Page 3 of Searching for the Prince
Gwil sank onto the end of the bed, Hyax could be a grandiose prat some days, but he didn’t tend to be this dramatic. “In what way?”
“He suggested that a future where the Calanti are no longer outsiders is a possibility that’s closer than ever before. While I had a similar hope, I thought it would take more persuasion.”
He could understand why Hyax thought it a big deal, the Calanti tribe had been ostracised for over a millennium and if Prince Simon was opening up a path to bring them back into the fold, then surely the other tribes would welcome them. It was also a great distraction, and he could shelve any conversation about Solivatus for a later date. “I imagine after his honeymoon it might be something you’ll want to follow up on.”
“I’ll need to talk to my mother first, and she’ll decide the direction, but I’m going to offer to be the go-between to see if the other tribes might be as keen.”
“Is this coming from Prince Simon or his father? You might want to hold off saying anything until you know if this is a next-generation idea, and he’s approached you because you’re his peer in that sense.”
Hyax pouted. “You might have a point.”
Gwil grinned. “I’m not just a pretty fang.”
CHAPTER TWO
As weddings went, Prince Simon’s was pretty classy, and Hyax had enjoyed the mix of vampire and fae traditions, several of which he thought might be applicable to his own future nuptials. He couldn’t help but fantasise about marrying Gwil. While there wouldn’t be a brooding Scottish castle on the banks of a loch, he was sure they’d find another stunning venue. Although he was probably getting a bit ahead of himself because while Gwil might have accepted his proposal, they were nowhere near setting a date and they’d only been shagging a few months.
His mother had informed him he was required to return home, and he assumed that was because he needed to report back on the wedding, and any important intel he’d picked up about the Calanti tribe. He arrived at the palace and made his way to her office.
“Ah, Hyax,” she said as he entered. “I appreciate you coming directly. We’ve important matters to discuss.”
“I would have thought you’d have wanted a written report on the wedding rather than a verbal debrief.”
She flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder and then banished the document that had been in front of her on the desk.
“Obviously a full account will be required, but this is not about that. Well, not in the way you’re thinking.” She seemed agitated.
He took a seat opposite her. “I assumed by the summons that it was important, but if it’s not the wedding I can’t think of anything else that would warrant me racing home.”
“It’s not Prince Simon’s wedding that’s the pressing matter, but yours.”
He bristled at her interference. He’d kept her out of his love life for centuries and, if he could, he’d keep her out for several more. “Gwil and I haven’t set a date yet. As interested as I’m sure you are, we’ll inform you in due course when we’re ready. We don’t want to rush matters for something important that takes careful planning.”
“You and Gwil won’t be setting a date. I’ve given you enough warning, Hyax.” Her eyes blazed gold for a second, a sign of annoyance, and a trait he’d inherited. “I am talking about you marrying one of the approved suitors, and since you have been so bloody-minded and refused to name one, I will be doing so myself.”
The suitors’ lists had been an ongoing battle. He’d played along, pretended to meet and greet the eligible bachelors his parents had deemed acceptable, like a good little prince, but she was aware of his stance. Even if he didn’t have Gwil, none of the fuckers on the approved list would have been suitable for him. Picking a husband from a collection of creeps, mummy’s boys and political climbers was the last thing he wanted.
“No.” Hyax stared in disbelief at his mother. “I’m engaged to be married to Gwil, we have a love match. You know that.”
“And you know we have not sanctioned your engagement, nor have I made a public statement consenting to the union.”
His parents might not have made an announcement, but he’d made sure the news had got out and gossip about the calibre ofa vamp of Gwil’s stature bagging a fae prince had spread like wildfire. “But you should. I want to marry for love, not because you’ve dragged out an archaic rite to fit your own narrative because you don’t like Gwil.”
“It’s not a matter of liking Gwil.” She raised her chin, defiant, eyes back to their normal colour. “You cannot be naïve enough to think you can ignore the politics at play. Given the current situation with the Calanti, and you attending the wedding of their prince, some of the other tribes are seeking reassurance that we’re not going to also break the wider alliance.”
His mother’s diatribe made him think he’d been prudent to heed Gwil’s advice to hold off saying anything about the future reconciliation of the Calanti until he’d been able to ascertain which direction it was coming from. His mother didn’t appear keen to rekindle relations, but he wouldn’t put it past her using this as an excuse to pressure him into dumping Gwil. Ultimately, she would always do what was best for their people.
“I attended on your behalf,” he said through gritted teeth. “With your blessing, I might add. I would also note that I wasn’t the only senior fae representative from the tribes there either, so if there’s chatter about my pro-vampire sentiment then it’s ridiculous and hypocritical.”
She clicked her tongue, one of her more annoying verbal tics. “It is a matter of perception, Hyax. You took Gwil as your guest, a clear message of your attachment to a vampire and therefore your sympathies towards the Calanti.”
His mother was grasping at straws and there were other political sentiments to be balanced, and she bloody well knew it.
“Prince Simon’s marriage unites two of the Vampire Houses, how would it have looked if I’d turned up without Gwil? I’m publicly dating a vampire. If I’d left him at home, it would have been seen as a snub to them.”
Talia’s wings vibrated. “As a prince of the Tasharick tribe, you should be aligned with the fae, not the vampires. You need to make a public declaration of your allegiance to your people.”
They could argue in circles forever, but it wouldn’t address the actual problem. “That does not mean I have to marry a fae to prove my loyalty. By marrying Gwil, I’ll show that we fae are not insular and are able to widen our horizons.”
