Page 55 of Of Sockets Of Stitches
That thought did not lead to a saved world.
Duke Raise popped his head up through the copper panel leading to his duchy. He was panting, clearly having raced to get here. “Queen… Perantiqua. You could. Stop seeing him as an enemy.”
I faced King See. “And you, sir? What would you have me do? Do you offer me advice to make matters better or worse? Or do you bid me to alter my tolerance and perception?”
King See rose and stood to attention. “I await your order, my queen.”
When he said “my queen,” the words were not impersonal as they were with other monsters.
I smirked. “So you offer nothing, as you have always done.”
King See absorbed the blow well considering how that topic prickled at him. “I do nothing but support your decision.”
He bowed, then stood again.
What to do with a king.Hmm,he was not a king, though, but I did not wish to acknowledge what he was. Such vulnerability in me. But I had seen a glimpse of a saved world. My emotional readiness was neither here nor there. “You are now Prince Consort, and will be this forevermore. I bid you return to your princedom. All humans and monsters are mine. You will pursue your purpose to grow your power. Forme. You will support my queendom always in all possible ways.”
See released an exhale. “I will do all of these things. I am honored to be your prince consort.” He hesitated. “Thank you, my queen. I understand this is…”
Too much.
Premature.
Impossible.
“Go now,” I told him, then faced the other kings. “Duke, you are dismissed also.”
Raise disappeared below. See lingered before leaving also.
He was gone. I felt great relief to be free of him for a time.
King Change laughed to himself.
Therewas a king that I could not release. But I would have to eventually. And the others… I withheld a sigh because more than ever an urgency filled me.
The healing of unions must be accelerated.
Huckery padded in. “My queen, your champions have awakened.”
“Thank you, Huckery.”
King Change mused, “So you are her dog now.”
My queendom rumbled at the insult, but Huckery answered in the same tone. “I always was, though unaware of such ancient designs. I am capable of change, you see, though I did not believe this for a long while.”
Change yanked at his shackles. “How brave a pawn can be when a king is shackled.”
“How brave a pawn is to place himself in the company of a king who abused him for centuries.”
A lump filled my throat.Goodness,but I had not fathomed how extremely hard that would be. Huckery was brave. Huckery was not healed, but he was not stuck in denial any longer.
I said hoarsely, “A pawn is very brave, and a queen is very proud. King Change, if only you possessed the connection of the monster who used to be your prince.”
I swept from the conservatory, and Huckery followed in my wake to the second level. The level of princesses.
I visited the most ancient of them first.
Princess Take was propped in bed and wearing her cloak.
