Logan
Summer sunshine glided through the drawn white satin drapes, burning my eyelid as I tugged the sheet, burying my mind and soul. My ears hearkened to the echoing of footsteps around my room as each knock of the heels shooed sleep from my eyes.
"What time is it?"
"7:00 am your Highness."
"Why am I up so early?" I asked Aaron, my assistant and advisor for twenty-seven years, which also meant...all my life.
The slog pacing stopped. I peeled the sheet and met hazel eyes and a charming smile that matched his black tailored suit.
"Good morning your highness, Her Royal Majesty the Queen, demands your presence."
Immediately, I sat up and ran my hands down my face, clearing the need to nest my pillow.
Throwing the sheet off my body, I took a lazy stride to the slightly curved mirror that stood beside my wardrobe. "Any idea why?"
"Must be important."
Caressing my chin, I moved to the window that gave a gripping view of the river Thames in its morning glory filled with tiny views of cruise ships.
Mum requested I returned to the castle for the royal ball, but I was certain she had something gruesome and hard core that would break a bone.
"Can you convey her message in her words?" I asked, with a frown playing on my lips.
"Get my son to meet me and his grandmother in the green drawing-room."
I turned sharply. "And this was when exactly?"
"Twenty minutes ago."
"Why didn't you wake me sooner?" I rushed from the window to the bathroom still in my pyjamas.
Mum dreaded lateness. To her, it was an offense that warranted execution by words of course. Therefore, keeping to time was a golden rule and breaking it was eschewed by all.
"I spent nineteen minutes waking you," his deep voice stated from behind the door.
"Gush Aaron, Mother will have both our heads," I said, as water ran down my dark brown hair, springing my body back to life.
"I disagree your Highness, she will be having your head, I'm not in this one with you."
I heard the door to my room open and shut gently, this led to a thin smile, not of disappointment but understanding. No one, not even grandma wanted to be on mum's bad side and only one had dared and survived.
Only Laura.
***
I walked into the Rococo-style green drawing-room, which aside from its green curtains and its wooden chair was also filled with carved wooden panels, illustrating weapons and wars all seen by the ancient castle I called home.
Each panel and illustration gave a masonic meaning to the room where mum sat fully engrossed in a book with her long brown hair resting on her shoulders, and her legs crossed. She was like a beautiful statue.
"Very late," she said, with eyes fixed on the book as she turned the brown pages.
I placed a kiss on her forehead. "Goodmorning Mum, I am sorry I'm late."
"And your grandmother is late also." This time, she lifted her blues eyes that was complemented by long nature lashes. I followed her gaze to the door which allowed the gracious form of grandma into the room in a yellow dress.
Without lingering, I left mum's side to grandma's.
"You were late?" She whispered the moment I placed kisses on her soft cheeks that was smooth as a child's buttock and without ladies powder.
"Yes Grandma."
Her eyes lit up in humour. She clicked her tongue and smiled, a contagious motion that made my lips spread. "Your mum will have both our heads."
I nodded, slowly shifting to her side as the sound of mum's heels filled the room.
Ahe walked to grandma and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I heard that mother."
Grandma chuckled and held on to her yellow satin dress. Her elegant figure lead the way to the gold chair where mum book rested.
"What about the girls?"
"The girls are not involved in this, just Logan." Mum turned and her dark blue eyes burnt into mine, confirming my early presumption that she had something planned out.
Venomus
"You will be losing your position as the heir to the throne."
The popping of my heart stopped and I heard nothing but the echoing of her words. "What?"
"What do you mean Isla?" Grandma inquired, her eyes wide as her hold on the chair tightened.
"It will be nice if you both let me finish," Mum said, simply unmoved by our reactions and questions. "As the heir to the throne, you are meant to be married Logan."
"It doesn't matter if he is married Isla, that's rubbish."
"It does mother."
I sighed, this was not the first time we had this discussion and neither was it to be the last. Mum was hell-bent on getting me married but wasn't pushing it with a forced bride and I was grateful for that... But this?
"It doesn't matter, you can't make decisions for him."
"Yes I can Mother, I must leave the throne to someone responsible. If my son is not ready to carry out his responsibility I shall pass it to someone capable."
"Who is this capable someone Mum?"
"Your cousin Leo."
"Mum!"
"Last time we spoke on taking a wife you told me about Eva, why not bring her home."
I went cold at the mention of Eva, I couldn't tell mum my relationship with Eva was over, that will break her and of course, she would break me into pieces with her thunderbolt words.
"Now son, call your Alabama sweetheart or lose your position and I'm not just talking about the throne, it also includes your company." She pointed with a finger void of polish.
"You can't do that! You can't take Lash," I said, turning to grandma whose face was as blank as a wiped board.
"Yes I can," she said.
"Don't push the boy Isla, you don't rush in issues like marriage!"
"I'm not asking him to get married mother, I just need to see this girl, to know her not on phone but physically... I just-"
"Isla."
Ignoring grandma, she glared at me. "You fly in Eva. I need her here at the weekend Logan and mean it." She slammed the book and stood.
Grandma and I did the same and watched her walked out the door.
"Your mum is stubborn."
"Weekend starts tomorrow Grandma," I said as reality struck me.
She took my hands. "I shall speak to her, she is being hard on you."
"Thank you."
"I don't blame her, we all want to meet Eva," She said with a smile as we head out of the room.
"Sure," I whispered as we walked through the hallway that was endowed with gold leaves and bronze figures of knights, standing with their swords.
***
"Which way, sir?"
"We've left the castle Aaron, I would prefer my name," I said.
"Which way shall we go Logan?"
"Just drive," I said and was rewarded a nod. "Mum wants me to bring Eva home."
"I warned you about this, what are you going to do?"
"Maybe..." I sighed, and slowly spilled my thoughts. "I've been thinking, mum never saw Eva. I could get a girl to play Eva just for the weekend...it's been done before."
"That will be lying to the queen. And where can you find a girl to play such a role?"
"That is why you are my advisor, you tell me?"
"Don't drag me into your dirty games Logan, I shall not lie to the queen."
"I'm doing the lying, just advice me."
He stared at me from the rear-view mirror, this was my usual trick to get his support and he always fell for it. "Why not tell her the truth?"
"That is not an advice."
"Why not call Eva?" He suggested.
"You know that is impossible."
"Vivan?"
"Her duty was to warm my bed."
"And Ruth?"
"She's too cliche."
"What about-"
"Can we stop the list of lost women in my life?"
"I am sorry, I just thought it's wise to pick someone you know, and not some total stranger."
"I know Aaron."
He took a right turn and drove aimlessly down the free motorway which was lit up by both the headlights and the moon.
I stared out the window while my brain searched for solutions to my present predicament.
"Aaron."
"Your Highness."
"What about Michael?"
"Your Highness, could we consider some other option?"
"He is the only way out."
"The only way out is telling the queen the truth."
"That will be handing over my right to Leo." I shivered at the dreadful thought of passing down my position to my cousin.
I took out my phone and texted Michael, who appeared to be the only solution.
"Let's head down to Urban."
"Your hig-"
"Aaron."
Exhaling, he took a U-turn and started the ride to London which would be busy with nightlife.
***
We used the back door, leading to Michael's office, doing well to avoid his crowded bar.
The door swung open, bringing to view the short form of Michael. He made way for us to walk in with a wide welcoming smile. "After I got your text, I got the most beautiful ladies I could find."
"Thanks mate, I owe you."
"Yeah, yeah, this girl's ain't actresses, but they can do the job just right, your Highness."
"Ok."
"They are in the waiting room, how do you want to do this?"
"Get the girls to come in individually, while Aaron and I make our choice."
Michael nodded and left the well-arranged office. For a bar owner, he kept everything well sorted, he had a shelf filled with bottles of wine hanging to the wall, a leather black sofa closed to the door and a picture of him crowded by ladies in a pink vintage Mercedes. He was the ladies choice, a perfect place to run to for help.
"What are you doing?"
I lifted my hands, exhausted from Aaron's questions. "We've gone through this already."
"Yes, but-"
"No but, I just need your help in finding the right girl."
He nodded, but still wore a look of censure.
"Good." We took our seats facing the door as it opened, letting in a blond girl in a sassy black gown.
***
Authors note.
Hey, guys so here is the first chapter of this book. Tell me what you think about it💖💖