to have to follow this story to the end." Forget the drama of trying to find the right girl and have it maybe work out; they were going to be the first to follow a relationship building from the beginning. “We’ve got us Cinderella at the ball after midnight, people. Let’s roll with it. What’s the word at the network? Sponsors will be jumping on this one.”

"That could work." Lucas smiled. "And I am glad he chose her." He chuckled. "Gothiic desires, the untold story of a prince who refused to fall in love until she, his gothic beauty, came into his life."

“Gothic Desires? Hmm…” The producer rubbed his chin in thought. “Catchy. The Light and Dark Side of Romance.” He glanced around. “Anyone really know anything about goths? Come on, something catchy to work in with this thing, people. Someone cue some music, preferably something that fits. We have anything? I can only think of Bahaus, but I don’t think that will work.”

“I know a little but I bet I know someone who knows a lot more.” Devinshire motioned to Stephanie, who was just the guest. After the event, she was supposed to be scheduled on a flight home. “You got a girl right over there who has been friends with Starfyre since she was nine years old.

“Perfect.” He walked over to Stephanie. “Pardon me, but how would you like to be a consultant for the show? We need someone with musical and cultural knowledge.”

"Dance with me?" Andrew spun her around to the center of the floor. "Hm?"

The music started, a classical waltz. It was all they had to work with, but as the show progressed, would definitely have something more fitting. The queen and king grinned as they sat down to the side. They had never seen Andrew so into a girl. They were glad, even if she was a little different. She was certainly a lot nicer than the other girls here. Andrew stepped away, pulling Starfyre with him towards the center floor.

“Well, It is not Skinny Puppy but I think I can dance to it.” Starfyre grasped his hand. “But, we seriously need to talk about the no Internet thing here.”

“Already making royal requests?” Andrew pulled her close. “Or is that a command.”

“Mm..could be both.” She chuckled as she looked up at him. “For my schooling, and all.” Starfyre let her hands slide to his sides.

“Have to see what I can do about that then.” Andrew nodded. “Maybe satellite connection?”

“If it means I get to stay around.” Stephanie turned, watching Starfyre. “And We can talk about pay later. Right now, shh. They are trying to dance.”

“Oh, That is it.” Lisa growled and started towards Andrew and Starfyre. “Hey! We deserve a chance! Don’t Ignore me!”

“Hold on there.” Stephanie jumped in front of the angry Lisa. “Don’t make me get gothy on your too skinny butt.”

“Think some girls are jealous.” Starfyre whispered.

“Stephanie will take care of them” Andrew held her closer. “I’ve been waiting too long for this to quit right now.”

“Only three days.” Starfyre smiled. “That is not too long.”

“Is for me.” He chuckled. “Now, shh, trying to dance. Have to sick Stephanie on you.”

“She is too busy getting in Lisa’s face.” Starfyre smirked.

“I am going to scratch your eyes out.” Lisa tried to push past Stephanie. “Let me pass!”

“Not for a million bucks and if we want to talk claws, “ She shoved Lisa back, making her stumble. “Let me go get my retractable cat claws on. Then we can dance. How about that Ms, Tude?”

“Think we should stop them?” Devinishire didn’t think a fight would be too good for the show. “Hm?” he tapped his producers’s shoulder.

“No way. This is good stuff.” The producer grinned. “Our gothic Cinderella has her own knightress in shining armor to protect her from the jealous women.”

“What a night.” Devinshire chuckled. “What a night for Reality Television.”

“You said it Mr. Devinshire.” Stephanie nodded. Lisa was retreating to her room, as were a few other girls. “So lets dance.” She glanced at Starfyre and Andrew, who were dancing closely together before she smiled. “What do you say?”

“Be happy to.” Lucas held his arm out to her. “My lady?”

The two left the producer sitting there, alone. Lucas didn’t mind it. The producer might have but everyone else was too busy dancing to ask him.