A Royal Pain

CHAPTER THREE

"Prince Daniel," Cecily said, beginning to sound desperate. Dan continued to ignore her, cocooned in a wonderful amount of warm blankets. He did not feel very inclined to leave his bed today. "You need to rise; you have another lady to court today."

Precisely why Dan didn't want to get out of bed.

His father had told him about the lady the night before at dinner, which had ruined the rest of his night as well as today.

"Before I forget," his father had said, interrupting the somewhat awkward atmosphere. Normally he and Dan ate dinner together—mostly in silence—but this time Phil had been present as well, as he would be for the rest of his stay. They'd all been virtually quiet, the occasional conversational topic breaking through the silent mold and occupying them for a few minutes. "Lady Anne is coming tomorrow to be courted."

Dan had groaned loudly, immediately throwing himself back into his seat, his dinner forgotten. "I feel faint," he answered.

"Daniel," his father had said sternly.

"My blood pressure's too high. I haven't eaten vegetables in days. I think I feel a cough coming on," Dan rattled out. He had coughed at the end as well, mainly in hopes of persuading his father.

"You're meeting her," his father had said finally.

"I don't see why I'm supposed to find a bride already," Dan had argued. "I'm only seventeen—I've got plenty of time ahead of me."

"The sooner you find the perfect bride, the better," his father had answered easily. "It's not as though you have to marry her as soon as you find her, but it'd be good if you at least had an idea of what lady you'd like to make your bride."

"I can help him, Your Highness," Phil had butted in with a grin. His father had laughed.

"No need for those kinds of formalities here, Philip, you're practically family."

"Of course," Phil had said with a gracious nod. "But I'm pretty familiar with the process—my brother is to be getting married soon."

"Oh really?"

"Yes," Phil answered with a nod. "And perhaps I could help to train Dan to be more courtly. I'm not sure he has a way with the women."

"Too true!"

"Hey!" Dan had finally protested, glaring at both father and friend alike. "I'm fine with women."

"Then why haven't you found a bride yet?" Phil had countered.

"They're all horrendous!" Dan had cried. "You should know! I've told you all about them in my letters!"

"You're welcome to help him, Philip," Dan's father had interrupted. Dan had simply rolled his eyes, slouching further in his seat. He didn't care what they said, he could court women perfectly fine—as long as it was the right woman.

He could see it now: an annoying girl in a stupid dress trying much too hard to win Dan's affections. He couldn't find it in himself to care about any of them; there was just something about them... Perhaps his father really did have the worst taste.

It would make sense, anyway, seeing as his mother had left his father when Dan was still little, still learning the proper way to set the table. He remembered barely anything about her, only that she'd tried to make him use his silverware with his right hand despite it being too difficult, seeing as his left was his dominant one. She'd insisted that using his left hand was improper. Thankfully, his father didn't care which hand he used to eat, and so Dan had been happily and easily consuming his meals ever since his mother had left.