by V Vee
“I certainly will, Kothrar,” she stated. “Thank you for welcoming me and my children to your country and your family.”
“Oh, my dear,” his mother spoke up then, walking over to the bed, wearing peach sheath dress with a white cardigan over it, a white bonnet perched atop her head, which she promptly untied and set aside. “Of course, we would welcome you. You are family. You are now our drothar, the kingdom’s princess. You are also the kuthrar of our gruthreir. That makes you extremely special and important.”
Algerone felt a lump form in his throat at his parents’ acceptance of his wife and children, and once again felt shame curdle his stomach. So much time had been wasted by him. So many years he could have spent with his family, his entire family, and yet his own fear had held him back. He knew he would never have the words to adequately express his remorse, his guilt, or how sorry he really was, but he would find some way to make it up to his wife, his parents, his children and his people.
“As for you,” his mother’s voice pulled him from his reverie and Algerone lifted his gaze from the floor to collide with her green-eyed stare.
“Iak, Kuthrar?” he asked sheepishly.
Queen Araminta shook her finger at him. “Don’t you try to pull that innocent eyed look with me. How dare you keep my grandchildren from me! I have half-a mind to let your brothers play kick balls with you,” she reprimanded him in Malvidencian.
Algerone opened his mouth to apologize when he heard Valerie’s snort of amusement. He quirked an eyebrow.
“What is kick balls?” she asked through her laughter.
“She speaks Malvidencian?” his mother asked.
“Iak,” Valerie answered.
“She’s even more perfect for our future king, and our son, than we could have ever hoped for,” his father said with a grin in his mother’s direction, who simply nodded with a smile of her own.
“Wait a minute,” Algerone interrupted them, waving his hands in the air. His parents stopped and looked at him, even Valerie had focused on him. “Why are you two so comfortable with this? So at ease? Why aren’t you yelling and screaming at me? I kept an entire family from you for fourteen years. A wife, children. Your heirs,” he raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Why aren’t you more surprised?”
His parents laughed then his mother walked over and lifted onto her tiptoes to press a kiss against his cheek. “My dear boy,” she said with a grin. “Still so late on everything. Just like when you were a young prince. Do you remember when we would tell jokes in front of you, or hide your presents right in front of your face, or walk you into party before you would realize it was for you?” She shook her head at him. “You have always been so focused on either trying to be the perfect son, the greatest older brother, or the epitome of a bad boy, that you miss the fact that you are a horrible liar.”
Algerone furrowed his brows and shook his head. “No, I’m not—”
“Honey, that’s a compliment,” Valerie said with a chuckle, then winced. Algerone leaned over her to adjust the pillows around her and beneath her left shoulder. “I think what your mother is trying to tell you, is that they’ve known about me and the children for a while, because you can’t hide anything.”
Algerone looked at first his father, then his mother who both just nodded at him, then groaned. He sank into his vacated chair and bowed his head. “How long?” he asked.
His father hummed. “Not long. I first began to suspect something about a year or two ago. You seemed to be attached to your phone, and would rush out of rooms when the phone rang. You seemed to only be minimally engaged at any time, as if your mind were elsewhere.”
“You didn’t know until then?” his mother shook her head, a few tendrils of her brown hair escaping from her chignon. “I knew about six years ago. You had been gone for about three weeks and when you came home, you were exhausted, but you had the biggest grin on your face. After that, you seemed anxious, antsy, as if you couldn’t wait to get away again.”
Valerie sighed. “That must have been after the twins were born. AJ was seven, starting to want his father more than his mother, Beaumont was four, and I was exhausted with four children. Two of them newborns, and my parents and siblings were staying in the house with me.” She looked up at Algerone. “I think that’s when we had our first big argument.”
Algerone leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss on his wife’s forehead. “I remember. And I still feel like such an ass for how I behaved and the fact that I left you.”
“If you’d just been honest and open then, you could have stayed with your family or brought them over at that point. I was expecting you to come and tell your father and I that you had a child with a woman somewhere,” his mother said.
Algerone stared at his mother and father in shock. He’d been almost certain that he’d hidden things so well, apparently, he wasn’t as skilled at deception as his brothers Augustus and Andreas.
“It took you both that long? I knew thirteen years ago,” Alastair stated.
Algerone jerked his head around to see his brothers and children standing in the doorway. He gestured his children forward, and they all came and crowded the bed, climbing over him to hug their mother. Valerie reassured them that she was okay, then gently moved them so that they weren’t further injuring her shoulder. Algerone pulled Chiamaka and Dahni into his lap before he turned his attention back to his younger brother.
“What do you mean, you knew thirteen years ago?” he asked Alastair.
Alastair shrugged. “Gus, Alf, Andy and I were all talking one day, and you came up in conversation.”
“Why?” Algerone asked.
Alastair shrugged again. “I am not certain, maybe because of the fact that we’d all noticed that our bruthrar had changed dramatically? You used to be the one who encouraged and suggested we all go out. You were first in line for…” he looked over at their parents then returned his gaze to Algerone. “adult parties that we attended. But fourteen years ago you went away for a year, on a goodwill tour as you told kothrar and kuthrar, but when you returned you were a lot more reserved. You were more responsible. You got this really sappy smile on your face whenever you saw a baby, or a pregnant woman.”
“And there’s the picture,” Augustus commented.
Alastair snapped his fingers and pointed at Augustus before wagging his finger at Algerone. “Yes! I almost forgot the bloody picture!”
“What picture?” Valerie asked.
“It is nothing, ruga, truly,” he attempted to divert the conversation but no one was budging one way or another.
“Alastair, what picture?” Valerie questioned his younger brother and Algerone felt compelled to answer.
“I have this picture of you that I took when we were on our honeymoon. I carry it with me wherever I go,” he informed her.
Valerie frowned at him. “But I thought you told me you kept all of your pictures of us on your phone, backed up to the Cloud on a separate phone that your parents couldn’t access?” she quirked her eyebrow at him.
Algerone glanced down sheepishly. “I do. All of my pictures of you and the kids are on my secret phone and backed up, all except this one picture.”
“Which picture from our honeymoon?” Valerie asked.
“You are in a goldenrod yellow bikini. Your hair is in braids, that hang down your back, and you’re turning to look at the camera over your shoulder,” Alastair said without hesitation.
Algerone stared at his brother with his mouth open in shock, when he looked over at Valerie he saw the same feeling reflected on her face. Algerone shook his head and narrowed his eyes at his younger brother. “How do you have that picture memorized so well? I thought you only saw it the one time?”
Alastair shrugged, but mirth and mischief gleamed in his eyes. “I found it in your room on your nightstand that one day I came in and you were just coming out of the shower, yes. But, I also saw it again, and took a picture of it with my phone, when you fell asleep looking a
t it a few nights later.”
Algerone glared at his brother. “And what did you do with that picture?” he asked through gritted teeth, clenching his jaw against the possessive rage that threatened.
Alastair raised his hands in surrender. “Nothing bruthrar. I simply showed Gus, Andy, and Alf. We searched for pictures of her in the areas you’d been, found her name, then put two and two together.”
Algerone pointed at Alastair, “You should be very glad that my children are present, as are our kothrar and kuthrar and miora raviela, otherwise I would treat you to a singular game of vrek plink.”
Alastair chuckled and waved off his brother’s words. His amusement came to a halt when their mother rose from her chair and smoothed down her dress. She glared at Alastair, Augustus, and Andreas for a long time, until each man looked at the floor in shame.
“So, instead of assuring your brother that you knew his secret and that you supported him, you allowed him to keep his family a secret. From his parents, from the Crown. You allowed your eldest brother, the leader, your future king, to continue lying to your current king and queen, hurt his wife and children, and keep himself stressed for over thirteen years.” She shook her head. “The actions of the four of you caused your kothrar and I to take the drastic action that we did, announcing your brother’s engagement to someone else, just so that he would feel compelled to come forward. Yet, now I hear that the four of you knew as well.”
Queen Araminta pointed at her four youngest sons. “Your brother is married and has blessed the kingdom and his parents with heirs and grandchildren. Now it is your turn. You have three years. No more and no less, and then your kothrar and I will find your wives for you.” She waited to make sure her words had sunk in then she dismissed the four youngest princes with a flick of her wrist. “Now, leave so that your kothrar and I may have a chance to properly get to know the newest members of our family. You have already had this chance. Now it is our time.”
Algerone watched as his brothers—all looking shell-shocked—filed out of the room, one after another. While he still felt a huge amount of guilt and remorse for the time he’d lost and wasted keeping his wife and his children a secret, Algerone was still glad that he’d had a chance to meet the love of his life, date her, marry her, and have a family with her, without a deadline looming overhead. He would not want to be his brothers at all.
He turned to his parents and grinned. “Shall we start with the oldest or the youngest?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
A fter almost a full week in the hospital, Valerie was finally discharged. The baby was fine, they hadn’t been affected at all by the gunshot graze she’d sustained. She scoffed at herself internally, she would have a small scar, but nothing big. She couldn’t even get a decent gunshot wound to show off to her kids when they all got older and thought she was lame and uncool. Because, face it, telling them that she was a princess and the future queen, and the first black princess of Malvidence, was only going to get her so far, since they’d all be princes and princesses in their own right. She rolled her eyes at herself, hearing her mother’s voice in her head telling her to beware of vanity and pride. Yeah, yeah, Mom. I hear you, she told her inner mother.
“Ruga? Are you okay?” Algerone asked.
Valerie turned to look at him and smiled softly. “Yes, I’m fine. Just being a little vain, I must admit.”
Algerone’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You?” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you concerned about the scar on your arm? I told you we can have a surgeon take care of it. All you have to do is say the word.”
Valerie shook her head and chuckled. “No, I’m not worried about it. It’s my badge of honor. The scar I got for saving the love of my life and my child.” She placed a gentle kiss on Algerone’s chin. “No, my vanity comes from thinking of the children not thinking it’s cool, because it’s not an actual gunshot wound, it’s just a graze.”
Algerone rolled his eyes at her. “Are you joking? You are a fierce warrior, and our children know that. They see that. They will always think you are cool, that you are strong and beautiful, intelligent, charming, talented, loving, and simply amazing,” he said fiercely, murmuring the last words against her skin as he pressed his lips to her neck and up behind her ear. Valerie shivered at the delicious feel and squeezed her thighs together as her sex clenched around emptiness, longing to be filled, and her panties grew damp.
“Oh really? And how are you so sure about that?’ she asked him.
Algerone pulled back and looked her in the eyes, his gaze intense, and full of determination. “Because I will remind them of the amazing mother that they have, every single day of my life, until I can no longer speak. And then I shall write the words until I can no longer hold a pen. Then I shall simply point and gesture, letting them see the truth in my eyes and hands, until my eyes close in that eternal slumber. But even my final resting place will speak of how blessed and proud and thankful I am to be loved by you.”
Valerie’s eyes filled with tears, and she whispered Algerone’s name before pulling him close and taking his lips in a deeply passionate kiss. She felt Algerone’s groan vibrate throughout her entire body and settle low in her center, causing her panties to grow wetter. She pressed herself as close as she could get to him in the royal Cadillac that was taking them to the palace. The rest of the family, including their children had left days before, but Algerone had refused to leave her side.
“We came in together, and we’re leaving out together, no matter what,” he’d stated pretty emphatically.
Valerie had taken note of the fierce look on his face and knew her husband meant business. So she hadn’t argued with him. Instead, she’d relished having a few days with just him, without having to worry about the children. Though she spoke with them daily, her conversations with them were extremely short, as they were usually only telling her about all of the things they were doing, learning, or seeing while at the palace. Valerie knew then that all of her fears about the possibility of the children and her moving to Malvidence were unfounded.
For the most part.
There was the whole assassination attempt, that the royal family were taking extremely serious. The children each had a set of guards assigned to them, guards whom the family—namely Andreas and Augustus—had personally trained and could vouch for their loyalty to the Crown and the royal family’s safety. Knowing their children were in good hands had given Algerone and Valerie the chance to spend a few days to reconnect, talk, and rekindle their love. Not necessarily their passion, because their desire and passion for each other was never something that either of them doubted, but their connection, the trust between them, the care, communication, and love was something that definitely needed tending. And so they had.
And now, as they drove up to the gates of the palace, Valerie now sitting in her husband’s lap, as they kissed passionately, with desire heating their blood, and hands roaming, Valerie had never felt more secure in her relationship with Algerone than she did at that moment.
Which was why she was so shocked when they stepped out of the vehicle in front of the palace, and she saw the blonde, pale woman whom Algerone was supposed to marry.
Valerie came to a halt and stared at Lady Taylor then up at Algerone, then back to Lady Taylor—yeah, she knew the other woman’s name—before looking over at her father and mother-in-law who stood next to an older gentleman, looking quite uncomfortable. Valerie could understand how they felt. To a certain degree. She wasn’t necessarily feeling uncomfortable she was feeling something decidedly different. What was that emotion?
Oh yeah…enraged.
Valerie was enraged. Angry. Pissed the fuck off. She clenched Algerone’s hand, not because she needed reassurance, but because she needed him to hold her back, and remind her that she was now—technically—a princess. She was most definitely a mother. And more than that, she was not someone who went around fighting women who might be innocent pawns in the schemes of the elderly gener
ation.
It was this last thought that helped bring Valerie a sense and a moment of peace and relief. Lady Taylor hadn’t known that Algerone was already married. No doubt, when she found out she was devastated and embarrassed. She was probably just there to let them know that there were no hard feelings.
“Prince Algerone! It is so good to see you again. You rushed off so suddenly after the news of our engagement broke and then I hear that you’ve been married for fourteen years,” Lady Taylor said with a too wide grin as Valerie and Algerone came abreast of her. “You naughty, naughty man! Trying to have two wives at the same time.” She let out an ear-grating laugh and Valerie winced. “I am joking of course, P-Princess,’ she stammered over Valerie’s new title and Valerie gave the other woman the side-eye as she took Algerone’s other arm and walked with them up to the doors of the palace.
“I just wanted to formally welcome you back, Prince Algerone, and to welcome your lovely new—or should I say old—wife to Malvidence,” Lady Taylor said with a smile that Valerie could instantly tell was false.
Forget Lady Taylor being an innocent victim. Valerie was going to listen to her women’s intuition, more than that, she was going to tap into that Black Woman Wisdom and it was telling her that Lady Taylor was not to be trusted. So, Valerie would keep four eyes on her. The two on her face, and the two in the back of her head. She’d be dead before she’d be caught slipping and let a trifling woman stab her in the back.
Thus, she smiled back at Lady Taylor graciously, while keeping a firm hold on her husband. She was the Princess of Malvidence. And she wouldn’t let anyone forget that.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“M
exoria Źeylήia, mexoria ravielo kra ek barithi,” Lord Jeffrey Weshian, as he’d been introduced to Valerie, said as he leaned over to kiss the back of her hand. He widened his eyes and covered his mouth with faux embarrassment. “Oh, forgive me Princess. Here I am speaking Malvidencian in front of you, with you being an American. What I’d just said to His Highness was—”