“I won’t. There is much to be planned first.”
To that, my liege grinned in relief. At least I could give him this.
We retired to the courtyard, where courtiers celebrated my homecoming. At last, four guests entered the quad. Three women squealed, snatched up their skirts, and flew to me like cyclones.
Cadence, Posy, and Vale throttled me with hugs, their frothy dresses emitting floral perfumes. Next, Eliot slammed his palm against mine, then pounded my back as we embraced.
“Finally,” the minstrel laughed. “Someone to distract these three from gossiping my fucking ears off.”
“Finally someone who won’t subject us to sappy ballads inspired by their handsome beau.” Cadence bumped her hip against Eliot’s, then gave me a once-over. “My, my. You’ve gotten bulkier.”
Vale rolled her eyes. “Do you ever stop?”
Posy elbowed Cadence. “And don’t you have enough conquests?”
The flippant woman huffed. “Come on. Why choose?”
I grunted through my humor. “I am not a stallion up for auction.”
“Not even during role play?”
The women sniggered. Eliot shook his head, stubble gracing his jaw.
Our clan gathered in chairs under the central maple tree. Nicu proved the only exception, conversing instead with a group of young men his age.
From his vantage point, Poet aimed a deadly gaze at the males. Because he did nothing to hide it, Cadence joked to Briar, “Get used to that fatherly scowl. The prettier Nicu gets, the longer his line of admirers will stretch until it’s snaking around the castle.”
“He’s not going to have a line of admirers,” the jester bit out.
Aspen gave him a bland look. “Um, you do realize he has your genes.”
“And your eyes,” Posy sighed dreamily.
“And your charisma” Vale snuggled her lady closer. “Lethal combination.”
Nestling into Poet’s chest, Briar chuckled. “Seasons forbid if Nicu inherits his father’s wicked edge too.”
“Anyway, I wasn’t done.” Poet flitted his fingers. “He’s not going to have a line of admirers. He’s going to have a kingdom’s worth of them.”
While absently plucking his lute, Eliot smirked. “What about when those admirers turn into lovers?”
A mercenary growl sawed from Poet’s throat. “Fame is one thing. But the only string of lovers who will ever touch our son are the ones I’ll be hanging by their cocks from the parapets.”
“That’s murder,” Cadence supplied dryly.
Poet’s irises glinted. “Aye. It fucking is.”
Aspen ribbed, “In that case, when things get real in Nicu’s sex life, I fear for the bloke who has a showdown with you.”
Cadence raised her hand. “I want front row seats!”
“I’ll bring the snacks,” Posy volunteered.
“No, I’ll bring the snacks,” Vale corrected. “You bring the drinks.”
Everyone laughed except for the obvious contenders. Poet glared at the lads surrounding Nicu, my liege’s preference for males having been made clear by the time he was seven.
Briar whispered something to distract her husband. Meanwhile, Jeryn leaned against the maple tree and gripped Flare’s waist, too busy murmuring his own enticements into the woman’s ear.
