11. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Entering the small family dining hall, I saw that the gang was all here.
Frode, Ivar, and Alva bless her queasy heart.
What a trooper. She’d been delirious with joy when I’d told her about me and Rani working to reconcile.
My brothers, on the other hand, were pleased enough to hear I’d found someone who made me want to settle down somewhat but worried about the reaction from father.
Still, they had my back, and that was what counted.
Mama smiled at me as I entered wearing my most charming smile and a deep rust sweater she’d bought for me last year.
“Morning all,” I said and made my way to the buffet to nervously fill my plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, some rye toast, and a small pot of jam. I sat down. Coffee was poured into a mug by a servant. I thanked them and then met my father’s gaze over the fresh flowers in the center of the table.
“Missed you at the pool this morning,” Papa said while cutting a sausage link into tiny bites. Alva nudged my foot under the table, her eyes bright as she sipped tea.
“I slept in a bit. I was occupied last night.”
Mama and Papa both glanced up from their food to look at me.
“Oh, what were you up to?” Papa warily asked. Mama nibbled at some bacon as she waited for my reply.
I tossed a peek at Frode, who gave me a nod and a smile to go ahead.
“I was having a personal meeting with Rani,” I opened with, praying I didn’t muck this up too badly.
“Oh, are there any changes to the festival? I thought we were all ready to begin the festivities today at ten sharp,” Papa said, giving Mama a worried glance.
“No, no changes. Everything is ready to go thanks to Alva, Rani, and Vetra. They’ve all worked incredibly hard.
” We all smiled at Alva, who blushed prettily even though she was a bit peaked.
“What Rani and I were discussing was something more personal.” Frode leaned in slightly, as did Ivar.
“You don’t know this, but several years ago, before Rani was hired to work with Anders, he and I were together. ”
Papa lowered his fork to his plate. Mama blinked. “Explain ‘together’,” Papa said, so I did.
“Together in a relationship. It didn’t work out. I was a total arse and left him when he confessed to loving me.”
“Harold, that is contemptible,” Mama huffed.
“It was. I know that now. I think I knew it then, but I was scared and too wound up in being the palace wild man, so I bolted. He’s been distant to me for years, rightfully so, so we’ve mostly circled around each other, with me being a moron trying to deny how much I cared about him.
Then I stopped trying to deny it and accepted it.
I loved him then, and I still love him. I wanted to see if we could reconcile.
He’s leery, but we are going to try to see if we can rekindle. ”
“That’s wonderful, Harold!” Alva gushed. “Isn’t that wonderful, Father? Harold has finally found someone he wishes to settle into a loving, rich relationship with. Oh, do say you’ll be coming to the UK more now that you and Rani are a couple!”
Papa opened his mouth. Frode leapt in before he could speak. Cheeky, but then again, he was the crown prince, so he got away with quite a bit.
“That’s grand news, Harold. Rani is a fine man. Capable, polite, well respected. He’ll keep you in line, I wager.”
“Agreed,” Ivar blurted out as he took his wife’s hand in his. “Finding the person that fills your heart and soul with love is a blessing from God.”
I smiled at them all in turn. “Thank you, I’m so glad to have the support of the family.” Then I turned my attention to Mama.
“I think Rani will have his very capable hands full, but we’re very pleased for you, Harold.” She gave me a tender smile then flipped her attention to Papa. “Aren’t we pleased for Harold, Magnus? He’s finally found someone and wishes to enter into a suitable situation.”
“Yes, we’re pleased to hear you wish to calm down and act like a respectable member of the crown. Must you do so with someone on staff, though? Could you not find a person who won’t raise eyebrows or bring about a lawsuit if things go badly?” Papa asked.
Okay, so that was better than I expected.
He hadn’t thrown his scone at me, and he’d used person in reference to my being bisexual, so yay for progress.
I could tell he wasn’t thrilled about this announcement.
That tic over his left eye always gave him away, but he was being accepting to the best of his ability.
Anders would be so proud. I wish he were here.
“I’m sure Rani would sign a confidentiality agreement if they do decide to become serious,” Frode interjected as he dragged toast through an over-easy egg.
“We all had one, then we had prenups and an instrument of consent from you for our weddings. Rani is a smart man and well-schooled in protocol. Not like some of the other people Harold has run with in the past.”
“That Italian dance instructor was quite the problem.” Mama sighed while stirring some honey into a cup of dark tea. “She would not stop pestering until we threatened legal action. All of that stress and you still can’t dance the waltz properly, Harold.”
“I have two left feet,” I announced, getting a round of titters from the family save but one. Papa was studying me closely. “You wish to say something?”
“Are you sure that you cannot find a woman who would be willing to take you on?”
The explosion from everyone at the table over that comment made me feel fuzzy and warm inside. Mama was the loudest in her rebuke.
“Please, I do not need to be gang attacked over my eggs and coffee. I didn’t mean any slight by that comment. I’m just asking because a woman would be easier for the people to accept,” Papa argued.
“Magnus, really, that’s just nonsense. The people of our realm adored Mitchell when Anders brought him out, and they’ll adore Rani being with Harold.
Truly, it is time for this country to step out of the dark ages.
Frode, I hope that your first order of law when you take the throne will be to legalize marriage equality,” Mama announced.
“That is my plan, Mama,” Frode proudly said, to which Papa gave him a long look. “What would be even better and have more clout would be if the current king reversed his phobic thinking and told the people that he had come to see that love is love.”
I was close to tears. We all stared at Papa, who looked like he’d swallowed a puffer fish.
His weariness was evident, as was his age.
The world had moved past him, past the way he had been raised, past the toxic, hateful dislike of others.
Well, mostly it had moved past the hate of others.
There were still those out there who would always be bigots.
But things had changed. We’re changing and will continue to change.
That was the way of things. Change was inevitable.
“I think Frode is right,” I spoke up. “I think showing acceptance to your sons who are queer, embracing them and their chosen partners, would be a good first step.”
Papa sat still as a stone, his face unreadable, for a long moment. “Let me consider this, all of this, before I speak up one way or another.”
Shocked to my core, I nodded, my sight darting to Mama, who tenderly reached out to take Papa’s hand to give it a squeeze.
Perhaps his visiting her bedroom rights may have just been reinstated.
It wasn’t an all-clear, but it wasn’t a no.
Either way, I planned to have Rani on my arm throughout the harvest festival slash birthday event.
If the bishop or Papa were upset too damn bad.
They’d get over it or be mad for a long time.
Now to convince Rani that he belonged on my arm again.