Chapter Fifteen

Five days after fleeing the castle at Carntan, it couldn't be more obvious that Orion and John were a world away from society living. They were at the makeshift camp that had been thrown up, once the possibility of a mine project was first realized, and to describe the facilities as rustic was an understatement.

"No one is going to blame you if you head back to the castle, least of all me," Orion said as he pulled on his hiking boots, wincing as the back of one of them caught on a blister he'd developed on his heel.

John, who was cooking breakfast over a small camp stove, barely glanced at him, intent on not burning the eggs. "Sir, you don't become any less royal simply because you're wearing dungarees and work shirts. A crown prince consort should, at the very least, travel with no less than a personal valet and two to four guards.

"As you refused the service of the crown prince's guards back in Carntan, it's up to me to maintain the standards as best I can. Someone has to watch out for your health and well-being. You should take that boot off, sir," he added as Orion stood up and tested his sore foot. "Your heel will need some type of covering before you wear them again, to prevent your blisters worsening."

"You are right." Orion sat back down with a sigh and bent down to undo his laces again. "This place feels a world away from days spent in warm offices with plush rugs on the floor. My feet are still adapting."

"We could always bring a rug up here, if you're planning on spending more time here in the immediate future." John deftly spooned out two servings of the eggs, which smelled incredible. All the exercise Orion had been doing, both with traveling and since arriving at the camp had definitely sparked Orion's appetite.

"I doubt anyone would miss me if I did, aside from Onyx and Olivia." Glancing around the single room cabin, Orion chuckled. "It might take more than a rug to bring this place up to any standard considered suitable for a royal personage."

"It's sturdier than a tent." John sniffed. "At least one has a roof over one's head when they're performing their private ablutions in the morning."

"I must admit I wouldn't mind a full bath," Orion plucked at his shirt, sniffed it and grimaced. "And I do get your point about requiring regular use of a laundry service. The men here all take their dirty washing home on weekends. We may have to consider doing something similar if we're here for an extended stay."

"Come and eat your eggs, sir." John held out his chair for him, and Orion hobbled over, one boot on, one boot off. It wasn't until they were both eating when John asked, "Have you given any thought to where you might live going forward? Where your home might be?"

"Good question." Orion pointed to the plate. "I don't know where you learned to cook eggs like this, but these are tasty, thank you."

"It is easier to cook for us in here than it is to impose on the workers' private down time. That didn't answer my question, sir."

Putting down his fork, Orion looked at the one man who would literally follow him anywhere. John wasn't getting any younger, and the frantic traveling they'd done in recent days, camping out under the stars, and cooking over a fire had not done his personal valet any favors.

"I'm sorry, John. I realize this situation is not ideal, and has not been fair to you either. As I said just before, if you feel the need to return to the Tyrion castle, I know Onyx would find a good position for you there, if you wanted one."

"And I've already said I'm not leaving your service, sir. But you do have your long term future to think about. Technically you are a part of the Faast royal family now. Do you believe the situation with the Crown Prince of Faast is totally hopeless?"

"He's not here, so what does that tell you?" Orion picked up his fork again. "Honestly, about the only thing that would convince me to even speak to the Crown Prince of Faast again is if I saw him grab a pickax and offer to help us without being asked. And after he'd done that, he'd still need to offer me six types of apologies for his disgraceful behavior."

"Six types of apologies, sir?" John grinned. "That's the closest I think I've heard you come to making a royal decree in all the time I've known you."

"I'm not sure there are six ways a person can apologize," Orion admitted. "But one way six times would work, too." Spooning the last of his eggs into his mouth, Orion swallowed and added, "Thank you for breakfast, but let's get this foot of mine wrapped. Ryan and the others will be waiting."

"You do need to consider more than your immediate future, sir," John said, but he finished his own meal and picked up the plates taking them over to the bowl that served as a sink. Then he went to his bag and pulled out a small pouch that Orion recognized as the first aid kit John never went anywhere without.

"Are there precedents for my situation, do you think, John?" Orion pushed back his chair and lifted his foot as his aide came over. "I don't want to cause any problems for Onyx by going back to Tyrion, but I've never even been to Faast. I doubt I would be welcome there."

"The moment you married the crown prince the royal family of Faast took on the responsibility of ensuring that you are housed and cared for." John worked quickly, putting a form of topical ointment on Orion's blister, which was quite large, and then binding it securely with some strips of a gauze-type material. The ointment must have had some magical properties, because the sting from the blister immediately started to ease.

"It would be a bit of a hike traveling from Faast to here every few months though. Grab me my boot, would you please?"

Taking it, Orion slid his foot into it and laced them up. Standing, he said firmly, "My focus today is to try and find that second crystal seam Ryan has found indications for. If necessary, we might be able to take a small house locally to here for a few months and reconsider our options after that. I do appreciate what you're saying though.

"While the Faast royal family has a responsibility toward me, I also now carry responsibilities in my new position. Unfortunately, my brief time with the crown prince didn't give me any indication of what those responsibilities might look like beyond attending social functions. So perhaps a discreet message sent to the queen of Faast wouldn't be out of place in this situation? We could draft something up over the weekend, perhaps?"

"I think that would be an excellent suggestion, sir." John looked visibly relieved, and Orion realized that while he preferred not to think about his husband at all, as the humiliation he'd suffered at the hands of that man was still too raw, he did have responsibilities and a duty of care to the people who still looked up to him.

"I'll leave you to take care of things here for me then," he said, forcing a smile. "I'm off for another day with a pickax and shovel. Wish me luck. I have a good feeling about today."

"Good luck sir, and sir, as it is the end of the week and the men will be going back to their own homes for two days, did you want to stay here, or should we find alternative accommodations for a few days as well? Perhaps somewhere with a bath?"

"And somewhere where we can get a hot meal without you having to cook. I agree. That inn on the border is only an hour's ride from here – the place we stayed as we traveled here from Carntan. We'll make our way back there later this afternoon."

"Excellent idea, sir." John nodded and Orion left him to do his chores as he went outside to where Ryan was waiting for him.

"Is today the day, do you think, Ryan?" he asked, joining the man in front of the fire. It was a chilly morning, with the mist still rising from the hills around them.

"I believe we're close, sir." Ryan agreed. He was a big man, not prone to speaking much, but he was a hard and honest worker and Orion trusted his expertise. "We'll know one way or the other by this afternoon."

"That's exciting." Orion chuckled. "I'm seriously looking forward to a bath tonight as a celebration."

"Aye, the utilities are a little sparse for comfort, but we have enough here to get the job done."

"If this mission today pans out, hopefully those conditions can improve. Let's get moving."