“Ah, see, that was when he found out he was the prince, sire.”
Leopold gave Mother a subtle nod, and he was encouraged that he was on the right track—although what that track was exactly, he had no clue.
But he did trust Leopold, so he carried on. “Before that, he didn’t seem to find much point in anything. He was all about bedding the maids and dodging a day’s work. But when he found out, well. It was like he had something to work towards. Picked up his game right quick, he did.”
“Exactly,” Leopold said. “He was in need of firm direction.”
That wasn’t anything like what Mother had said, but he nodded anyway.
So did Alexei. “You make a good point, Leopold. Boys need to be told what is good for them.”
Leopold turned to Vasily then. “Prince Vasily, your father is correct when he says that being a groom is not a suitable use of your time.”
Vasily reared up in his seat like he’d been struck before jutting his chin out in a stubborn gesture that Mother was all too familiar with. “I don’t care what’s suitable! I’m not leaving!”
Leopold held up both palms. “I’m just saying, your father has a point.”
Mother found himself holding his breath.
“Exactly!” Alexei exclaimed, nodding vigorously. “You cannot stay here dallying with horses! You are an embarrassment to the family.”
Vasily’s face crumpled, and Mother fought back a surge of protectiveness while he took a moment to reconsider his no-punching-the-king decision.
“Alexei.” The queen’s voice was low and controlled, but there was a hard edge to it. “You will not call Vasily an embarrassment.”
Alexei swallowed loudly enough that everyone in the room heard it. “Of course not, my love,” he said quietly, “but you must admit that he is not fulfilling the expectations of his birthright.”
Queen Irina waved her hand in a dismissive motion. “So we will find him a suitable role.”
Alexei’s brow furrowed. “I have offered him a role. He comes home and enters a diplomatic marriage.”
Vasily cringed visibly, and Mother squeezed his knee under the table.
Queen Irina, though, tapped a fingertip against her chin. “If Vasily marries, he will have to leave Koroslova.”
“Yes?” Alexei spread his hands as if to sayand?
“So why bring him home to be safe, only to send him away again?” The queen hummed. “Why is it, husband, that you think marriage is the only way Vasily can be useful? And by the by, why have we never appointed an ambassador to Lilleforth? They are a powerful kingdom, and I would think you would want to be on good terms with them.”
“I—of course I wish to be on good terms,” Alexei said, and Mother took a moment to admire the way the queen had so easily shifted her husband’s focus. He wondered if Alexei had even noticed.
“Yes, why haven’t we done that before now?” Leopold asked, turning his full attention to Alexei. “I, for one, would welcome a representative living here. It would have to be someone of high status, though, to put paid to the rumours that our kingdoms are at odds. We don’t want being appointed as the ambassador to Lilleforth to be perceived as some sort of punishment.”
Alexei opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Irina leapt in.
“I agree,” she said. “Whoever we post here would need to be personable, of course, as they are the representation of Koroslova. So none of your grumpy generals, husband.”
“And it would need to be somebody who was willing to stay indefinitely,” Leopold added, sending Vasily a significant look.
Vasily blinked and his defeated expression slowly gave way to a tremulous smile as he sat up straight. “That…sounds perfect for me, actually.”
“Of course!” Leopold exclaimed. “A member of the Koroslovan royal family as the ambassador? What could be better? I don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself. Alexei, you’re a genius!”
Irina moved to stand behind Alexei’s chair, where she ran her hands over his shoulders in a soothing motion. “My husband is right, of course. Vasily should remain in Lilleforth as an ambassador. The king has spoken!”
The king in question tilted his head back to look at his wife, his brow furrowed. “Have I?”
Mother waited with bated breath to see if Alexei would argue, but then Irina leaned down and whispered something in his ear. He blinked, straightened in his chair, spread his palms on the table, and smiled widely. “I have decided. Vasily, you will remain in Lilleforth as ambassador, a position fitting for a prince.”
