Page 26 of Royally Scr*wed

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Back at the palace I immediately seek out my wife who is reading through a document in the library. Purposely interrupting her with a kiss on the cheek earns me a content smile from her gorgeous face.

“I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, but I’ve been informed that Henrietta Levi is waiting. Would you mind joining us? I think she’d appreciate a little moral support.”

“Oh!” Charlie drops her reading material and stands. “Of course. I had no idea Henrietta had arrived.”

“I don’t believe she’s been waiting long,” I kiss her again.

“If you keep doingthatshe will be.” Charlie blushes and I laugh.

“Later,” I assure her with a pat on the ass.

“Sometimes, I still hate you.”

“Sometimes I hate myself, love.”

This time it’s Charlie who kisses me. “You shouldn’t. But I suppose I’ll keep reminding you until you start to believe it.”

I take her hand in mine and we head to my office where Henrietta is awaiting our arrival.

“Henrietta,” I greet her as Ozzy steps in the room behind us and shuts my office doors.

She immediately stands and greets both of us with a small curtsey. “Your Majesties. My deepest condolences on the loss of King Julius. I’m terribly sorry that I was unable to attend the service,” she says with sad eyes.

“No apologies necessary. I’m sorry for the circumstances behind this visit.”

“I had no idea,” Henrietta sits across from me with tears streaming down her face as I fill her in on all of the behind-the-scenes details that I can.

Charlie is sitting beside her now, holding her hand and comforting the woman that I’ve long since called a friend.

“I’m so sorry Jude. I’m shocked. I knew my father could be underhanded and vicious, but I sincerely believed it was only in business matters. This is beyond my comprehension. And to find out that he’s your…uncle,” Henrietta shudders. “I realize we’re not actually blood related but – this makes us…cousins. And to think they tried to marry us off.”

“On more than one occasion.” Charlie adds with what I sense is the tiniest hint of jealousy.

“It’s quite disturbing when you think of it that way,” I agree with Henrietta. “The more pressing issue is the fact that he has committed treason. I realize that he’s your father, but he will pay harsh consequences for his actions. There’s nothing I can do about that.”

I cannot even begin to fathom her feelings. Being abroad and seeing the news break must have been jarring. Even more so when she couldn’t immediately return home because of the travel ban in place while we sorted out all of the guilty parties involved in my grandfather’s death.

She’s only here now because I pulled strings to get her on a private flight back to Herefirth.

“As he so deserves,” she says before I can go on. “I have only one request. I’d like to see him. To say goodbye…before…”

“I think that can be arranged, though I have to warn you that he will be heavily guarded.”

“I understand. As you said, he’s still my father though, and I need some kind of closure for myself.”

Rubbing my temples, I sigh. “I can appreciate that. I’m sorry it’s ended up this way, Henrietta.”

It’s not Henrietta’s fault that her father denied me that same right when he arranged to have my parents murdered.

“Of course there are other matters at hand as well. Like your birthrights. Your father’s misgivings do not have any bearings on you. You are now a princess, much like Willow and Bethany.” I remind her.

“Oh joy,” she snarks. “No offense but I’m not sure how I feel about that, to be honest with you. You’re well aware that all of this pomp and circumstance has never appealed to me. I prefer to live my life on my own terms and not by some royal protocol.”

“I do understand. You have the right to denounce it. Perhaps think on it first though. You don’t have to decide today.” I inform her.

I wish I could offer my friend turned family better advice, but the truth is, I do not know what I would do if I was in her shoes. I imagine that I would probably want to run away. Much like I’ve wanted to do at least once a day over the last few days.

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