The King & the Stable Boy

BONUS: It's Been Six Years... (I'm Listening)

"An ambassador happened," I groaned.

Sam looked at me confused but Jade let out a squeal.

"So, it was true," Jade whispered. "Father, we have to discuss your state of decency. You could've at least been properly dressed when you left your little fling."

"Him with Ambassador Avon?" Sam asked, getting a nod from her sister. "Gross."

"I'm not discussing this with you two."

"I agree on that front. I would rather not hear about it, if possible, so yes please do refrain from running out of official's rooms in nothing but your under knickers," Sam said. "Any who, you should stay. Just an extra day or two, please for me? I want to have a proper dinner with you both and Quentin's family, and can't have that with you missing, Papa."

I looked between my two little girls giving me those damned begging eyes of theirs and relented, much to their delight. They must know that this will not happen again, if ever. Then again I told myself the last time the two ganged up on me.

"Should I invite this ambassador as well," Jade said.

"Did I invite, Baron Michael to dinner after your scandal?"

"You didn't have to be so mean about it, you could've just said 'no'."

-

Hours later I found myself sat across from Lucas, the both of us sharing a bottle of wine over dinner. We've managed to rekindle the dead flames of our former friendship, discussing the hectic mess of raising children, our careers and everything else we could think of.

"You had a rebellion?" Lucas asked, eyebrows raised to his hairline.

"A rebellion? I wish. The whole thing was a monstrosity there was this movement, called itself the People's Republic of Anicia or something or other."

"Ugh, I'm familiar. They tried recruiting back when I was working in the stables, didn't get very far. Their leadership lacked charisma and they did more harm than good at the time."

"Nothing changed. They burned down five villages and beheaded some of our finer lords. It was some fed up painter that sent us a tip to their whereabouts. Hid a message in the painting with some cryptic note on the back. We've hung it up in the gallery now, it's a good story to tell. Thank god he did, at the time they'd managed to capture Sam. I have no doubt she mouthed them off the entire way," I said, laughing at the memory of the disheveled child that returned to our gates, looking more annoyed than disturbed. She didn't talk about being kidnapped, just about how bad the food and smells were. Was rather proud about kicking some guards Crown Jewels as well.

"How can you laugh? If one of my children were to go through such an ordeal, I don't think I could ever be able to take it lightly."

"It's not that I take it lightly, it's simply that it comes with the territory of being royal. Your life is in constant danger. When I was a kid, some rogue servant attempted to nab me but while he was dragging me along I cut my hand on some stray nail in the wall. When I touched the next one, the entire wall flipped and we were in one of the royal guard nooks. You have to learn to appreciate that you were fortunate enough to be okay and laugh at it, otherwise you'll go mad."

"I don't think I could handle that constant target. Jonny almost took my head off with that scythe of his and he still hears about it to this day." We both began laughing at that.

"Well then," I said, raising a glass. "To us."

Noah clinked glasses with me. "To us."

We continued on with dinner. My heart felt lighter having settled this all once and for all. It felt nice.