Chapter One
"He did what?" Prince Orion of Tyrion stared at the queen in disbelief. Only ten minutes before he'd been in his morning room, enjoying a quiet beverage and chatting about the various tasks he needed to do that day with his private aide, John. Just another day in other words. And then suddenly his footman was at the door with a message for him, announcing his mother wanted to see him in her private chambers immediately. That message alone was enough to raise eyebrows. The queen was not known for rising before lunch.
But Orion was nothing if not dutiful and hurried to his mother's private chamber. He'd barely had time to sit down before she announced her bombshell. "Mother, you can't be serious. You're telling me I'm getting married in two days, and I'm only hearing about it now? And what's worse, my marriage contract was won in a card game? How could Father do such a thing?"
Maybe I'm not awake yet. Perhaps this is all a nightmare. But the smell of his mother's favorite jasmine tea dispelled that hope. Orion was fairly sure people couldn't smell anything when they were dreaming.
"Your father was simply having fun at the tables." His mother couldn't even look at him, choosing to focus on her delicate china cup. "You know he does that every now and then, dear. Ruling the country is extremely stressful for him. He has to relax sometimes."
Orion had been raised to be respectful, but he couldn't resist a snort, which he quickly masked as a cough, covering his mouth with his hand as he did so. His mother was a gentle woman and didn't appreciate any unruly noises or displays of emotion.
His father, on the other hand was a man ruled by his excesses. Fortunately, Orion's older brother Onyx had a sensible head on his shoulders and was pretty much running the country while their father "relaxed" out of the public eye.
"I'm aware Father enjoys his cards." Orion tried to keep his voice calm. "There is nothing wrong with harmless pursuits among friends. However, I've always believed his wagers were cash amounts the treasury could well afford – not something that involved my personal autonomy, for example."
"You are well past marrying age." The queen had her disapproving look down to a fine art.
"I'm only twenty-seven," Orion protested. "I cause no bother to Father, you, or anyone else in the royal household. I maintain my own staff and business ventures. Aside from that, Father has already forged the alliances he wanted with Elembaum to the east of us when Onyx wed his princess and brought her home, and Olivia is wonderfully happy as the Crown Princess of Carntan to the west of us. Father made it plain to me after Olivia's wedding three years ago, that as the youngest son, I wasn't expected to marry. He even asked me if I wanted to go into the military. I don't understand how this could happen."
"It was a simple enough mistake. Your father genuinely believed he held the winning hand." Queen Mary's nose turned up in that way that implied she felt the whole process of playing anything was beneath her, but since Orion was a teenager he realized the only reason his parents' marriage lasted so long was because she turned a blind eye to her husband's many faults.
"And that's understandable. I'm sure Father is very skilled at cards." He plays them often enough. "But even when Father lost the hand, the winner would surely have enough class to know that a marriage contract is never discussed over a gaming table, especially when it concerns a member of the royal family. No one with any society ranking would be so crass as to insist on the wager being met."
Orion had a horrible thought. "Has Father betrothed me to a child bride?" Although, thinking about it, that wouldn't be so bad. Orion could afford to maintain a child bride, as they typically lived with their own family, sometimes well into adulthood. It would be years before anything in his own life had to change. Orion had given marriage a thought, occasionally, but he led a busy life and didn't feel it would be fair to a bride to marry anyone when he wouldn't have time to get to know her. He hadn't met anyone in recent years that made him change his mind.
"The person is neither a child, nor a bride." Queen Mary sniffed. "Honestly, I seriously thought about having words with your father when he told me…"
"Wait. Wait." Orion put up his hand. "I know you don't appreciate being interrupted, Mother, and I sincerely apologize, but I truly believe I must have misheard you. Are you telling me Father has arranged a marriage for me with an adult man? Who? Father doesn't even agree with those practices. When King Mintyn of Marinkaw married Prince Syrius, he had a fit, venting extensively about how royal blood lines had to be maintained and that couldn't happen between spouses of the same gender. He didn't even go to the Marinkaw games, and I know he was invited. Onyx had to go in his place."
"Many male princes from around the southern region have married other men." There was nothing in Queen Mary's tone to suggest her opinion on the matter. "The King of Gunkermal is married to a man, as well as the Crown Prince of Balenborn, King Mintyn as you mentioned, and the new Crown Princes of Westland and Gunkermal married each other. It's become quite the trend."
"I'm the last person to worry about following trends." Orion inhaled, and let his breath out slowly and softly. It would never do to show his mother he was upset. This will be fine. I can deal with this. I just need specifics. "Very well. I trust the person I am contracted to marry is agreeable to my remaining here and continuing my business ventures and the life I've built for myself. I am assuming this is a local society family member I am expected to marry?"
At least, Orion reasoned to himself, it was likely the person would be lower ranked than himself, in which case it was highly possible they could come to a companionship agreement that would suit them both. He couldn't think who it might be, or even who might be interested in him in that way. He rarely socialized in his position as prince, and while he was friendly for the most part, Orion was usually too distracted with more important matters than to spend time gossiping with society families.
Still, it was Orion's nature to take a situation and work darn hard to ensure that situation went to his advantage - quietly and calmly, because that was how he'd been raised. He was sure a marriage situation would be no different.
But Queen Mary was shaking her head again, a gentle frown gracing her perfect features. "No, I don't think that will be possible for you to stay here, dear. I'm sure your father did try to negotiate for your wedding to be held at a later time, to give you the chance to adjust to the idea, but Prince Vincent was most insistent that as he was leaving the country in two days, he expected you to travel with him."
"Prince Vincent?" Orion shoved his hand in his pocket so his mother would not see the fist he was making. "Are you telling me I'm contracted to marry Crown Prince Vincent of Faast?"
"Didn't I mention it? Yes, that's him. Such a personable gentleman. So you see your father couldn't refuse, between losing the hand he was playing, and the fact the person was higher ranked than you are. It would have been a huge offense to refuse his very generous offer to elevate your social status."
I doubt elevating my social status was Vincent's motivation for wanting to marry me, although Orion couldn't know that for sure. It wasn't as though he had anything to do with the man on his infrequent visits. If anything, Orion was surprised the crown prince even knew his name.
The queen put her cup aside and fluffed out her skirts. "Clearly you can see, under the circumstances, maintaining your businesses here, or indeed remaining here, will not be possible. Prince Vincent is looking forward to his new husband traveling with him."
Orion wasn't sure what was affecting him more – the fact his heart was in his boots, or the lump that had suddenly taken root in his stomach. "I can't tie everything up that I have going on in two days," he said, hating that there was a pleading tone in his voice.
"I'm sure Onyx will help with anything you can't get done in time. In the meantime, the tailor has been instructed to attend to you at two bells to fit you for your robes. I have a dozen things to do. Prince Vincent has agreed to a small wedding, but there are still some standards we need to observe."
Orion licked his lips and tried to swallow. "Mother, has the marriage contract already been signed?"
"Yes, dear. Your father was very thorough about that, isn't that good of him? He and Prince Vincent sat up until all hours last night hashing out the details, and the signed copies were sent off to the World Council by special messenger first thing this morning."
"May I see a copy of what's been agreed on my behalf, please?" The piss off clause. It's my only hope. Every marriage contract has a piss-off clause. If I invoke it before the man leaves the country, then I won't have to go anywhere with him at all.
"Of course, dear, I'm sure there's a copy of it at your father's office. Just send your man to get it." In other words, don't go and bother Father in his office, because it won't do any good, likely because the man wouldn't likely be there. But Orion nodded, made his excuses and left. There wasn't anything to be gained by trying to persuade a woman who never changed her mind about anything. Leaning on the back of the door, once he'd made his way back to his own suite, he groaned. "Why did it have to be Crown Prince Vincent of Faast? Why him?"