The King's Inamorata (A Queen's Tale #1)

The Dutiful Knight and The Prodigal Son

They were all in the middle of a vigorous card game when Luc sloppily lost the fifth round and retreated outside. Vivia thought this was strange. This was his favorite card game and he never liked to lose. Especially since he was always trying to beat Agna. She thought to call out to him and offer to start the game over but something stopped her. For the last few days Luc had been distant and not as affectionate as usual. He scarcely looked at her and when Agna went to embrace him upon her arrival today he squarely avoided her. Luc always treated Agna as though they had both come from the same womb. He adored her

What had changed?

She sank deeper into her seat as the fire flickered from the candles around the cottage. Some nights they played cards into the early morning but it was still pitch black out. What had displeased Luc so much that he took to avoided everyone? He hadn't eaten in days either. Whatever was weighing heavily on his mind had such a profound affect that it was changing his person. She wished she knew what it was.

Agna only briefly glanced up from her deck before putting a card down. "What's the matter with him?"

Vivia stared at the back door which was now shut. "I don't know."

"Doesn't he tell you everything?" Agna inquired. "Surely he'd tell you if there was something wrong."

"Luc is his own person who is allowed to have his own thoughts," Vivia snapped. "The same way you and I are."

Tomas carefully placed his card down. Vivia was too distracted to realize that he had beaten her. She dropped her cards on the table and put her chin in her hand. She stared. "How did I lose?"

"By not paying attention."

She pushed out her chair. "The two of you can play since it seems I've clearly been left out of this game."

Vivia hadn't meant to come off so strongly but there was no taking back what she'd said now. As she walked away Agna mumbled something about her being grumpy under her breath. She ignored it.

Luc's new attitude had been taking a toll on Vivia. Was it something she'd done? Something she said? Did something happen in Canta that he didn't want to tell her about? She simply couldn't think of anything. She opened the back door and a cool summer breeze filled her lungs. Luc was sitting in one of the chairs they built together on the back porch. It was a pair—a big one for her and a little one for him so that when they sat beside each other they would be the same height.

She approached him from behind and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You left abruptly."

As if realizing he wasn't alone, he sighed deeply after he looked at her and squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry."

"What's the matter?" she asked him. "You've been acting so strange lately."

"I know."

"Was it me? Or Agna or Papa? Did something happen?"

"No! Vivi—" he stopped himself. She sat down in her chair beside him and he took both of her hands. "It's nothing you or anyone else has done."

"Then what ails you, Luc? It breaks my heart to see you this way."

Luc was silent for a very long time. He turned his attention to the land in front of them. The moon was a crescent in a velvety dark sky of scattered diamonds. It made everything beneath it glisten. She saw fireflies in the distance and when she listened closely she could hear crickets.

"Vivia," he said finally. "Would you spend the rest of your life with me?"

She looked at him. "What?"