A Beast's Tale

Chapter 26

 "Good morning, Prince Chevalier."

Debatable. I had a late night; she hadn't been humming when she arrived; and her greeting lacked its usual bright note of cheer.

"Thank you for telling me about the fireworks display, Prince Chevalier. I would have seen it anyway, but I might have missed the beginning if I hadn't been looking for something to happen. Mother was feeling well enough to watch some of it, too. It was beautiful. What was the occasion?"

The morning was improving. She was in better spirits than she had been at this time yesterday.

I pushed back the blankets and yawned. "Clavis."

"Oh. I suppose he wouldn't need a reason to do something like that, would he, Your Highness?"

He wouldn't, but he had a reason for everything he did, no matter how nonsensical his actions seemed. His fireworks had reached higher in the sky and exploded into larger balls of brilliant color than would have been necessary were the girls at the villa his only intended audience. He'd wanted Ivetta to see them, too.

I dragged myself out of bed and picked up the clothes she'd laid out for me, glancing at her as I went into the bathroom. The faded green ribbon she always used to tie her hair back was dull against the silky strands. Buying or making a new hair ribbon would cost little to nothing. That ribbon had sentimental value. A gift from her mother, most likely.

And entirely unimportant.

The mirror showed me the bags under my eyes. I'd left the round table after Leon and I confirmed our approval of Belle, not wanting to answer the inevitable questions from my brothers regarding the reason I hadn't challenged Sariel's selection, and I'd taken Blade out for a few hours. Riding him while Clavis was setting off fireworks was a good test of the stallion's obedience. He was high-strung, but he was also the most intelligent horse I'd ever ridden. Once he learned something, he didn't forget it, regardless of the circumstances, and that held true even when he wanted to shy away from bright lights and explosions. Overall, his performance pleased me.

And then I had to cool him down, groom him, see to his tack, and make dinner for myself, at which point I crossed paths with Nokto, roaming the halls instead of catching up on sleep. A nightmare, I knew, although we hadn't discussed it. Belle had been the topic at hand. I told him I had approved of her because she didn't matter. I would be the next king, no matter who Sariel chose.

That was far more important than a worn hair ribbon.

"We have a new Belle," I told Ivetta as I left the bathroom. She stopped in her tracks. I continued past her toward the writing desk and my breakfast.

"Is the king that ill, Prince Chevalier?"

"He's dead."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Your Highness."

I sighed. Again with her excessive apologies. "Why?"

She hesitated. "Well, he was your father—"

"Blood relations mean little among royalty. I had no affection for him. You're wasting your sympathy."

I kept my back to her as I spoke, not wanting to see the effect my words had on her. She had a close relationship with her mother and was viewing the news through that lens, but there was no comparison. My father produced children. He had not parented them.

"What about your mother, Prince Chevalier?" she asked, her voice softer than before. "The queen? She passed away several years ago, didn't she?"

"Yes, and I did not mourn her loss, either." Even though I'd thought I should, since she had been my mother. It was hard to feel something for a woman who went into panicked hysterics whenever she saw me. Avoiding her had been the safest option for all involved.