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“Where are you taking us?” I ask.
“You are going to be your brother’s best man.”
“Like hell.”
“Oh, shut up and do something nice for your big brother for once in your life. And you, my dear Kala, will keep my parents distracted.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Whatever it is you need, I’m at your service.”
I’m surprised at first, but then I forget that high-born citizens of Gravenland would lay down their lives for the royal family. If my sister the princess asks someone for a favor, the only people who could successfully deny Flora are her siblings.
And today, it doesn’t appear I stand a chance.
6
Kala
This is the first time in my life that I’ve outright disobeyed the king.
Honestly, it feels pretty good, even if I’m freaking out internally.
All that Flora had asked me to do yesterday was keep the king and queen occupied by any means necessary while Torben and Hailey sneaked away to get married.
I kept them busy with backgammon, croquet, and a personal viewing of every damned one of the palace’s historical artifacts, dating back millennia when Gravenland had been divided into clans and ruled by chieftains. I even learned a few things they never taught us in school about our pre-Judeo-Christian gods that we still honor today.
Quite a noble and proud lineage leads up to this particular king standing before me, who is equal parts clueless about his progeny, yet purports to rule them with an iron fist. For all his sequestering and courtship demands, the king’s fist is made less of iron and more of the grasses that whip in the cold sea breeze.
Once again, I don’t know what I’m doing here. Here being the Arenhammer Plaza Hotel. The king motions me to step forward, but I don’t. I curtsey and swallow my anxiety as the king’s face turns a concerning shade of red.
Torben takes the microphone from his father, then Hailey joins him on the balcony.
And then, I watch in morbid curiosity as the king and queen’s entire world turns upside down.
And here is where I take my leave of this chaotic family.
“Stop right there!” shouts the king.
The security guards close the balcony doors, muting the sound outside. Uther gives me a sympathetic look, but he’s just following orders.
I freeze, turning to the king. “Your Majesty?”
“My business with you is not finished.”
Oh gods, what on earth could he mean? Torben is married. I’ll have to figure out another way to renegotiate the business loan, go back to the American beer company, or take the lower offer, and sell off the assets they don’t want.
What follows is a family argument that I do not feel comfortable witnessing. I should not be here for this. Nor should I be here for the moment that Torben abdicates the throne.
Oh, my gods. Is he really doing this? Is this happening?
For the first time, I see that this family has some honor after all—the firstborn is choosing his bride over his father's wishes.
“Etienne, congratulations. You’re the favored prince now,” Torben says.
All eyes turn to the prince lounging on the sofa, watching the drama.
“The hell you say?” Etienne sits up, pale and panicked.
More arguing. This time it all ends in tears, but ultimately, my estimation of Hailey goes up several notches when she stands up for her man.
