Page 53 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 2
I snort. "You mean more than House Rothorne is already? I'll be married to Linc, and you're half-Rothorne yourself. You might even have a claim if the rest of us are dead." I don't know how true that is, or where his mother actually sits in the line of succession for my House, but it has to be somewhere. I haven't spent much time looking over my own family tree beyond reassuring myself that Linc and I aren't related even if his half-brother is my cousin.
"Lord Fallmartin, and the rest of our ancestors, did an excellent job of making sure the royals are entwined with House Rothorne, and you are the latest piece in that game."
Linc reaches out to touch my back, likely realising that my mind is already fighting against the idea of being anyone's piece, especially my father's. Except that this situation is an interesting one, and isn't something I want to reject. I'm not naive enough to think that Lord Fallmartin necessarily believes that I'd be a capable leader for House Rothorne, it's more about keeping it in the family, but it still means something that he thinks that's better than the House folding into the House Soveguine.
"As interesting as this is, it's not the point," I say. "We were talking about Lord Luca."
Marcus sighs. "I've tried to build up the courage to put an end to things before," he says. "It would be safer for both of us if I did, but the idea of living a life without Luca in it is...I just don't want to think of it."
"You should tell him," I say, repeating my earlier advice. "You both deserve the happiness you can get."
"I know, it's just...complicated."
"Or maybe it isn't," Linc says. "Father is reasonable. He didn't have Hector killed when Agnes married him. They're not even officially banished from court."
"Wait, they're not?" I look between the two brothers.
Linc shakes his head. "They left before they could be banished, and everyone in the family knows that it's best for them to stay away. So I guess it's kind of like they're unofficially banished."
"There's a difference between me and Agnes though," Marcus points out. "She's third in line to inherit, I'm first."
"Maybe things will be different when Linc and I are married," I suggest. "Your father might give you more freedom to choose."
Marcus laughs in a kind of harsh manner. "Like you two got to choose? I know you're happy with it, but don't forget that your marriage is still arranged. Just like Agnes' marriage was supposed to be before she ran off."
"You're in a stronger position. You're older, and you're his heir."
Marcus gives me a weak smile. "I'm not sure it's as simple as that."
"Then we'll find a way," I promise. "I don't know how, but we'll figure out how you can be with Luca and not have to worry about all of this."
Marcus offers me a pained smile. "I appreciate the sentiment, Beatrice, but I just don't think it's going to be possible."
My heart breaks for him, and it only makes me more determined to work it out. Because he deserves to be happy and to be with the man he loves.
SEVEN
Pip bounces through the snow, trying to catch the snowflakes that melt as soon as they touch her tongue. It's amusing to watch, even if she is failing at managing her task.
Linc laughs as she bounces a little too hard and ends up spraying snow up into the air. "It's never going to be dull with her around, is it?"
"I hope not." I crouch down and wait for her to come to me.
She pushes her head into my hand and lets me give her scratches. Emotions well up within me as I realise that I'm never going to have to worry about her again. She's going to be with me, healthy, happy, and well-fed, for a very long time to come. I tried to give her everything I could when I lived in the village, but I know it wasn't as much as she gets here.
And she's not the only one.
Tears sting the corners of my eyes as I fuss Pip and think about my life.
"Bea? Is everything all right?" Linc asks, crouching down beside me.
It's hard to hold it all together when around someone who knows me as well as it seems that Linc does. I'm impressed that he can tell I'm emotional just from a couple of minutes. "I'm fine," I promise, giving Pip one last ruffle on the top of her head before standing up.
She seems to sense the fuss is over and bounces off again.
"Are you sure?" He looks at me with concern shining through his eyes, only making me love him more.
"I think it's just because some of the things Bastian has been saying recently have been making me think about my life before all of this. More than I thought about it anyway. And it's just...my life is so different now." I dust some snow off my cloak and let it fall to the ground.
