Chapter Two

"You did it then."

"I did indeed." Crown Prince Vincent of Faast grinned at Morgan, his personal valet, as the man handed him his morning coffee. "It was a wonderful end to a successful and fun evening. Admittedly, it helped that King Oscar is a terrible card player, but the killer hand I got clinched the deal. I knew it would only be a matter of time before I got what I wanted."

"I still fail to see why you'd want to marry Prince Orion in the first place." Morgan turned away, picking up and folding the clothes Vincent had dropped on the floor when he'd got into the room in the early hours of the morning. "It's not like you've ever spent any time with him, despite our many visits here."

"Ah, but that's the best reason right there." Vincent beamed. Nothing was going to ruin his mood. "Tell me. Why doesn't Orion fawn all over me or want to get to know me?"

"You mean like every other person you come across who is blinded by your charm, looks, and breeding?"

Vincent could see Morgan's lips twitching. The man had been with him a long time and knew him so well. "Exactly. Everyone knows I am the prince of charm and a delight to be around. Yet Orion barely acknowledges my existence. Why is that?"

"I'm sure I can't presume to know what Prince Orion might be thinking." Morgan moved on from tidying the clothes, to straightening Vincent's medals and jewelry on the dresser. "He has a reputation as being a very serious man who doesn't appear to enjoy the odd occasions when he attends social functions."

"Don't you ever get the urge to just ruffle his serious feathers?" Hugging his cup close to his chest, it made Vincent's grin widen just thinking about it.

"It would hardly be seemly for me to be thinking about Prince Orion in any way at all." Morgan turned from the dresser. "But why marriage, sir? Couldn't you have talked to him and perhaps asked him why he appears so serious all the time? You didn't have to marry him to find that out. In fact, there's no guarantee you will find out, even once you are married."

"Spouses talk to each other, even if they don't do much else, and we both know how attractive others find me. I can't help it. I can't see him remaining aloof for long." Vincent was being perfectly blunt – it was the way he'd been born. Great genetics and an active lifestyle meant he attracted a wide variety of people who always liked being around him.

"Courting him might have helped ease him into the idea of being with you, as opposed to basically winning him in a card game."

"Oh, courting him. Good idea." Vincent snapped his fingers. "I need to send him gifts, which means we get to go shopping. I've not done this type of shopping before. What items would make him want to be with me, do you think?"

"You buy gifts for your flavor of the week all the time," Morgan reminded him.

"True, but I didn't marry any of them." Vincent sighed happily. "Just think, in two days my reign of being a playboy prince will be over, and I'll be able to settle down with just one special person."

"Are you sure you're ready for that? You've enjoyed a very active and varied social life, with many close companions for years. Is that type of behavior allowed within the confines of your marriage contract?"

"No. That's the beauty of it all. There will be nothing like that going on anymore." Vincent smirked. "Face it. I'm not getting any younger and, to be honest, it's tiring having to be on my best behavior all the time. I'm hoping once I'm married that will stop the numerous requests I get for private engagements."

"Because heaven forbid someone knows the only reason you can see the floor in your room is because you have me to pick up after you." Morgan shook his head. "So is this the last great courting session?"

"Yes." Vincent nodded happily. "And that's an excellent way to put it. So we needs gifts and lots of them. I need to be sure my new fiancé will be suitably impressed."

"Sir, marriage is a very serious step, and one that you won't be able to get out of if it doesn't work. Did you have a backup plan in case Prince Orion doesn't enjoy being in your company?"

"I've never needed one before. Why start now?" Getting up, Vincent put his mug on the coffee table and stretched. "Let's go for a wander among the locals and see what sorts of items might impress a serious prince that needs to loosen up and enjoy life a bit more."

"Just don't go buying him a pack of cards, sir," Morgan said, going to the closet to collect Vincent's coat for him. "Somehow, I don't think Prince Orion would appreciate your humor."

"He had to get married one day." Vincent held out his arms and shrugged on his coat. "It might just as well be with me. Everyone knows I'm a catch." And the awesome thing was, that if Orion didn't already know that it wouldn't take him long to find out how wonderful Vincent could be.