Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Stellan
Just as I finish getting dressed to go over to Marselisborg Palace to see Ida, my phone buzzes. It’s a message from Erik.
Your grandmother is here to see you and she is in a mood.
Fuck! Running out into the living room, I find Margot there, frowning at her phone.
“Come get dressed,” I say, my eyes skating over her little silk robe. “My grandmother is on her way up here.”
She stands up, slipping her phone into her pocket and swallowing. “Oh!”
She rushes past me into the bedroom and I close the door to give her privacy. A butler knocks on the living room door and I clear my throat. I won’t lie, I’m a little nervous, going to bat for my girl.
“Come in!” I call out.
The door swings open and the butler steps in. “Her royal highness,” he says, bowing as he escorts my grandmother in the room. Impeccably put together as always, my grandmother is wearing a light blue linen skirt and a modest white silk top.
“Momse,” I greet her. “I was just coming to see you.”
Ida looks at me strangely and then turns to dismiss the butler. “Please make sure we are not disturbed.”
The butler bows and closes the door. Ida hesitates, then walks over to the sofas. She perches on one. “Take a seat, my dear.”
Shit. What does she know? Could there be more in Margot’s past that she wasn’t honest about?
The thought is like an icy knife twisting in my gut. Composing myself sternly, I take a seat on the couch opposite her.
“It really isn’t that big of a deal,” I say.
Ida’s eyes narrow on my face. “I don’t know what you are talking about, Stellan. It doesn’t matter.” She clears her throat, looking me in the eye. “Your father has had an accident.”
That news, completely unexpected, comes out of nowhere and hits me like a freight train.
“What?” I blink repeatedly.
“He is fine. He just walked off the middle of a stage yesterday. But I asked him what happened… and he admitted that he felt confused right before it happened.”
My eyebrows lift. “What?”
Ida makes a conciliatory expression. “I’ve been telling you to be ready for this, Stellan. And now it’s here.”
“Wait.” I shake my head, trying to understand. “Is my father hurt?”
She exhales, picking at a loose thread on her skirt. “Just some bruises and scrapes. But after talking to your father and several doctors, it has been decided that Gor?n needs to step down.”
I have to lean back, letting that sink in. My father has always been so big and so strong. To think of him as… a confused man who fell off a stage…
“Stellan.” My grandmother crosses her ankles, looking concerned. “You realize what I’m saying, do you not? Your father has to give up the crown. And you will have to step up and take it from him.”
My eyes widen. “I’m sorry?”
“You are going to be coronated. And I’m afraid it will be soon.
” A wrinkle appears on her forehead. “Your father is ill. I’m sorry to put this so bluntly, but it’s time to dispense with your little girlfriend and bring your focus back where it ought to be.
On your country, my dear. Your life is about to become extremely complicated and I don’t think you will have time for any… distractions.”
I hear Margot gasp from behind me. I whirl, finding her in the doorway. She looks prim and proper in an expensive ivory silk dress, but her face has lost all its color.
“Is the king okay?” she asks, neatly ignoring her part in my grandmother’s wishes. She looks at me, imploring.
My heart flip flops. I reach out my hand and Margot instantly picks up her dress and runs to sit down beside me, taking my hand. She looks at my grandmother.
“Please tell me he’s going to be okay,” she says again.
Ida clears her throat and narrows her gaze on where Margot touches me. “My son will be fine, thank you. It’s my grandson I have to worry about, it seems.”
Twining my fingers with Margot’s, I pull her hand into my lap. “Tell me what you need, Momse. I will do what I can.”
Her look of displeasure is cold as ice. “Very well.” She lifts her head. “After I leave here, you will never be without protection again. Your guard will be right outside your door for the rest of your life.”
I swallow. When I speak, it sounds as nervous as I feel. This is just a lot to take in. First my father, then the loss of my last little bit of freedom.
“Okay.” I pause a beat. “What else?”
My grandmother looks at Margot, then purses her lips. “You’re the heir to the throne, Stellan. You can’t be dating. You can’t let everyone see how vulnerable you are, especially not right now.” She smiles coolly. “You have to either declare your intentions publicly or stop seeing one another.”
I tighten my grip on Margot’s hand. “Let me worry about dealing with my relationship, Momse.”
Ida arches a brow and gives me a chilling look.
“Fine.” She stands up. “There are a thousand different documents for you to sign before you ascend to the throne. There’s a ceremony to be planned out.
You’ll have to meet with all the lords and ladies that support us, and parliament besides.
You’ll have to decide who’s going to be in your cabinet, who stays, who goes. ”
“I’ll do what is needed,” I promise her.
She levels a glare at Margot. “And you might want to see your father, because I’m sure that he will have thoughts on…” She waves her hand at me and Margot. “Whatever is going on here.”
I rise, bringing myself to my full height and peering down at my grandmother. “That’s enough. I’ve heard you.”
Ida looks back at me, nothing on her face but sincerity. “I really hope you have, Stellan. The time for playing at being king has come and gone. Now you must show the entire world who you really are. I can only hope I’ve prepared you for the role.”
She reaches out for me, touching my face briefly. Then she spins and heads out of the room, her head held high. I stare after her, trying desperately to take all the things she said in.
“Stellan?”
I look back and realize that I’m still gripping Margot’s hand so hard that it’s probably painful for her. I drop it apologetically. “Sorry, skatter. I’m just…”
She steps in front of me, pressing me down with two gentle hands on my shoulders. “It’s okay. Sit down, Stellan.”
I bury my face in my hands, feeling like a fool. “God damn it.”
“I’ll be right back. I’m just going to get your phone, okay?”
She disappears and then reappears, holding my phone up. “Here. When you’re ready, you can text somebody to get in touch with your father.”
“Thanks.” I exhale, pushing myself backward into the pillows. “Fuck!”
Margot doesn’t say anything. She just sits down beside me and runs her hand over my knee, looking distraught.
After a minute, I look at her.
“My grandmother was right about one thing.”
She arches a brow. “Which thing? She said several.”
I pin her in place with my gaze. “My life is about to become very complicated, Margot.”
“I know,” she says softly.
I stare into her dark blue eyes. “Are you still willing to run the gamut with me?”
“Of course,” she says. “I’ll do whatever you want.”
“But what do you want? That’s what I am really asking here.”
She nods a little, taking a deep breath. “We should keep seeing each other, obviously. And I don’t have any real objection toward you making things between us more…” She pauses and takes another gulp of air. “More official. I just want to be in the background.”
I sigh. “I don’t think that the press will let you just hang out in the background, Margot.”
She nods again, looking down. “I know. But you asked what I wanted, not what’s realistic.”
She looks so sad that I can’t help but pull her closer, pressing her small body against my larger one. My head rests on hers. My heart beat drums against my chest.
I close my eyes, inhaling. The sweet scent of Margot fills my nose.
“I want that too,” I admit.
My heart aches. For my father, who I have yet to see. For my grandmother, who is just trying her best, though it may not seem that way.
For Margot, who is coping with the change in my status way better than I am.
And for this, this closeness. I have a very real sense that these moments are under threat now… though I swear I will do what I can to protect them.
My phone chirps. I open my eyes, sighing before I even read the words on the screen. They’re from Lars.
He wants to see all of us right away.
I shoot off a reply before flinging my phone down.
Be there soon.
Then I look at Margot. She looks so anxious; I almost can’t stand to look into her sweetly heart shaped face.
“I really fucking love you,” I tell her.
She grabs my hand, pulling it over her heart. “I love you too. I always will.”
Giving her a kiss, I reluctantly let her go and rise from the couch. “I’m going to go see my father.”
She gives me a small smile. “I’ll be here, waiting for you when you get back.”
With a heavy heart, I turn and start moving away. When I step into the hallway, three suited guards turn to look at me.
“Prime Ministerr,” I say, nodding to them. “Lad os g?.”
I head down the hall, feeling my invisible golden collar tighten just that much more.