“That we did.”
“Exactly. And we were in the middle of pretending we hated each other. It’s disappointing, but we’ll make it through.”
“We will.”
“I’d best go. Shelly’s worried she’s going to burn my phone cover and still has some curls to go. I’ll see you soon.” She blew me a kiss, then she was gone.
I pulled off the clothes I’d hastily put on earlier and took another, calming deep breath.
Sitting in the theatre was better than not spending any time together at all. And Tati would be less likely to regret her decision to walk by my side if I wasn’t so angry when she saw me.
“Ready, sir?”
I turned to Samson and nodded.
“Yes.”
He got me dressed with my usual speed and I reminded myself that I was going to see Tati at the end of it.
“You seem agitated, sir,” Samson remarked.
“I do.”
“Would that be because you are agitated, sir?”
We exchanged a look and an almost-smile.
“It would, Samson.”
“Anything I can do, sir?”
“No. I just really wasn’t prepared for everything that came after the announcement. I think I spent so long trying not to think about it that I didn’t give enough – or any – thought as to what would come next.”
Samson finished doing up my bowtie. “Well, sir. Even you can’t be prepared for everything.”
“Maybe not. But it’s not like this was a surprise. My whole life has led to this moment. I’ve been trained for just about anything. And yet I feel utterly unprepared for everything that is happening.”
“Some would see that positively, sir.”
“And how is that, Samson?”
“Some would say your feeling of unpreparedness stems from how much you care. I would certainly think that is no bad thing.”
I nodded and caught his eye in the mirror as he helped me into my jacket. “Thank you, Samson.”
“Was that any help at all, sir?”
I huffed a rough laugh. “It was, actually. Yes.”
“So pleased I could help, sir.”
I slid my phone into my inner breast pocket and ran a hand over my hair in the mirror.
“Okay,” I started. “That will be all for today, Samson. Thank you.”
“Very good, sir. Just as a reminder, sir. Your first commitment tomorrow is the council at one.”
I turned to him with a smile. “So you mean I have the morning to myself?”
His answering smile was wry. “Well, sir. That highly depends upon how much work you have in the in-tray.”
I nodded, thinking it over. “What does Lady Tatiana’s schedule look like in the morning?” I asked.
Samson picked up his tablet and pulled up Tati’s diary. “Free, sir.”
“Good. Block them both up so nothing can be booked. And could you call Pietr in the morning and see if he’ll take us at ten?”
“Pietr will have all the required details for what you want?” he asked as his fingers played over the screen.
“He does. I spoke to him on Friday.”
“Wonderful. Yours and Lady Tatiana’s schedules are booked out until the council at one, sir.”
“Thank you, Samson.”
“Oh.” He paused. “Mathis will have your car ready downstairs when you are.”
I nodded. “Thank you. Go and enjoy yourself.”
Samson gave me a wry smile. “I will, sir. Good night.”
“Good night.”
He headed out moments before me. However, whereas he would have gone via the back stairs to his office, I was heading to Tati’s room. There was a short moment where I felt a little bit like a stalker – always going to find her – but I really just wanted as many moments with her as possible.
Natalia was speaking to Neil in the hallway when I arrived. Nikolai was in place outside Tati’s door.
“Good evening, your highness,” Natalia said as she gave a small curtsey.
Neil and Nikolai nodded in greeting, more a formality than anything else. Like many of the recent hires to the guard, Neil, Nikolai and I knew of each other through training. I often wondered how those chosen for the guard felt about it. They were of course chosen because of their skill, but surely their skill made them want to put it to use outside glorified babysitting.
“Good evening, Lady Malmot. You look beautiful as always,” I replied.
She was wearing a simple light blue long-sleeved top with a shining skirt, her hair down in soft waves. In her arms, she carried a navy-blue coat. Looking at her, I felt as though she were taking a leaf out of her sister’s book on fashion but still being her naturally elegant self.
Natalia smiled politely. “Thank you.”
“Are you going alone?” I asked her.
“Oh, no. I’m meeting Rup… Lord Barr at the theatre.”
I supressed a smile. “Apologies. I meant to the drawing room.”
“Or, right. With Neil, I’m never alone, your highness,” she said. “Besides, Tati assured me fifteen minutes ago she was five minutes from being ready.”
I schooled my expression, but nodded. “She’s nothing if not consistent.”
“Consistently late.”
“Oh, are you guys talking about me?” Tati asked with a grin as she emerged from her room.
She looked like my Tati in a black lacey dress. The front fell to her knees and the back was a little longer. As she pulled on a black coat, I just saw that the sleeves were short and off the shoulder. She fluffed her hair out, also in waves like Natalia but the front half of one side pulled back.
“Ten minutes,” Natalia sighed in English. “Ten minutes.”
“So?” Tati replied with a cheeky smile. “That’s only twice as long as I said.”
“Since you were supposed to be ready!”
“It is so not my fault that you’re good at this being on time thing. Don’t punish me for your mistakes.”
Natalia fought to control a smile and lost. “Consider yourself lucky I love you.”
“I do. Every day.” Tati turned to me with a wide smile. “Hey you.”
I nodded. “Hello.”
“Well ladies and gents, if this is life engaged to a prince, don’t tell everyone or they’ll all want one,” Tati said with a wink.
“Come on,” Natalia sighed. “Or we’ll be late.”
“Yes,” I said dryly. “What a pity it would be to miss The Pirates of Penzance.”
Natalia looked at me in humoured surprise and Tati snorted.
“Seen it before then?” Tati asked.
“Many times,” Natalia replied for me. “It’s his majesty’s favourite.”
“I personally like the purple pants,” Tati chuckled.
“You know it?” I asked, surprised.
She nodded. “Mum likes theatre. She thought I’d enjoy pirates.”
“And?” I asked.
“She wasn’t wrong. It kicked off a life-long love of all things pirate.” Tati grinned then held her hand out to me.
I proffered my elbow for Tati and Natalia fell in line with us as we walked down to the drawing room to meet the others. The sisters chatted away in English about things I didn’t feel the need to understand or be involved in.
“Your father was just about to send a search party,” Mother said as we walked in. The look on her face told me she knew I’d dragged my heels and she was disappointed with me, but neither did she completely blame me.
“It was my fault,” Tati offered. “I was the last one ready as usual.”
Mother spared me a look that said she knew I hadn’t been waiting on Tati for very long before she smiled. “I would not fault you, dear. We still have time.”
I was pulled from their conversation by Kostin.
“As thrilled as I to be going tonight, I see, brother?” he asked, his tone wry as we survey
ed the room.
“Naturally. I’m honestly shocked I risked Father being late tonight.”
“I can well imagine. After all, it’s not as though the man has seen it thirty-odd times.”
I gave a small smile and felt him huff a laugh beside me.
“Where is Dominic?” Kostin asked as we watched our parents and the Penroses laugh and talk.
I shared an eye roll with him. “I hear he feigned an important job for Arnell.”
Kostin sighed. “He did that last year as well. Maybe I should go back to the army? You should have made plans with Anya. The more of us who don’t have to sit through this again the better.”
“I did have plans with her. Father overruled them.”
My brother started beside me and looked at me. “What?”
I nodded. “Yes. He quite explicitly told Samson I wasn’t getting out of it.”
Kostin sighed again. “Damn. Well, there goes my rush to find a fiancée and miss being dragged to productions for the thousandth time.”
“You are unusually hyperbolic tonight, brother,” I commented.
He inclined his head but said nothing. I followed his line of sight and saw he was looking at Tati speaking to Natalia and our mother.
Many times, I had heard him be described as the robot prince. But he was my brother and I was used to reading the expressions on his face. And something was bleeding through now. I just could not work out if it was anger, annoyance or sadness.
“Was there a specific someone you had intended to affiance?”
He jumped slightly and turned to me again. “No. Why?”
I looked over at Tati for a moment and then back at Kostin, who had paled slightly and had an air of supressing nervous agitation about him.
“I am beyond happy for you, brother. You and Anya are incomparably well suited. You bring out the best in each other. I would be lucky to find someone who suited me so well.”
“I never gave any credence to the rumours, brother…” I started slowly. My underlying intention was clear.
He shook his head. “For that I am glad. Poor Anya. I was worried I’d used her terribly. But she was very understanding.”
“What?”
He looked at me again with an apologetic smile. “She didn’t tell you?” he asked and I shook my head, thinking for his sake his explanation had better be good. “I did flirt with her a little. Well, I tried to flirt with her a little. But it was only practise for…the person I actually wanted to flirt with. Anya was very kind about it when she realised. She even said she’d help me where she could. I’m just sorry it led to such misconception in the media.”
That sounded exactly like Tati. And if I was honest, it sounded exactly like Kostin.
But if it wasn’t my fiancée he was pining over, who was it?
Chapter Twelve
The next morning, I had Tati dressed, down stairs and none the wiser to where we were going outside it was a surprise and it would only be the two of us.
The night before had been far less terrible than I’d told myself it would be. While I’d much preferred to spend time talking with her or kissing her, it was lovely being able to hold her hand without feeling like someone would see when they shouldn’t. I’d enjoyed whispering in her ear and making her giggle, and it not mattering who saw or what they thought we were talking about. I’d relished experiencing the man and prince I could be with her by my side.
However, some time alone to talk and just be a couple was what I really wanted. And I couldn’t believe my luck in actually finding some time to do so. True, we’d only have two hours. But that would be better than nothing.
As we crossed the entrance hall, dressed more casually in jeans and pullovers under our coats, Kostin saw us.
“Brother. Anya. How are you?”
I nodded at him as Tati smiled.
“Good, Kostin,” Tati answered. “You?”
He nodded as well. “Fine, thank you. Mitya, I was hoping to speak to you?”
I shrugged. “I’m taking Tati out. Can it wait?”
Kostin nodded. “It can. When will you be back?”
“I have to meet with the council at one.”
Kostin sighed empathetically. “Ah. I’ll see what I can sort for tomorrow, then?”
I nodded. “I think I have some time in the afternoon?” I hoped my look suggested I’d rather it wait longer than that if it could.
But whether my brother understood it or not, he gave a short nod. “Okay. I’ll speak to Samson.”
“You do that. Now, if you’ll excuse us–”
“Where are you off to?” Mother asked as she walked past.
“Pietr’s,” I replied.
“Oh, what a wonderful idea! But Kostin, you’ll need a coat.”
“Oh. I’m not going. I was just trying to find some time to speak with Mitya. It’s not imp–”
“Then go with him and speak to him in the car.” Mother smile at us fondly.
“Oh, no. I–”
“Nonsense. It is far too long since you’ve seen Pietr. Lord knows your cousin likes to keep to himself.”
Kostin spared me a glance. After years of silent brotherly communication, it didn’t take long for the nuances of the situation to pass between us. It also didn’t take long for us to come to the same conclusion that our mother wouldn’t take no for an answer. There were many things our mother allowed us, but passing on an opportunity to spend time with family was not one of them.
Finally, Kostin nodded. “I’ll go and get my coat.”
“You’ll want a change of trousers at least,” I reminded him, looking down at his suit.
He nodded, then hurried off.
I threw an apologetic smile to Tati, who just smirked at me knowingly.
“What are your plans for the morning, Hilde?” she asked.
“I was going to go over the spring planting schedule with the head gardener,” Mother replied with a smile.
Mother loved being involved in the gardening. The palace had been somewhat cautious in how much they actually allowed her to do, but she’d had a say in what was planted and where since Father’s arse first hit the throne. In another life, she would have been a botanist.
I tuned their talk out as I checked my emails and saw one from Jenn titled ‘JENN AND BEA DO GALLYR!! Please…’. While Tati politely talked to Mother about what to plant once the ground was thawed, I had a quick look over the email.
Jenn had included a lot of rambling about how flexible they were on dates between certain times and what they thought they’d want to do while they were over. In among all that, I managed to find she’d given some times around Easter and summer that would work for them. All I needed to do was check when the Gallyrian National University started and what Tati’s obligations were between now and then. But Max would be a valuable resource for that and he’d be able to keep the secret if Jenn and Bea were the surprise, I was sure.
By the time I finished replying, Kostin was changed and back and Mathis was wondering where we were.
We said a hurried goodbye to Mother, promising to say hello to Pietr for her, and bundled ourselves into the car.
The trip was quiet to begin with, then Tati started trying to work out where we were going and who Pietr was. So the forty-five minute trip went by pleasantly quickly.
Mathis pulled up out the back of Pietr’s homestead and Nikolai opened the door for Tati to exit the car.
“I can see why I got to go casual,” Tati said, looking around eagerly.
Pietr lived on a sweeping farm and had done long before my maternal grandfather had died and passed it onto him. It was beautiful all year round, but with the rolling hills and vines still covered with snow, it held a little winter magic about it.
“When you said ten, I was excepting half nine not five minutes to,” Pietr said and I smiled at him standing on his porch in his chef’s whites.
“Pietr, I’d like to int
roduce you to Tatiana,” I said, holding my hand out to her.
She came over to me as she looked up at him and said, “Hi.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you. Dmitri has told me much about you,” Pietr replied as he came down the stairs.
“Not all bad things, I hope,” she chuckled and shook his hand.
“None. I promise you. Kostin!” he cried and Kostin came forward.
“Pietr. How are you?”
“Good.” The two of them clapped arms. “I wasn’t expecting you, was I?”
Kostin opened his mouth, looked at me, then shook his head. “Mother saw these two leaving and shuffled me off as third wheel with a hug and her best wishes.”
Pietr knew our mother well enough to understand. “How is Aunt Hilde?”
“Very concerned about the timing for the arugula,” Tati answered as she bent down to pay the dog who had run up to us.
“Uncle Kostin! Uncle Mitya!” came a familiar voice and we turned to see Amelie running out from the house.
I bent down and let her run into my arms, picking her up and lifting her high as she giggled.
“Up high! Up high!”
“And what have you cooked for us today, Amelie?” I asked her.
“Cake!”
“Is it a good cake?”
She nodded rapidly. “It is very big. And venison.”
“Venison cake?” Tati asked and Amelie giggled again.
“No.” She shook her little head so her curls bounced. “You eat the venison then the cake!”
“Oh!” Tati breathed. “Silly me. Of course!”
Amelie giggled again and I put her down. She took a firm hold of my hand and looked up at Tati.
“Amelie, this is Tati. She’s going to be my wife,” I told her.
“She’s pretty,” Amelie said.
“I think so, too.”
“Shall we take everyone inside, cherie?” Pietr asked her, holding his hand to her.
Amelie refused to let go of my hand to take Pietr’s so we swung her up the stairs and made our way through the back door.
Waiters and chefs and staff called, “Your highness!” as we passed and Kostin and I both smiled at them. Tati watched everything avidly, only being distracted by Amelie towards the end as the little girl pushed open the heavy door to the private room.
Royally Unprepared: Prince of Pout (Part 1) (Royal Misadventures Book 5) Page 9