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LENGTH: Novella
SENSUALITY: Carnal

Cover art (c) Eliza Black
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Rating: Contains graphic and explicit sexual content and language.

"Four/Five Stars! I have never laughed as hard as I did while reading The Prince with a Hole in his Heart. The adventures, or would that be miss-adventures, these two characters run into and the ways they devise to get out of them are sensual to say the least. However, it is the tongue-in-cheek writing of Barri Bryan that had me grasping my sides in pain! The quirky names and full-of-shit monster were too much for me. Although this book is quite erotic I don’t know if it could be considered a romance in the strictest sense of the word, as the romantic element was introduced at the end. If you are looking for a funny, quick read, I think this one is for you." Just Erotic Romance Reviews

"THE PRINCE WITH A HOLE IN HIS HEART is written in the style of a children’s fairy tale with poetry that makes reading this tale enjoyable. Barri Bryan manages to capture the reader’s imagination and attention with this idyllic storytelling approach, transporting readers to the magical kingdom of Aviator. The premise for this unique tale is a delight as Evander seeks the object of his quest, thereby releasing him from his morose moods. For an enjoyable, and at times downright humorous, read worthy of a Mel Brooks comedy, I highly recommend A PRINCE WITH A HOLE IN HIS HEART." Edith Morrison, Romance Reviews Today

"The Prince with a Hole in His Heart by Barri Bryan is a marvelous addition to the 14 Days of Fairy-tale Romance. Erotic and humorous, fast-paced and detailed, this story draws the reader, offering them a tale beyond their wildest imagination. All of the places Evan and Willie see, the things that happen to them and most of all the way their experiences change them make for a truly unforgettable story. I highly recommend you don't miss The Prince with a Hole in His Heart." In the Library Review

"THE PRINCE WITH A HOLE IN HIS HEART is an erotic a tale filled with the most amazing characters. I found myself turning the pages quickly to see what crazy situation Willie and Evan would find themselves in next." Bea Sigman, Romance Junkies

THE PRINCE WITH A HOLE IN HIS HEART

By

Barri Bryan

© copyright February 2004, Billie and Herb Houston
Cover art by Eliza Black, © 2004
New Concepts Publishing
5202 Humphreys Rd.
Lake Park, GA 31636
www.newconceptspublishing.com

Chapter One

Once upon a time, long, long ago in a glittering domain located east of the land of Palatial Paragon and west of the nation of Unchaste Utopia there stood the fair kingdom of Aviator. It was a country rich in resources and resplendent in wealth for the wise and kindly King Otto had ruled this magnificent realm wisely and well for many years. As time passed King Otto grew old and tired and weary of his many duties and responsibilities. Uneasy rested the head that wore the bejeweled crown of Aviator. The king feared what might happen to his people when he was no longer present to guide and council them. For, alas, Good King Otto was childless.

Just when he despaired of ever having a son and heir to carry his scepter and wear his mantle and crown, the Gods smiled on King Otto and sent him a bonny baby boy. The king named the infant Evander for he was sure the child would grow to fit his name and be a good and noble man and a fair and gracious king.

As the years passed, Evander grew tall in stature and strong of limb. The king rejoiced in his good fortune and vowed to provide for the young prince the best education possible. He searched his kingdom to find proper tutors for the boy. After many long and exhausting months of looking he located the learned and eloquent scholar Cadian and persuaded him to become the boy’s mentor.

When he was sure he had found a man capable of nurturing the young Prince’s mind, the king sought a physician who could school him in matters of physical fitness and bodily nurture and care. After a long search, he found Galen, a physician knowledgeable in all aspects of health care and physical maintenance. Although Galen was a citizen of the neighboring kingdom of Palatial Paragon, he consented to become the king’s physician and to assume the task of teaching Evander all those secrets necessary to assure good health and longevity.

Still, the king was not satisfied. To train the mind was important and to care for the body was wise, but to nurture the spirit was essential. His final quest was for a prophet who could attend to the boy’s need for spiritual growth and knowledge. His search for a seer was even more difficult than finding a mentor or locating a physician. After many miserable months and countless interviews with innumerable prophets and sages, the king counted it his good fortune to discover an unassuming minor prophet with the unlikely name of Willie Wraskel. Willie was a political refugee from the kingdom of Unchaste Utopia, or so he told the king. Although Willie told the truth he neglected to tell all the truth. Willie Wraskel was a defrocked wizard with a clever and devious mind, but he was sadly lacking in morals and ethics and had absolutely no knowledge of lofty and erudite matters of the spirit. In short Willie Wraskel was a scoundrel and a knave. Of course Willie was careful to hide his disreputable past and to appear to be principled and high-minded. After all, it wasn’t everyday that a ne’er-do-well defrocked wizard who had been kicked out of his own kingdom for lewd and lascivious behavior, found a prestigious position in the palace of Good King Otto.

As the years passed Prince Evander grew from a stalwart lad to a handsome youth. It was plain for all around him to see that he would one day be a man worthy of wearing King Otto’s crown and assuming his position as leader of the kingdom of Aviator. All went well until the bonnie prince reached the age of eighteen. Over the next year he grew morose and depressed. His once rosy cheeks lost their bloom. His stalwart body grew thin and his happy nature altered by degrees to one of sadness and gloom.

At length the king became so concerned that he called a meeting of the young prince’s tutors and demanded that they each examine Evander to discover the cause of his gradual decline. Then each man was instructed to report his findings to the king’s High Court.

Each tutor made his examination, and on the following court day each was summoned before the king and his court to detail his findings. What an imposing figure the king was, seated on his elevated throne, dressed in robes of finest purple velvet and wearing his jeweled crown with his royal seal on a long chain around his neck. His chancellor, his advisors, Elder statesmen, generals, and the governor of each of the ten providences in his kingdom sat in a semi-circle behind him. Ambassadors from many neighboring kingdoms, along with visiting dignitaries from far away places, formed an outer curve of honored guests. Pages, servants, messengers, and hangers-on, stood on the periphery of the splendid double arc.

The tutors were escorted to the grand courtroom by a centurion wearing golden armor and wielding a wicked sword. By the time the anxious three stood before the great king and his magnificent court they were quaking in their respective boots.

The king’s scowling countenance did little to ease their fears or calm their dire expectations. Extending his scepter he spoke first to Cadian. "Tutor of knowledge to feed the mind, come forth and make your report known to all."

Cadian stepped forward and prostrated himself before the king. "Oh, most high king, I am honored to be in your presence."

The king commanded, "Stand and speak more than flattery to me. Tell me, what ails my beloved son?"

In a quivering voice Cadian replied, "Good king, I fear I have nothing to report. The young prince is mentally sound. His problem lies not in his mind."

The king roared, "By what authority did you arrive at such a diagnosis?"

Cadian’s smooth brow wrinkled; his small frame shook. "Your majesty, I am a professor and a scholar. I hold two diplomas from the Aviatorian University of Letters and an advanced degree from the Aviatorian College of Sciences."

The king was stern and unyielding. "That is no guarantee that you now speak the truth." Turning, he addressed his court. "Are there those among you who will swear an oath for this man?"

The king’s chancellor, who was seated at his right hand, stood and bowed before saying, "Your royal majesty, this man was my professor when I attended the Aviatorian Academy of Government. If he says that the prince is sound mentally, you may rest assured that the prince’s ailment does not reside in his mind."

The king was still scowling. "In the mouth of two witnesses is a fact established. Is there another who will vouchsafe that this man speaks the truth?" After a pin-drop moment of silence, the governor of Arcadia, the largest and most prosperous state in Aviator, stood, bowed low, and said, "Cadian was my mentor and my son’s mentor before he came to serve your royal majesty. If he says that the prince is sound mentally, I believe him."

Relaxing, the king smiled. "Well said, good governor." Turning to Cadian, he nodded his approval. "I accept your diagnosis."

Cadian was no fool. He backed away, bowing and scraping with each backward step he took.

Galen and Willie watched the receding figure with fear rising inside them like the mighty sweep of an ocean tide for neither had found any hint of a reason for the prince’s strange malady.

After several minutes of silent consideration, the king spoke once more. "Galen, noble and learned physician, step forward and speak you findings into the waiting ears of the High Court."

Willie sighed in relief as Galen stepped forward. He had a short reprieve to collect his thoughts and try to decide how best to talk his way out of this most distressing of situations.

Galen fell on his face before the king. "Oh, mighty king, I am your humble servant."

The king replied, "And you are also an alien and a sojourner in my kingdom. Bear that in mind when you rise and speak to me the truth about my son’s condition."

The physician arose. The man was a bundle of nerves, shakes and quivers. Because he was also a man of honor and integrity, he spoke the truth. "Sire, Your son’s strange illness is not physical."

The king ranted, "You charlatan! It must be!"

The trembling physician rubbed his hand across his bald head. "I have studied the healing arts sitting at the feet of the learned doctors of seven kingdoms. I hold degrees and diplomas from two prestigious universities. I have served as royal physician to the king of my own kingdom. By all that the gods consider holy, I vow to you, the young Prince’s illness is not physical."

The king half turned to face the assembled semi circle behind him. "Are there those present who would speak in this man’s behalf?"

Three arms went up; the first was that of no less a personage than the ambassador of Palatial Paragon himself. The second hand was fastened to an elder statesman from the kingdom of Eldorado. The third belonged to a solemn and learned judge who had been honored in many kingdoms for his knowledge and expertise in kingdom law.

As each man spoke glowing words about the honesty and expertise of Galen, Willie realized he was in deep trouble. He scanned the faces of the court. From the highest to the lowest there was not one person among them who would speak in his behalf. However he did recognize a few who would most assuredly speak against him if they recognized that behind this long white wizard’s beard lurked the face of Willie Wraskel, a scoundrel wanted in more than one providence of every kingdom represented at the King’s Royal Court. Willie was so lost in thought that he didn’t hear the king call his name. It took the sharp point of the centurion’s sword in small of his back to send him stumbling forward. Falling on his face, Willie assessed his chances of escaping in case he had to run and decided they were nil. With his forehead pressed to the cool surface of the marble floor, he declared, "Most mighty of kings, I am your humble servant."

The king bellowed, "Stand humble foreign servant and tell The Court what ails my son. Why is it that the prince is continually sad and dejected?"

Willie stood, drew a breath, and stroked his long beard as he assessed his situation. If he wanted to keep his job and his head, he’d better come up with an answer and fast. In tones that befitted the gravity of the situation, he declared, "I have given your son an extensive spiritual examination, and it is my considered opinion that the prince is suffering from a rare malady know as lackanookie."

A rumble of voices filled the air as grave heads nodded and solemn brows wrinkled. It was obvious that the residents and visitors of Aviator had never heard of such a malady, which was understandable--neither had Willie.

The king raised his hand. A pall of utter silence fell over the great hall. When at last the king spoke, it was in a hushed and somber tone. "I know of no such malady."

Willie sought to extricate himself from his web of deceit by giving credence to words spoken in fear and haste. "Of that I am sure, your majesty. Lackanookie is a prophetical term and very esoteric in nature. I know that your Royal Smartness will recognize the more generic name, which is...." Bowing his head, Willie managed to squeeze a tear from one eye. "Hole-in-heart disease." Willie’s sad tone and concerned manner lent credence to his diagnosis. "Now you can understand why he never smiles and why he is continually sad and morose."

What Willie did not know, what no one would ever have guessed was that the wily wizard had correctly diagnosed the prince’s problem. Young Prince Evander did, indeed have a virtual hole in his heart for he had never known true love.

The king leaned forward. "A hole in the heart?" There was no doubt that Willie’s seeming distress had impressed him. "Tell me, oh mighty prophet, how can you be sure?"

Willie gestured toward Cadian. "Yon tutor deals with matters of the mind." Then he pointed to Galen. "The learned man beside him is concerned with matters of the body." Laying his hand on his breast he bowed his head. "I, your humble servant, have mastered matters of the heart for what resides in the heart is imprinted on the soul."

Willie breathed a huge sigh of relief when the king said, "You speak well, oh prophet. Say on."

Willie drew a relieved breath and plunged ahead. "The hole in Prince Evander’s heart will mend when he finds his heart’s desire. Then and only then will he smile again, and then and only then will his mind be clear and his body sound." Squaring his shoulders and looking the king straight in the eye, Willie waited.

The king met his bold gaze. "Great will be your reward if you can return my son to his former state of health and happiness."

"Reward?" Willie blinked. Could it be that what had begun as a disaster could turn into a benefit? Once more the wily wizard stroked his beard. "Remission is a better word than cure. This is a strange and unpredictable disease, Sire." He stopped his tongue and reminded himself that often discretion was the better part of deceit. "I offer my humble services in an attempt to arrest this creeping malady." A plan was forming in Willie devious brain. The bonnie prince was nineteen years old and chaste as sunlight and pure as the driven snow. Willie knew exactly what would make him smile. Gadzooks, did he know! "I will need some time alone with the prince, and I will also need...." Willie paused, and then hurried on. What else could he do? "I will need the assistance of a beautiful young maiden" He closed his eyes, held his breath, and waited, sure that the king would be furious at such a request.

The king misunderstood completely. "Of course, I should have thought of it myself. It is time the prince took a wife."

Willie had been thinking more in terms of an experienced harlot. He lifted his head. "A wife, Sire?"

The king continued, "She must be young and beautiful." Before Willie could think of a response to that, the king added. "And she must be pure of heart."

Willie opened one eye. "Oh, yes Sire, indeed she must."

The king declared, "The prince must go on a journey to find his heart’s desire."

Willie’s other eye popped open. He swallowed his sigh of relief. "Oh, yes Sire, indeed he must."

"And you, good prophet, must accompany him on his journey."

Willie almost choked on his surprise. The last thing he wanted was to leave the palace and give up his plush lifestyle for the rigors of traveling with a punk prince. "I am sure that there are others who are much better qualified than I to attend the prince on his journey."

The king was swift to disagree. "You are the authority on matters of the heart. Is that not so?"

Willie knew better than to back down now. "Oh, yes, Sire. I am, most definitely."

"And the maiden my son chooses must be pure of heart, true?"

Willie didn’t dare disagree. "Oh yes, Sire; pure of heart, most assuredly."

The king raised his scepter. "Then I so decree. And you must travel incognito. How else can you be assured that the maiden my son chooses loves him for himself alone?"

Maybe a journey wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Now that he had shown his face in court, it was possible that he’d been recognized. "You majesty’s wisdom outshines the sun."

"You begin your journey with the first breaking of tomorrow’s light."

Willie sighed, and then he smiled. This hadn’t turned out so badly after all. "I am most honored to do your bidding, Sire."