Chapter 6 #2
“No, that’s not how they all are,” I tell him, speaking without thinking.
“My father is a man of few words. He expects respect, and he expects that we will be well-behaved, but he was never harsh with us. My brothers and I always knew he loved us and would do anything for us.” My heart aches a little as the words come spilling out.
“When I was really tiny, I fell in love with fairies. I read as many books as I could about them, listened to as many stories as I could about them, and talked non-stop to my father about them. I'm sure I was irritating him, but he never once told me to stop. He always just listened quietly. And then one day when I got home from school, I found that he’d left a little carved fairy on my bed. He’d made it just for me, and I loved that little fairy so much.
It was just one of the many little things he did to show me he loved me. ”
After a moment, Prince Alaric says, “My father has never done something like that.”
“He wasn’t like that with me either,” Prince Lucien says.
“Nor I,” Prince Gareth says, and there’s a note of sadness to his words.
“It sounds like your father might have been a good king, but he wasn’t a good dad. Was he a good partner to your moms at least?”
“No,” all three say at the same time, and the word is charged with emotion.
“Why not?” I ask.
They seem reluctant to answer, but Prince Alaric finally does.
“If I’m to believe the stories about my mother, she was a young lady from the other side of the continent who my father seduced.
She believed that he wanted to marry her, but when he learned that she was pregnant he still refused to.
Her family was rather conservative, so the whole thing was a matter of great shame to them.
My mother stayed here until I was born, then handed me off to my father and went home, never to return. ”
“And how is she doing now?” I ask, saddened by his story.
He shrugs, trying too hard to look casual. “I don’t know. She’s never responded to any of my letters.”
“How many have you written?”
He hesitates. “Hundreds.”
“I never knew you reached out to your mother,” Prince Lucien says, seeming troubled.
He simply shrugs again. “It was embarrassing. I mean, who wants to tell anyone that their own mother wants nothing to do with them?”
I reach out and take his hand again, squeezing it. “I’m so sorry. No child should ever feel abandoned by their parents. I once heard that it’s one of the deepest ways you can cut a person, because then they feel like if they couldn’t even get their parents to love them, they don’t deserve love.”
He looks away from me, and I hate that I spoke so carelessly, especially in front of the others. It’s clear my words hurt him, or, at least, dig deep into what was already hurting him.
Prince Lucien clears his throat. “Well, my mother was yet another woman who thought the king loved her. She gave him her whole heart, and he gave her nothing except pain. She drank her feelings away, and eventually left court, not able to bear being near my father every day.”
“That’s terrible.”
Everyone who has ears and likes gossip knows that the king is a man with an appetite for women.
He’s a man who loves sex and pretty things to show off.
But there would never be anything more from him than that.
He’s one of the few rulers who doesn’t seem interested in falling for one woman and sharing her with the rest of his harem.
The history books probably wouldn’t have a clue what to do with him.
He plucks another piece of honeysuckle. “It’s why love is a fool's game. All men want is sex from women, and all women want is security. If everyone would just be honest about it, the way I am, then fewer women would get hurt.”
Is that why he is such a player? He doesn’t want women to fall in love with him and get their hearts broken by making false promises like his father? It’s kind of sad to see how deep these men’s wounds run.
“To be fair,” I venture, “a lot of women just want sex too.”
He looks at me, brow raised.
I smile, trying to lighten the mood. “Unfortunately, a lot of men just suck in the bedroom. You guys get off in a few pumps no matter what. Women need a little more… expertise than that.”
“I have more than enough expertise,” he offers, his voice dropping a bit lower.
Oh, I remember.
Heart racing, I look away from him. “What about your mom, Prince Gareth?”
“He doesn’t like to talk about his mom,” Prince Alaric tells me softly.
“She died,” Prince Lucien offers, trying to sound casual, and failing.
Without a word from Prince Gareth, I already know that this is a very deep wound for him. A pain that he can’t even escape here, in this beautiful place. I wonder what happened that haunted him so much, but I don’t feel it’s my place to press further.
Prince Lucien changes the subject. “Father is having a grand event tonight, and we’re all expected to be there. It’s not a party without his dragon riders to show off.”
“Fun,” I say, but I’m not sure if I’m being sarcastic.
“He’s going to announce his decision about the Hollowborn’s offer of peace.”
I turn and look at Prince Lucien in shock. “Tonight?”
“That’s what I said.”
“Wow.” My head’s spinning a bit. “What do you think he’ll decide?”
“Honestly, no idea,” Prince Lucien says. “I’ve never been able to figure out how my father thinks.”
“I think it’ll be a no.” Prince Gareth’s voice is gentler, like he’s still troubled by the talk of his mother.
“Saying no to it makes the most sense. It’s the least risk,” Prince Alaric tells us thoughtfully. “But all this talk of legends, along with the appearance of you and your dragon, might be enough for him to give in to superstitions.”
“What do you hope he decides?” Prince Lucien asks. “Are you wanting to spend more time with the Hollowborn who kissed you?”
My cheeks heat, but I try to push through my embarrassment. “I have no idea what he’ll decide, but I’m grateful I’m not in charge, because either decision seems to come with a lot of risks.”
“You didn’t answer about the Hollowborn.”
I keep my tone even. “It was just a silly moment. He was probably just playing with me.”
“He was definitely playing with you, I just want to make sure you know that,” Prince Lucien says, a possessive note to his voice.
I roll my eyes. “Whatever. It’s not like I’m going to fall for a Hollowborn, so let’s move on from the kiss.”
Prince Gareth suddenly sits up. “Speaking of the party, it’s getting late. We should probably go.”
I sigh.
The three men get up, and I climb to my feet. “Ebron and I might take the long way home.”
“You’ll go directly home,” Prince Gareth says, his tone leaving no room for disagreement.
“Try to make me,” I mutter, heading for Ebron.
Prince Gareth catches my arm. “Don’t think this little moment changes anything between us.”
I salute him sarcastically. “Yes, sir!” Then I yank my arm out of his hand.
Yes, these three men are more complicated than I thought, but no, we’re not suddenly going to become friends. A person can have good things about them while still being an asshole. Both things can be true. And these men are most certainly assholes.