Epilogue

Three months later

"Do you have any idea why the queen wants to see us?" Orion asked as he and Vincent got into their open air carriage. They'd been walking around, visiting local businesses, getting a feel for what public sentiment might be for the proposed market venture Orion wanted to set up in the city of Faast. They were just thinking about getting lunch when a footman from the castle came to notify them Queen Julia wanted to see them urgently.

"With mother it could be anything," Vincent admitted, sitting beside him and taking his hand as the carriage made its way back to the castle. "I think she just likes seeing your face every day, and we did slip out this morning before breakfast."

"It was worth it. I just had an urge for those bakery pastries this morning. The ones at the castle are not the same." Orion grinned as he and Vincent waved at Molly who was waving back at them. "Hello, Lady Molly."

Orion was loving life in Faast. In fact, it could be said he was thriving. After the celebration event, he and Vincent settled into a comfortable routine that was only mildly interrupted by Vincent's occasional spontaneity. Like the time Vincent took him off in the dead of night just to soak in some healing hot pools up in the mountain region. It was very relaxing and did help Orion's back, although it was a hike to get there.

Or another time when Vincent took it into his head to try and cook for Orion personally. He'd heard somewhere it was a romantic thing to do, and Orion didn't know anything about it until he was called down to the castle kitchen.

"Get him out of my kitchen, your highness, please," the chef had pleaded, waving his dishcloth in Vincent's direction. "He's making a mess everywhere and he says it's all for you. If you eat that food he's making, I'm sure you'll die."

Fun times, so Orion was fairly confident that whatever reason the queen had for speaking with them, it would be something he and Vincent could handle together.

Queen Julia was in her private sitting room, and Orion was struck by how worried she looked, sitting as she was with a bundle of papers in her hands. "Your Majesty, is something wrong?"

"Sit. Sit." The Queen waved at the chairs next to her. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to come across as dramatic, but there's been news from Tyrion."

"Bad news?" Orion collapsed into the chair, a huge pit of lead in his stomach. He and Onyx still kept in touch regularly, and he and Vincent had traveled to celebrate the first shipment of crystals leaving the mine the month before. "Has there been an accident at the mine?"

"No, the mine is fine." The queen smiled at him. "It concerns the castle." She looked at her pages. "Your brother has finally taken the unusual step of asking the World Council to assess your father, King Oscar, in terms of his mental capacity and fitness to lead the country."

"Oh, boy. That doesn't sound good," Vincent said. "There's no way anyone could hide King Oscar's condition from the truth sayers at the World Council."

"Exactly. The World Council found that King Oscar is to be permanently detained in a facility that will ensure his continued comfort and treatment. Because of this it was decided by the World Council that King Oscar can no longer remain in his position."

"And my mother?" Orion was stunned. "How is she taking all this?"

"The former Queen of Tyrion has requested leave from the court to move to a small, undisclosed location to live out her life in privacy and comfort. The new King Onyx has granted her request."

"Oh, my goodness." Orion put his hand to his mouth, his mind racing as he tried to work out what he'd just heard. Onyx had always been adamant that appearances needed to be maintained for as long as possible. "The ex-king, my father, did he hurt someone?"

His mother-in-law nodded. "The crown princess, well, now I should say Queen Evangaline. Oscar was apparently drunk one night, and while Onyx was working late in his office he went to his daughter-in-law's rooms. Details are sparse, there was apparently a lot of shouting, and when your father's man tried to intervene, he was punched and pushed into a wall. All Onyx would say is that she is recovering from her ordeal and wasn't physically hurt, although she was understandably shaken. The valet suffered a few injuries, but he is recovering well, too. From what Onyx has said those actions were the final straw."

"Oh, no. Poor Evangaline and Peter, too." Orion looked across at Vincent. "We should probably go…"

"You will have to visit there. You should make plans to leave today," Queen Julia said quickly. "Onyx got in touch personally, because of course his steps to have his father removed are almost unprecedented and he was worried about the possible implications this might have on both you and your sister Olivia. I have sent Onyx an urgent reply, letting him know that as far as I am concerned he did the only right and decent thing, and that the Faast royal family will stand united with his decision and continue to offer any support they may need."

"Thank you. Thank you so much. I know Onyx, the only reason why he wanted the situation hidden for so long was because he didn't want to damage the reputations of my mother, me, and Olivia. But can we hope the king and queen of Carntan would feel the same as you do?"

"Yes, and there have also been messages of support from the king and queen of Elembaum, Evangaline's parents as well." The queen nodded. "But the reason why you will need to travel there is because first, I'd like you to represent the Faast royal family at King Onyx's coronation, but apparently you will need to go there for your own inauguration as well."

She leaned over, handing Orion a piece of paper. "In accordance with the World Council's decree and King Onyx's wishes, you will take the king's place as Crown Prince of Tyrion. He doesn't have a current heir, so you're it."

"How's that going to even work?" Orion looked between his mother-in-law and Vincent who was grinning wildly. "I'm the Crown Prince Consort of Faast. I can't be in two places at once."

"Oh, does that make me Crown Prince Consort of Tyrion?" Vincent seemed excited by the idea. "You'd get to boss me around as my superior."

"I do that anyway and you love every minute of it." Orion sighed. "Your Majesty, how would this work?"

"Onyx explained he and Evangaline do plan on raising a family," the queen said kindly. "It's just with the stresses they had both been under during the past year or so, it wasn't something they were comfortable doing. Onyx assures me that now the stress has been removed from the castle, he'll be able to use his improved position to delegate more tasks and spend more time with his wife. Queen Evangaline is insisting on him doing that, in fact. So for you it is simply a placeholder position for now. Nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about, right." Orion glanced at his husband. "I don't know what you're grinning about. You wouldn't have even looked at me if I'd have been the Crown Prince of Tyrion before we married."

"You would've caught my eye no matter what status you had in the castle, my wonderful husband. So when do we leave for Tyrion?" Vincent rubbed his hands together. "I see more fun adventures ahead."

Orion groaned and looked at Queen Julia. "Can we just send him by himself? He's always got so much energy, he makes me tired just looking at him."

"As much as I'd be happy to keep you here, it's you who has to go to Tyrion," the queen said with a smile. "I could keep Vincent here if that was easier for you…"

But Vincent was already shaking his head. "I would follow. Even if you chained me in the deepest dungeons, I would get free and follow the man who holds my heart. He could get attacked by gremlins, you know."

"This castle doesn't have dungeons, and those gremlins are a figment of your imagination." Getting to his feet, Orion bowed to the queen. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. Your crown princes will be back in time for the harvest festival, if not before." He took Vincent's hand as the man bounced up beside him. "Well, one of us will be. This bouncy one might get lost on his great adventure."

The queen was still laughing as they left the room.

"You can't lose me," Vincent said as they made their way back to their room. "I'll just find you again."

"I know." Orion smiled. "But I'm undecided if that's a good thing or if that just makes you a stalker." Softening his tease with a quick kiss, he swung Vincent's hand as they walked. His heart hurt for Evangaline, although he was so proud of what Onyx had done. In a world where reputation was everything, for Onyx to take that step took a lot of courage. Orion had no doubt his sister and Jaxon would be at the coronation, too.

"Hey, do you think there's anyway we could take our bed with us?" Vincent said as they went into their room to find John and Morgan already packing for them. "I've gotten used to you being in it with me."

"We'll have to leave it for us to come back to." Orion looked around the room seeing his books on the bookshelf, one of his waistcoats hanging on the wardrobe door, and his boots by the door. "No matter where we go, we've always got home to come back to."

"And this is your home?"

"This is my home. With you." Orion nodded. "There's one positive with going to Tyrion, aside from seeing my family again."

"Oh, something exciting?"

"Well, that depends on whether or not you want to get your own waistcoats from Martha at the market?"

"Yes. Yes." Vincent waved his hands at Morgan and John. "Pack faster, we've got a trip to make to see a true artisan. She's amazing."

Orion, seeing that Vincent was going to just get in the way, went over to sit by the window. As he looked out, he thought about how much his life had changed. His back still ached if he was on his feet too much, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been. And nowadays, his legs only felt shaky if Vincent was teasing him with kisses.

Three…two…one… "Your highness, sir, Crown Prince Consort Orion, can you please take your husband out of here and feed him or something?" Morgan pleaded from the other room. "We'll never get the packing done if your husband keeps trying to help."

"Hey, Vincent," Orion called as he stood up again. "I'm off to lunch. Do you want some?"

Silly question, he thought as Vincent reached the door before he did, opening it and giving Orion a courtly bow. "After you, Crown Prince Orion of Tyrion."

"Don't start with that nonsense." But they were both laughing as they headed out to find lunch.

The End