Chapter Five #2
“You’d find reasons why it wouldn’t work, why he wasn’t suitable.
Why we should consider other candidates.
” Darragh held up a hand before any of them could protest. “I know how this works. But I’m telling you now I want to pursue this.
I want to get to know Finn better. I want to see if what I felt during that interview was real or just.. .novelty.”
“What did you feel?” Helena asked quietly.
Darragh hesitated. Admitting attraction was one thing.
Admitting that he’d spent the last hour replaying the conversation in his head, thinking about Finn’s laugh and his honesty and the way he’d sat there in a jacket he clearly felt uncomfortable with, openly admitting to being paid in honey cakes. ..that felt more vulnerable.
“Interest,” he finally said. “I feel sincere interest. For the first time in years, I met someone and thought I want to know more. I want to hear what else they have to say. I want to see them again.” He met Helena’s eyes.
“Isn’t that what you wanted? For me to actually engage with this process instead of treating it like a chore? ”
“We wanted you to find someone suitable,” Aldric said.
“And I have. You just don’t agree with my choice.”
“Because he admitted himself he’s not suitable!”
“Because he was trying not to get chosen.” Darragh moved back to the table.
“Did none of you catch that? He was deliberately emphasizing his shortcomings. His brother nominated him without permission. Finn came here expecting to fail, probably hoping to fail, so that he could go back to his comfortable life in Winrone.”
Thomas frowned. “But if he doesn’t want the position…”
“I didn’t say he doesn’t want it. I said he came here expecting to fail, because of the standards set by people like my council advisers.” Darragh sat down again. “There’s a difference. I want to find out what Finn would do if he thought success was actually possible.”
The three advisers looked at each other. Some silent communication passed between them, the kind that came from working together for years.
“One week,” Helena finally said.
“What?”
“One week. You can have your second interview with Lord Finn. You can get to know him better, see if this interest is legitimate or just novelty, as you said.” Helena’s expression was firm.
“But if it doesn’t work out within a week, you agree to have second interviews with three other candidates. Of our choosing.”
“That’s not…”
“That’s the deal, Your Majesty.” Aldric crossed his arms. “We’re willing to give Lord Finn a chance, a real chance, as you requested. But the summit is in six months, and we need you settled before then. If Lord Finn proves unsuitable, we move on. Quickly.”
Darragh wanted to argue. He wanted to point out that a week wasn’t enough time to really get to know a person, that they were setting Finn up to fail with such a short timeline, and that this whole negotiation was ridiculous.
But they were compromising. They were giving him what he wanted, even if they were hedging their bets.
And honestly? Darragh didn’t think he’d need those other three interviews.
He’d known within ten minutes of meeting Finn that he was different.
In his head, Finn was special and worth pursuing.
One week would be more than enough time to confirm what his gut was already telling him.
“Fine,” he said. “One week. But I get to structure how that week goes. No interference, no ‘tests’ you’ve designed to make him fail.”
“Agreed,” Helena said. “Though we reserve the right to observe and provide feedback.”
“Observation, I can live with. Feedback...” Darragh smiled slightly. “I’ll consider it.”
“Your Majesty…”
“That’s my condition. Take it or leave it.” Darragh stood. “Now, if we’re done here, I need to figure out how to convince Finn to come back to the castle without making it sound like I’m completely infatuated with him after one conversation.”
“Are you?” Thomas asked. “Completely infatuated?”
Darragh paused at the door. “Ask me again in a week.”
He left before they could argue further, his mind already racing with possibilities. One week. Seven short days to figure out if what he’d felt during that interview was real, and if Finn could adapt to royal life, if the attraction was mutual.
More importantly, Darragh thought as he headed back to his study, seven days to convince Finn to take me seriously. To see past his own doubts and give marriage a real chance.
Because Darragh knew something his advisers didn’t.
Something he’d learned from watching his parents, from his own five years as king, from every hard decision he’d ever made.
Sometimes the right choice wasn’t the obvious one.
Sometimes it wasn’t the one that looked good on paper or made logical sense.
Sometimes it was just the one that felt right, deep in a man’s gut, impossible to ignore, no matter how much everyone else told that man - or foolish king - it was a mistake.
Finn felt right, and Darragh was going to prove it.