Page 36 of Learning to Rule

“Marianne, who is this person you worry about so much? I adore you. You’re one of my best friends. All I want is to see you as happy as Elodie and me. I’m not my father. I won’t use you as a pawn to make myself look good.”

The door to the summerhouse starts to open. I recognize the voice of the person emerging before I even see them.

“You don’t just have to give permission for Marianne to marry. You’ll have to give permission for me to marry as I’m third in line to the throne now, after my father and brother.” My cousin Alexandra emerges from the summerhouse and goes to Marianne to comfort her. I see the distress on the faces of the two people in this crazy world of royalty who mean the most to me.

Elodie takes my hand as I stand in silence, watching the two lovers together.

As my cousin, Alexandra is in the line of succession to the throne. Her marriage to Marianne really will be something new for the Janastrian monarchy.

“Are you all right?” Elodie whispers into my ear as Alexandra tries to comfort an almost hysterical Marianne.

Seeing the love between these two people is like looking in a mirror. They reflect what I have with Elodie. We didn’t have any freedom when my father ruled. We couldn’t have walked around the gardens like this. He hated Elodie and chased her away. Thankfully, love brought her back to me because it was too hard to be apart. We are free to love now because I’m king, but Marianne and Alexandra have none of our freedom.

I might have a fight on my hands with some of the older members of the family and Parliament, but I can’t subject Marianne and Alexandra to what Elodie and I went through. They’ve already had to hide the true extent of their feelings for each other a lot longer than Elodie and I have been together.

No.

I want them to be able to run freely through the maze and make love if they want to…just not when I’m there with Elodie.

I get first claim on everywhere. I am king after all.

I feel the smile wash over my face.

A feeling of calm and happiness.

“You both have nothing to worry about. I give my permission for you to marry, no matter what anyone says, and I’ll not allow your banishment to another part of our country or anywhere else in the world. You’ll both be at my side, helping me as senior royals. I want the whole of Janastria to feel they can be who they want to be. Congratulations to you both.”

“You mean it?” Alexandra’s eyes go wide with surprise.

“Yes, and if your father and brother don’t like it, I’ll have them demoted in the line of succession. I’m sure I can arrange a way of doing that with Clement Woodrow.”

“If Clement can’t find a way, I’m sure Hannah Woodrow will,” Elodie adds, stepping forward to give Alexandra a warm embrace.

We all form a big group hug in the middle of the lawn.

A symbol of the new royalty in Janastria.

“I remember we discussed being cousins as children.” I nudge my head against Marianne’s at my side. “I didn’t think it would be with you as Alexandra’s wife. I can’t think of a better way for you to join with our family.”

Nineteen

Elodie

“Miss Nash, what are you doing here?” Mrs. Harris, the new manager of the youth center I visited with Dalton drops into a curtsy when she sees me. A few of the children mill around in the background, looking at me with wide eyes.

“You don’t need to do that.” I wave away her formality.

After all, I’m not exactly dressed in the attire of a prospective queen. I’m in a pair of yoga pants and a tight top covered over by a massive cardigan to keep me warm. I’m carrying a yoga mat under one arm, and the bodyguard, who seems to have been permanently assigned to me, is currently bringing more mats into the building.

“We weren’t expecting you.” Mrs. Harris is completely flustered, and I feel guilty for arriving unannounced.

“I’m sorry. I should have told you I was coming. I wanted to keep the story away from the press. At the moment, if anyone knows where I’m going, I seem to end up with numerous camera flashes going off around me. I wanted to make sure I could concentrate on the children.”

“Oh of course, it’s not a problem at all. Concentrate on the children?”

“I was hoping I could ask them to join me in a very basic yoga work out. I do yoga to help me when I’m stressed or worried, and I know Freddie seemed to benefit from it when I was here last time.”

“I don’t know, Miss Nash.” Mrs. Harris looks at me concerned. “Forgive me if I seem rude. It’s just I know when you become our queen, you’ll be very busy. I don’t want the children to have an expectation you might come here and see them on a regular basis when you have too many other commitments—it could leave them upset.”

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