The Heir Apparent - a historical why choose, rh, poly, MMF, spicy romance ✅

Chapter Eight

Tolliver

She seemed a changed woman.

She had gone from a crying, frail, unsure thing when we had arrived at the castle, to someone more poised and calm and, I did not know, confident.

Yes, she seemed more confident.

I should have been more pleased to see the change. After all, the last thing the kingdom needed was a weak and insecure ruler.

No.

I was pleased.

As a politician. As her mentor.

I was pleased.

As a man, though, well that was a different story.

I did not even let myself contemplate that, however. As it did not matter what I felt as a man. In fact, I should not have any feelings toward my new ruler. Not personal feelings, anyway.

And I did not.

I could not.

It made no rational sense even to entertain that train of thought.

"We must plan for your swearing-in ceremony."

"But did we not already complete that at my old home?"

"Officially, yes," Tolliver said, nodding. "But the people need to see you do so. Ceremoniously. With officials and a gown. All the pomp and circumstance they have come to expect from such events."

"Yes, of course," she said, nodding, though I knew she had never been to court, and likely knew very little about such things.

I had to admire her ability to pretend as though she had any idea, though. That was a trait that would serve us well moving forward.

"You will need to learn what to do and say during the ceremony. You will also need to be fitted for a new gown. And crown."

"Sir, exactly when is this ceremony to take place? If gowns and crowns are to be made, that is?"

"Tomorrow evening."

"Tomorrow evening?" she gasped. "But, sir, that is not long enough to have a gown sewn. Nor, I suspect, a crown created."

"It shall have to be, lady. These are no concerns of yours. We will see to it being completed in time."

She started to object to that before biting back whatever it was she was about to say.

Again, restraint was a trait I had not expected from her, and another one that would be beneficial moving forward.

Maybe Riven had been right. She had simply been overwhelmed by so much change when we had first informed her of the new direction of her life.

Once she had some time to think it through, and pull herself together, she managed to fight back any of those delicate, feminine tendencies, and start to think like a ruler.

"Might I suggest I be fitted for the gown and crown first then, sir?" she said. "So they might have more time to work on it. I am a quick study. I will not need much time to learn the ceremony."

I had some doubts about that.

Yet I also knew that if she was not the fumbling, dim-witted girl I had been expecting, that she was going to learn sooner or later that she was the one in charge, and therefore did not need to suggest things, merely demand them.