“You should know why.”
Lana laughed to herself and leaned in towards my ear. “Because all I’d want is you. An obvious why.”
I laughed too but immediately got rid of it when I noticed everyone watching.
“Now, about this thing with Seth—” My mother said to change the subject as she stood up. “You need to talk to him. We’d like to see this over by lunch.”
“By lunch? Well, it might be over something else completely by then.”
“Dirk.”
I could only laugh. “Forgive me, mother. It should be. Well, maybe. We’ll see. It’s not exactly entirely up to me but I’ll still make the effort of trying.”
“Good.”
She walked out with Adele and Jaylyn and I was left sitting through the silence with Lana at my side and my father, Zayden and Troy just feet away.
“You should be sure to knock if you’re going to check his room.” Zayden said through the pause. “He won’t be alone.”
“He brought the chick to his room last night?”
“You mean Cadence?”
“Really? It was Cadence? I didn’t see her but I guess I should have known she was here if she is.”
I looked next to me at Lana and she leaned forward on the table. “Would someone please tell me they had sex.”
Zayden laughed. “Ah—how would we know that?”
“I was hoping you might. She’s been driving me crazy, more recently on our way here about how badly she wanted to see Seth so she could give him her—” She paused for a moment and shifted her eyes around the table. “Maidenhood or something stupid. She’s such a girl.”
Zayden laughed. “Well, if you want to know that you’ll have to ask her yourself but guessing wise, I’d say that’s already happened.”
“Oh, good. Maybe I won’t have to hear it anymore.”
“Well, we best be going.” Zayden rose to his feet simultaneously with Troy. “Things to do.”
Lana and I both nodded to them as they left and looked across the table at my father still with us.
“Things to do?” I wondered.
“Lana, take your breakfast to your room.” He said with his eyes on me. “I need to speak to my son in private.”
Lana’s eyes shifted over to me and she slowly started to get up, reaching for her plate. “Of course, Darius.”
“Take it to my room.” I said. “I won’t be long.”
Lana nodded and it was quiet as she took her plate and walked out of the dining hall. There was a pause even after as we sat with our eyes on each other.
“Yes, father?” I asked, speaking first.
“When were you going to tell me about this?”
“Tell you about what?”
“About how you thought it would be acceptable to treat the girls you’ve been with the way you have.”
I sat back with a sigh. “It’s not what you think, father.”
“Isn’t it? You’ll have to live with those actions for the rest of your life and so will all of they. That’s something I never wanted you to get from me.”
“If we’re talking blame here than it is your fault but it was never a behavior I inherited from you. It was something you said to me.”
There was a pause and he was just looking at me curiously. “Something I said?”
“Yes. When I first started going to the Royal Academy, you told me not to become attached to anyone because of who I was already destined to be with. I actually looked forward to it but from the moment I started going there, the girls had this sudden liking to me and I knew if I just let things happen I would have grown to like at least one of them. I couldn’t let that happen and possibly ruin my future so it was better for me to just see them as objects. I never wanted things to go as far as they did but in a way it was good for me. Yeah, Seth and Bryce think I’m a complete waste of their time but that doesn’t bother me as much as it could have because my method worked. I don’t have to be that way anymore. I have Lana. She’s mine and I’m not letting go.”
There was a brief silence and then my father started to smile. “I don’t think I could be more proud of you than what I am at this moment.”
“Thank you, father.”
“After hearing your reasoning for it all, it makes perfect sense to me. You’ve done well and you deserve her.”
“So, what are we talking next? Marriage?”
He laughed. “No. I’m not going to make you do anything like that.”
“And if I wanted to?”
Confusion struck and my father glanced around the empty dining hall for a moment. “You’re serious?”
“Why wait if I’m supposed to be with her forever?”
“You don’t have to decide that now. What if things didn’t work out between you?”
“How could you say that?”
“You barely know each other. You just met her last night. Give it time. If you still feel the same way in a few years then I say go for it.”
“But you didn’t know mother that long before you married her.”
“Perhaps but I was also much older than you. I did a lot of the same things you did but it took me longer to find her because of the war.” There was a short pause and I let my facial expression say everything for me. This wasn’t much different. “Look, all I’m saying is let it play out on its own and things may turn out better than you had hoped.”
“Okay, father but what am I supposed to do with the ring?”
His eyes widened a little bit and his eyebrows raised. “You already have a ring?”
“Couple years now. I always carry it.”
“Really? Let me see it.”
I pulled a small leather pouch from my pocket and pulled out a ring that seemed small in my hand. It was a large unique triangle shaped diamond in a high gold setting.
“Wow.” My father said, taking it to look at it closer. “It is beautiful. You really have been prepared, haven’t you?”
“What is there for one to think of other than their future?”
“Well, I see nothing wrong with hanging on to it for that future. Just don’t jump into things.”
I laughed and spoke low like I was talking to myself while I put the ring away. “So far, that’s not exactly working.”
“Why?” My father asked in a deep tone, sounding more serious.
I looked up in a hurry and smiled. “Ah—just talking about last night.”
“Well, I didn’t really expect you to hold off on that. How was the surprise by the way? Bryce told me he had you chasing after her.”
“Not what I expected. That’s for sure but I’d say everything turned out perfectly and thank you for suggesting her fire protection. That was nice.”
“Only trying to help.” My father started to get up. “Go ahead and meet her but remember what else you have to do today. Don’t forget, by lunch.”
I sighed; my once good mood lowering again. “Yes, father.”
“And perhaps you should tie part of this story into your talk. I think maybe it’s time Seth knows your reasons too.”
“Of course, father. You may be right about that.”
“I know I am.”
We walked out of the dining hall in separate directions and I seriously thought about what he said. Would Seth even believe me if I tried to explain? Would he even want to listen? I couldn’t know for sure but I still had to try. He was still like a brother to me and I honestly never wanted that to go away no matter how mad he was at me.
I took those thoughts with me upstairs but the moment I entered my room, I saw Lana and everything changed. My father advised me to wait on our permanent union but I didn’t know if I could.
“Is everything all right?” She asked. “I hope you’re not in trouble.”
“No. Nothing like that. It just seemed my father found out about the persona I grew into.”
“Oh, how’d he take it?”
“Quite proudly when I explained the reason and it brought up some things t
hat I want to ask you.”
“Ask me? Sure.”
I took a deep mental breath just so she couldn’t hear it and thought to lead up to it first. “I knew about us being together for a long time and I hope you don’t think I sound too sure of myself when I say I know I want this to be forever; I want you to marry me.”
She sat still and stared blankly at me for a few seconds.
“Marry you? Really? So soon?”
“If we’re meant to be together, why should we wait?”
“Dirk, I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes.” I walked to her and knelt down in front of her, holding out the ring I’ve been carrying for this exact moment.
Her face just lit up when she saw it and produced the perfect smile. “I really want to but you have to say it first.”
I didn’t know what she was asking right off but it was obvious before I could have asked and made a fool of myself. I told her exactly what she wanted to hear. “Lana, I love you and I would be honored to prove it if you would accept to be my wife.”
She was beginning to get tears in her eyes while still smiling. “I love you too and I do accept.”
I kissed her with a bit of urgency to hear that she loved me and began to slip the ring on her finger. I always thought the ring itself was tiny but it fit her dainty hand perfectly like somehow I always knew.
“It’s beautiful.” She said. “I can’t believe your father approved of this.”
I leaned away a bit nervously. “Ah—actually—he didn’t approve.”
“He didn’t?”
“At least not this soon. He felt that I should wait but I knew I couldn’t.”
“Then I guess that means I won’t be able to wear this for a while.”
“That’ll be okay, won’t it? You’ll still know that you’re my wife.”
“I suppose but if no one is to know then how will we do it?”
“Privately, of course. We’ll find someone who can marry people legally and we’ll go alone, just you and me.”
“Okay. Nothing fancy. No dress.”
I laughed to her joy of it. “No dress. We’ll go tonight. It seems I have something else to do first.”
“Right, by lunch. I know you can get him to listen.”
“I hope so but no one can find out about this, at least for a while.”
“I know. I’m okay with that.”
“I love you.”
She smiled to hearing me say it again. “I love you too, my soon-to-be husband.”
It made me smile too and we kissed again. I was glad I would get this to work. I knew I couldn’t wait. I’ve waited too long already but this would have to be held off for just a little while longer.
Chapter 20
Seth
I spent my time in the conference room alone that morning where I focused on performing my duties as Crown Prince. I was deep in thought with papers scattered out in front of me.
“Didn’t expect to see you so alone this early after getting Cadence back, son.”
I snapped out of it and recognized someone was talking to me. “Hmm? Oh, hello, father.”
“Well, let’s hear your reasons.” He sat down in his chair across from me. “Did Dirk see you?”
“I have bigger things to worry about than Dirk’s behavior.”
“Like what?”
I looked up then looked around and my father’s lingering smile started to fade when I got up to close the door.
“Seth, what’s—”
“I don’t know!” I was frustrated while I walked back and leaned on the table over all the scattered papers. “That wasn’t it! None of it adds up! I never like to admit that I was wrong but I was!”
My father saw my urgency and started to raise to his feet. “Seth, what?”
“Everything! Everything I’ve seen! Everything I remember! All this writing! The visions!”
“What visions?”
“I’ve seen war.”
“Like in your dreams or—”
“No. I’m in full consciousness when it happens like the way grandfather has explained his visions, not like mother.”
“For how long?”
“Awhile. I didn’t know when it would actually take place.”
“And that’s what you thought the Leccan battle was?”
“I couldn’t have been sure at the time. You never explained the details so I had to find out for myself and it wasn’t!”
My father lowered himself down in his chair. “Okay, Seth. Calm down and tell me what you saw.”
I sighed and fell back in my chair as I thought back to my recent visions I haven’t told a soul about. “There was so many. Masses upon masses coming from all sides from those on foot to dozens of ships. They were marching against us.”
“For the weapon?”
It was an obvious assumption but I didn’t know. “I’m not sure. I don’t think it had anything to do with that. No one had access to it or it wasn’t used by anyone else. At first I didn’t think anyone would have been stupid enough to want to fight us but then Lecca happened. If one was willing then they all may be.”
“Then if they are, we’ll be ready. Weapon or no weapon.”
“Of course, father. I’ve always been with you.”
My father smiled with a nod as he started to get up. “That’s good but perhaps we should keep this quiet for now until we know for sure.”
“And you think that’s safe?”
“We have the most advanced and loyal military unit in the world because they fight for this family. Our men will be ready to fight for us in a second. We can hold off until we get more information. We don’t want to send the people into panic when we don’t have the details.”
“Yeah, okay. I can see that. So, now what?”
“Well, it’s almost lunch. Look for Dirk. I hear he wants to see you.”
I sighed while getting to my feet after my father and followed him out of the conference room. “I don’t see the point.”
“I do. You’ll need him in the future. You keep this up and he won’t be there for you. Remember that.”
I just sighed again. “Yes, father.”
He gave me a pat on the back of the shoulder with a nodding smile and we went our separate ways.
I walked the halls back towards my room to see Cadence and thought of what my father said. I knew he was right. I hated fighting with Dirk but there always seemed to be something and it was hard for me to tolerate his kind of behavior. The more I thought about it wasn’t actually helping. I was just getting madder.
I opened the door to my room and it got worse. Lana was standing in there with Cadence.
“Oh, great.” I sighed. “Come to say something rude?”
Lana just stood still and Cadence came to me with a smile, taking my arm. “No, actually. She wants to talk to you and I’m going to take a walk.”
She patted my chest and went towards the door.
“But—” I turned but she just walked right out, leaving me in the room with Lana.
I sighed as I turned back around and she was still standing there. “Look, Seth—”
“Wow, it knows my name. That almost impresses me.”
“Just listen, okay. I’m sorry for the way I am. I mostly do it to make up for the horrible life I had.”
I huffed and walked farther in. “Good excuse.”
“It should be. I never asked for bad things to happen to me but they always seemed to until now. I understand that we both need Dirk and I’m willing to share him.”
I laughed. “Share him? I doubt we need him for the same reasons.”
Lana returned the laugh. “Yeah, okay. You might be right about that but I just don’t want us to be this way around each other when we both need him.”
“Okay. Fine. Don’t say anything to me and I won’t say anything to you.”
“Seth, really. What I mean is, I want us to get along. I never meant to sound so—”
“Primitive like an
animal? Only fueling his behavior further like it needed help?”
“Okay, we can go with that. I know that I open my mouth when I shouldn’t but I can work on it if we can agree to be friends.”
“Friends? With you?”
Lana got a smile on her face and started stepping closer to me. “Well, if you want, we could be more than that.”
She brought her hands toward me and I took her wrists, backing them away from me. “No thanks. I finally got Cadence back. I don’t need anyone else.”
“Awe, that’s so sweet. You love her.”
“So?”
“I wasn’t harassing you. I know how long she’s been waiting. It’s all she would talk about. So are we friends now?”
“You’re in a rush.”
“Please, Seth. It’s important.”
I sighed loudly. “Well, I guess I could consider it.”
“Good because there’s someone else that has something to say to you.”
I looked to the side towards my closet and bathhouse and saw Dirk leaned up against the doorway. I quickly looked back towards where Lana was but she was already gone out the door.
Dirk laughed. “She’s great isn’t she?”
“For you maybe.” I replied, not making eye contact.
“You know, it might sound crazy to you but I’m falling in love with her.”
“That does sound crazy.” I said, fighting a smile. “You’re actually capable of those kinds of things? What are they called again? Feelings?”
“Come on, Seth.” Dirk sighed as he stepped closer to me while I was bringing papers to my desk. “What do you want me to say? That I really have no morals? That I’m everything you say I am? Well, saying it won’t make it true. You have to know something. None of that is me.”
I just laughed to myself.
“I’m serious. I only pretended to be that way because I never wanted you to know the truth and make you think I’m completely off my head.”
“So, you make me think you’re off your head a different way?”
“A more believable way but yes. I’ve actually been preparing for my future for the last four years. Your father introduced you to Cadence that started you on yours and mine told me of who I’d be destined to be with.”
Autumn Dawn (Fate's Intent Book 11) Page 11