■ 13 Goodbye to Ruritania

Old Sapt worked hard to keep our secret hidden． He sent messages， told lies， and gave orders． All his plans were successful， except one． Nothing can stop a woman in love．

When Princess Flavia heard that the King was hurt， she refused to stay at Tarlenheim House and rode at once to the Castle of Zenda． Sapt had hidden me in a room in the old castle， and he and Fritz brought her to me there． How happy she was to see me！ She threw her arms round my neck and kissed me．

'No！ 'cried Sapt． 'It's not the King． Don't kiss him． He is the man you love-but he is not the King！ '

Flavia's face went white． 'What do you mean？ 'she cried． She turned to me again． 'Rudolf！ Why do you let them say these things？ '

I looked deeply into her eyes．

'It's true， 'I said quietly． 'I am not the King． '

For a minute she continued to hold on to me． She looked at Sapt， at Fritz， and finally at me again． Then， slowly， she fell forward and I laid her gently on the ground．

'I wish that Rupert had killed me， 'I said．

* * *

I saw the King once more． He thanked me， and I gave him back the royal Elphberg ring． If he noticed Flavia's ring on my finger， he said nothing． We both knew that we would never meet again．

Before I left Ruritania， Princess Flavia asked to see me again， and Fritz took me to her． They had told her everything．

We had so much to say-and so little to say． A princess is not free to choose who to love．

'Flavia， 'I said， 'I love you． I'll love you until the day I die． '

As I walked away， I heard her say my name again and again． 'Rudolf…Rudolf…'I can hear it now．

* * *

I live quietly now， but every year Fritz and I meet in a little town outside Ruritania． There， he gives me news of the Queen of Ruritania， the wife of King Rudolf the Fifth． And every year he brings me a red rose and a note with the words written： Rudolf-Flavia-always． And I send her a red rose with the same message．

Shall I ever see her again？ Who knows？

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