12. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
An hour later, there was a cavalcade of security vehicles lined up outside Dragon’s Perch.
Houghton and Vetra stood outside my car, which would take us to the capital to officially announce the beginning of the fall festival.
Then we would partake in several agriculture contests, including a duck judging competition, followed by an inspection of the old tractors that would be involved in a plowing contest later in the day.
I hoped Vetra packed plenty of sunscreen to protect my delicate, regal, pasty face.
The weather was perfect. Cool with skies as blue as a mountain lake.
Mama and Papa would be in the rear of the procession, with me in the lead.
Anders would be first if he were here, but he was in America being cuddly with his man.
Lucky stiff. My man was just emerging from the castle with Ivar and Alva.
The princess looked quite nice in a tan trench coat and a patterned midi dress.
“I’ll be right back,” I told Vetra and got that look. “I’m not going to make us late. I need to speak to Rani.”
Off I went before she could tut-tut me. I met them at the black SUV my brother was riding in, giving Ivar and Alva a smile that I quickly flashed at Rani.
He looked perplexed and wholly edible in his fall outfit.
Herringbone vest with a two-button jacket, dark blue denim jeans, and a trendy print shirt with no tie.
Professional yet casual for a day spent in barns and eating meatballs with red cabbage.
Mama and Papa, with their security teams, made a soft left to join us.
“Is there something amiss?” Mama asked, tugging her thick fall coat more tightly around her slim shoulders. I got my always-cold gene from her. “That wind could lighten up a bit.”
“No, nothing is wrong. I wanted to ask Rani to ride with me as he’s my plus one for the day,” I informed my mother.
Papa threw a look at Rani then me, his brows high on his brow.
Rani looked like a cornered rat in a cattery.
“We discussed this over breakfast,” I reminded my father and gave Rani my full attention.
Even though I had texted him immediately after the morning meal to tell him the family knew about us, he still appeared flustered. An unusual but adorable sight.
“Oh, Your Highness, I’m not sure…” Rani stammered much as he had over our text a mere hour ago. “The procession is for the royal family. Princess Alva may have need of me on the ride, so perhaps it would be for the best if—”
“Nonsense. Ride with Harold. If you’re to be his date, you should be in his car. Truly, go with him. If I need anything, I have Ivar with me.”
“But His Highness Prince Ivar doesn’t have your schedule.
I have that.” He nervously patted the leather satchel riding on his shoulder.
He kept peeking at the king and queen as if he feared he’d be thrown in the dungeon for his temerity.
We’d not used the dungeons under the keep for hundreds of years.
As if I would allow him to be clapped in irons or fed to the dragons.
“I’m sure the princess will be fine without her diary for the duration of the ride to town.
Please do ride with Harold. The king and I are most excited to hear that someone of such impeccable class, patience, and determination is willing to put up with our wayward son,” Mama said, gifting Rani her most charming smile.
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” Rani bowed slightly to Papa and Mama and strode to my car like a drill sergeant.
Alva chuckled before popping a ginger lozenge into her mouth. “You’re going to get a chewing out, I suspect.”
“Probably. That’s fine. I find him rather cute when he’s mad.
” I gave them all a wink and trotted after Rani with a cold wind blowing in my face.
Ugh, winter was on that breeze. Perhaps I’d head somewhere warm after my birthday.
Perhaps I could lure Rani into taking a vacation to join me in that warm place.
When I arrived at my car, the chill in the air had deepened to the point that I was about to ask Houghton to turn on the defroster.
Rani spun on the heel of his leather loafers—not the best footwear for being around farm animals—and glowered at me.
Vetra cocked a brow before diving into the back to avoid the explosion.
At least she and Houghton had been advised about the tentative new but old relationship with Rani.
Houghton had replied to the chat thread message with a thumbs up.
Little rattled him. Vetra had been a bit wordier, but accepting yet wary.
Things could go tits up, as my sister-in-law was known to say at times.
“If I may speak my mind, Your Highness?” Rani asked through clenched teeth.
I knew I was in the shit by the use of that royal moniker.
“I think the tires need to be checked,” Houghton said and rushed around the side of the SUV to tap the tires with the toe of his shoes.
“You may speak your mind at any time, my sweet,” I countered, to which I got ocularly blasted with a death glare.
“I wish you would not cavalierly make decisions for me, Harold.”
There, my name was used. Granted, it was pushed out with ire, but it was my name and not an uptight sir or your grace or your supreme asshole. Although that last one may be flung at me at any time.
“We discussed this just last night, Rani.”
“You discussed it. I expressed some trepidation about larking about in the capital like two pelicans.”
“Pelicans? Do pelicans lark? Wouldn’t a lark engage in larking and a pelican engage in—”
“Stop it!” he shouted and winced as he looked around me to the king and queen’s vehicle.
“Stop being an arse,” he added at a lower volume.
“I thought I said I wasn’t sure about us being seen in public.
I then said it again this morning when you sent me that text saying all was good and we’d be able to make out at will. ”
“I was teasing. We won’t make out. Will we?”
“No! No, Harold, we will not be making out. I’m not sure we should even be seen holding hands. What will the bishop think? What does the king think? He did not give us a blessing of any kind and—”
“Rani, you’re overthinking things.” I took his hands in mine.
He shook free. I took them again, holding them more tightly.
“You’re sending very mixed signals. You’re upset that I hid us from the world, then when I make amends to rectify it so we can be seen as a couple, you’re mad about that.
What exactly is it that you’re so flustered about? ”
He stared at me for a long, long time. Then the air left his sails in a shaky exhalation.
“I’m scared of being…I’m just scared,” he whispered as a gust blew an errant orange leaf across the drive.
The groundskeeper would be on that like a cat on a mouse.
“My parents are not wholly behind me being gay.” I knew that.
Rani and his parents had been on shaky ground when we’d been an item before.
They were older Indians who were very set in their thinking about traditional marriages, caste, and maintaining a pure Indian bloodline.
Rani was their only child, so his being queer had not been accepted with open arms. Much like my father, they were struggling with a changing world.
“I understand, trust me, I do, but you can’t have it both ways, sweet. Either you want to be out, or you don’t, and either is fine with me. No, hey, it is.” He shook his head. “I want you to be happy. If this is a step too far, then things will stay as they are with us—”
“Sneaking. Sneaking and hiding. No, I don’t want that either. I’m sorry. I’m all over the place. I think that…yes, I think that I want to be out with you in public but discreetly. And I will need to let my parents know.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, gripping his clammy hands.
“I’m not going to push.” He raised a brow.
“Fine. I may have already pushed, but I can pedal in reverse. We can hold off on any PDAs until you speak to your parents. Let’s just spend the day together on a first date sort of thing, and if it goes well, then I’ll kiss you goodnight at your door tonight. ”
“Thank you. Yes, let’s take the public side slowly, but the private side can be a little fast.”
“I love a little fast. Now, let’s get in the car. I can feel my brothers glaring at me.”
Rani gave my hands a squeeze before opening the front door to discover Vetra now seated there.
“I found the backseat too confining,” she said as if she’d not just clambered to the front from the back like a monkey. “Please get in. The king’s driver is texting me that his majesty is asking him to use the horn.”
A sharp horn blast startled us. “The king needs to chill the hell out,” I mumbled and ushered Rani into the back before closing the door for him. Walking around the car, I stuck my tongue out at the cars waiting behind us. My brothers poked their middle fingers out of their windows.
I could just hear my mother in the last car bitching about their nonsense as my father rubbed his temples. That made me smile. As did the knowledge that Rani and I were going to have our first date. Nothing spelled romance like judging a duck’s flat feet.