The Rebel Prince (The Season Series #3)

Chapter 11 - Part 1

"...thankful none of your sons are vying for her hand," Peñarisco was saying in Ardal, that wolfish grin fixed on the Duque Delbosque, Enrique Carvalho.

"While I am certain that Princess Ana-Cristina will make a most wonderful wife, for the time being, my son has expressed more interest in military service instead of marriage," Carvalho said, his eyes landing upon me as I came to a stop beside them.

But Peñarisco was clearly not about to acknowledge me, pressing on, still in Ardal, "You ought to curtail that, Enrique. Headstrong sons never learn their place unless you put them in it."

"Good evening, Excelentísimo Señors," I said, using the appropriate Ardal greeting for a duque.

"Good evening, your Highness," Carvalho said, bowing in greeting. Peñarisco scowled as he followed suit, nothing kind in his eyes as he straightened.

Not that anything could have deterred me from what I asked next.

"Duque Peñarisco, I must admit that I am quite curious as to how you and Callum Winters came to be so closely acquainted. Are you old friends?" I asked, doing my utmost to seem like an innocent fool asking an innocent question.

Unexpectedly, I learned more from the Duque Delbosque's reaction than the Duque Delminas' answer. Carvalho's eyebrows leaped in surprise as he looked over at Peñarisco.

"The exiled Pretanian traitor? What are you playing at, Alejandro?" Carvalho asked quietly in Ardal. Peñarisco looked as if he were fighting to keep from striking me. I kept my polite smile in place.

"I would not say we are old friends, no," he replied, adding in Ardal to Carvalho, "The fool does not know what he speaks of."

He bowed to me, muttering some excuse before stalking away. Carvalho and I both watched him leave.

"I certainly hope you know what you are doing," Carvalho said quietly, fixing me with a significant look once once Peñarisco was out of earshot.

"Forgive me, did I insult him?" I said, feigning concern, "I was simply asking about a fellow countryman. I did not think it would be out of line, especially not when I came across Winters as he was leaving the duque's palacio."

Delbosque studied me, his jovial, cheerful facade dropping to reveal the keen gaze of a calculating man.

"You are either incredibly clever or incredibly foolish," he said. "For your sake, I hope it is the former."

The doors to the dining room opened, interrupting whatever I would have said next, butlers ushering us in and showing us to our pre-assigned seats.

"You should call on me sometime," the Duque Delbosque said, halting me before I turned to leave. "I am certain there are many questions of yours I can answer, so long as you return the favour."

I inspected his face for any hint of hostility, but his courtier's facade was back in place, smiling kindly at me. Inclining my head, I gestured for him to precede me, his wife awaiting him near the dining room doors. Her eyes slid between the pair of us, assessing, observing, but always maintaining that pleasant, happy veneer she and her husband seemed to have cultivated as their courtly disguise.

A butler showed me to my place at the table, empty chairs to either side of me. The men and women all remained standing until the doors we'd entered through closed, a second set of doors opening at the far end of the room.

"His Majesty, King Felipe," a herald called out. The room sank into reverences as the king swept in, Frederico leading the rest of his eldest sisters out. The crown prince took the seat across from me, Dulciana and Beatriz coming to each of my sides. The eldest princess wore a crimson dress so ornate that it left no question that she was royalty who outranked all the other guests in the room. Still no tiara, I noted, but opulent enough attire to show that she was a very important princess.

Beatriz, however, was almost entirely dressed in black. Her face remained shrouded by her dark veil, but the dress she wore was dark, plain, and decidedly lacking in any ornamentation whatsoever. No gold or silver thread, no jewelled brooches. Just a simple, dark dress.

As befit a meek, modest princess who had spent her past few years at a convent.

As if such a disguise could fool me any more.

Frederico caught my glance towards the veiled princess, his face completely unreadable as Ana-Cristina and Inés assumed their seats to either side of him.

I fought to keep from smirking at him, remembering my decision to abide by the king's request.

"Allow me," I said, pulling out Dulciana's chair before any of the servants could. She barely glanced at me, her entire demeanour sour as she sat down with a huff.

"Cheer up, darling sister. At least your future husband is a gentleman," Frederico said quietly from across the table.

To my eternal surprise, Dulciana said nothing, instead reaching for her wine as soon as it had been poured for her. Across the table, that fleeting smile danced across Frederico's face. He was enjoying this, taunting his sister.

Beside him, Ana-Cristina made no effort to be subtle as she jutted out her chest and pouted my way, staring dejectedly at the sisters who had won the places beside me. To my right, Beatriz stared down at the plate before her, silent and unreadable beneath her veil.

As I studied her out of the corner of my eye, I realized that perhaps I might get my first view of her face, for no one could eat with a veil hiding their mouth.

**A/N: I had to split this one into two chapters, but don't worry - the next half should be up tomorrow! I stole a few moments to post this during a break at work, so no time for questions today...but as per usual, if you enjoyed it, please don't forget to vote and comment!**