Chapter 15
HENRIK
Footsteps cracked against the marble floor.
Silas closed the grand oak doors. The sound rang through the throne room.
I stood alone before the gilded seat of my ancestors.
Beatrice was gone. I had severed her from my court.
I had protected my position. The victory tasted of ash.
My title, my authority, my grand legacy meant nothing.
I had built a fortress around myself. I had locked Natalie outside of it.
I paced the length of the room. My leather shoes struck the floor in a steady rhythm.
Each step resonated through the cavernous space.
The sound was a harsh reminder of my isolation.
The walls bore the portraits of past monarchs.
They stared down at me with painted indifference.
Their eyes were cold. Their jaws were set in stone.
They were men who had sacrificed everything for the crown.
They had surrendered their humanity for the sake of power.
I had spent my life studying their reigns.
I had memorized their treaties. I had reviewed their conquests.
I had analyzed their sacrifices. They gave everything for the state.
They demanded the same of me. I had obeyed without question.
I had treated my marriage as another duty.
I had viewed Natalie as an extension of my obligations.
I had failed the only person who mattered to me.
I needed to dismantle the cage I had built.
I needed to strip away the expectations and the protocols.
I walked to the side table. I poured a glass of water.
My reflection stared back from the silver tray.
I saw a man consumed by ambition. I saw a prince who had forgotten how to be a husband.
Natalie deserved a partner. She required a man who would stand by her side.
She had retreated to her coastal sanctuary.
She had left me to my cold palace. I had to go to her. I had to prove I could change.
I set the glass down. The water rippled inside it.
The small movement was the only sign of life in the massive room.
The stillness was suffocating. I had spent years curating this silence.
I had removed any distractions that might disrupt my focus.
I had purged the palace of warmth. Natalie had tried to bring color into this grey world.
She had arranged flowers in the antechambers.
She had opened windows to let in the breeze.
I had shut them. I had ordered the flowers removed because they clashed with the historical portraits.
I had erased her presence from my daily life.
I had done it in the name of tradition. I had done it for the crown. I was a fool.
I pressed the intercom button on the mahogany desk. “Silas,” I said. My voice was low and rough. “Summon Prince Frederik. Tell him to meet me in my private study in ten minutes.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Silas replied.
I left the throne room. I walked through the long, drafty corridors.
The servants bowed their heads as I passed.
I ignored them. My mind focused on the task ahead.
I had to clear my schedule. I had to hand over the reins.
Frederik was young. He was capable. He had been shielded from the worst of the burdens. It was time for him to share the load.
I entered my study. The room smelled of old leather and drying ink.
I walked to the window. I watched the rain fall on the courtyard.
The skies were grey and turbulent. The storm washed over the cobblestones.
I stood there for ten minutes. I traced the condensation on the glass.
I thought about the first time I met Natalie.
I remembered her bright eyes. I remembered her easy smile.
I had crushed that light. I had replaced her joy with protocol.
I had handed her a schedule instead of my time.
The door clicked open. Frederik walked in. He wore a sharp navy suit. His tie was an immaculate knot. He looked every inch a royal prince. He closed the door behind him. He stopped a few feet away. He crossed his arms over his chest.
“You summoned me,” Frederik said. “I assume this is about Beatrice. The palace is already talking.”
“Beatrice is handled,” I said. I turned to face him. I kept my posture rigid. “This is about the upcoming European tour. This is about the domestic schedule for the next three months.”
Frederik frowned. “What about it? The itinerary is set. Prime Minister Sinclair finalized the details yesterday.”
“You are taking my place,” I said. I watched his face.
Frederik uncrossed his arms. His jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”
“You will lead the European tour,” I said. “You will attend the trade summits in Paris. You will handle the charity galas in Rome. You will review the agricultural reports with Alcott. You will act in my stead for all official engagements until further notice.”
Frederik stared at me. He took a step forward. “You cannot be serious. The tour starts in four days. I have not been briefed. I have my own duties.”
“Silas will provide all the necessary briefs,” I said. “You are my brother. You know the protocols. You know the players. You are more than capable.”
“This is madness,” Frederik said. His voice rose. He ran a hand through his hair. “You are the crown prince. The public expects you. The foreign dignitaries expect you. You cannot just vanish.”
“I am not vanishing,” I said. “I am stepping away. I have a pressing matter to attend to.”
“Natalie,” Frederik said. He shook his head. “You are doing this for Natalie.”
“I am doing this for my marriage,” I said. My tone left no room for debate. “I have neglected her. I have prioritized this crown over her. I will not make that mistake again.”
“She left you,” Frederik said. His words were sharp. “She packed her bags and went to Oakhaven. She made her choice.”
“I pushed her away,” I said. I stepped closer to him. I looked him dead in the eye. “I treated her like a political asset. I expected her to conform to this cold life. I was wrong.”
Frederik sighed. He looked down at the floor. He scuffed his shoe against the carpet. “The council will be furious. Sinclair will have a stroke.”
“Let them be furious,” I said. “They serve the crown. They will serve you. This is an order, Frederik. I am trusting you with this.”
Frederik looked back up at me. He searched my face. He must have seen the finality in my expression. He gave a slow nod. “Fine. I will do it. You owe me for this.”
“I owe you a great deal,” I said. I walked to the desk and picked up a stack of folders. I handed them to him. “Start with these. Silas will be in touch.”
Frederik took the folders. He turned and walked to the door. He paused before opening it. “I hope you find what you are looking for, Henrik.”
“So do I,” I said. He left the room. The door clicked shut behind him. I let out a long breath. The first step was done. The second step would require much more effort. I needed to speak with my mother.
I walked to the east wing of the palace. The corridors grew quieter. The lighting was softer. I approached the grand double doors of my mother’s chambers. Her guards stood at attention. They opened the doors without a word. I stepped inside.
The room smelled of aged silk and floor wax. The air was warm. My mother sat in a high-backed armchair by the fireplace. She wore a tailored charcoal dress. A simple pearl necklace rested against her collarbone. She held a porcelain teacup in her hands. She did not look up as I entered.
“I hear you have dismissed Beatrice,” she said. Her voice was calm. It carried the precision of a seasoned diplomat.
“I have,” I said. I stood before the fireplace. I looked down at the flickering flames. “Her presence was detrimental. She overstepped her bounds.”
My mother took a sip of her tea. She set the cup on the saucer with a soft clink. “She was ambitious. You always knew that. You found her ambition useful until it became inconvenient.”
“She disrespected Natalie,” I said. My jaw tightened. “She tried to undermine my wife.”
“And where is your wife?” my mother asked. She looked up at me. Her eyes were sharp. They cut through my defenses.
“Now you care?” I asked, growing angry. “I’m in this mess because of you. You told me to stay and so I stayed. I should have gone after her immediately, but I took your advice and I let her go. Now it’s worse.”
“I was wrong.” I had never seen such remorse in my mother’s eyes.
She looked genuinely sad for her role in all of this.
It seemed like a complete turning of events.
“I was under the impression that Beatrice would have been a better partner. Having actually spoken with the woman, I not only know better, but I see what this rift in your marriage has caused you. I apologize for making it worse, but you still have an opportunity to fix it, but it will be hard. Where is she?”
“She is in Oakhaven,” I said. I kept my voice steady. “I am going to get her.”
My mother leaned back in her chair. She studied my face. “Good. But do you plan to ride up to the coast and demand she return? Do you think a grand gesture will erase months of neglect?”
“I am going to apologize,” I said. “I have handed my immediate duties to Frederik. I am stepping back to focus on my marriage.”
My mother laughed. It was a dry, hollow sound. “You cannot command a wife like a subject. Go to her shore, shed your title, and build a foundation.”
I stared at her. I had expected a reprimand. I had braced for a lecture on duty and optics. Her words caught me off guard.
“You treated your marriage like a state alliance,” she continued. She gestured to the empty space beside me. “You expected her to stand there. You expected her to look pretty. You expected her to nod at the right times. You forgot she is a human being. She has a heart. She needs a partner.”