Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
It took a long time for the room to settle, and even then Stefano was still dizzy with relief. Henry was alive, sitting next to him, his hand warm and strong in Stefano’s. And yes, Henry looked dazed, new lines of pain at the corners of his eyes. But he was alive, and he was right there.
They had an audience, of course. Verzant and Ebuka sat in chairs opposite them while Jusufi stood beside the king. All of them appeared wary, but they didn’t seem inclined to take action at the moment. Verzant had even ordered that Henry be unchained.
Dianora, on the other hand, had knelt to pick something off the floor and was staring at it curiously. “What are these?” She held up three narrow strips of metal.
Henry tried to answer but his throat was too raspy even after he cleared it, so Jusufi gave him a cup of water. After drinking deeply, Henry pressed a palm to his chest. “They were around my heart.”
“What?” exclaimed Stefano.
“Prince Louis put them there after he cursed you. They… restricted my emotions.”
Fresh anger heated Stefano’s veins. “That bastard! He thought you’d abandon me.”
“Maybe.” Henry frowned slightly. “But I think that he meant it as a mercy, mostly. To keep my heart from breaking.”
Stefano didn’t know whether this was accurate, but before he could argue, Dianora stuffed the metal into a pocket and took a step closer. “Your own brother turned you into a frog? Why in all hells would he do that?”
For a moment, Stefano considered whether to divulge the entire tale, potential parricide, fratricide, and all. To do so could be considered treason. But he wasn’t feeling especially loyal or charitable to his family. Perhaps if he was honest, he could find a way to avert more disasters.
He straightened his shoulders. “I’ll tell you everything, if you like. Just please give me your word that Henry—”
“You are owed no promises,” Jusufi snapped.
But Verzant waved him silent. “I pledge that he will not be penalized for actions in which he holds no fault.”
Stefano nodded and made his own be quiet gesture at Henry, who appeared on the verge of protesting.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I understand that you owe me nothing and that you have excellent reasons to despise my family. Our misdeeds started—well, I suppose they started generations ago. But related to the matters at hand, they started when Henry was brought in to endure my punishments.”
“Stef, you don’t have to—”
“I do. It’s all related, Henry.”
Looking unhappy, Henry nodded. But then he faced King Verzant. “I was an orphan, brought to the palace to be his whipping boy. But this was not Stefano’s choice.”
“It is a barbaric practice,” said the king.
“I agree, and I have not enjoyed the beatings. But Stefano didn’t deserve them either.
And in any case, they were a small price to pay for the privilege of becoming his friend.
Don’t glare at me like that, Stef. I loved you even with those damned bands around my heart.
I’d… I’d like to have a bit more say in my own path, I guess.
I’m not sure what path I’d even want. But loving you is my first and deepest desire. ”
This was very much not the appropriate time and place for this discussion, but to hells with that—Stefano would not deny him.
“There’s no honor I’d rather have, no gift I’d prefer.
I’m yours, Henry.” He squeezed Henry’s hand and gave the king and princess a sad smile.
“But you must understand our relationship in order to understand how we ended up here.”
Neither of the royal personages appeared displeased by this. Verzant may have even shown some compassion, while Dianora was clearly fascinated. She leaned forward. “How did your love result in your brother turning you into a frog? Did he disapprove because Henry is a commoner? Was he jealous?”
If only it were that easy, Stefano thought. “No. My father’s designs on your country got in the way.”
And he told the entire story: his father’s intentions to swallow Fraysia, Louis’s suggestion that both King Cyrus’s and Prince Philip’s days might be numbered, and the subsequent curse.
Sometimes Henry added more information, especially about his interaction with Louis right after Stefano became a frog.
Their audience of four listened closely, occasionally asking questions.
They were solemn but seemed inclined to believe the tale, and Stefano understood that these were not evil people.
They simply worried about the welfare of their country and of the people they cared about.
He was surprised at Dianora, however. His previous impressions were that she was flighty and impetuous, a spoiled child who was concerned only about her whims and playthings.
He’d been wrong. Now she was focused, her questions as searching and pertinent as anyone else’s.
True, she did tend to be somewhat more fervent than her father or his men, but she was young.
Honestly, Stefano admired her zealousness and envied her freedom to express it.
He also came to realize something else: Verzant loved his daughter very much. He seemed to be balancing his need to protect her with a wish to help guide her into skills she’d need someday to rule the kingdom. Stefano envied that as well.
When everything was told, the room remained silent for several minutes, until Stefano’s stomach growled loudly. Dianora failed to hide a grin. “Papa, I think we could all use some refreshments while we consider what we’ve been told.”
Stefano wished very much that he could have a few private moments with Henry, but he’d take whatever time together he could get.
One of the guards scurried away, and very shortly afterward servants brought in a few small tables and an assortment of fruit juices and savory pastries.
Everything was probably very tasty, but Stefano was too anxious to notice.
Finally, the king set down his glass with a clatter and used a napkin to wipe his mouth.
“I understand the difficult situation you were placed in, Your Highness. Our station comes with immense privileges, but also with immense responsibilities.” He cast a significant look his daughter’s way before continuing.
“Tell me. What was your next intention, assuming you were successful in breaking the curse? Your physical form may be restored, but it seems you remain in an impossible situation.”
“Not impossible, sir. Just not what I would want.” He took a deep breath and let it out.
“I think that, for me, the transformation to frog was easier than to responsible adult. What I want to do is run away, drag Henry with me, and let everyone else deal with politics. But that would make me nothing better than a cowardly boy.”
Dianora gave a soft laugh. “It would be like breaking a promise to a cursed frog so you can run off with your friends and your shiny toy.”
“But considerably worse, I think. The fate of more than one stupid prince is at stake.”
Stefano still wanted to run away. He wished with every fiber of his being that he could hole up with Henry somewhere, spend his days studying nature and his nights romping in bed. But it also felt good to be… well, brave, he supposed. To consider something larger than his own welfare.
He stood and bowed to the king and princess. “You, of course, may wish to confine or execute me. I hope not, but if so, I will accept it.”
“No!” Henry whispered.
Stefano gave him a grateful smile before continuing.
“If you choose to let me live free, I will not run off. I also will not simply stand by while my father wages war with you. If it comes to it, I will return to Thanytsia and beg him not take this action. If he doesn’t listen, I’ll do everything I can to rally the council and the people against him. ”
“Treason?” Verzant asked, eyebrows raised.
“Actions in the best interests of my country—and of yours—are not treason.”
Perhaps Verzant was impressed with this; he gave a regal nod. “There is another option, you know. You could wed my daughter.”
“Sir, I could never be the husband she deserves. And I doubt very much that I’m the husband she wants.”
“Again, our station comes with responsibilities. Often, one of these is a marriage that would not be our choosing.”
True enough. Philip’s unfortunate wife was an example of this. For that matter, so was Stefano’s mother, who, according to palace rumors, had clearly both feared and loathed Cyrus, and who’d seemed almost relieved when a fever helped her slip away from life when Stefano was very young.
Dianora, who could have justifiably chafed at being treated more like a prize than a person, had maintained a neutral expression. “Prince Stefano, if I were willing to marry you in order to save my country and avert war, would you agree to it?”
First giving Henry an apologetic look, Stefano bowed. “I would, Your Highness. I would pledge never to do anything to dishonor you or impinge on your freedoms. But I couldn’t—”
“Oh, I know,” she interrupted, waving her hand. “You couldn’t love me like you love Henry. I think we could be friends, though. It could be like having a brother, even. I always wished—” She froze, mouth open.
The king leaned toward her, face tight with concern, and both Jusufi and Ebuka reached for the daggers at their waists.
But she waved them all back, and when Stefano could see her face again, it bore a wide grin.
She shot to her feet and grabbed her father’s hand.
“Papa, come with me. I need to discuss something with you.”
Stefano and Henry, left alone with the guards, blinked at each other in puzzlement.