Winter Magic

2.❆

❆

Their Royal Majesties King Isidore and Queen Zetian Ruxthall were not happy. They had tried, they really had, to raise a good son. Having only been blessed with one child, they had cherished him, doted on him, scolded him a bit, and impressed upon him his duty to the kingdom, all in that order.

How his logic had become so warped they would never know.

They had especially encouraged him to marry where his heart was, not simply for his duty to the kingdom. But they had also told him to take his duty seriously. And they had spoiled him all through his life, they would admit. So when he had come up with his flippant idea for his birthday celebration, they could not help but cave to his whims.

It did not help that his father was such a stupidly loving parent.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Aleyne Ruxthall had suggested that since his parents had barely let him out of their sight, had restricted his movements so much during their travels, and had (rightfully) kept him in the company of the noble and genteel, it was not his fault that he had never developed so much as a slight affection for a woman. He was constantly surrounded by the people who wanted to be noticed and rewarded by the crown, had not been able to travel and get to know the world as he should, and if his parents really desired him to marry for love, they had to acknowledge that his love might not be found amongst the entitled of the realm.

They had very begrudgingly agreed.

Percival Seyter, particular advisor to the royal family, recommended by their close friend His Grace Morgan Marshmond, nearly had a fit when he heard the news. He was in charge of assembling the guest list, which took every ounce of his ingenuity and organizing the preparations for so very many people. It also rubbed against his dignity to think he would be writing invitations for girls of every class. It was tasteless, and he hoped that the nobility would not be offended by Kuon's blatant flaunting of the rules of decency. He took to glaring at Aleyne whenever they met, but the younger man just smiled and thanked him for all his hard work.

Percival hoped he fell down a flight of stairs.

❆

A quiet evening at the palace found the royal family, His Grace, and their advisor all helping to sort the various replies to invitations. The king and queen were quietly working in one corner, while Percival grumbled to himself in another. Aleyne took the opportunity to speak with Morgan.

Duke Morgan Marshmond was a man of an impressive nature. He was perpetually in full ball dress, taking the shine out of everyone around him. It was not that he was over bedecked with jewels, chains, pendants, or rings. He had decorations to match all of his outfits well, but not overdone. He looked his best at all times. At an actual ball, he outshone his fellow guests with even brighter colors, richer fabrics, and finer details than anyone else could even imagine. And the occasional exotic animal.

No one tried to copy his style. He was one of a kind.

"You seem excited about this," Aleyne murmured, shifting in his seat.

Morgan looked over at Aleyne, who was shifting papers disinterestedly.

"Biggest event here since your parents' wedding. Why would I not be excited?"

"I seem to recall you telling me not a week before this idea appeared that you hoped I came by my just desserts for breaking so many gentle hearts. Seems strange that you would have encouraged this."

Morgan chuckled. "I thought you understood me," he scolded. "You proposed to your parents a plan where you would meet a girl and fall madly in love with her in one night. Fall in love with her, Aleyne. As much as I would still love to watch you come by what you have earned, I don't have any desire to see anyone alone and lonely for their whole life."

"So ideally, I find the girl at the ball?"

Morgan snorted, displeased with Aleyne's apathetic tone.

"Ideally, you get jilted badly and have to work to prove you're worth marrying. Or even knowing..." Aleyne cocked an eyebrow.

"You really expect that to happen?"

Morgan did not need to look at Aleyne to read the incredulity coming off of the boy. In all honesty, Morgan expected no such thing. Aleyne was the Crown Prince and it was highly improbable that a girl's family would let her refuse his proposal. If he was refused, Morgan did not have a lot of hope in Aleyne rising to the challenge of proving his worth. He knew, even more than Aleyne's parents, the weight of the responsibility that Aleyne carried, and also the frustration and fear he felt.

For all that Isidore was regarded as the most eccentric royal the kingdom had ever been subject to, he was also very well respected. He was hard working, peaceful, and fair. He tried not to step on the toes of the wealthy and entitled, but he also did his best to make his kingdom comfortable for all the little people who kept it running.

His wife was no less loved, but Aleyne had long been subject to an unhealthy amount of comparison between him and his father. It was no use telling the boy he would be his own kind of king. Isidore had set a high standard, and Aleyne was not sure he could reach it. Especially since he was unsure of where his own talents really lay. To be sure, he had excelled at all his scholarly pursuits, could hold his own in physical activities, and had excellent manners. But he was unsure of his own interests and passions and did not know his kingdom as well as he should.

This could be partly blamed on Isidore, whose overly doting desires kept him close to his son at all times, and as such made it impossible for Aleyne to try and get to know his people. The adults turned to his father. The children were intimidated by his title and his hovering parent.

Worse than any of this, Aleyne knew his ignorance and weakness and felt inadequate because of it. And it was not something that could be easily remedied.

That was a third reason why Morgan approved of this event, though he would not admit it to anyone. In spite of the fact that all kinds of people would invade the palace and cause no small riot, it was a chance for Aleyne to meet a large number of people he had never seen before and learn how to interact with them all.

It was not being publicized that the event was being hosted in order for Aleyne to find a bride, but rumors moved faster than wildfire and it would make for a very interesting evening. Aleyne would end up speaking to a large number of girls who, rightly or not, would hold expectations of catching his attention. He would have to judge their sincerity and be judged in return. Some of them would have no expectations and would test him, to see if he trifled with them. He might learn a few things.

However, hanging over everyone's head was the fear that Aleyne would take interest in a girl, and that she would not really be suitable queen material.

His parents had no desire to see him in an apathetic relationship based on duty, and Morgan abhorred the idea and worked continually under the belief that every human should be enveloped perpetually in a loving relationship. Percival knew Aleyne well enough to want him to be happy, in spite of wanting him to fall down a flight of stairs. The only thing Aleyne had ever wanted his own happiness.

But all of them knew it would be very awkward if he were to fall in love with a girl deemed unworthy by society, particularly the nobility. Technically, there was no power or law that could stop him, but it would be difficult. She would have to have very thick skin and be prepared to be shunned by both the upper and lower class. And it would create bad feelings towards the monarchs, both present, and future.