Royally Unprepared: Prince of Pout (Part 1) (Royal Misadventures Book 5)

by Elizabeth Stevens

I caught his smile in the mirror and returned it. “This is true. More than can be said for many men standing in front of a woman with a ring.”

  “I can’t imagine it’s any more daunting than standing in front of a woman in front of the whole country, sir.”

  I laughed. “True again.” I turned to him. “How do I look.”

  “Impeccable as always, sir.”

  I nodded. “All right. Let’s go and give a girl a ring.”

  I headed for the conservatory, and Samson followed me as usual. Not that he was coming in with me. I just had him there as he always was because I wasn’t quite sure what I’d do without him to keep my schedule straight or keep me in line. At least he had help now.

  I walk in and it looked even more perfect than I’d imagined when I’d first asked Samson about it. Fairy lights hung about the otherwise dark room, making it sparkle as though with magic. The fire had been stoked so the room wasn’t freezing, but I didn’t plan on keeping her in there too long anyway.

  I took my place in the middle of the room and didn’t have to wait long for her to arrive. Nikolai opened the doors for her and there she was. A picture of beauty. And it wasn’t the gorgeous red dress she wore, it wasn’t the hairstyle that had no doubt taken her maids as long to create as I’d spent getting ready, and it wasn’t the stately way she glided towards me.

  All I saw was that perfectly wonderful smile and those big, warm hazel eyes staring at me like she felt the same way I did. And I never wanted it to end.

  “You requested me, your highness?” she asked as she walked towards me.

  “I did.” I jiggled the ring box in my hand behind my back, feeling an excited bubble of nervousness in my chest.

  “What for?”

  “To try this again.”

  When she’d almost reached me, I dropped to one knee and held up the box. I felt like this was the only place I was supposed to be. I felt like this was the only person I was supposed to be with. There were no doubts in my mind that anything we faced would be worth it if we were together.

  “Tati, will you marry me?” I asked, opening the box.

  She smiled down at me and the electrifying energy between us was palpable. Never had I felt so confident about anything in my life, and somehow I knew she felt the same.

  She nodded. “Yes, Mitya.”

  I stood up and slid my great-grandmother’s ring onto her finger. We wrapped our arms around each other and, just before I got to kiss her, she said, “Amanda will be pissed.”

  “She will.” I nodded with a smirk. “Lord Baker will be devastated.”

  “He might be. But we can deal with them in a moment. First, I want to kiss you.”

  “I like this plan.”

  She cupped my cheek. “I love you.”

  “And, I love you.”

  And finally, I got to kiss her. But it was short-lived. She pulled away from me quickly, her face crest-fallen.

  “What?” I asked her, feeling panic well inside me.

  “Bea and Jenn!” she said quietly. “I forgot all about them. I have to tell them. They’re going to kill me.”

  I could understand her concern. “What time is it?”

  “Um…like three in the morning or something.”

  I nodded. “Okay. Have you got your phone?”

  She touched her side. “Of course. Pockets.”

  I grinned. “Of course. Will they accept a picture when they wake up?”

  She looked at me in surprise. “A picture? What? Of you and me?”

  “You, me, the ring. Is that not standard?”

  She blinked for a moment as she thought. Then she nodded. “Yes. Yes. I think that would be more than acceptable.” She laughed. “You’re happy to take a picture?”

  It wasn’t strictly protocol to send such a picture outside the family, but there was going to be some protocol we did away with if we were going to make this work.

  “I can’t have my future wife killed before she becomes my current wife.”

  She gave a small smile as she pulled her phone from her pocket. “I’m getting used to the sound of that.”

  I stepped to stand behind her and wrapped my arms around her middle. “I’m glad.”

  She laughed and held her hand and phone up. As she took the picture, I kissed her cheek and she laughed.

  “All right. Let me send them this…” she said as she started typing on the screen. “Then shouldn’t we be at some sort of ball?”

  “Two balls in your honour in less than six months,” I teased. “Anyone would think you’re going to be queen.”

  She put her phone away again and shoved my shoulder playfully. “Let’s go, your highness.”

  “Of course, my lady.” I grinned at her as I bowed, and she wrinkled her nose with a laugh and started heading out.

  But I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me quickly.

  She laughed, “Mitya,” and my heart fluttered ridiculously warmly in my chest.

  “Tati?” I asked, nudging her nose with mine.

  “We really should get going.”

  I inclined my head. “In a minute.”

  “Time waits for no man,” she chastised teasingly and I knew Max had instilled that in her as much as Father had in us.

  “Maybe not. But it will have to wait for a prince and his fiancée.”

  I ran my fingers down her cheek slowly and watched the way her eyes softened.

  “We had our first kiss in here,” she said quietly.

  I nodded. “We did.”

  Like that night, her hand ran up my chest slowly, the desire plain in her eyes. I was as unable to resist her as I’d been on New Year’s Eve. Everything about her felt like it was made for me as everything about me seemed made for her.

  As she reached up, I leant down and our lips met again. Warmth blossomed through me. It was a kiss I never wanted to end. It was soft and sweet, but still full of passion with a not so subtle reminder of the heat of which we were capable. As though we both knew we were supposed to be behaving, it stayed that way for a few minutes until we both pulled away.

  Tati took my hand and started leading the way out once more.

  “Come on! Everyone’s going to think we’re off…SHAGGING!” she said loudly and I couldn’t help but laugh again.

  Chapter Six

  Tati and I were running a little bit late as we arrived at the grand entrance to the ballroom. Though not as late as we would have been had Nikolai and Samson not been following us. Mother and Father were the last ones waiting to be announced.

  “Are we ready?” Mother asked, as we approached still hand in hand. She wore one of those motherly knowing smiles, but I knew she was pleased.

  I nodded. “Ready.” I ducked my lips to kiss Tati’s hair absently.

  “I don’t think I need to remind you there will be more paparazzi than usual tonight, Mitya,” Father said, part-warning and part-joke, as Alaina ushered them into position.

  “No. All appropriateness will be observed, Father.”

  He nodded as Larry announced them and I stepped forward with Tati to watch them elegantly descend the stairs.

  Tati squeezed my hand and leant against my arm with a giggle. I tried very hard to keep my mask of –what had she called it? – professionalism in place when I could finally be with her the way I wished. But my face refused to stop smiling.

  “All right. You’re up next, sir.” Alaina waved us forward. “And congratulations again, your highness, my lady.”

  “Thank you, Alaina,” Tati said, the smile evident in her voice as she placed her arm over mine.

  “Yes. Thank you, Miss Lloyd,” I said with a short nod.

  Alaina gave us a smile and nodded, her job mainly finished for the night. Unless there were any major problems that could not wait until morning, the rest of the ship should sail smoothly from there out.

  Larry hit his staff against the floor and I felt Tati jump in surprise.r />
  “Every time,” she murmured with a self-conscious chuckle.

  “Now presenting…” Larry said, his booming voice carrying easily across the ballroom. “His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince Dmitri of Gallyr. And his fiancée, Lady Tatiana Bethany Penrose.”

  I spared a quick look to Tati, then we both stepped forward together. It felt like a poignant start to our lives together as well as the perfect start.

  We were greeted by slightly more raucous applause than one usually received in the Royal Ballroom of Gallyria Palace. But under the circumstances – both my engagement and the fact that the ball had been open to the public to attend – I didn’t think there would be much complaint about the drop of decorum.

  As was customary, we moved to the middle of the room for the first dance of the evening. I spun Tati into position and noticed she felt more tense than usual.

  “Are you all right?” I asked her.

  She nodded as we started dancing. “Yes.”

  “Second thoughts?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “Can I get more than a one-word answer?”

  “Maybe.”

  I huffed a laugh and she seemed to relax a little. “Sorry. I’m just seriously worried I’m going to elbow you or something in front of all these people.”

  I looked down at her. “You are dancing beautifully.”

  “I seem to remember a time you didn’t think much of my dancing.”

  I nodded as I looked behind her at all the smiling faces. “I hear you had a decent tutor.”

  She snorted and I looked back at her. “I heard he was very hesitant.”

  “Dominic?” I said, feigning confusion.

  She giggled and her step faltered for a second. “I know you weren’t talking about Nico. You wouldn’t dare compliment him unless it was absolutely necessary.”

  “Which I’m sure you’ll remember I did that day.”

  Her eyes shone as she looked up at me. “I do remember. Dad called you out on it.”

  “He did.”

  The guests started joining us in our dance and I felt Tati relax even more.

  “You’re doing perfectly well,” I told her.

  “Maybe you’re a magician after all?”

  A short bark of laughter escaped me before I regained control over myself and more than one person paused to look at me. I cleared my throat and saw Tati was silently laughing at me.

  “Your mask is slipping, your highness,” she warned.

  I pulled her slightly closer. “Is that such a bad thing?”

  She shook her head slightly. “No. But I can’t go wandering around in public without mine, so I’m not sure how fair it is that you drop yours.”

  I fought to regain some of my composure. “Better?”

  She snorted again and her head leant against my chest for a moment as we danced. “Sure,” she giggled.

  We danced for a while longer and I relished not needing to worry about decorum. She wore my great-grandmother’s ring now; I could dance with her as long as I liked without any awkward assumptions being made in the news on the morrow. Then her hand tightened slightly on my shoulder.

  “Drink?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Please.”

  I manoeuvred us to the edge of the dancing couples then let her lead the way over to the bar, refusing to let go of her hand.

  “Your highness. My lady.”

  I paused and turned, but it was Tati who spoke first.

  “General Arnell. A pleasure as always.” She gave him a short curtsey.

  “Lady Tatiana. May I bestow my best wishes on your union.”

  “Thank you, general. How are you?”

  “Well. How are you?”

  “Very well.” Tati beamed at him.

  I watched the exchange – in Gallyrian no less – in extreme surprise. The last time I’d seen them together, it had been barely contained hostility to the point I’d felt it prudent to separate them. Now? Now they might not have been close friends, but something had obviously changed.

  “Your highness?” The general snapped his heels together and bowed to me.

  For once I was at a loss for words. “Uh. General. Good to see you.”

  “If you’ll excuse me,” Tati said with a hand to my arm. “I’m dying for a drink. Can I get you anything? General? Mitya?”

  “No. Thank you, my lady,” Arnell replied.

  “Whiskey, please,” I answered, giving her a smile.

  She returned it then headed off through the crowd.

  “You made an interesting choice, your highness,” Arnell said and I looked back to him.

  “Interesting, general?”

  He nodded. “Yes. Lady Tatiana is a unique young woman.”

  “Had we had this conversation even a month ago I would have cautioned your tongue.”

  Arnell’s face lit with a ghost of a smile. “Yes. You would have.”

  “May I ask what changed?”

  “I was remiss with her, Dmitri.” Arnell was a lot of things –some good, some bad – but he was one of the first to admit his own mistakes. “I didn’t give her enough credit where credit was due. I confess I tested her.”

  “Did you now?” Then I realised what he must mean. “The Channel Eight report?”

  Arnell nodded. “The very same.”

  “She passed.”

  “Yes. She did. However, if I had not been so stuck in my ways, I believe she would have passed long before that.”

  I fought the threatening smile. “You approve, then?”

  Arnell lost some of his military leader air. “Neither of you need my approval. But you do have it. Any old fool can see how happy she makes you.”

  I cleared my throat. “She makes a change from the norm. That’s for sure.”

  “Our country is changing. And perhaps that is for the better?”

  I nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

  He smiled and gave me a swift pat on the arm. “Major.”

  He walked away quickly and I watched him go in surprise. Of all the people who would have disapproved, I’d fully expected Arnell to be one of the major players. I’d been completely prepared to have to justify my decision to him, to defend Tati and argue that any choice but her would have been wrong for me and the country. His approval had taken me totally off guard.

  I looked around, saying hello to people who passed and smiling in response to their passing congratulations, as I scanned the room for Tati. But I couldn’t see her.

  “Mitya!”

  I turned to my brother with a questioning look.

  “Lost your bride already?” he teased.

  “It seems so,” I responded.

  “What? No angered quip? No reprimand? Is this what happens when the heart is thawed, brother?”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “You get a pass tonight, Dominic. My mood is too high to be concerned with your particular brand of humour.”

  Nico leant into me. “Some would say you might not be so happy without my particular brand of humour.”

  I nudged him companionably. “Yes. Some might also say we’d have endured less hardships without your particular brand of humour.”

  “Do not blame me just because you didn’t want to see how much she meant to you–”

  “If you make a mention of her in any way inappropriate, brother, I will forget my good mood in favour of wiping that smile off your face.” I smiled, but it was unlikely he’d take any real offense regardless.

  Indeed, he laughed. “I know when I’m beaten, Mitya. I won’t deny I found myself entertaining the notion I could love her. But not only did the better man win, so did the more deserving.” He put his hand out and there was no sign of the joker on his face. He was as sincere as I had ever seen him, despite the tongue-in-cheek nature of his words. Some of the years of animosity between us seemed to melt.

  I took his arm warmly. “Thank you, Nico.”

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nbsp; He nodded, then moved away. As I began looking for Tati again, someone else stopped me.

  “Your highness.”

  I contained the sigh, finding it much easier to wear the mask in my slight annoyance. I did not mind people wanting to speak to me. I just wished I could do it with Tati by my side.

  “Lord Chatswold,” I replied as I turned to him and his wife. “Pleasure. Glad you could make it.”

  “Indeed.” The look on his face quite clearly told me what he thought of proceedings thus far. But obviously he also wanted to make sure I knew by telling me. “You made an…interesting choice today, your highness.”

  Unlike Arnell, Lord and Lady Chatswold didn’t think it interesting in a good way.

  “Indeed.” I shifted, not quite sure how to justify my decision to these people. “The heart wants what the heart wants, yes?”

  I was a tall man and Lord Chatswold was not. Still the man seemed to look down his nose at me. “I was very surprised you didn’t choose Miss Schuller.”

  “Yes,” Lady Chatswold added. “Such a lovely…refined young woman.”

  “Picture of elegance,” Lord Chatswold said with a nod.

  “So suited to royalty.”

  I cleared my throat with a quick nod. “Perhaps. I’m afraid I don’t know enough to comment. Would I be right in assuming you’ve met my fiancée?”

  They nodded quickly.

  “Oh, yes,” Lady Chatswold said. “At her presentation ball.”

  I nodded again. “Many would call her a breath of fresh air to the royal family.”

  “Even a breath of fresh air can carry the taint of disease, your highness,” Lord Chatswold said with a jut of his chin.

  Lady Chatswold mirrored his jut and then they swept away, leaving me wondering what it was about me tonight that gave them the presumption to insult my choice of fiancée to my face.

  I’d known people were heavily invested in my choice. It had been all over the news outlets for months. There were betting odds with all the major punters. I understood it. An heir of Gallyr announcing their engagement only happened every…twenty-five years or so.

  And my choice was going to be a controversial one. Both Tati and I knew that. It was one of the reasons neither of us had believed we could make it work. It was one of the reasons we very nearly didn’t.