Vasily watched as Mother sought out a small, pink-faced woman and started talking to her, his hands moving rapidly as he spoke. The woman nodded and went to one of the huge workbenches that were scattered around the room and started loading up two plates. Vasily could see chunks of salted pork, what looked like a hard cheese, and slabs of fresh bread topped with curls of butter. Mother said something that made the woman laugh as she handed him the plates, and then he was back, sliding the meal in front of Vasily. “There you go, lad.”
“Thank you,” Vasily said, savouring the novelty of someone handing him a meal andnotcalling him Highness. “This looks delicious.”
“Cook knows what she’s about.” Mother nodded and started eating.
Vasily followed suit and he couldn’t help the noise of appreciation that left him as he bit into the soft, warm bread and sharp cheese.
“What are you doing to that boy, Mother?” A young man slid into the seat next to Vasily. He had wavy brown hair, a wide grin, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. “You’re new.” He extended a hand to Vasily just as an older man sat next to him bearing two plates.
Vasily swallowed his mouthful and wiped his hand on his trousers before taking the proffered hand. “Yes. I’m Vasily. I just arrived.”
The young man’s face lit up with something like recognition. “Of course! You must be the—”
“—new groom from Koroslova,” the older man said smoothly. “Of course.” The young man opened his mouth to speak, and without missing a beat, his companion elbowed him in the ribs. “Welcome, Vasily.”
“Majesties,” Mother said, ducking his head in deference. “Vasily, this is King Leopold and his husband, Prince Consort Felix.”
Vasily blinked.
Thiswas the king and his husband? And they were eatingin the kitchen?True, he’d had his own fair share of meals in the palace kitchens, but he was a fourth son and not very important at all. His father, on the other hand, would probably fade away to a shadow before it occurred to him to seek out the source of his meals. Vasily tried to imagine King Alexei sitting at a trestle table with a plate of bread and cheese. He couldn’t quite manage it.
King Leopold was still looking at him expectantly, so he cleared his throat and managed to get out, “It’s an honour to meet you both, sires.” He wondered if he should kneel or bow or something. Was there protocol for casual kitchen lunches with royalty?
Prince Felix caught Mother’s eye and said, “So. Did he pass?”
Mother grinned. “Aye, sire. Picked that potato right out of there. He’s a good one.”
“Oh, good! And stop calling me sire.”
King Leopold raised an eyebrow over the slice of cheese he was eating. “What have you been up to, sweetheart?”
“His Highness wanted to be sure his replacement was up to snuff, sire,” Mother said. “He’s been testing young Vasily’s knowledge.”
The king rolled his eyes. “Yes, because Mattias was going to hire somebody unsuitable. Honestly, Flick.”
Prince Felix shrugged. “I mean, he’s not conventionally trained, is he?”
Vasily’s hackles rose at that, and before he could stop himself, he snapped, “Heisright here, thank you, and is perfectly qualified for the job.”
As soon as the words left him, he slapped a hand over his mouth as if to stop his foot from wedging any farther in there.
Oh gods.
He’d managed to insult not just one royal, buttwo.
Felix stared at him wide-eyed, and for the second time that day, Vasily wondered if he’d be sacked before he even got to start, but Felix just threw back his head and laughed. King Leopold’s face split into a wide grin. “Oh yes, you’ll do wonderfully.” He leaned in close as if imparting a secret. “Neither of us have any patience for milksops or bootlickers, and we don’t stand on formality if we can help it. It’s exhausting.”
“You’d know,” Felix said, “what with being a—”
“—groom at the Koroslovan palace,” Leopold interrupted, giving Felix a pointed look.
“Yes, of course,” Felix said. “What did you think I was going to say,husband?”
On hearing the word, the king’s expression transformed into one of naked affection, and Vasily couldn’t tear his gaze away as Leopold leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Felix’s cheek. His own mouth curled up in a smile at the sight.
Felix murmured something in Leopold’s ear, and the king’s eyes widened. He stood rapidly, lunch forgotten, as the legs of his chair scraped abruptly across the stone floor. “We, um. Business of state,” Leopold said, his cheeks pink. “Nice to meet you, Vasily.” And then he was hurrying across the kitchen, dragging his young husband by the hand.
Vasily watched them go.
