Just Because He Wears A Crown (Another Arranged Marriage #9)

Chapter One

The door to the council chamber slammed open, and Darragh didn’t even look up from the trade agreement he was reviewing. He already knew who it was. Only his advisers had that particular combination of pompous throat-clearing and determined footsteps.

“Your Majesty, we really must discuss…”

“No.” Darragh signed his name with a flourish and reached for the next document.

“But, Your Majesty…”

“Still no, Aldric.” Darragh finally glanced up at his chief adviser, whose balding head had turned an impressive shade of red. Behind him, the other three advisers clustered like nervous sheep. “Whatever you’re about to say, the answer is no.”

Aldric’s cheeks quivered. “You don’t even know what we’re going to ask.”

“I know that look.” Darragh leaned back in his chair, letting it creak in the silence. “That’s your ‘we’re going to pester the king about marriage again’ look. So, no.”

“Your Majesty, please.” Helena stepped forward, her gray hair pulled back so tight it probably gave her a headache. Good. She deserved it for bothering him with more nonsense. “Just hear us out.”

Darragh gestured broadly at the papers spread across his desk. “I’m working. Come back never.”

“The World Council summit is in six months,” Marvin blurted out.

That got Darragh’s attention. He straightened, his chair scraping against the stone floor. “So?”

“So” - Aldric seized the opening like a drowning man grabbing a rope - “when we agreed to host the annual treaty summit two years ago, everyone assumed…”

“Everyone assumed I’d be married by now.” Darragh finished the sentence and rubbed his face with both hands. “Because you all thought my ‘great marriage quest’ would be successful.”

“It could have been,” Helena said primly, “if you’d given any of those lovely young women a proper chance.”

“Those lovely young women agreed with everything I said.” Darragh stood up and wandered over to the window overlooking the harbor.

Three merchant ships were coming in, their sails bright against the gray sky.

“Perfectly lovely ladies who all giggled at jokes that weren’t funny, and simpered and blushed when I asked them honest questions. ”

“They were likely being polite,” Thomas offered, usually his quietest adviser.

“They were boring me to death.” Darragh turned back to face them. “I told you two years ago, and I’ll say it again. I’m not marrying someone I can’t stand to have a conversation with. I’d rather stay single.”

“But the summit…” Marvin tried again.

“What about it?” Darragh crossed his arms. “We host it, everyone signs their treaties, renews their agreements, drinks our wine, and goes home. What does my marital status have to do with any of that?”

The four advisers exchanged glances. Darragh knew that look too - that was their ‘we’re about to say something he won’t like’ look.

“Spit it out.”

Aldric cleared his throat. “The other kingdoms...they see Safe Harbor as somewhat...rough around the edges.”

“We build the best damn ships in the known world.”

“Yes, but…”

“Our harbor is the largest and safest anywhere.”

“Of course, Your Majesty, but…”

“Our trade routes are the most reliable and secure among any seen with other countries.”

“Your Majesty!” Helena’s voice cracked like a whip. “Will you please let us finish?”

Darragh shut his mouth and glared at her. She glared right back, which was one of the reasons he’d kept her on after his father died. She had a spine of steel.

“Thank you.” Helena smoothed her skirts. “Now, as Aldric was attempting to say - the other kingdoms respect Safe Harbor’s industry and trade. But they view us as merchants and builders, not...refined.”

“Refined.” Darragh wrinkled his nose as if he’d smelled something bad. “We’re not refined enough?”

“They see you as a bachelor king who lives rough,” Thomas added quietly. Darragh didn’t think he’d ever heard the man raise his voice. “A king who spends more time in the shipyards than in the castle. Someone who drinks with common sailors and…”

“I’m not going to apologize for knowing my people.”

“No one’s asking you to.” Marvin stepped forward. “But hosting the World Council summit is an honor, Your Majesty. It shows trust. It shows that Safe Harbor is a legitimate political power, not just a trade hub.”

“And having a spouse is a further sign of stability,” Aldric added. “Being married shows that you’re...settled and responsible.”

“I am responsible.” Darragh’s voice dropped dangerously low. “I’ve kept this country safe and prosperous for five years.”

“We know that.” Helena’s expression softened slightly. “But appearances matter, especially with the other kingdoms. Especially with the World Council representatives who will be here for two full weeks.”

Two weeks. Darragh scratched his chin. He’d forgotten that little detail. The summit wasn’t just a quick meeting where he could fake being polite and responsible. It was an extended diplomatic event with banquets, receptions, and all the other nonsense he barely tolerated.

He walked back to his desk and slumped into his chair. “You want me to get married and be settled with a new spouse all within six months.”

“We want you to try,” Aldric said. “That’s all.”

“In case you forgot, I did try. Two years ago, for six long months, remember? I traveled to five different countries and met seventy-three eligible women.” The exact number was burned into his brain. “Every single one of them was more interested in my crown than my personality.”

“Perhaps your standards are too high,” Helena suggested.

“My only standard was that the person I wed would be someone I could actually talk to.” Darragh picked up his pen and tapped it against the desk. “I want someone who will tell me when I’m being an idiot. A person who has their own opinions and isn’t afraid to share them.”

“That’s not unreasonable,” Thomas said.

“It is when you’re a king,” Marvin muttered.

“Then I’ll stay single.” Darragh went back to his documents. “Problem solved.”

“Your Majesty…”

“I’m done discussing this.” He didn’t look up.

“We’ll host the summit, and I’ll be perfectly charming to all our guests, and if anyone has a problem with me being unmarried, they can take it up with my nephew.

He’s my heir, even if he does live in another country, but they can go and bother him there.

My succession is secure. What more do you want? ”

The silence stretched long enough that Darragh finally had to look up. His advisers hadn’t all tiptoed out of the door in silence as he’d hoped. No. All four advisers were staring at him with identical expressions of determination.

“Oh, hell. You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“What if,” Aldric said carefully, “we limited the search to Safe Harbor?”

Are they up to something? “What do you mean?”

“You complained that foreign women didn’t understand you,” Helena said. “That they were too concerned with protocol and propriety. What if we looked within our own society families?”

Darragh set down his pen. “You want me to trawl our own nobility for a spouse?”

“Not trawl.” Marvin looked offended. “We could issue a formal call for candidates. From good families, who are properly educated, and familiar with our culture and values.”

“People who already know what Safe Harbor is like,” Thomas added. “Who wouldn’t be shocked by your...hands-on approach to governance.”

“My hands-on approach.” Darragh couldn’t help the smile tugging at his mouth. “That’s a polite way of saying they won’t faint when they find me in the shipyards covered in sawdust.”

“Precisely.” Aldric leaned forward, sensing an opening. “Someone from here would understand that Safe Harbor’s king needs to be among his people. They’d expect it. Appreciate it, even.”

Darragh turned the idea over in his mind. It wasn’t completely terrible. At least people from Safe Harbor knew what they were getting into. They wouldn’t expect him to suddenly become some refined, distant monarch who ruled from a throne and never got his hands dirty.

“If I agree to this - if…” He held up a hand as all four advisers started to smile.

“I’m still not marrying someone who bores me.

I don’t care how good their family is or how perfect their manners are.

If they can’t hold a conversation, if they just agree with everything I say, if they’re only interested in the crown, then it’s no deal. ”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Aldric was practically vibrating with excitement.

“And I’m not going through some ridiculous courtship ritual.” Darragh stood again, needing to move. “I don’t have time for elaborate dances and formal dinners and whatever other nonsense you’re probably planning.”

“We could arrange informal meetings,” Helena suggested. “Perhaps at the castle, but in a casual setting. Your study or the library. After the interview process, of course.”

“The courtyard even,” Thomas offered. “It’s pleasant in the afternoons.”

“Fine.” Darragh rubbed the back of his neck. “But I want it made clear - absolutely clear - that I’m looking for someone honest. Someone real. Not some polished noble who’s going to simper and curtsy and tell me what they think I want to hear.”

“We’ll include that in the announcement,” Marvin said quickly. “We’ll emphasize that you value honesty and genuine connection.”

“And intelligence.” Darragh pointed at Aldric. “I want someone smart. Someone who can keep up with conversations about trade agreements, shipbuilding, and politics. Not just someone who looks good at parties.”

“Intelligence, honesty, interesting personality.” Aldric was making notes. “Anything else?”

“Someone who won’t bore me,” Darragh repeated. “That’s the most important part. I can handle a lot of things, but I cannot handle being bored for the rest of my life.”

“I’d break the poor girl,” he added, more to himself than them. “Imagine six months of some delicate noble woman trying to change me, trying to make me more refined - I’d drive her crazy inside a week.”

“Perhaps it wouldn’t be a woman,” Helena said quietly.

The room went very still. Darragh turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised.

“The succession is secure,” she continued, meeting his gaze steadily. “Your nephew is your heir, and the laws are satisfied. And quite frankly, Your Majesty, you’ve never shown much interest in women beyond friendship.”

“Helena?” It wasn’t that Darragh was against the idea, but he needed to know why his advisers thought it was a good idea in the first place.

“I’m simply stating facts.” She lifted her chin. “If we’re truly looking for someone who won’t bore you, someone you could actually build a partnership with, perhaps we shouldn’t limit ourselves to half the single population.”

Darragh stared at her. Then, at the other three advisers, who were suddenly very interested in the floor, the ceiling, in other words, anywhere but at him.

“You’ve already discussed this,” he said flatly.

“We’ve...considered all options,” Aldric admitted.

“And you think I’d be better matched with a man.”

“We think you’d be better matched with someone who shares your interests,” Marvin corrected. “Someone who can talk about ships and trade. Someone who isn’t expecting a traditional royal marriage.”

“Someone who can handle your personality,” Thomas added, then he winced. “I think that came out wrong.”

“No, it didn’t.” Darragh surprised himself by laughing. “Actually, you’re right. I’d probably be a terrible husband to some proper noble lady. She’d spend her whole life trying to get me to act more kingly, and I’d spend mine making her miserable by refusing.”

He walked back to the window, watching the ships in the harbor. One was being guided into dock by the harbor master’s crew. It always fascinated him how those people always made the act look so easy.

“Fine,” he said. “Put out your call. Any eligible candidates from society families. I’ll meet them, talk to them, see if anyone can hold a conversation without boring me to tears.”

“Your Majesty…”

“But if this is another disaster like the last time, I’m never having this conversation again.

” Darragh turned back to face them. “You get one more shot at this. Find me someone who won’t bore me, someone who can be honest, someone who isn’t going to expect me to be someone I’m not.

If you can’t do that in the next couple of months - because I’m not dealing with wedding business and the planning for the summit at the same time - then we host the summit with me as a bachelor king, and everyone can think whatever they want about it. ”

“We’ll find someone,” Aldric promised.

“You’d better.” Darragh sat back down and picked up his pen. “Now get out. I have actual work to do.”

The advisers filed out, and Darragh tried to focus on the trade agreement in front of him. But the words kept blurring together, his mind wandering to the impossible task he’d just agreed to.

Mere months to find someone who wouldn’t bore him - two at most. Requiring that same person to be honest, who could hold an actual conversation, and who was intelligent enough to keep up with all he did in a day? A person who didn’t exist in other words.

Sighing, Darragh forced himself to focus on what he did know how to do.

It’s not that he didn’t understand what his advisers were saying.

It was King Mintyn of Marinkaw’s wedding to his delightful Syrus that set him off on the great marriage quest in the first place.

Mintyn married a male, too, Darragh thought, and no one had ever seen that coming, but the two men were very happy.

You clearly got the last good one left, Mintyn.

Darragh sighed again. Deep down, he already knew how his adviser’s efforts would go.

In six months, he’d host the World Council summit as a bachelor king, just like he’d planned all along.

At least this time, he wouldn’t have to leave Safe Harbor to be disappointed.

He could do that in the comfort of his own home.