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

A Terrible Thing To Do

"Please don't be angry with me!"

"Luc..." she shook her head. "Or, Your Highness—"

"Please," he took her hands quickly. "I beg of you, don't call me that. My friends call me Lukas. You can call me Lukas or Luc or whatever you like but please, anything but that."

So many different things were flying through her head at that moment that the word yes seemed like a far away and distant memory. She could never say so now. She felt her stomach drop. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to, believe me. But I didn't want you to look at me the way you are right now."

Vivia dropped her head. "Luc, I'm sorry."

"It's alright. You're surprised, I understand. Look at me Viv, don't shy away." she lifted her head and met his eyes. He smiled at her. "If not for the fact that my father had taken ill I would've stayed here forever with you. But my brother's were left fighting for the throne and I couldn't have that. But the only thing I love more than Novena is you.

"Come back to Calais with me and we'll take Agna and Tomas with us. By the end of the summer, I'll be King. But I want you to stand there beside me, as Queen of Novena. Not as my wife or consort but as someone I trust to be my equal and regent. Because there's no one else in the world I'd rather share my life and country with than you." His eyes were practically on fire. "Come back with me to Calais. Please say yes."

Vivia shook her head. "I'll not leave Tomas."

"He will come with us—!"

"No, Luc!" she shook her head. "That's what I was trying to tell you, what I wrote about in my letters. Tomas is dying."

                                                                                                     ***

Tomas finally stirred from his long nap once the sun had set and Vivia was at his bedside. It wasn't until she put his hand in Luc's that he realized something was different. He tried to sit up in bed but the medication Agna had been giving him for his pain had made him weak. Lately. he couldn't even eat or drink on his own.

"Luc Fernbrooke," he wheezed. "Have I died and yours is the first face I see instead of my wife's?"

Luc looked as though he might've laughed but decided against it. Vivia immediately regretted bringing Luc to see her father so soon. The poor man was in shock. "Tomas..." he said. "You're not dead yet, but if my face is the first thing you see assume you're in Hell, not Heaven."

Tomas let out an airy laugh before falling into a coughing fit. Luc startled and reached out for Tomas but was unsure of what to do. He tried helping him to sit up and rub his back but Vivia gently stopped him and offered Tomas some water.He finished the entire glass before lying back down. 

"Papa, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, my dear." he patted her hand. "I'm fine."

Vivia and Luc exchanged a look. She thought of ushering him out the room but Tomas reached for him. She exited just in time to give them some privacy so that they might have their own private conversation. She thought Luc looked as though he might begin to cry and she didn't want to be there when it happened. 

After cleaning up in the basement, she changed into a clean white dress and leather stay. She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and stepped outside onto the porch where hers and Luc's chair still remained. She hadn't the heart to get rid of either of them, so all fall and winter they were covered by a blanket Agna had made. She removed it and sat down in hers.