Bartholomew looked back and forth between them quizzically before settling his gaze on Freddy. "You're actually going after her? But she jilted you."
Freddy readjusted the strap of the lute on his shoulder. He shrugged one shoulder.
"Believe it or not, it's not the first time."
Chapter Two
Freddy
Six months earlier...
I'm getting married today.
The words seemed almost surreal, despite the years of betrothal and months of planning that had finally led to this day. Freddy shook his head and laughed at himself in the mirror for his wide-eyed wonder. He gave one final inspection to his gray jacket and straightened the coral cravat at his throat.
Where is Hadrian? I could use a dose of his blunt realism right about now.
A soft knock at his door turned his attention from the mirror, and a moment later, his mother entered. Stately, graceful, and regal, Clarice was everything in his mind that a queen shouldbe. She floated through the door in a pale blue dress with tight sleeves and a long, flowing skirt. Pearls and diamonds sparkled in the tiara atop her graying head.
"You look beautiful, Mother." Freddy took her outstretched hands and bent down to kiss her cheek. "If you're not careful, you'll outshine the bride."
Clarice gave him a knowing look. "As if any young man would truly find his mother more beautiful than his bride."
He grinned. "There are different types of beauty. Yours is simply more refined." He led Clarice to a cushioned chair and sat across from her.
"You should have stopped after the first sentence. Refined is simply a polite way of saying old."
"Not if you ask Hadrian," he countered, referencing the court translator who was also his best friend. Hadrian Higsley was well-known for his blunt personality and strict observance of grammatical rules and semantics.
"And so I would, if he were around." Clarice glanced about his room. "I expected to find him here with you."
Freddy shrugged. "I haven't seen him since the ball last night. He and Mariel were quite the pair, don't you think? I wouldn't be surprised if you're planning another wedding before the end of the year."
"Let's get through this one first." Clarice reached across the distance between them for his hand. Her firm, gentle grip was familiar and comforting, and it eased some of the tension in Freddy's shoulders that he had been stubbornly ignoring. "Are you certain that this is what you want to do?"
"It's a little late for that kind of question, don't you think?" Freddy joked. "If we canceled now, we would have a lot of disappointed guests and a possible economic collapse. Not to mention we've already booked the musicians, and I hear string players are prone toviolinswhen they're angry."
Clarice's expression was unamused as she shook her head. "You've been spending far too much time with Prince Dorian." She squeezed his fingers. "But it's not too late until the vows are said. If Nedra responds negatively, we can handle that. Kysta will survive without their trade routes. My concern in this moment is not for the country, but for my son. Marriage is for life, Frederick. When you speak those words, you are tying yourself to Eliza until death. Your life, your future, your heart will be hers."
"And hers will be mine," he answered, the words more confidently on his lips than they were in his heart.
His mother was not so easily fooled. She sighed, and her other hand reached out to cup his cheek. "That is what I'm afraid of. You love so easily, my son. Your heart is bright and bold, and you aren't afraid of letting it shine. Your affection is not easily swayed. I know that Eliza was precious to you as a child—"
Freddy pulled back slightly, knowing already the direction his mother's words were heading.
"—but surely you must see that the warmth you show her is met only with coldness."
He opened his mouth to argue, but she shushed him with a finger.
"Let me finish, and then I won't say another word on the subject. Your loyalty to Eliza is commendable, as is your devotion to your country. I love Lizzie, too, but she has changed. I say this to you as both your mother and your queen: you matter more than the economic benefits that come with the marriage treaty, and you deserve a wife who will love you with the same passion and faithfulness as you will unreservedly give to her. Kysta may profit in the short term, but a prosperous country depends on the success of its rulers, and that success begins with the strength of their relationship. A marriage cannot stand on one leg for long."
Freddy was silent for a moment, allowing his mother's words time to sink in.
She's right, of course. Mother usually is. But I'm certain that the Lizzie that I know is still somewhere underneath that frosty exterior.
He let out a slow breath. "You want me to call off the marriage?"
Clarice rose, pulling him up with her as she did so. She patted his hand. "I want you to be certain of your course. I trust that you will do what you believe is right for both you and your country, but I want to make sure you know that you are not expected to throw away your happiness." She moved towards the door as she spoke, pausing with her fingers on the handle. "Kysta has survived without Nedra before; we can do it again."
