The Fire Within the Passion by Kayla Trautman (rooftoppers .txt) 📕

The Fire Within The Passion
By: Kayla Trautman
Chapter 1: Jack Tucker Meets Kattie Mannel
Jack is a prince in England. He is single and doesn't seem to find anyone that lives there of any
interest to him. So he didn't really worry about it too much, I mean he was only 21 years of age. He had
plenty of time to find a woman that he could marry and live with. He thought he had his life all planned out;
go to college, learn all there is to know about running a kingdom: politics, economics, etc. He wouldn't think
of meeting a woman that was different from the others, that made him actually feel something and not just
some woman to stand by his side like a trophy, a woman that made him happy every second he was with
her, a woman that wasn't a bore. He didn't even think he was going to even think about marrige until he was
in his thirties. He had his life all planned out. No one would stop him or distract him, or so he thought.
A woman had just moved to England in the city only a couple blocks away from the royal castle. As
tradition, she had made an appointment to speak with the prince so they know who is in the kingdom. It was
a thurday afternoon and the sun was shinning. The woman was dressed in her best; a full-length purple dress
that showed her back, a big fancy purple hat with a light purple feather attached to it on top, the dress was
short sleeve. Some would say that was an inappropiate dress, especially to wear in front of the prince. It
was right after lunch when she arrived at the palace in the carrige. The driver pulled back on the reins and
brought the carrige to a stop. As he went to get up to help her out of the carrige she opened the door and
stepped out. "My lady, I was just getting down to help you out." the driver said as he was shutting the door
behind her. The woman just simply said, "That's okay, I can manage." She was looking up at the castle.
The driver said, "But you're a woman. And I wouldn't want it to look like I am being rude to a woman. It's
just not proper, my lady." She simply just sighed and replied, "I will be sure to tell anyone who asks that
I did it on my own account, that you were trying to help me but I didn't let you. Now just wait out here I'll
only be a minute." She started walking towards the front door of the palace. She stopped at the door and
knocked four times.
The door opened and the butler, Mr. McNight, said, "May I help you, my lady?" The woman said, "Yes. I
have an appointment with Prince Jack Tucker. You see, I just moved here." Mr. McNight opened the door even
wider and stepped aside to let her in and said, "If you'll follow me this way." He shut the door and led the
woman to Jack's office. "Please have a seat right there and the prince will be along shortly. Who may I say
is waiting?" Mr. McNight asked. The woman said, "Kattie Mannel." She sat in the chair as Mr. McNight left
shutting the door behind him.
Jack was in the library reading a book about politics when there was a knock on the door. Mr. McNight
came in and announced, "Sir, there's a lady waiting in your office. Her name is Kattie Mannel. She says she
has an appointment with you today." Jack put the book down on the table next to the armchair he was sitting
in. he got up and stretched, "Yes. I do. Thank you Mr. McNight. I'll be there in a minute." Mr. McNight left the
room to return to his duties. Jack put his hands in his pockets and headed for his office.
When Jack opened the door Kattie stood up and quickly turned, but not before he saw her back. He didn't
know what to think but he hid his feeling towards it; quite frankly, he liked what he saw, but he wasn't about to show
her it. It wouldn't be appropiate. He walked over and recieved her hand as she curtsy, and he bowed and kissed
her hand; as he would normally do when greeting a woman. But he thought her hands were rather soft, softer
than others. He didn't let any reaction show as he let go of her hand and said, "Good afternoon, my lady.
Please have a seat." She did and Jack went around the table and sat in his chair. "Now, when did you get
in Mrs. Mannel?" He was trying to be discreet about asking her if she was married. She simply answered,
"Just two days ago. And It's Ms. Mannel. I'm not married." He thought, "So she wasn't married." He replied,
"I'm sorry my lady. What made you move here?" She hesitated for a moment then replied, "I needed to get
away from people. It's rather personal." He wanted to know, yet alone it was just what he needed to do. He
asked, "Get away from who? I have to ask, it's procedure, maim." Kattie shut her lips tight, then let out a
breath. Then she said, "If you must know, I was in a bad relationship with this guy. I broke up with him
'cause he got aggressive. When I did, he started threatning me. And those threats turned to voilence. So
I decided to leave and get away from that place to start a new." Her tone was so irratated that Jack would
have normally told her politely to calm down, but there was something different about her and he wanted to
see more of what she was like. Jack realized that she was gripping the arms of the chair; nearly putting holes
in them; and replied, "Sorry. How unfortunate." Kattie realized what she was doing and loosened up, calming
herself down. She knew it was only procedure. Jack continued, "Now," he paused as he was about to ask
the unaskable, "How old are you?" Jack expected to get all the fury she had in her to come out yelling at
him. He could usually deal with it, but since it seems that this was a different lady he asked, he expected
something worse with her. Instead, she simply replied, "I'm 20 years old." Jack was astonished, in shock,
so much in shock that he couldn't help but let it show on his face. Kattie looked at him with her brows raised.
She asked, "Is everything okay, Prince Jack?" Jack realized that he hadn't said anything for a few moments
and said, "No, I was just shocked. Most, no, No woman ever answered that question without letting me hear
a few words of me questioning them of their age. But yet, you've said nothing and answered my question."
Kattie lowered her brows and smiled, "It's just a question. No harm in that. Besides, it needs to be asked."
Jack smiled back at her.
Jack and Kattie continued their discussion. When they finished Jack led her to the door. He said, "Well,
thank you Ms. Mannel for being here to answer the questions that needed answering. Hope we'll meet again
soon." Kattie smiled and gave him her hand and curtsy. He kissed her hand as he bowed. "Good day Prince
Jack." Kattie said and turned to leave. As she was walking away Jack stopped her, "Ms. Mannel! Wait!" He
walked up to her as she turned around. He said, "I almost forgot. There's balls that are held every friday to
welcome newcomers. Help them get to know the people they live with in the neighborhood. I was hoping to
see you there this friday. It's at 7 o'clock." Kattie smiled and said, "Well, Prince Jack, don't get your hopes
up." She turned and walked away. Jack was stunned. He practically asked her out. He would understand
why she wouldn't want to go out with him any time soon 'cause of the unfortunate experience that had just
recently happend. But why was she saying it like that? She had a lot of spunk to talk to him, the prince, like
that. He liked it. He never met a woman like that before. He stood there until he couldn't see the carrige no
more.
Jack walked back into the castle and shut the door behind him. He went up to the library and sat where he
was sitting before he met the mysterious Kattie Mannel. But he didn't continue reading his book about
politics. No. He was thinking about Ms. Mannel. Ms. Kattie Mannel. He couldn't get his mind off of her. How
her long blond hair was put up with red roses tied up in her hair. Her skin was pale, not pasty pale, but a
good type of pale. Pale that brought out the redness in her lips. Jack was way over her head he thought, but
then he just knew that he had to get to know her. Something about her just sparked something new in him. He
was so hoping that she didn't mean what she had said. He hoped that he would be able to talk with her, dance
with her, he just had to.
Chapter 2: Friday Night's Ball
Jack was in his best suit. Matter of fact, he got a new suit. Just for that Kattie Mannel. He had to look his absolute best.
He had no idea what he was getting himself into, or even if he was getting himself into anything. He didn't know what was
happending, or if anything was even happending. He just wanted to see her again. He was standing in front of a full length
mirror, just fussing about .
Kattie was sitting on the edge of her bed. She was deciding whether she would go or not. She had an hour to decide
and get ready. She said to herself, "It's just a ball. It's not like anything's going to happend. I've been through this before.
My heart won't let me take the same mistake twice." She suddenly got up and just started pacing the floor. She wanted to
go, but then remembered how his blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight, how his shoulder-length dark brown wavy hair just sat
there, and occasionally moved with the wind when he was outside, how his shirt outlined the muscles in his arms and in
his chest. She was destined for trouble. But she didn't think it was going to hurt just to go to a ball. "It's not like I'm going to
talk to him. He's not going to talk to me, he's a prince, he's got better things to do then that. Even if he did, it wouldn't be
anything bad." She said to herself. She stopped suddenly and looked at the time. She still had thirty minutes left. She got
dressed in her ruby red full-length dress; this didn't show her back but it was a