The Prince is Mine
“Idon’t understand. What does that have to do with anything?” King Edward demanded, slamming his fist on the table.
“Oh God, we’re done for,” Queen Mary gasped.
Gavin lunged to his feet, his face full of terror. “We need to get everyone out of the castle… hell, the whole city, if there is a chance for anyone to survive.”
“Your Majesties, if you could indulge us and explain what’s going on?” Izel asked as he came to stand beside me, giving me something to lean against.
“Lord Everett has been the captain of the king’s personal guard since King Edward took the throne thirty years ago.
He has been the one to implement all the changes and matters of castle security, meaning he knows all the tricks.
There is nowhere to hide, no passage to use that he doesn’t know about.
If the Lost King has been planning this for years, then he probably already has people here in the castle to take it whenever he wants,” Queen Mary explained.
I visualized the map Gavin made me with all the secret passages and hiding spots in the castle. As the captain of the personal guard then, Lord Everett would have been told about them to make sure the royal family could get away safely. So what do we do now that we know this?
“Vasin, I need you and all the dragons in the roost to fly around the city and tell me if any suspicious groups of people are hiding near any of these entrances or exits.”
Closing my eyes, I let him reach into my mind and see the map I was talking about.
“We will go now. Our night vision is far superior to any other animal, so we will be able to see things clearly.”
“I might have just walked right into a trap, Vasin.”
“You have your guardians, the other dragon riders, and us dragons that you trust. All is not yet lost. Let us find out what we can before you make any moves that would give anything away.”
“Yes, we have to act normal.”
Opening my eyes, I was met with curious looks from the royal family.
“She was talking to Vasin. You’ll get used to it,” Gavin shared, giving me a weak smile.
“The dragons are going to take a flight around the city and see if there is anything to worry about near the tunnel exits or entrances,” I explained.
“We need to continue to act like nothing is wrong until we decide on the best course of action. Shall we retire to the sitting room for drinks and entertainment?”
Payson stepped away from the wall, catching my eye. “Your Majesty, might I suggest that one of us remain in your rooms so that an assassin doesn’t get in?”
“It’s not a bad idea,” Izel murmured.
“I leave the task to you. May, you go with him as well,” I ordered.
“If I may,” Payson interjected. “My Birthright is to give off illusions so I can make myself all but invisible to the naked eye, but I can’t do that for others. Leave this task to me. You need the protection with you, not in your rooms.”
Too preoccupied to argue, I waved him off. “Very well, I will leave the matter to you.” With a bob of his head, he left the room.
Our party adjourned to a sitting room, where drinks were poured, and a woman came in to play the piano and sing softly in the corner as we talked about nothing.
“It seems that the rains have been rather scarce this season. I do hope we’ll get a decent crop,” King Edward mused, tapping a finger against his glass.
“Mother, Father, I want to abdicate the throne to Phillip,” Gavin blurted. “You know I’m not the right choice to rule.”
King Edward groaned and rubbed his forehead. “Not this again. What would you even do if you didn’t rule? Think of how it would look to all the other kingdoms.”
“I’m going to be the Norden ambassador to our allies, the mercenaries,” Gavin stated, his voice firm in his resolve.
“I can be of help to them and support our kingdom at the same time. The mercenaries have such a different lifestyle it could be beneficial to learn from each other. I’ve been with them and seen firsthand what their lives are like when they’re not even in their homes. ”
“You can’t really be serious,” Queen Mary pressed, watching her son, and then turned to me. “Are you to blame for this foolish idea? He is the crown prince, and he will be the Norden’s next king.”
Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm the surge of excitement at hearing Gavin say he wanted to stay. “When we talked about the war and the need to build an alliance, I suggested that if he wanted to be your ambassador, I would gladly allow him to fulfill that role.”
“Mother, you know that Cassarah isn’t behind this. I’ve told you for years that Phillip would be a better king,” Gavin countered.
Queen Mary’s brows shot up. “You use her name so casually… are you sleeping with her? Is that what this is about? You think you’re in love with her?
There are other ways to deal with this than to give up your throne to a legitimate kingdom.
Queen Cassarah, on the other hand, has a group of rebels who were created from a man who was banished from Norden. ”
“Mother,” Gavin snapped.
To hear the queen so casually talk about our history surprised me. This part of our creation wasn’t something that was well known, even among the mercenaries. Like Sal said, our texts had been lost in the Great War long ago.
“I’m surprised by your knowledge of these matters, Queen Mary,” I commented. “Most assume that the Norden royal family would find it beneath them to learn about our humble culture.”
“When a black dragon shows up and bonds with the only member of our court who has any ties back to the mercenaries, you pay attention. I made sure to have my people gather what they could, and it seems to have paid off since you are now trying to steal my son,” she all but growled.
“Gavin is a grown man who can choose the life he wants. You have another son who is able to take Gavin’s place, and from what I can tell, would be better suited to the job,” I shot back.
“All you see is your son, and all you care about is how the other kingdoms view you. Well, guess what? They are already trying to kill you all and steal your throne? How much worse could it get?”
The king and queen looked like I slapped them with my declaration, but I wasn’t wrong. The only kingdom that wasn’t at their throat was Creisal because they were family. Letting Gavin choose the life he wanted, if we survived this, would be the least they could do.
“She has a point, Mother,” Phillip spoke up.
“You’ve been wanting to join Norden to Errit with a marriage, but clearly that isn’t going to happen.
If we do win this war, we’ll have leverage to gain a treaty another way or take over their kingdom entirely.
I love my brother, but he is not the best person to rule in a world of politics. ”
“Oh, and living with cutthroats and thieves is better? They will use him against us!” Queen Mary yelled, thrusting a finger in my direction.
Within seconds, I felt two of my guardians come up behind where I was sitting, ready to act if need be.
“If I were going to do that, then why did I let you know we had him and brought him back to you?” I challenged. “I could have used him to get what I wanted more easily and faster than becoming your ally because this is clearly not going to work.”
Getting to my feet, I started out of the room, but someone reached out and grabbed my arm.
“Cassarah, wait, please,” Gavin begged, pulling me back against him so he could murmur in my ear.
“This isn’t about you… they’re mad at me.
Once again, I’ve disappointed them. Only this time, I did it in front of you instead of keeping it a private matter.
Stay with me. I can do this. I can set myself free if you tell me right here and now I can be by your side. ”
“Is this what you really want?” I asked, turning my head to look up at him. “Don’t do this for me, Gavin. Make this choice because you and you alone want to do this.”
“Yes, this is absolutely what I want.”
Letting out a heavy sigh, I took his hand in mine, and we faced his parents.
“Gavin is already one of my consorts, and as such, if you do not release him of his duty to Norden as crown prince, that will make me the one who will rule over Norden when the time comes. If Phillip were to take the role of crown prince, then I would have no claim on the throne. We had hoped to do this in a more amicable way, but it’s clear to me you won’t see me or my people as anything other than pests in your kingdom.
I will remain your ally in name only because I won’t remain here to be disrespected any longer. ”
I signaled to my guardians, and we left, not stopping until I reached a dead end on a balcony that overlooked a massive flower garden.
“Um, love, when I asked for your help, that wasn’t quite what I had in mind,” Gavin said as he leaned against the stone railing, grinning at me. “You never do things halfway, that’s for sure.”
“Vasin, any word?”
“There are no signs of anyone around the areas you showed me, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t hiding in the tunnels.”
“That’s fair, but I’m glad to know they aren’t sitting outside the wall, waiting for us to fall asleep tonight.”
“We could just go home.”
“No, we will remain the night and leave first thing in the morning. I planted the seed of doubt with the servants who were listening in on our conversation. If they believe we are divided, it will be a bigger surprise when we back them up.”
“So that was all a ruse?”
“No, not all of it. I stand behind what I said about Gavin. He should make his own life choices.”
“Hmm, you play this game far too well for my liking. Make sure to let me know when things you say should be ignored, or else I might eat someone I shouldn’t.”
“Hello, earth to Cassarah,” Gavin called, waving a hand in front of me.
Shaking my head clear, I looked around to see my guardians in a semi-circle, blocking me in. “Sorry, I was checking in with Vasin—”
“What the hell was that back there, little mouse? Gavin is a consort now?” Cole demanded.
“In the eyes of the clan leaders, Gavin has held that position since he came to stay with us. I needed the leverage to free Gavin from the throne and cause a good enough reason for the palace staff to think there is a division between us,” I explained, frowning at them.
“If we assume that Lord Everett has been working for the Lost King this entire time, it means we don’t know who is with or against us.
Personally, I would like to believe they are all out to kill us than find out later when we are able to leave this place in one piece. ”
“Wait, does that mean you didn’t really mean what you said back there?” Gavin asked, his face betraying his hurt.
Reaching up, I cupped his cheek with my hand, turning him to meet my gaze.
“Nothing I’ve ever said has been a lie. How others interpret things is on them, but you asked to be by my side and for my help to stay there, and I gave you both.
Gavin, I don’t want you to leave, but I’m not ready to take any of the feelings I have for any of you further now.
There is too much at stake, and I can’t risk clouding my judgment, or any of yours, with emotions.
I’m not saying no… I’m asking you to give me time.
” I dropped my hand and looked at the other men standing around me. “Will you all give me time?”
Izel was the first to drop to a knee, and the others, including Gavin, followed suit.
“As My Queen requests, we shall honor,” Izel said with his head bowed.
“So shall we all honor,” the others echoed, their voices ringing in the night air.