Total pages in book: 208
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
He had been busy with his father, or more to the point, the business of his realm for his father just sat petulantly and watched as True struggled his way through meetings with auditors and ministers and guild leaders, talking about everything from budgets to school syllabi to setting a minimum wage (something, until then, his father—meaning Carrington—flatly refused to do) and establishing a college to train mariners.
When he was not at this pursuit, he was meeting with Mars, Cassius and Aramus, as well as Frey and Apollo, to catch up about what had happened since they parted, what had been learned, what had not, and discuss what was to come.
In his rare free times, he couldn’t often find Farah, for she was off in the city with the women or in her own engagements with his mother to meet the castle staff, learn how it was run, go over the plans of the wedding in detail and be educated on being a princess of Wodell.
They’d caught snatches of time, mostly in passing, and some of this they spent in minimal whispers, but most of it they spent in maximum embraces.
They managed to have only one dinner together, a pompous affair held the night before attended by five hundred guests.
He had not been surprised to learn that Farah had been spectacular holding court. Her natural calmness and ability to see humor in a variety of situations had transferred to him and something the like he detested—an official royal reception—was something he learned to enjoy.
Regardless of that, he found the past days exceptionally frustrating.
She was in the same bloody building as he, but that building had over six hundred rooms, and her chambers were in an eastern turret.
She had an amazing view of the bridge over the rivers.
But she was as far away from him as she could get.
He missed her.
And he would be glad when this day was done.
For a number of reasons.
One of them being, while they were being wed, the servants would move her to his bloody rooms.
“I have just come from your bride,” Mercy announced.
Oh fuck.
“Mother—”
“She is a vision,” she declared smartly. “The most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”
True blinked.
Slowly.
“Well,” he started carefully, “thank you for arranging that. I’m certain the gown is—”
“The gown is divine, but it pales in comparison with its wearer.”
He stared at her in surprise.
“I was concerned when she demanded the gnomes of The Doors do her hair, but I shouldn’t have been. She knows what suits her.”
He was not surprised at all Farah had made that demand.
She’d bestowed a great honor on those charmed ones.
However, that wasn’t why she did it.
Yes.
She would be the perfect queen.
“How is she otherwise, outside of stunning, which she always is?” he asked.
“Nervous as a rabbit.”
Damn.
“Mother—”
She waved her hand in front of her face. “Elena, Silence and Ha-Lah are with her. After Elena’s suggestion that she do something called ‘meditate’ didn’t work, they’ve plied her wine.”
His brows shot up. “So my bride is going to be inebriated at our wedding ceremony?”
“Never fear. Queen Ha-Lah has a head on her shoulders. I have every faith she’ll stop things before they get out of hand,” she assured.
She moved from where she’d stopped just inside the room, coming to him.
When she arrived, she lifted a hand to brush nonexistent lint from his sleeve.
She also spoke on.
“Though that lieutenant of Elena’s, I believe her name is Jasmine, was there and that was a concern, for there is something not right about that girl. But Elena sent her off to find her seat in the sanctuary, therefore that should not be a problem either.”
Of course she would think Jasmine was not right.
Jasmine knew duty.
But once it was done, she devoted her life to fun.
Mercy ran her finger over the ribbons on his chest while her eyes watched.
“So all is well,” he noted.
She dropped her hand and clasped it with the other in front of her, lifting her eyes to his.
“All is well, my son.”
“You and father—”
She shook her head. “Let us not talk about such things on a joyous day.”
She thought this was a joyous day?
He studied her.
By the gods, she actually thought this was a joyous day.
“You and Farah—” he began.
“I’ve come to the decision, after some very good advice from a very wise woman, and words of support for your soon-to-be princess from your own man, to open my heart and see what comes in. And, just so you know, I thanked her for the taffy.”
She thanked Farah for the taffy.
She thus had some understanding of what would come into her heart.
His mother was making an effort.
A mammoth one.
For him.
As usual.
He did not have a warm and affectionate mother.
But he absolutely had a devoted and loving one.
He unclasped her hands by taking them in his own.
“Mother—”
“Now, you should start making your way. There is much traffic in the city. The capital guard has lined the streets and they’re keeping the parade route open, but you’ll need to allow your people plenty of time to take in their prince on his way to his wedding, so the ride will be slow.”