The Gentlemen’s Agreement (Another Arranged Marriage #7)
Chapter One
Serron
“You are going to marry someone of royal blood, and it will happen within a month, or I’ll disown you and make your cousin my heir. That’s my final word. Get on with it.”
Crown Prince Serron of Monce winced as his father stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. “I am so sorry, Mother,” he said gently, once he was sure his father had left. “I didn’t mean to upset him so much, but I don’t understand why Father won’t accept I already hold great affection for someone else. He didn’t seem to have an issue with it before.”
He slouched back in his seat, rubbing his head. “Has something changed that I’m not aware of? Father knows about my closeness with Patin. Why won’t he accept me marrying him? I’d still be married. You couldn’t find a more stable couple than Patin and me. We’ve cared deeply for each other for years and are totally committed to each other. The only thing missing is the vow exchange as far as either one of us is concerned. Why can’t Father accept that?”
“It is I who should apologize.” Queen Sophie of Monce looked tired, her pale features sad as she poured them both some tea. “I should’ve warned you this was coming.”
She handed Serron a cup and then added sugar cubes to her own before stirring it. “I have known about your father’s plans for some time, but I held off talking to you. I hoped… This is not easy to say, but I confess I hoped your father would feel more like himself in due time, but that hasn’t happened nor is it likely to.”
Serron felt a shaft of fear. Despite his father’s angry stance, Serron had a deep and abiding affection for his parents. “Is Father’s condition worsening?”
“As you know, your father has been very unwell for some time.” Queen Sophie sighed. “I am at my wit’s end, unable to offer much but the most cursory of comforts. The dear man is in pain all the time, and there is a limit to what the healers can do. Mortrin has done his best, working all hours to come up with new potions to help ease the symptoms. Your father has gone so far as to sleep with healing crystals around his bed every night, but nothing is working. Mortrin has determined your father has a degenerative form of blood disease.” Queen Sophie glanced toward the door before looking back at him.
“You need to hear this and be prepared. It is unlikely your father will ever be well again. Mortrin believes, and please, this is in the strictest confidence. Your father is a proud man, and you know how he can’t abide anyone fussing over him. But I have been advised by Mortrin that it is doubtful your father will last until the end of the year.”
“It’s the Fall Harvest Festival next week. Two-thirds of the year is already gone.” Serron put down the cup of tea his mother had given him as the butterflies in his stomach took flight. “Does he really have so little time?”
“Barring a miracle, yes. And before you ask, your father is aware of his prognosis, which is why he is so determined to see you settled before he…he…before he is unable to continue as king.”
“Oh, Mother, I am so sorry.” Serron was not raised in a family that hugged beyond greetings and farewells, but he reached across the small table dividing them, gently touching the back of the queen’s hand. “I know you and Father have a very close relationship. This must be so difficult for you.”
“It is what it is.” Queen Sophie smiled as she blinked rapidly. Serron pulled his hand back quickly. “Your father, bless him. When he first raised the idea of marriage between us, he said then there would be a time when I would be left alone due to him being so much older than me. He will ensure I am well-provided for when you take his place.”
The butterflies in Serron’s stomach turned into ice statues. “I am sure it would go no further if I said that while I have trained my whole life to be king one day, I didn’t imagine it might be so soon. I fear I also must be naive in my thinking because I never foresaw a day when Father would not accept my relationship with Patin. He is the Duke of Folkon. He is as good as any other man who comes from a society family.”
“Your admirable Patin has a title purely and simply because you bestowed it on him. Serron, you know this. Patin doesn’t have a family to speak of, despite my personal consideration of him as a second son. I couldn’t feel more warmly about him, especially when he has made you so happy these past years. But you know as well as I do that the differences, between those who are born with a title and those who have those titles gifted to them, are important to the society families we rule.”
Serron swallowed down the lump in his throat. “The thought of having to marry someone else, when my bonds with Patin are so close, it sickens me. As you said, Patin is an admirable man. He wouldn’t stay if I exchanged vows with someone else. He is too decent for that, and I would not condemn him to a position as my paramour. That would be untenable for us both, not to mention the unfortunate person I was contracted to marry.”
It was Serron’s time to glance at the door, before looking down at his hands. “I hate to bring you or Father more worry at this difficult time, but perhaps, if Father has already considered my cousin as an heir, Patin and I should leave together. We could move south, out of the country obviously, as I would not have my existence cause an embarrassment to you, Father, or my cousin when he became king. But we could change our names, make a life for ourselves somewhere else…”
“Serron, stop.” Queen Sophie shook her head. “Honestly, you are as bad as your father. It’s all or nothing with you, and your father is exactly the same. I have another suggestion, one that I hope you will at least consider.”
“I can’t marry a princess, Mother. I would not be so cruel or heartless to condemn any lady of any status to a life with me, when my heart will always be with a man who will leave me because he’d do the honorable thing.
“I doubt I could barely sustain a civil conversation with a prospective bride, and it would be through no fault of hers in any way. To engage in a relationship like that would be harsh and unkind to the extreme. I am sorry, but not even this situation with Father’s health can convince me to change my mind. Anyone I married would be subject to a contractual agreement and nothing more with me.”
“Have you quite finished?” Serron looked up to see his mother’s tired smile. “I do believe I asked you to listen to me before making any reckless decisions.”
“My apologies, Mother.” Serron let out a long breath before flicking his dark hair over his shoulder. “That was rude of me. Please continue.”
“Your sentiments are honorable, even if your words and plans are rash. There are many marriage contracts made between royals and society family members that are purely for convenience only. Beyond the basic civility you mentioned, it is highly possible for two people to enter a marriage contract and barely have anything to do with each other once the ceremony is done.”
Serron knew what his mother said was true. “That would have to be something that would be agreed upon by both parties before the contract was signed. Mother, I am not sure how I could go to any woman who was looking forward to running her own castle and being queen one day and telling her my heart belongs to someone else. That our lives would always be separate, and that there would be no possibility of children from our arrangement. While I know there are independent princesses around the world, I still believe that would be an unnecessarily punishing and a rather arrogant thing for me to do.”
“What about marrying a prince, then?”
Looking at his mother in shock, Serron shook his head. On the infrequent occasions when he and Patin discussed the possibility of him being pressured to marry, they had both assumed his prospective fiancée would be female. “How is that any different? Any relationship with another male that involves an exchange of vows would still be a violation of the commitment Patin and I share.”
“Your father has been determined that you would marry someone with royal blood for some time. That has given me time to do a spot of investigating on possible spouses – keeping your commitment to Patin in mind.” She got up, her skirts swishing as she made her way across the room, unlocking a small drawer in her writing desk and removing a folder. Coming back to the table, she sat down and handed it to him.
“I have had extensive correspondence with the Queen of Elembaum for some years. Her eldest son, the crown prince, has been married ten years or more by now, and he has children of his own. Her daughter has recently become Queen of Tyrion, after that unfortunate business there, but the Queen of Elembaum does have a younger son, Prince Jaq. Have you ever met him?”
Serron shook his head. “I don’t believe so, despite the visits I have made to Elembaum over the years. To be honest, I wasn’t aware there was a third son.”
“That’s not unusual, at least when it comes to Prince Jaq. According to his mother, Jaq is not a fan of socializing, or having much to do with society families or royal events. He is rarely seen in public, not because there is anything wrong with him, but because he is usually too busy and tends to forget he has social engagements he was meant to keep.”
Serron was intrigued despite his misgivings. “What is it that keeps Prince Jaq so busy?”
“He is a librarian and a bit of an academic – he’s studying magic, I believe, although I am not strictly sure. His mother tells me when Jaq gets his head in a book, he rarely notices the passing of time and only remembers to eat if someone puts a plate on the book he is reading. His mother is very proud of the work he has done in sorting and curating a beautiful collection of books from all over the known world and of the contributions he’s made to the Magical Department of the World Council. That is Jaq’s passion and his world.”
“That all sounds very commendable, and if it wasn’t for Patin, contracting with an intelligent spouse would be a perfect complement to my own love of being outdoors, training, and dealing with people. His skills would add to mine, ensuring we were a more well-rounded team. But Patin is as important to me, as I assume Prince Jaq’s books are to him if you describe them as his passion. And surely, too, simply because he has a love for the written word, Prince Jaq would still expect to marry one day, wouldn’t he?”
“He is twenty-six years old and has received two previous offers already, according to his mother. He refused them both. One was from Crown Princess Caroline of Far Reach. Apparently, during the course of the negotiations, he learned she had no time for books at all, going so far as to claim they cluttered the aesthetic she was looking for in her castle, so he refused her.
“His second offer was from Crown Prince Rupert of Simigile. However, on their first date arranged by Rupert, it was Rupert who got annoyed because Jaq was late for that appointment. He got caught up in a book and lost track of time. Rupert declared he was far too important to marry someone, no matter how attractive, who couldn’t be bothered to put him first. I doubt that would be something that bothered you.”
“Prince Jaq’s passion for books is bordering on obsessive.” Serron grinned, thinking about what his mother had told him. “Caroline is an exceptionally beautiful, accomplished, and intelligent woman in her own right. Likewise, Rupert is a powerful man who virtually runs Simigile already. A bit too keen on hunting trips for my liking, but most would consider him a catch.”
“Yes, well, Jaq has very definite views on how he likes to spend his days.” Queen Sophie chuckled. “Between you and me, his mother confided it was a hunting trip that Rupert organized as a first date with Jaq, apparently keen to show off his skills in that department. Jaq’s mother wasn’t so sure it was a book that caused Jaq to forget his appointment or a dislike of hunting in any form.”
“This Prince Jaq does sound like a character,” Serron agreed.
“I’m asking for you to at least consider this,” his mother said. “Talk to Patin, obviously. But I believe if you and Patin went to Jaq, before a mention of a marriage contract was made, perhaps took him a book from our own collection as a gift, and mentioned our own extensive library, he would receive you.
“If you did that and explained simply and honestly what the situation is, it’s my belief Jaq will at least consider your proposal. He has already told his mother not to accept any future contracts on his behalf. But if you went to him directly, spoke to him in his library, and shared what is going on here, he could be receptive, and that, at least, would make your father happy.”
“Patin and I always dreaded this day would come.” Serron sighed, his heart aching at having to cause his soulmate any distress. “I can’t let him leave me. I just can’t. We’ve been a part of each other’s lives for so long. I hate the thought of causing any distress to you and Father, but if Patin leaves then I will go with him.”
“That is the honesty you two need to share with Jaq,” Queen Sophie said firmly. “In truth, in a matter of months, if you and Patin don’t do anything reckless, rash, or irresponsible, you will be king. If Jaq agrees, you will need to provide for him, and appear at some important social events with him at various times, much like I do with your father. It would be prudent too, to keep your relationship with Patin discreet, as you already have.
“But once you are king, no one is going to raise an eyebrow if it’s Patin who sits by your side at an event when Jaq is on the other side of you. You just need to be totally honest with him, and if he agrees, continue to communicate with him so that he’s not made a fool of in the public eye.”
“That is only fair, always assuming Prince Jaq would go along with this scheme.” Serron stood up, bowing his head at his mother. “I pray that Father finds some relief from his pain soon. I truly do.”
“Make plans to head to Elembaum today. I don’t feel we have much time.”