Page 25 of Royal Bastard

11

Henry

I went to my father with anger in my heart. I didn’t know what he’d said to Evie, but I didn’t like it. He’d taken the woman who’d stared me down more than once, that had finally learned to stare down other men, and broken her! She’d stood up to Travis, and she hadn’t broken into tears until she was in my office, but my father had broken her so badly she wouldn’t even look at me.

“What did you do?” I demanded an answer as I came up the stairs.

“I gave her options, Henry. The same options I’m giving you now. Keep your life the way it is, and I can give it all to Michael. Or give her up and be the king when I’m gone.”

“That’s supposed to be a hard decision?” I scoffed at him and turned away. “Bye, Edwin.”

I didn’t call him father, he didn’t deserve it.

“Henry! This is a kingdom you are giving up. Are you sure she’s worth it?” His voice stopped me as I walked down the stairs.

“You gave me up for a decision you came to regret, right? I’m not you. I know what matters in this world.”

“Then you are right, son. All that matters are those we love. I came to love the people of our land, but not as much as I loved your mother. Or Sophie eventually.”

That really did stop me. “What?”

“Evie chose her daughters over you.” He offered it as a rebuttal, not as anything else.

“As she should.” That must not have been hard for her.

“If you do not become king, she can’t have them back.” His eyes were cold, calculating, and I hated him in that moment.

“Fuck you!” How the hell was I supposed to argue against that?

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want you to give up this kingdom.”

“But you just said…”

“I know what I said. The truth of the matter is, Michael won’t be suitable for the task. I need you to take his place, Henry. I will do whatever it takes. I’ll even destroy Evie.”

My heart raged in my chest, I wanted to crush his skull, and break him the way he’d just broken me.

“Then I’ll do as you ask. Evie deserves her children.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, damn it all, I am sure. I will give my life, my happiness, for her.”

“Thank you, son. You are truly a better man than me. You can go to her now.” He sank into his chair, exhausted.

“What?”

“I said you may go to her. I had to be sure, you see.” His face had sunken more now that he was done, now that he’d won. “Michal is ill and will not survive to be king. You, on the other hand, will.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just a little bit lost here.” I sat down at the table, the anger all gone, replaced with confusion.

“Evie may be your queen, her daughters will be made princesses, and you will one day be king, Henry. I’m sorry to have been cruel, but I had to know. I didn’t want to put a man on the throne who wasn’t worthy. You certainly are.”

“I’m still lost.”

“It will sink in soon enough. For now, go to Evie. And take this with you.” He handed me a blue velvet box. Inside was a heart shaped diamond, far bigger than it needed to be, in a gold filigree ring. “It’s our family’s official engagement ring. I was planning to give it to your mother all of those years ago but buckled. I’ve been saving it ever since.”

“You didn’t give it to Sophie?” I was stunned. The ring must be worth a fortune.