Page 24 of Chosen

Chapter Sixteen

Sig

The ceremony was long and despite it being impromptu, the chapel was slowly filling with nobles and those that would witness. I normally didn’t mind being the center of attention, but this was different. I felt judged. I supposed I should be, I was their future king, she, their queen. Why wouldn’t they size us up? Still, I didn’t like it. To top everything, Bishop Enzo finished up his speech and prayers and clasped my shoulder.

“Highness, you may kiss your bride.”

I may?

I stared at the man like he had two heads. I’d never been given permission to kiss a woman before and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it now. Before I could make up my mind as to what I was about to do, soft fingers slid along my jaw. I turned toward them, and Truth planted her lips on mine. It was a long, slow kiss that left our audience making romantic sounds of approval behind us.

The minute her lips left mine, I grabbed her wrist and started down the aisle. I had to get away from the people. I was a married man now, and I wasn’t even sure how I felt about it. There had been a sense of urgency. A need to make her mine before my father got ideas. Now…

I looked toward Truth, and she was smiling and staring back at me.

“Feel better now?” she smugly mused just before we reached the door.

She was so smart-mouthed and bold. I wanted to chase every word from her mouth until there was nothing but unintelligible sounds that she couldn’t control. I wanted her to stare at me like I was the largest figure in the room, rather than my father. I started for our bedchamber, but Gisla was there, at the end of the hall.

How had she gotten out before us?

“The feast is being prepared, Highness.” She smiled, waving me toward the dining room.

I shook my head. I wasn’t in the mood for a feast. I didn’t want to suffer the nobles. I just wanted her.

“Let us share a drink with the people that we will soon rule over,” Truth encouraged, placing a hand affectionately on my chest.

My father was smirking from the other end of the hall. His eyes had a knowing about them that irked me all over again. I didn’t want to be predictable, and I hated that I could be manipulated into feeling possessive over her.

She raised my hand and kissed my knuckles while people trickled down the hall behind us.

“Fine,” I flatly agreed.

The dining room was always clean and covered in candles. My mother sat in my father’s seat at the head of the table. A half empty wine bottle sat on the table before her. She raised it toward us when we entered. Her eyes were different, almost empty-looking. She slid the bottle off the table and stared at my father as it shattered on the floor. Everyone slowed around us and watched as she started toward the rear exit of the hall.

“Leave her,” my father recommended. “She is sour, but she will get over it when she sees the first grandbabe.”

“It is the way with some women,” Truth agreed. “Though, something tells me that Queen Ava may not be as forgiving as some women.”

“And what do you know of her?” my father quipped.

Truth smirked and let her attention roam to the nobles that were still filing in.

“You’d do well to keep your tongue in check where my wife is concerned,” Father further warned her.

“And you’d do well to remember that it is my wife you are instructing, not your own,” I finally spoke up.

He blinked a few times like he hadn’t heard me clearly then he walked off, shaking his head.

“Ah, and so it starts,” Truth sighed, with a smile.

“How can you stomach all of this?” I asked, turning on her. “The pretense and performance are just…”

She laughed and her gaze met mine.

“The performance is everything to them,” she agreed, before taking my hand.

She poured us each a drink and handed me mine.

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