“There is one more bedroom in the basement, but it’s not very close to everyone else.”
His grandmother-in-law chuckled. “Oh please. Do you know how much I like the quiet?”
“I haven’t even looked at it to know what it’s like,” he warned.
“Will I be sleeping on a couch?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then it will be fine.”
“I do know the bathroom is accessible to anyone from the basement game room.”
“Does it have a lock?”
Darius couldn’t hide his grin any longer. “I imagine so.”
“Then I’ll take it.”
“Grandmother, why don’t you take my room upstairs? You’ll love the view, at least I think you will, and you’ll be right next to Esther and Darius.” Jacqueline Grace entered the conversation. “The girls have already decided they want to stay together so Kiara won’t be with me. She’ll be wherever Sofia and Gracie are.” She laughed. “When they saw they were sharing a room, they were so excited, then almost cried when Kiara’s name wasn’t on the door.”
Queen Grace studied her granddaughter. Darius wasn’t going to override whatever decision they made unless the former queen really did decide to sleep on a couch.
He eyed the door to the master suite where his mother had disappeared with Esther. But he had host duties to attend to. With his elbow extended to the former queen, he bowed slightly. “Will you allow me to escort you to your quarters?”
She sniffed, in that way a grandmother and former queen can. “No. I’m perfectly capable of walking up stairs and finding a placard with Jacqueline Grace written on it and understanding that’s my room instead.” Her look softened to a smile. “Go find your mother.” The glare returned. “You should have told her.”
Darius’s shoulders slumped. “Yes, ma’am.”
Jacqueline Grace said she’d walk with her grandmother and find the basement room on her own later. Darius took the few steps down the hallway to the master suite. He realized he hadn’t labeled it with his mother’s name.
He knocked but didn’t open the door until he heard Esther tell him to come in.
His mother stood in the sitting room, with her arms wrapped around her waist, as she stared out the window. He could see her tears in the reflection.
Darius shoved his hands in his pockets like he had when he was younger. “I should have told you sooner, Mother. I’m sorry.”
“Will you at least tell me why? Even if you don’t tell anyone else?”
He walked to her side and put his arm around her shoulders. “Sit down?”
She nodded. As they went to the sofa, he noticed Esther at a small table on the other side of the room. Was that one of those coffee makers like the one he’d finally mastered? He heard the hiss as it started so it must be.
“So?” his mother prompted.
Darius sighed, knowing his sins were about to be on full display. “Last February, I told everyone I was going to Ravenzario for a holiday. Instead, I went to Islas del Sargasso, to a resort there. Very exclusive, very private. I just wanted some space, you know?”
She nodded.
“One day I met this beautiful woman next to the pool.” He closed his eyes and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he clasped his hands together. “One thing led to another, and we spent four days together. She didn’t know who I was. She just liked me, Dare. But when I left, I dropped a business card.”
He raised his hands until he could prop his chin on them. “A few weeks later, I was called to a meeting with Edward. That’s when I found out Star was really Princess Esther of San Majoria.” He took a deep breath. “And she was having my baby. The decision was made to get married.” He didn’t want to bother her with the Treaty of 1702 and Isaiah’s influence in all of it. “Edward performed the ceremony with a special license Benjamin can issue if a member of the royal family marries another royal and wishes it to be confidential for a time.”
“The baby should have been born in November,” his mother pointed out.
“There was a miscarriage. We didn’t know it at the time, but the baby had already stopped developing when we got married. She is pregnant, though, and due at the end of May.” That was good timing as far as school was concerned.
His mother’s face remained impassive. “Congratulations, then, I suppose. My first grandchild, thousands of miles away. Why here? Why not stay home? Or even in San Majoria?”
“Esther wanted to attend school here. I was able to transfer. We decided we wanted to start our lives together in private.” That wasn’t quite how it happened but close enough. She didn’t need to know of the threats.
“How long has Esther’s family known?”
“About a month. Only her parents know about the pregnancy, though. We were in that car accident about six weeks ago. We’re both fine, but they came to see us.” He closed his eyes, hoping to block out the pain he saw on his mother’s face.
She hadn’t had the chance to come.
“Maybe I’ll tell you more about the whys some other time, but there were some conditions put on the relationship by Edward. Maybe before school starts again we can all sit down and explain everything more thoroughly, but not over Christmas. Edward owns the house we live in. He hired a couple of staff members to help us learn to be grown-ups. Neither one of us could cook a meal or make a bed or anything most adults know how to do. It’s been good for both of us.”
“Here, Queen Eliana.” Esther held out a mug. “Darius told me this was your favorite, and they happened to have it over there. With all the information you’ve absorbed in the last few minutes, it might help you sleep.”
His mother took the mug from Esther and took a sip, though Darius had no idea what was in it.
“I gave this tea to my children.” She gave the first smile Darius had seen since he entered the room. “Now, I guess I’ll be giving it to my grandchildren.”
“We would love that,” Esther assured her. “I know it seems cruel that you weren’t told, that you couldn’t be there for the wedding, but there were good reasons.”
“Isaiah.” Bitterness colored her voice. “Isaiah was the reason, wasn’t he?”
Darius had hoped she wouldn’t guess. “Part of it.”
“That man will be the death of me yet.”
Darius wasn’t sure he was supposed to hear the words, but as she took another sip of her tea, he wondered how much she knew - and what.
The reflection in the mirror didn’t show Esther the way she thought she should look. She needed to project confidence, assurance in her husband’s love, something she wasn’t certain she had.
“Do we know where we’re all going to fit to eat?” she asked Darius, though she avoided looking at him. She already knew he wore a towel slung low around his hips, as he did every morning when he shaved.
“Louis said he had it under control in that main dining room. I know he got some help from Jonathan for staffing during the day. A temp service or something. I know he got nondisclosure agreements from all of them.”
Esther went back into the closet to change into a different outfit. She needed something that didn’t make it obvious she was pregnant until after they made their announcement at the end of the meal.
“You looked gorgeous,” Darius called after her, the sounds of water splashing telling her he had finished.
She stared at the clothes someone, probably Vesta, had hung in the closet. If only they were eating on the deck where she could wear a coat. Maybe she could just wear track pants and trainers with Darius’s t-shirt. She’d given it back to him as promised, but was pretty sure she’d worn it more than he had since.
Both families had been told it was a casual weekend, but they were royal families, and no one went quite that casual.
Finally, she decided on her current go-to outfit, leggings and a tunic that couldn’t hide the bump, but she’d wear a sweater over it, claiming a chill until it was time. It wasn’t a l
ie. She’d probably end up putting it back on anyway. Many of the girls at school wore them when it was cool out, and she’d noticed the employees kept them handy year-round in case they were cold in the office.
Esther had discovered she got cold easily. It probably came from growing up where she did. The cold never seemed to bother Darius.
She slid her feet into her favorite leather boots and tugged them up to her knees.
Noises from outside the bedroom door told her she had no more time even if she’d wanted to change again.
“Ready?” Darius tucked his button-down shirt into khaki slacks. “It’s time.”
He held her hand as they walked down one of the staircases. She didn’t see anyone but could hear little girl voices down one hall and male laughter down another. Better than Harrison and Josiah fighting. When they reached the first floor, she heard a voice in the great room.
“In here, dears.”
Her grandmother sat in one of the chairs with a mug in her hand. Her parents sat across from Grandmother. Esther dropped into a quick curtsy as Darius bowed. She’d have to remember to do that again when she saw Benjamin.
“Whoever handled your staffing for this weekend did a wonderful job.” Grandmother sipped at her cup of coffee. “Things in the kitchen look quite organized.”
Darius chuckled. “There’s actually a more industrial kitchen in the basement. I think that’s where most of the prep is being done. Feeding two dozen people anything but spaghetti really needs a larger kitchen.”
Any number of voices could be heard converging on the staircases upstairs. Esther glanced at the clock over the mantle of the fireplace. Ten minutes before eight. No one would show up right at eight.
The door to Queen Eliana’s room opened as though she’d heard Esther’s thoughts. The woman looked much more put together and cheerful than she had the night before. “Good morning.” When she saw Esther’s father, she simply nodded rather than curtsying. Her father nodded back.
Esther wondered at that until she remembered her father had been friends with King Alfred. Perhaps the two couples had come to some sort of understanding about protocol in private.
Queen Eliana turned to look at someone behind Esther. This time she did curtsy which could mean only one thing.
None of her family stood, but simply nodded in the general direction of “behind Esther and Darius.” Esther turned, as did her husband, to face Benjamin. She curtsied again while Darius bowed. This whole formal thing could get old fast with two monarchs around. At least it was only once a day.
Out of the corner of her eye, Esther noticed Vesta in the background. The woman gave her a nod. Breakfast was ready.
“Everyone,” Esther called, getting the attention of those in the area between the stairs. “If you would turn around, through the foyer and to your left is the dining room where we’ll be eating.” She thought there would be name tags in an attempt to get the families to mingle, but she wasn’t certain if there were and who had placed them.
This could go very well, or it could go very poorly.
In the dining room, four tables had been set up. One longer one was in front of the wall to her left and held seven seats on one side of the table. Three others were perpendicular to it with six seats each.
Esther had no idea which table she would be at, but probably shouldn’t have been too surprised to find her name next to Darius’s at the head table, along with all three parents, her grandmother, and Benjamin.
Grandmother was given the seat of honor in the middle. Darius’s mother was to her right, then Esther’s parents. To her left was Esther, then Darius, then Benjamin. Why were the kings to the outside?
Darius held the chair for Grandmother, then held Esther’s as Esther’s father seated the queens who sat between him and his mother in the center.
Around the room, she noticed her siblings interspersed with her in-laws. Everyone was smiling, so that was good, right?
All three little girls sat at one table with Darius’s youngest siblings, and Jacqueline Grace minding them. Astrid and Kensington each sat with their spouses but at separate tables. Harrison sat with Astrid. Darius’s seven other siblings were split between the two tables with no rhyme or reason Esther could see.
Grandmother stood as the last person sat down. “I believe it’s time to say the blessing.” She turned to look at the end of Esther’s side of the table. “Benjamin, would you do the honors?”
26
Praying out loud didn’t seem to be Benjamin’s thing, but he did it anyway. Darius was impressed he didn’t stumble over the words.
Kings were supposed to be comfortable giving speeches. Benjamin was not. Darius didn’t know why.
He sat back down a moment later, and the staff came in to serve the meal. “Thank you” could be heard from many of the people around the room as the plates were set in front of them. It didn’t escape Darius’s notice that the head table was served last. Was Edward trying to teach Benjamin a lesson of some kind?
Next to him, Benjamin seemed tense. The head table was served from the middle out, with Queen Grace being served first.
The two kings were last to get their meals.
Someone was up to something. If not Edward, someone. Louis perhaps?
To his right, Esther talked with her grandmother, laughing occasionally as she ate. Around the room, people now connected through him and Esther, and their coming children, talked and shared stories.
Benjamin didn’t say a word.
Even as a child, his brother had never been prone to idle chit chat, but the more he thought about it, the more Darius couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a real conversation with his brother. They spoke from time to time, like when Darius needed his accounts unfrozen, or about his wedding to Esther. But just two brothers shooting the breeze?
Darius wasn’t sure that had ever happened.
Maybe it was time to change that.
“How are you?”
Benjamin’s fork stopped halfway to his mouth. “Pardon?”
Darius shook his head sadly. “I just asked how you are.”
His brother shrugged. “Fine. This weekend as a big happy family may have caused an international incident though.”
Caused one? Not been caused by one in the form of another king threatening Benjamin’s throne?
“What are you talking about?” Darius asked him.
“Prince William of Mevendia eloped in Eyjania a number of years ago. I wasn’t given all the details, but the formal wedding is this Saturday.”
“On Christmas Eve?” Darius hadn’t heard about it, but he’d been busy with finals then trying to figure out the details for this gathering.
“Apparently. I was one of few leaders outside of the Commonwealth of Belles Montagnes who was invited. I had to decline so I could be here.”
So much for that civil conversation with his brother. “If you need to leave early so you can attend, it’s fine with us.”
Benjamin shook his head, but didn’t say anything else before he pushed his plate away, the signal that he was finished.
Normally, that ended the meal for everyone else, too, but no one was paying any attention or even cared at this meal.
Darius glanced down the table to see that Edward was likely done as well, but he was laughing with his wife and Darius’s mother. He didn’t seem to notice that no one cared.
Benjamin did, though.
Darius nearly jumped when Esther squeezed his knee. She gave him a pointed look. A quick check of the room showed that everyone was nearly finished. He nodded. She’d already taken off her sweater as everyone sat down. No one would have noticed her bump in the commotion.
When she nodded in return, he stood, using the side of his fork to tap his glass. The room quieted quickly.
“Thank you all again for coming.”
“Like we had a choice,” one of his youngest sisters called. He wasn’t sure which one, but everyone laughed.
“Last night, w
e told you that Esther and I were married in March.” He held his hand out for Esther to take and urged her to stand. “What we didn’t mention last night is that Esther will be giving birth in late May.” The announcement of twins would wait for the gender reveal party the next day.
Gasps came from all over the room. Then squeals and chairs were pushed back into each other. Again, it seemed to be mostly the women rushing to congratulate Esther. Edward, Jordan, and Kensington, the three men who were already fathers, had a different sort of smile on their faces than Darius’s brothers and Harrison did.
Darius whistled to get everyone’s attention before the group started to disperse. “Just so everyone knows, there’s a game room downstairs with pool, foosball, and some of the arcade console games and pinball. There are a bunch of game consoles hooked up to a TV with a ton of games as well. All of the ones available are appropriate for all age levels.” He’d double checked. “There’s also a movie room with access to almost every movie ever I’m told.”
He pointed to his right. “On the first floor of that wing is a library and ballroom for anyone who wants to do sock races.” They’d often done that with their father the day after a ball. “We’re not planning any excursions to town at this point, but there’s plenty to do here. I don’t know if anyone brought their swim suits, but there is a lap pool in the basement as well as a gym for anyone interested. I’m also told there will be cookie making after nap time for the younger children later this afternoon, but anyone can join in.”
Most of the family congratulated him and Esther then left, talking about what they were going to do. Esther, her mother, and her sisters walked out together. A few minutes later, it was Darius with his brother, mother, and Edward.
“Would someone care to tell me what all this was about?” Benjamin asked. “The seating and serving...” He stopped before going any further.
Edward laughed. “You do know not everything is about you, don’t you, Ben? This weekend certainly isn’t. It’s not about me either. If it’s about anyone, it’s Darius and Esther bringing their families together to celebrate their good news. Both pieces of good news.”
Crowns & Courtships Compilation Volume 1 Page 71