The Indentured Queen

by Carol Moncado

  “No. I didn’t.” He knew he was distracted, but something wasn’t working right. “It wasn’t the crack of dawn. Did you not want me to kiss you?” The memory had stayed with him all night. “Did you want me to stay again?” He’d wanted to, but common sense told him to leave.

  She ignored him. “I suppose the time off wasn’t cleared with my boss either, since I’m still working in the kitchen and all, and he’ll add a couple more months to my indenture.”

  “I gave Chamberlain instructions to take care of it. You’ll be shopping with Evangeline tomorrow and will have time to do some sightseeing if you want.”

  “Where will you be? Meetings?”

  Benjamin still didn’t look up but frowned as the numbers didn’t seem to add up in his head. “Genevieve will be accompanying me to former King Jedidiah’s birthday party tomorrow.” Where was his phone? He needed to check these numbers with a calculator.

  “King Jedidiah?” Katrín’s incredulous tone caught Benjamin off-guard. “Like the guy who fell while skiing with the American First Family a few years ago?”

  “Yes.”

  “Of course.”

  He dug around in his satchel for his phone then opened the calculator app.

  “Am I going to be meeting any of them?”

  He frowned again as he hit the wrong number. “I don’t see why you would.”

  The sound he heard seemed to be a stifled sigh. “What am I supposed to be shopping for?”

  “Anything you want.” Then he remembered an offhand comment from Chamberlain. “The only restriction is that you don’t even look at anything baby related.” They wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea, even if it was technically a possibility after the encounter they’d had. He should have thought a little more clearly that night in her quarters.

  “Of course not. Wouldn’t want anyone to think King Benji might be a daddy in a few months.”

  Her sarcasm finally made him put his file down. It had to be completed in the next few days, but not in the next few minutes. “What?”

  She shrugged. “Nothing. I’m just not sure what my purpose is on this trip. Everyone’s going to be so focused on the wedding that no one is going to have any idea what I go shopping for. If anyone does notice, they’ll wonder why you’re at the wedding with your sister and not your wife.”

  He started to say something, but she held up a hand to stop him.

  “If I did shop for baby things, and someone asked me about it, I could mention that my sister’s employers are having a baby. I could know lots of people who are having babies that aren’t you and me.”

  Benjamin turned back to his file. “I’m not trying to be rude, but I do have to have this ready for dinner with Parliamentary leaders next week, and something just isn’t right. The math isn’t adding up.”

  “Fine. Is there anything else I need to know about this trip besides I don’t actually need to be here except so people don’t think you left your wife behind.”

  He hadn’t thought this through. Maybe he could send the plane home and tell everyone she wasn’t feeling well. When he’d proposed this marriage to her, things like this hadn’t occurred to him. “There’s a dinner tonight with a number of other royal families from Europe and the Atlantic. You’ll be expected to attend. A dress has already been chosen for you, or so I’m told.”

  The fifteenth scan of the page in front of him finally showed him the typo in the numbers. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to work on this.”

  At least he knew what was wrong, but the whole thing was giving him a headache.

  Katrín didn’t say anything but swiveled her seat to stare out the window.

  Now that he knew what the problem was, he could move on to the next part of the report. By the time they landed, he’d finished going through that section. The flight simply hadn’t been long enough for him to begin the next one.

  They disembarked the plane in a protected section of the airport. No one would see that he rode in an SUV with Chamberlain rather than the limo with his wife and sisters. The conversation centered around the budget proposal until they reached the Lydia House near the lake housing the island where Montevaro’s castle was situated. He and Chamberlain were already upstairs before his sisters and Katrín arrived.

  His sisters were sharing a suite across the hall from the one he would share with Katrín. He saw her enter, but didn’t see her again until time to go downstairs for the dinner with the representatives from the other countries.

  “Are you ready?” he asked looking down to button his tuxedo jacket. At least he wouldn’t have to wear this coat again for the wedding.

  “As ready as I’m going to be.” She sounded doubtful.

  Benjamin looked up and stopped in his tracks. Shimmering red fabric hung from Katrín’s shoulders and molded itself to her curves before landing in a small puddle on the floor. “You look...” He swallowed. “...very nice.” It was the best he could come up with, but inadequate.

  Katrín gave him a tight smile. “I’m glad you think so. I think I look like a kid playing dress-up.”

  “No one else will think that.” Benjamin took another step closer until he could reach out and brush back the curl framing her face. “You look lovely.”

  She gave him a half-smile. “And you look very kingly.”

  He offered her his arm, and she slid her hand inside.

  Chamberlain let him know his sisters weren’t quite ready and would meet them downstairs. A Lydia House staff member led them down two flights of stairs until they reached the ground floor. A member of local security bowed his head slightly as Thor moved into position in front of them. The large foyer was lined with doors on either side.

  From their left, he heard laughter and children’s squeals. From the right, nothing. Hopefully, the noise from the left wouldn’t spill through the foyer into their dinner.

  When they reached the doors, Thor turned to the left and opened the door.

  Puzzled, Benjamin stopped in his tracks.

  “They’re waiting for you, sir, ma’am.” Thor held the door.

  Were they going to be announced? He usually was at things like this.

  Katrín’s grip on his elbow tightened as they turned to walk in. Once inside, Benjamin stopped again as he looked around.

  This was most definitely not what he’d planned for.

  23

  The scene inside the room made Katrín’s stomach drop. Her grip on Benjamin’s arm tightened as a woman looked up at them from her spot on the floor and smiled.

  “Benjamin!” She made sure someone took over care of her baby before standing. “It’s good to see you again!” Not a strand of her blond hair was out of place.

  “Christiana.” Benjamin shifted so Katrín’s hand slid out of the crease of his arm. He took the woman’s hands in his and kissed her cheek. “A pleasure.”

  The blond turned to Katrín. “And you must be the queen who stole the stoic king’s heart.” She held out a hand. “I’m Christiana from Ravenzario.”

  Katrín’s mind scrambled to catch up. “Queen Christiana?” She tucked one foot behind and dipped at the knees.

  Christiana rolled her eyes. “None of that is necessary in here. If we curtsied to every monarch or queen consort in this room, we wouldn’t do anything else.”

  Katrín looked around and felt even more conspicuously out of place. Except for herself and Benjamin, the fanciest outfit consisted of khaki pants and a collared shirt. Christiana wore jeans with a blouse tucked into them.

  The rest of the room was filled with at least two or even three dozen people of all ages. She recognized several of them, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on who they were, but this clearly wasn’t what Benjamin had expected. This was more family reunion than formal dinner.

  “Katrín, why don’t I introduce you around? Benjamin already knows almost everyone.” Christiana linked her elbow with Katrín’s. “If you’d rather go back upstairs and change first, that would be okay.”
Her voice had softened. “Someone didn’t get the memo that this is a casual get together. All of us brought our families. Even my brother-in-law is going to be here with his family, and another family that many of us are friends with.”

  “All of Benjamin’s family isn’t here, though. Only his twin sisters even traveled with us.”

  Christiana shrugged. “Everyone was invited, though I know not everyone is attending tomorrow’s party. That’s likely why not everyone came.”

  Before Christiana could introduce her to anyone, an announcement was made that dinner would be served in just a moment.

  Everyone scrambled to find seats. That’s how Katrín found herself sitting at a table with Benjamin, the Crown Prince of Auverignon and his date, Prince Nicklaus of Ravenzario and his wife Princess Yvette of Mevendia, and Princess Jacqueline Grace and Prince Harrison of San Majoria.

  As everyone sat down, Katrín noticed her sisters-in-law entered, but had obviously been told what kind of attire to wear.

  The whole day had been exhausting. Katrín knew if she went upstairs to change, she wouldn’t return. From Benjamin’s distraction on the flight to several hours of solitude while he worked until time for dinner, combined with the stress that just came from living at the moment, Katrín wanted nothing more than to sleep. To settle into the plush bedding waiting for Benjamin in the bedroom they were supposed to share. Instead, she’d likely end up sleeping somewhere else, much like she had on their first trip.

  She focused solely on her food, only answering questions when they were directed specifically at her.

  The door opened and two more families spilled in. One of the men looked just like the one seated at Christiana’s side. He carried a car seat in each hand as the woman with him urged two children, a boy and a girl of different ages, toward a table to the side. Behind them came another man Katrín knew she should recognize, along with a five- or six-year-old girl and a tired looking woman carrying a tiny infant.

  Prince Richard and his wife sat at the table behind Katrín, and she smacked her husband’s arm. “You didn’t tell me Jonathan was coming. I haven’t had a chance to hold that baby yet.”

  Who was Jonathan?

  “You can hold that baby later,” Prince Richard told her.

  The conversational level died back down to a dull roar. From her seat Katrín could see most of the room. She counted at least thirty adults and, with the recent additions, at least twenty children ranging in age from the newborn who entered last to a teenage girl.

  Dinner eventually ended, and Katrín found herself seated at the table alone until two men sat on either side of her.

  One held out his hand. “I’m Charlie. I’m married to Queen Adeline of Montevaro.”

  Katrín shook it and asked hesitantly. “We’re in Montevaro, right?”

  Charlie grinned. “Yes. My daughter and I moved here about three years ago when I married Addie.” He pointed to the teen. “She adored Addie before I even met her.”

  Katrín blinked. “Oh. I’m Katrín, Benjamin’s wife.”

  “We figured.” The man on the other side shook her hand as well. “Alexander. My wife is queen of Ravenzario. We figured we might be able to commiserate better than anyone about what it’s like stepping into the limelight as the spouse of a monarch.”

  Katrín shook her head. “There hasn’t been much limelight at this point. Mostly, I lead a pretty quiet life.”

  Alexander nodded as though he understood. “So did I. So did Charlie. He was a single dad working at a home improvement store in the States when he rear ended the prettiest woman he’d ever seen. She turned out to be the Crown Princess and held her coronation just days after their wedding. I was a teen television star who went back to living a private life then fell in love with a queen. It happens. Before long, you will be front and center in Eyjania.” He handed her a business card. “If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here. So’s Charlie.”

  Charlie handed over another card. “If you’re more comfortable talking to another female, I’m sure we can round one or two of those up, too, though none are currently married to monarchs. My mother-in-law used to be until Jed abdicated because of his Parkinson’s. Alicia, the queen of Mevendia, would probably be a good one to talk to. We’ve got a couple of years of experience, but they have decades.”

  Alexander grinned. “Or your own mother-in-law. Her reputation from her time as queen consort is that she was an excellent one.”

  Katrín just nodded. “I’ll take that under advisement.” That didn’t mean she’d actually take them up on it.

  A whistle split the air. Princess Yvette hugged her husband’s arm. “Thank you, Nicky. Everyone, we need a big group picture. We can all post the same one on social media, and it will accompany any official statements about this gathering. Some more candid shots will be taken and sent to the appropriate publicity teams for approval.”

  Their new additions to the public relations team would like that.

  Once again, Katrín found herself alone at the table as the rest of those in the room sought to organize themselves by country, family, and relative importance. At least that was the best she could figure it out. Her husband was right in the center.

  Fortunately, her seat was a bit back, out of the line of sight of those setting up the shot. She should stay out of it.

  Benjamin’s forever wife would prefer it that way.

  As he glanced around, Benjamin realized he was the only one without his spouse. Where was Katrín?

  He looked around the room and found her sitting in her seat from dinner. When the pictures went public people would point out that his spouse is the only one not there. He wouldn’t be able to make some glib remark about how she hadn’t felt well or another excuse for where she’d been because everyone else knew she’d been there.

  “Katrín!” Before he could say anything, Queen Adeline of Montevaro called to her. “You need to be in here, too.”

  Katrín hesitated, then pushed back from the table, holding the bottom of her dress up as she walked toward the group. Everyone around Benjamin rearranged themselves so Katrín could squeeze in beside him.

  The photographer, one of the assistants who’d been helping keep an eye on the children, told everyone to squeeze in a little closer. Benjamin’s hand settled on Katrín’s hip, his awareness of her sharpened by their shared experience the week before.

  Without making a conscious decision to do so, he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her a bit closer as everyone pressed in around them.

  The instruction came for them to smile, but Benjamin felt weird trying to smile the way they wanted him to. He just didn’t smile like that, certainly not very often. So he didn’t smile. What was it Katrín had called his look? His resting grumpy face?

  That’s what they were going to get in this picture. No one here, except his sisters, knew him well enough to give him a hard time over it, and they wouldn’t mention it. They didn’t have those kinds of conversations with him.

  In fact, outside if his almost weekly phone calls with Darius and occasional homework with Alfred, he didn’t have idle chit chat with any of his siblings.

  Maybe he needed to change that.

  Based on what he was observing of the other couples in the room, he probably needed to talk to Katrín more as well. They needed to be able to put on a good facade when in front of the public.

  She leaned back slightly into him as his arm tightened around her. At least the picture should look like things were going well in the Eyjanian royal family. He needed to look more like an actual human. Wasn’t that what Katrín told him after the pictures of their dinner together came out?

  “I think I got one with at least one phone from each family,” the assistant told them. “You can share from there. Did I miss anyone’s?”

  “We can share further if we need to.” Queen Adeline took charge. “Thank you.”

  The assorted nannies and assistants came to gather the children, one announcing that it
was bedtime for little ones.

  Genevieve grabbed Katrín’s hand pulling her out of Benjamin’s embrace. “Come on. We’re going to let you change into something more comfortable.”

  Benjamin started to say something but turned when Evangeline linked her arm through his. “They’ll be back,” she told him. “That’s why Genevieve took her instead of me. If I did, we’d both hide out the rest of the night.”

  The group around them had mostly disbursed to other parts of the room. “I thought you liked hanging out with the people in this group.”

  Evangeline shrugged as they walked slowly toward an empty table. “I don’t mind it, but I had a long day yesterday and didn’t sleep well last night.”

  “You get to shop tomorrow. You like that.”

  “It’ll be fun getting to know Katrín better, but I still think you should take her to the party tomorrow.” He held a chair for her to sit down.

  “When we were notified of the party months ago, it was indicated that I was invited along with one of my sisters as my guest.” A glass of water was set in front of him by a waiter who also asked if he’d like anything else. Benjamin waved him off.

  Evangeline smiled and asked for a glass of wine, thanking the waiter for the water he also set in front of her. When he moved away, she turned back to Benjamin. “You weren’t even publicly engaged to Katrín at the time. No one knew you had a significant other until the engagement announcement was made. Thanks for the heads up, by the way. Mother was devastated she didn’t know first.”

  He sipped his water as the waiter returned with the glass of wine. “It’s a long story. I didn’t set out to hurt anyone. The press release was sent out without my consent.”

  “We wondered if you hadn’t given the go-ahead yet, and it was sent before you had a chance to introduce all of us to Katrín. It would have been nice if Darius and Esther could have been there, though.”

  “It would have been a distraction.” He took another sip. “He told me Esther didn’t return home when Kensington’s daughter was abducted because she knew she would become the story rather than the little girl.”