Page 70 of Searching for the Prince
“I am not a potato!”
Gwil hurriedly shooed him back into the fireplace. “I’ll get those biscuits to you asap, and I’ll see what others you might like.”
Copperpipe poked him in the chest. “You need to start hanging about with better people. People who don’t call others tubers!”
He was gone, more scrabbling and a definitebollockslater, Gwil turned to Talia. “Sorry about him. He’s too useful to annoy.”
“Right. Come on. Time to get you on the arm of a different fae prince for the evening.” She smirked. “Oh, maybe you’ll be thought of as the Prince’s Beloved of Simon as well. That would be smashing.”
Gwil did not want to encourage people associating him with Simon in such a way as he was sure Robin would come and pull out his fangs, shove them up his arse and remove his head.
“Let’s not overcomplicate matters.”
“True, and Hyax does have a possessive side.”
Apart from Solivatus, Gwil wouldn’t have said that Hyax was the jealous type but he’d not given him any reason to be and he wouldn’t want to risk it with Hyax’s current mood. Talia opened a portal and he followed her into a small sitting room where Simon was sitting drinking a glass of champagne.
“Gwil, good to see you. I apologise I didn’t have the chance to thank you myself before you left Crofton Hall, but I hope my being here today is a small indication of my gratitude.”
“I am going to see how Hyax is holding up,” Talia said. “A servant will be here in a moment to escort you to your seats.”
Gwil, left alone with Prince Simon, felt a bit awkward. “You didn’t have to do this, Your Highness.”
“Please call me, Simon. You of all people have earnt that right. And I am happy to be here. I would prefer to be watching you marrying Hyax, but I don’t believe this will ultimately prevent that.”
Before Gwil could reply a servant arrived wearing clothes far grander than usual and they followed him out and into the halls. As they emerged into the main part of the castle, he could see the building had been dressed for the occasion. Soft lights guided them to a room he’d never visited before, large and reminding him of a cavern where chairs had been arranged row after row. Most of the seats were taken and he received stares of interest and confusion as they passed by towards the front where two chairs waited for them.
Gwil sat next to Prince Simon as instructed. He wasn’t sure which of them was getting more attention. Gwil, who was one of the groom’s favourite fucktoys who had the balls to show up andwatch his boyfriend get married, or the future king of a tribe they weren’t on the best of terms with.
“You’re not used to the spotlight, are you?” Simon said. He was more observant than the average royal.
“I’m able to do my job because most of the time I can hide in plain sight because no one cares I’m there.”
“No chance of that today.”
“Perhaps I shouldn’t have come.” He knew Hyax had wanted him to make a scene but now he was here he was no longer as convinced.
“Bollocks to that. You being here is a statement, you are supporting Prince Hyax, and you will be at his side no matter what. It is far more powerful than being pretty on his arm in a club.”
“I guess.” He couldn’t argue with the sentiment even if he didn’t like it much.
He glanced down to see a furry creature, akin to an overly large cat, stick his head between his ankles. He hadn’t expected him to be allowed out to roam the castle during such an important occasion.
Simon noticed. “Oh, is that a talkist?”
Gwil leaned down and scratched Meddi between the ears, setting off a loud purring noise. “This is Meddi, he belongs to Hyax.”
Simon laughed as Meddi jumped up and settled into Gwil’s lap and would not be moved despite Gwil trying to push him off. First time he’d met the furry git, he’d got into bed between him and Hyax, expanded in size and held Gwil in a bear hug.
“Another message,” Simon said fondly, tickling Meddi between his long pointed ears. “Those are like witches familiars to the fae, and here is Hyax’s talkist showing everyone who he favours.”
“My cat likes Hyax too.” Gwil thought Simon might be over-egging the proverbial pudding as Meddi was almost a fan of anyone who gave him bacon.
“But they’re traditionally used as collar bearers in a wedding ceremony, but not in this case it seems.”
Hyax had said he wasn’t going to exchange collars. “They’re not doing collars. Hyax said something about a bracelet.”
“Oh, that is interesting. I exchanged wedding rings with Robin, which is a vampire custom because they’re not keen on things getting in the way of a jugular, but it’s rare for fae not to have collars.”
