True Mates

by Noah Harris

  “Well, then I look forward to hearing what I hope to be good news soon,” Philip said.

  Jaeger nodded. “We could all do with more good news.”

  Minerva bowed her head. “And this day is about your good news, so maybe we’ll hold off a little while longer on any announcements.”

  Merit followed after Minerva, her handmaidens drifting behind them with their own faint smiles. Minerva had all but announced that she and Merit were more than simply companions, but had only hinted at more. There was a light in her eyes which hadn’t been there before, and one he recognized from the first few months Jaeger had been pregnant.

  “Nice of her to wait,” Jaeger mumbled beside him.

  “Despite appearances to the contrary, our dear queen does know how to be subtle when it’s called for,” Philip said, reaching over to squeeze Jaeger’s knee.

  “And I bet they’re just talking up a storm in the north, with their queen gearing up to marry someone from the forest,” Jaeger said as the herald called out for the next arrival.

  “Wait till they hear the other surprise,” Philip chuckled, looking up as the doors opened.

  Makepeace and Verity made their way down the carpeted length of the room. They were dressed in their best robes, long and flowing, stitched with delicately swooping patterns which reminded Philip of tree roots. They were all smiles as they walked, their arms laden with small boxes hewn and shaped from wood.

  Philip opened his arms. “My friends, it is a joy to see you both again.”

  Makepeace bowed. “And your Graces, we hope to find you in joy and peace.”

  “Things have been a little hectic for peace, but there has been plenty of joy,” Philip told him.

  Verity cocked his head. “And we are glad to hear it. We know there was much talk about prophecy and fate, but it seems all is well.”

  The prophecy hadn’t been spoken of in quite some time, and Philip felt his heart stutter for a moment. Orrin’s final words about the prophecy had been clear, but so had Philip’s decision to marry a member of royal blood. Philip had lived so long in fear of what would happen if he didn’t obey the prophecy, it still lingered in his mind. There had been no crown, but that was a detail very few knew, and he preferred it that way.

  “Prophecy may be spoken, and sometimes it may even be true, but we create our own fates, and with the help of our people and our allies, we forge our futures together,” Jaeger said with absolute confidence.

  Philip squeezed his husband’s knee again, grateful. “My husband speaks truly.”

  Makepeace winked. “I am glad to see you’ve both come so far. We’ve heard rumors and news of course, but it does a heart good to see the truth with my own eyes.”

  “And though we’ve heard the reports, is it true that all is well in the forest?” Jaeger asked.

  Makepeace nodded. “Fear not on our account, things have never been better for our people.”

  Through correspondence with Minerva, Philip had learned there had been a greater shift toward acceptance for the people of the Arden Forest than they might have originally believed. There were still plenty of people who were opposed to the idea of being allied with a country full of ‘wild men’ and werewolves, but she had written about them being holdovers, and ‘soon to die out as the generations passed.’ The people of his own kingdom had been almost universally relieved to hear of the peace between the two nations, and of making the forest a sovereign nation.

  Still, it was good to hear it from Makepeace’s mouth. “I am glad to hear that.”

  “Indeed. The world is moving toward a brighter future for us all,” Verity said, his voice quiet against the soft murmuring of the crowd.

  “And it is all too easy to see the future as it lays in your lap,” Makepeace said, with a nod toward the babe in Jaeger’s arm.

  Jaeger beamed, holding Vernal up so they could see. “Indeed. We forge this new, brighter future for those who come after us, beginning with our own future.”

  Makepeace approached, bending so he could gaze down into the child’s face. “I can see you both so clearly in his little face. May he prosper in the new kingdom you have both helped to create.”

  “We will be guiding him as we were guided before, and we hope the foundations we lay down in our lifetime will bring him to greater heights than we can reach,” Philip said solemnly.

  Makepeace smiled, allowing Vernal to grab hold of him. “But he lacks a crown.”

  Jaeger laughed. “The Prince is not quite ready for one just yet.”

  “Well, we bring a great many gifts to celebrate this miracle, but there is one in particular we would like to present to him now, if you would,” Makepeace said.

  Philip nodded. “I’m curious to see what you’ve brought.”

  Verity turned to one of the men behind him, taking something from within a small box and approaching. It was difficult to see what he clenched so carefully in his grip as he approached the dais to stand beside Makepeace.

  “It is a bit large for him at the moment, but in time, it will fit,” Verity told him as he held his hands out.

  Makepeace leaned back, smiling as he took what Philip could now see was a circlet of leaves. His eyes widened, heart thundering in his chest as he realized it was not just any leaf, and no mere circlet. Jaeger looked at him, the same expression of wonder and surprise on his face as Makepeace took it from Verity.

  Makepeace lay it upon Vernal’s tiny head. “May this new prince be greater than any of his predecessors and bring even greater prosperity to all the lands he touches.”

  Vernal gurgled happily as he wrapped his fingers around the mistletoe which formed his crown. It was noticeably larger than his head, dangling over the back and onto his neck. Yet Philip knew Makepeace was right. In time, he would grow into it.

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