The Handsome Prince Pt1

The first thing Ana observed about the video was the noticeable but surprising inclusion of content and substance. Incorporating a Byzantine plot-line and numerous complex characters, the film played out like a professional production, and it struck Ana that she was watching Jules' first attempt at directing a legitimate movie.
The story revolved around one Handsome Prince who, as a child, became sole heir to the British throne after his fathered suffered a massive brain hemorrhage that killed him. His mother, the Queen, retained ruling rights until he turned 21, at which point he would take over the responsibility of running the extensive kingdom.
There was only one problem that the little prince faced, and that was that he was inordinately and strangely beautiful. Indeed he was so fair that his mother limited his education lest too many books should produce premature wrinkling betwixt the brow from thinking and around the mouth from frowning at some difficult problem. Likewise, his nanny ensured he received plenty of sleep by putting him to bed for at least twelve hours, even if he only managed to sleep away six of them. And the cook, concerned that he should grow to fat or too thin off her meals, coordinated the preparation of his food with his equestrian, fencing and archery instructors. All in all, the prince was very well- liked and very well-kept, and prohibited from all activities that might cause harm to his looks or damage his form in any way.
Now news of the prince's loveliness soon spread throughout the empire so that dukes and duchesses, lords and ladies, counts and countesses as well as earls, baronesses and other forms of royalty traveled far and wide to catch a glimpse of the young child's face. Indeed, rulers as far as Scandinavia and New Zealand came to visit with the prince, and everyone declared the youth's visage to be as handsome as any that was ever born. Unfortunately because of his exceeding comeliness the prince spent many hours alone in the castle, for his peers, jealous that he should be so perfect, refused to play with him, eschewing the child save when they were attempting to drown him in the water or stone him against the rocky cliffs. Despite such treatment, the prince walked away from the incidents untouched, and he grew even more beautiful with the passing of every year.
For his twelfth birthday, the Queen, wishing to debut her comely youngling, held a grand birthday party in his honor. From all over the world people came to celebrate with the prince and honor his sublimity with their gifts, many of which ended up being mirrors, highly decorated or ornament in some form or fashion. In fact, the prince received so many of these objects that he was forced to line his walls with them, and even had to mount some on his ceiling so that his bedroom could contain them all. From that night forward, the first thing Prince Charming saw every morning was himself, and the last thing he glimpsed at night before he slept was his own reflection.
When the prince was only nineteen, an extremely rich and powerful emperor from another nation came to visit the Queen in hopes of wooing her into marrying him. Upon seeing the handsome prince, however, the ruler immediately forgot himself and his mission, for the young man's countenance embraced the very best of both sexes and was significantly more attractive than his own mothers. Although the mighty monarch commenced to court the boy's mother he also actively sought companionship with the lad, and one day while they were walking in the forest attempted to seduce him, proclaiming his forbidden love and attraction to the prince. The poor youth, being naive in thought and infinitely lonely in life, was greatly moved by the other's declaration and fell under his charms, giving the older gentleman everything he so desired till nothing remained untouched.
At this point Ana was forced to look away, for the graphic scenes of the slightly older gentleman having relations with Jules was too much for her to bear. She felt an incredible amount of pity for him then, pity and sorrow for his very public humiliation that was made all the worse by its autobiographical truth, however obscured and shrouded it was in symbolism.
The story continued, and Ana could tell by listening to the voices that Prince Charming's fall from grace had been complete, and that he had embarked on a rather libertine lifestyle with drunken festivals and all-night orgies as a regular part of his existence there at the castle. A princess from a nearby nation had attempted to redeem the handsome nobleman from his wickedness, but in the end she was compelled to leave, unable to tolerate his debauchery any longer.
The beautiful prince inherited the throne from his mother but did not change his ways, eventually traveling more and more often to visit his lover in the other kingdom. His absence from the throne was duly noted by very powerful people, including his obsequious sycophants and his enemies, and those with an interest in the throne began to mobilize, some for a confrontation, others for a coup.
In the end the young prince lay slain by the same man whom he had trusted with his very life. As he bled, the princess he had scorned held his body, crying softly as she stroked his hair and murmured words of comfort to him. He apologized then and recanted his dissipation, expressing a renewed desire for the virtues of life even as his own death approached, but alas, his repentance did not heal him or save his life. The comely prince passed away and the princess, scrutinizing her blood-soaked white dress and her lover's body, stood up and let out a primal scream.
And that was it.

Jules and Ana sat silently for some time, staring at the screen before them as if in disbelief of what they had just seen. Jules was so petrified regarding Ana's reaction that he did not move, fearful that even the smallest stir would rain down a series of epithets aimed at demoralizing him into a prolonged and arduous apology - something that he felt could never fully excuse the past, no matter how profound and elaborate he made it. But Ana, with her usual expansive level of compassion and empathy, was thinking of something entirely different; she was thinking that the redeemable qualities of the film made it a work of art more than a work of pure decadence. As such it hardly stood on par with other celebrity porn, no matter how explicit or provocative the sexual scenes, and this fact provided a way out of the inevitable backlash that was sure to come in a matter of days.
Ana coughed gently to clear her throat. "It's not what I was expecting," she murmured.
"I know it's horrible; I am so sorry for hurting you," Jules lamented. "I never thought…it wasn't supposed to be seen by anyone. I remember it all now, as clearly as if it were yesterday. I was angry at mother for not having time for me, and I was tired of the nanny's constant niggling and I felt the cook was poisoning me with the food. I made the film with that in mind; I wrote and directed it at them so they could see what they had done to me, but once it wrapped I didn't feel the need to force it upon them any longer. You could say I lived out my anger in my work."
"Who was the man, Jules?" Ana asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Who was your emperor? Someone deflowered you in that way. Who was he?"
Jules suddenly blushed, and Ana realized that she had shamed him. "You don't have to tell…," she started but Jules interrupted her.
"I met an art instructor when I was eighteen. He said I had a talent for sculpting and wanted to help me develop it, so we worked closely together over the next several months, and eventually I started turning a profit. One Friday night we were drinking cheap wine and laughing while discussing Renoir…and next thing I knew he was kissing me. I don't have to tell you what happened next."
"Wow," Ana remarked. "So, why did it end?"
"I saw him for awhile…it had to remain a secret, you understand. He said I was his muse and he made various sculptures of me and crafted many more he said I inspired him to create; but then one day we woke up and he looked over at me and told me I no longer fascinated him, and that was it."
"I'm sorry," Ana whispered, placing her hand consolingly on his knee.
"Don't be; it needed to happen - it should have happened long before then, but we were both in denial."
"So, had you had a woman previous to it?"
"One…I had a girlfriend for awhile. That's it."
Ana smiled adoringly at Jules then, and grasped his hand in hers. "What made you like me?" she inquired coyly.
Jules burst out laughing at her coquettishness. "I knew this question was coming, I've just been waiting for you to ask it. You're lovely and sweet, and at the time you were virtually unavailable to me. That always stoked my ardor for some reason: I enjoyed the fact that I couldn't have you."
"Well you did have me, and relatively easily as ashamed as I am to say it. You didn't need to conquer much to make me putty in your hands."
Grinning, Jules pressed her hand between both of his. "Yes, but you loved me too, you really loved me. I hadn't known love then, but I felt your warmth wrap around me like sunlight. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I didn't want you to leave me, but yet I was afraid of having you."
"And now?" Ana asked seriously. "How do you feel about me now?"
"I feel like I have been given a second chance at having something beautiful and I am scared I am going to lose it."
"Oh Jules, you never lost me, it was I who lost you. You fled for some reason and never looked looked back."
"Yes I was a fool who wanted to destroy himself. I couldn't accomplish my mission with you nearby - you'd end up rescuing me when I didn't want to be rescued - and so I blamed you for our relationship and convinced myself it was you who had seduced me and who had forced me to commit those murders. If I hated you then I could hate and ruin myself with no one standing in the way."
At these words Ana's eyes clouded up with tears, and Jules instantly regretted his comment.
"I shouldn't have said that; it seems everything I say these days is wrong…"
"…no Jules; what you said was perfectly fine," Ana cut in, "and something I desperately needed to hear, but lets not speak upon it anymore. Besides, I have good news for you."
"Is it possible" Jules joked, "that there is good news for me?"
"Yes - regarding the film. It's art, Jules, it's art - although it's certainly obscene in places - it remains art. It cannot be compared to porn, and that works to your advantage. When you speak with the press, concentrate on the storyline, not the sex."
"I am not talking to the press about this," Jules countered. "I'm embarrassed and humiliated by the blasted film - how can I discuss it?"
"You must converse upon it; otherwise the video and you will be pigeon-holed in the very worst light. Listen, most people won't bother watching the movie for themselves; they'll rely on the critics and the professionals to tell them what they should think. Naturally these folks want to sensationalize the story - it'll improve ratings - so they will only mention the elicit sex acts, taking them entirely out of context. You can possibly win this PR war if you put those scenes back into the storyline by discussing them as they relate to the plot. Do it Jules; you must trust me here."
Jules sighed hopelessly in response, but then capitulated. "Okay; I will do it, but only if you stand by me."
"Of course I'll stand by you!" Ana countered, somewhat offended at the suggestion she would abandon him. "No matter what happens I will wait for you; I promise."

Suddenly Jules' phone rang and he flicked open the receiver. "This is Jules," he announced. Ana watched on intently as he listened to the other end of the line and then hung up the phone. "I have to go," he said, rising to retrieve his coat. "I'm scheduled to meet with Cynthia and dad at Starbucks up the street in twenty minutes."
Ana frowned. "Okay, so what would you have me do in the meantime?"
"Stay here. I'll be back in a few; I promise," he assured her, then bending down brought his face within inches of hers. The two remained that way, gazing deeply into each other's eyes, before they shut their lids and moved together for a kiss. Ana felt herself swoon as she detected the warmth of his breath upon her cheek and the sweet fragrance of his natural scent in the air, the latter sending a shot of exhilaration up her spine. For his part Jules hesitated just at the entrance of Ana's small mouth, unable to decide whether to breach those sacred lips with a kiss or whether he should allow the delicate petals to remain untouched and thus untainted. The anticipation of the unrecognized possibility was so intense that the producer felt himself shaking from the excitement and he allowed himself to linger on the very edge of the temptation, reveling in the full brunt of its force bearing down on him. But at last he resolved to wait until time permitted love's luxury, and so with an element of politeness he slowly withdrew himself from her.
."You tease," Ana complained.
"No love, I just want to wait until I can spend it all at once upon you," Jules smiled affectionately.
Ana crossed her arms and framed her mouth with a pout. "Well you shouldn't have instigated it because now I can't wait until you return. You're a cruel man, Jules Vercini."
Jules commenced laughing. "My poor ship Anastasia. I'll have to board her when I come back."
Continuing to sulk Ana turned her back on Jules. "Have you ever considered that I might not like being referenced as a vessel? I'm not a stupid boat you know."
"Well I didn't mean for you to take it literally," Jules protested. Walking over towards the bed, he threw his coat down and sat beside her. "Listen, captains love their ships; they love them so much they personify them as women. A well crafted vessel won't sink in a tempest; she may take on water, but it serves to steady her in the huge waves, not sink her to the bottom. A good captain with a good ship can set his compass and tie the helm, go below and sleep peacefully in his cabin because he knows when he rises he will be right on course. A great ship needs no crew, merely a good captain and a good captain needs nothing more than a great ship. They work together, and when one goes down oftentimes so does the other."
Despite her resolution to remain contradictory, Ana could not help but be reconciled by his expression, and so she raised an eyebrow and she turned to look at him. "Really?" she asked.
"Oh definitely," Jules reiterated, hiding his surprise and happiness at the fact that she had accepted his explanation. "But if you don't like it I won't do it any longer."
"I don't mind, I guess, so long as you aren't sneaking onboard other people's ships when I'm not looking."
Jules let out a short giggle. "No, I've renounced my piratical ways. That kind of thing can get you killed these days, after all."
"Yes, especially if another captain discovers you've surreptitiously boarded his vessel. Go, Jules, and hurry back," Ana pleaded as she kissed him on the cheek.
Jules rose quickly and disappeared out the door, Ana watching him as he left. When he was gone she lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. His departure was acutely painful, as if some part of her had been ripped away when the door slammed behind him, and tears ran down her temples, dropping taciturn onto the covers. In the silence that remained Ana told herself Jules would come back, and consoled herself with happy thoughts of a reunion blessed with soft kisses and enduring love.

***********

Well what a novel and thrilling sort of story about the beautiful prince, and then to find out the sad news that it was as real and unreal.
I feel really afraid for Ana and for him and I like the way they can talk about things.
So the only suggestion i have is to always visualize your book as a serious on screen movie for the fiercest critics. Check the pacing, the language,the length of each group of thoughts If it all checks out then leave it and move on.
I am coming to be a fan of yours.
is that really you on the avatar. you are beautiful

Thanks, Rachel. Your suggestions are good, esp since I do plan to write the screenplay for this book if I ever manage to finish it.

Thanks for the compliments. Yes, that's me in the avatar. I"m usually a vampire on camera (I don't show up well or I come out too dark to see or too light to see - always something wrong with the photo) and this was the first photo that actually turned out well in years. I'm endebted to the person who managed to capture me. (-:

Countess