Page 62 of Her Royal Blood

“I wasn’t sure where you want me?” Hawk seemed too humbled by the company.

“With us, of course.” I clapped him on the shoulder and directed him towards the empty seat near Janaya. “How are the rescue efforts going?” I asked in order to ease his tension.

“Brahman’s Peak is a mess. I’ll return after your wedding, but I am able to really do good work there. Polonius is definitely losing his grip.” A servant poured wine in Hawk’s glass and he took a hearty swig.

“This is excellent news. Let me introduce you to my sister,” I motioned with my hand to Janaya who’s eyes sparkled in the light of the chandelier overhead as she hung on his every word.

He stood up, ever the gentleman, and offered a bow. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Princess.”

Having truly looked at Janiya for the first time, his eyes brightened and his smile grew wide. He must have been equally as enamored with her.

“Please have a seat,” Janaya nodded to Hawk’s chair, which he took. “My brother tells me that you’re a vigilante.” The way she asked with such curiosity and grace had Hawk spilling into stories of how he saved families in Brahman’s Peak and is eager to serve Aria and myself in Onyx Rah.

Janaya listened, enrapt in his every word. As they spoke Queen Nadine entered the room with Bastien Salt. We all stood and bowed to the queen as she made her entrance.

“We are so honored to have you all,” she said to us and Bastien announced that the dinner was to commence.

The queen spoke with my mother and father first exchanging pleasantries with one another before she came and congratulated Aria and I and our upcoming wedding.

“I am so glad,” she said in earnest. “That you were able to trick Polonius and didn’t marry him, Queen Aria, I suffered from a great worry about you and the future of your kingdom under his rule and influence. If I didn’t have my own kingdom to protect from him, I would have been a greater ally to you. Formy inability to protect you from Polonius I hope you accept my sincere regret.”

What I loved about Queen Nadine, was that she put her kingdom before all things, but she wasn’t without heart or empathy.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Aria said, smiling. “I’m glad I can finally put that part of my life behind me. Tomorrow will be the happiest day of my life.” Aria was positively glowing.

“As it should be,” the queen said, taking her seat.

Bastien sat across from me as the servants brought out the first course. The first course was a spindly salad with glistening bright red tomatoes, avocados, nuts and seeds, artisanal cheese and sprinkled with spiced vinaigrette. The first course was served with homemade bread, butter, and a selection of dried meats.

“Thank you again for all of this,” I took a moment to say to Bastien after conversations had sparked up around the room. “I thought you might have hated me after throwing me over the falls, to my death,” I said with an ironic chuckle.

“I’m very glad that Amadeus intervened so that you avoided death by my hand.” He didn’t look particularly remorseful saying it, but he didn’t have to be, he was enforcing his rules when he threw me over.

“Oh so am I,” I laughed.

“I will say a love worth dying for is also worth celebrating as it is a love worth living for. I trust that you and Queen Aria will be truly happy and that is my hope.” This Bastien said with sincerity as tears welled in his eyes.

“I trust you saw Aria’s marriage to Polonius,” I sighed, ready to explain.

“I’m too old and too powerful to be fooled by young magic. The woman Polonius married was meek and subservient, Aria has a fierceness that can’t be denied. Even in the face of defeat,I assume Aria would fight with her last breath. I knew she was a decoy and Polonius was duped.” He took a sip from his wine and I believe his conscience was eased seeing that Polonius had not truly married Aria.

“Well, you’re a much better detective than I am. I saw it and believed the woman Polonius was marrying was the love of my life. All the more reason to be grateful to you and Angeline Falls for marrying us, tomorrow.” I said, raising my glass to him. “Polonius will never be able to claim her again.”

Bastien raised a glass to me and drank. As the dinner continued we were served another course, a small roasted bird with a bright red juice and citrus rinds with flowers. The presentation was absolutely beautiful but the taste was more succulent and excellent than anything I'd had in recent memory. The conversations were animated and delightful with an air of joy and celebration. I had not felt this at ease for a very long time. Just as the merriment was coming to a slow point, a servant entered and announced a late arrival.

“Your Majesties, I am here to introduce to you the Prince Dimitri Thereau, Royal Mage of the Oxclaw Pack of the Solbrook Kingdom who has come to join in the festivities for the marriage of Prince Lex Redveign to Queen Aria of Onxy Rah.” The servant made a deep bow and a tall man, towering over six feet, entered the room with a rugged handsomeness, dark blond hair and gray eyes. He had to be in his late thirties and looked nothing like the way Aria had portrayed him when she’d used his identity as a disguise to train with the Royal Guards.

I stood to greet him. “Welcome Prince Dimitri,” I said and looked over at Aria whose eyes were wide with surprise.

Chapter 20

Aria

The moment I saw the real Prince Dimitri of Solbrook walk into the room, all the color drained out of my face. How did he end up at our pre-wedding dinner? He handed a letter that he was carrying with Lex’s seal on it to Lex.

“I’m sorry to interrupt the party, but I received this urgent message. Solbrook does not turn away from a kingdom in need. When I arrived in Navarrah City, Jarvis said that I would find you here and suggested I join you for your wedding?” The look of confusion on his face was sweet as was the confused looks on King Helix and Queen Delia’s faces believing they’d met him before.

“Yes,” Lex smiled. “We are getting married during the middle of a war. Unfortunately my mate is collateral damage in this fight. We need to be married so that Polonius will no longer threaten to take her. So here we are, trying to make the best of our haste,” I explained.

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