Chapter 27 — The Royal Family Arrives
Alexander believed six royal ships represented the full extent of Amara’s family response.
He was wrong.
The following morning, two more vessels appeared.
Amara was eating breakfast when a royal officer entered.
“Your Royal Highness, the Queen’s ship has been sighted.”
Amara dropped her spoon.
“My mother?”
“And members of the royal family.”
“How many members?”
The officer hesitated.
Amara knew immediately that the answer was going to be unpleasant.
“Many.”
Alexander looked at her.
“What does many mean in royal language?”
Amara stood. “We should go.”
“That did not answer my question.”
“You’ll see.”
He disliked the sound of that.
By the time they reached the harbor, the first new vessel was docking.
Queen Nalia appeared at the top of the gangway.
Amara stopped.
Her mother did not.
The Queen descended with extraordinary speed for a woman surrounded by attendants desperately trying to maintain royal dignity.
“Amara!”
“Mother!”
They collided in an embrace.
Nalia held her daughter’s face, kissed her forehead, hugged her again, then immediately began examining her.
“You’re too thin.”
“Mother—”
“Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
“You are not fine. You were kidnapped.”
“I know. I was there.”
Nalia began crying and laughing at the same time.
Then she hugged Amara again.
King Adisa approached.
“I told you she was safe.”
The Queen turned on him.
“You told me to remain at home.”
“For good reason.”
“You crossed an ocean without me.”
“The situation was dangerous.”
“She is my daughter too.”
Adisa wisely stopped arguing.
Alexander watched with fascination.
Suddenly he understood where Amara had learned certain skills.
Then the rest of the family began leaving the ships.
Brothers.
Sisters.
Cousins.
Uncles.
Aunts.
Advisers.
Guards.
Servants.
Alexander stopped counting.
One of Amara’s brothers lifted her completely off the ground.
Another demanded the names of every man involved in her kidnapping.
A younger sister cried against her shoulder. Two cousins spoke at once. An elderly aunt inspected Amara’s face and announced that everyone responsible should be hanged.
“Auntie,” Amara protested.
“What?”
“We are pursuing lawful justice.”
“Lawful justice can include hanging.”
Alexander turned away before anyone saw him smile.
Within twenty minutes, the peaceful harbor had become an extension of the royal court of Azania.
Luggage appeared everywhere.
Guards established positions.
Servants carried trunks.
Officials rushed around attempting to arrange accommodations for people they had never expected to host.
Alexander stood in the middle of it all.
Amara found him there.
“You look frightened.”
“I fought pirates with less confusion.”
“This is my family.”
“All of them?”
“Not even close.”
Alexander stared at her.
She smiled.
Queen Nalia eventually noticed him.
Her eyes moved from Alexander to her daughter and back again.
Alexander immediately recognized the expression.
King Adisa had worn the same one.
“Amara,” Nalia said, “who is this?”
Amara suddenly became extremely interested in adjusting her necklace.
“This is Captain Alexander Whitmore.”
The Queen waited.
Amara sighed.
“He helped me.”
“Helped you how?”
“Quite a lot.”
Still the Queen waited.
Alexander understood that Amara was enjoying his discomfort.
He bowed.
“Your Majesty.”
Nalia looked directly at him.
“You protected my daughter?”
“I tried.”
“He did,” Amara said.
“He also chased me when I escaped.”
The Queen blinked.
“You escaped?”
Alexander closed his eyes briefly.
Not again.
Amara explained the horse.
Her brothers began laughing.
“It was not funny,” Alexander said.
“It is now,” Amara replied.
One brother slapped Alexander on the shoulder.
“You chased our sister?”
“For several miles.”
“And caught her?”
“Her horse refused to cross water.”
Amara glared at him.
“Alexander.”
“What? We are apparently sharing everything.”
The Queen smiled.
Then she noticed something else.
The way her daughter said his name.
The way Alexander looked at her.
Mothers required considerably less evidence than kings.
“Oh,” Nalia said.
Amara immediately became suspicious.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Mother.”
The Queen smiled and walked away.
Alexander leaned toward Amara.
“She knows.”
“Unfortunately.”
“What happens now?”
“You survived my father.”
“Yes.”
“My mother is more dangerous.”
Alexander watched Queen Nalia speaking quietly with King Adisa.
He suddenly missed the pirates.
By afternoon, Alexander’s peaceful existence had disappeared completely.
He was introduced to relatives whose names he immediately forgot. Three advisers wanted reports about Rourke. Two generals wanted details about the pirate attack. Amara’s brothers wanted to inspect his weapons.
Her sisters wanted something entirely different.
Information.
They surrounded him after dinner.
“How did you meet?”
“Amara told us you argued constantly.”
“Who kissed whom first?”
Alexander looked toward Amara for rescue.
She was across the room laughing.
Traitor.
“I am an officer,” he said. “I am trained to resist interrogation.”
One sister smiled.
“We grew up with Amara.”
Alexander understood that he was doomed.
Later he escaped onto the terrace.
Amara joined him.
“Enjoying royal life?”
“No.”
She laughed.
“Your sister asked me whether I intend to marry you.”
Amara stopped laughing.
“What did you say?”
“That I had survived only one day with your family and was not prepared to make major decisions under extreme conditions.”
She hit his arm.
Alexander smiled.
Below them, royal guards crossed the courtyard while servants carried yet another collection of trunks inside.
“My life used to be quiet,” he said.
“Was it?”
“Very.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“I thought I did.”
“And now?”
Alexander looked at her.
“Now quiet seems overrated.”
Amara’s smile softened.
Inside, Queen Nalia watched them through the window.
King Adisa joined her.
“You see it?” she asked.
“I saw it yesterday.”
“She loves him.”
“Yes.”
“And him?”
“He told me himself.”
Nalia looked surprised.
“You asked?”
“Of course.”
“You interrogated him.”
“I spoke with him.”
The Queen laughed.
“He survived?”
“Remarkably well.”
They watched their daughter rest her head briefly against Alexander’s shoulder.
Nalia’s expression became serious.
“She came back different.”
“Yes.”
“But she came back.”
Adisa took his wife’s hand.
“That is enough for now.”
Outside, Amara looked toward the crowded royal residence.
“You realize this is only the beginning.”
Alexander frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“When we return to Azania, there will be ministers, officials, ceremonies, relatives, receptions—”
“More relatives?”
“Many more.”
Alexander looked genuinely alarmed.
Amara laughed.
“You can still escape.”
Alexander considered the harbor filled with royal ships and guards.
“I doubt it.”
“I could lend you a horse.”
“Not the black one.”
“Definitely the black one.”
They laughed together.
Alexander’s peaceful life had ended.
Strangely, he no longer wanted it back.