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My word echoed in the room as he left, leaving me alone and wondering what the hell kind of father/daughter reunion I’d just experienced.
Chapter 10
Luc
“Did you see her hair?”
I allowed myself a small smile as I stepped into the staff kitchen, the place in the palace where anyone who wasn’t a member of the royal family ate. While I was as close to the king as any non-family member could be, it would’ve been most inappropriate for me to eat with him, and that meant the king dined alone.
“Her hair is something else, but it’s thatthingin her nose that I couldn’t take my eyes off of.”
“Is that how all Americans look? Hair in wild colors with metal in their faces?”
Laughter sounded from the table. It was at that moment I decided to make my presence known.
“You know, ladies,” I said, stepping from the entrance area onto the main dining floor. “King Alaric wouldn’t be pleased in the slightest to hear this kind of talk.”
The dining area was comprised of a handful of tables, each big enough to seat eight people. From what I could tell, nearly the entire staff of fifty-five was there, from gardeners to maids to chauffeurs and everyone in between. The cooks had prepared their usual family-style meal—big dishes of chicken and pork, bread, potatoes and butter being passed around, all from the farms around the city.
When they became aware of my presence, however, everything stopped. Members of the staff in the process of passing food froze, plates of meat seeming to float in the air. While I was technically a member of the service staff, my closeness with the king was no secret.
“Now, Lucas,” called out Winnie Mayer, a plump, gray-haired member of the cooking staff. “Thisis where the gossip happens, not between you and the king.”
Laughs erupted, and I allowed myself a small smile at her barb.
“Fair enough,” I said. “All the same, it’s poor manners to talk about someone behind their back—princess or not.”
“We’re just having a laugh,” Maddie Hooker, one of the gardeners, said. “And more than that, don’t we have a right to know about the woman who’s going to be in charge of this kingdom one day?”
A finger stuck out toward Kinley Brown, who I knew had spent most of the morning with Ava, preparing her for lunch with Alaric.
“Lord knows she’s not saying a damn thing!” Winnie complained.
“Not all of us pass the time with that sort of talk,” Kinley said with a smile. “And besides, I already told you all you need to know. She’s kind and pleasant and has a sharp sense of humor. Luc, wouldn’t you agree?”
“I would agree on both points—your description and the fact that’s all anyone here needs to know. Now, I’m not one for controlling the conversation, but let’s allow the princess to have at least a few days to settle in before she becomes the top subject of conversation down here. Lord knows she’s going to be spending enough time on the tip of everyone’s tongue.”
Disappointed sounds rose from the staff, but there was no argument—they knew better.
With that, the group went back to their meals. I made myself a plate of chicken with a side of vegetables and found a seat at one of the tables. Normally, I’d spend dinner chatting with the staff, listening to how their workdays had gone. That evening, however, I had other matters on my mind.
One matter in particular—I couldn’t stop thinking about Ava. The worst part was I knew how wrong it was. I’d been entrusted to bring her back to the king. While I’d successfully done that, it should’ve gone without saying that looking at her with lustful eyes was absolutely out of the question.
Nevertheless, there I was, letting the image of her linger in my mind’s eye. I found myself thinking about her tattoo, picturing her bare legs, her thick thighs.
“You alright, sir?”
I shook my head, snapping back to the moment.
“Huh?”
I glanced up to see Maddie across from me, regarding me with an expression of mild concern.
“You looked a million miles away, Luc.”
“Just thinking about the day ahead. A hell of a lot going on with the princess now in Edoria.”
She smiled. “You’re right about that. But don’t worry a bit. I’m sure you’ll get it all sorted out.”
