A Prince's Harem

Dance

As the slow music began to play, Will led Graecie to the centre of the dancefloor and began to waltz with her, "Thanks by the way, I think he was about to absolutely lose it, that was impeccable timing."

"I saw him near you and I was absolutely not letting him do anything to you," Graecie replied, gracefully moving in unison with her friend, "You know my opinions on him are not ones I can repeat in public."

"I don't understand how Scott got permission to court me, let alone propose to me. Like I know he had to get someone's permission but he clearly didn't get Father's and he definitely didn't even attempt to receive Merton's blessing or permission," Will shrugged slightly.

Graecie's eyes were glistening with cheek and pride, "And that, my friend, is why our friendship has its benefits. Your Mama named my Mama as your official guardian for all Fae matters and she passed that blessing to me when she moved back home, so your father and Merton cannot bless or forbid any official request without my input because they are humans and you are half Fae," they explained.

"So... Scott asked your permission to marry me and you gave him that blessing?" Will felt his heart warm just a little, his mother's love was still living through Lady Caravel and Miss Aurora, he wished for just a moment that had mother could see him now, engaged to a handsome prince and living in her honour, not his father's.

"He did and I had no hesitation to say yes, the thought of saying no didn't even cross my mind once. I know that it's what your mother would have wanted for you, to marry a person who cares for you and you care for them," Graecie spun under Will's arm, "She'd have loved to see you marry my cousin, the prince, and get away from Merton and his little stooges."

"Can you believe that we are going to be cousins-in-law?!" He quickly changed the subject because if they continued to talk about his mother, they would end up in tears in the middle of the public ballroom.

Graecie understood the reason for the change in conversation and carried on with Will's topic of choice, "I know right! We are going to be family! We've always wanted to be family and now we get our wish."

"Are you returning to Aquatia after tonight? I've missed you," Will had missed seeing Graecie's face around on the occasional visits he was permitted to take to Aquatia for his studies.

"Yeah, I would like to spend as little time as possible in this place. I may be Her Majesty's only niece, but she does not welcome my company often because I am not legitimate."

There was no point in sugar coating it, Graecie knew that her presence was only barely tolerated here and it was entirely because of her friendship with the second prince.

She preferred it in Aquatia anyway, she had friends in Aquatia after all, and she found it easier to use her abilities there anyway.

"I get that, whenever I'm on the Captain's ship he goes out of his way to make life difficult for me, but you know what Miss Gatlin always said 'A Nightingale does not quit themselves'," Will reminisced happily.

Marnie Gatlin, a famed pirate in her own right, had been Will and Graecie's teacher in their early years and she had even educated many members of Graecie's household and the second prince, a group that affectionately referred to themselves as Nightingales, a group that were more family to each other than most of the blood relatives they had.

Marnie was so well respected in the world of piracy and education that Merton had even named his ship after hers, not that he'd ever admit it out loud but it didn't take a fool to notice how the ships shared a name.

The ships were named Luscina, and Will could tell anyone that Merton couldn't tell you what that meant and didn't particularly care for translating it.

But as a student of Latin in his childhood, he could tell you that it translated to 'Nightingale', he found it comforting to be on a ship that reminded him of Marnie.

As the dance drew to a close, Will sighed slowly, "I'll make sure to visit you a lot more now that I'll live in Scott's palace, I'll be closer to you."

Graecie could only smile through her curtsey, "I can't wait to see you again."

As Will turned to leave and mingle, he came face to face with his father, who bowed slightly, "Your Grace."

Will nodded his head politely, "Father," he greeted coldly, there was no love lost between father and son.

Gavin stood and gave his son a glance up and down as if sizing him up, "Your mother would have been proud of you."

"Thank you, Lord Renais," Will did not quite know what to say so he went with a polite, generic response, "I'm sure Mother would have loved to meet His Royal Highness."

"I wish Your Grace a pleasant evening," Gavin bowed again and stalked away without another word spoken to his son and heir.

Scott slid up in front of the duke to take their father's place, "What did he want? Are you alright?"

"To say that my mother would be proud. I'd like to retire for tonight please, Your Royal Highness," Will's voice was tense, they were on the verge of tears, "I am feeling unwell," he muttered weakly.

It broke Scott's heart to hear Will call him by his title, but he nodded, signalling for his guard, "Pix, please escort Will to his new quarters and then return to escort me to them, we are done for the evening."

Pix bowed his head, "Your Royal Highness," he took the Duke's hand and led the way to the consort's suite with care.

Will stayed silent as he let his father's words wash over him, their mother would have been proud but their father wasn't.

His father would never be proud of him.

"Your Grace?" Pix's voice broke through Will's thoughts when they had reached his quarters, "I will return shortly with Scott. Please stay safe?"

"Thank you, Sir," Will pushed the doors open and dismissed the staff, letting themself fall to his knees once he was alone for the first time in a long time. He finally let the tears fall as his heart shattered into millions of pieces with the knowledge that his father never truly cared for him.