Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Thirty-One
Morning did not bring soft kisses and whispered vows of love.
Hugo didn’t even have the pleasure of waking to a thick, hard cock filling his ass and pounding him into oblivion.
Instead there was a pounding on his bedroom door and a frantic group of servants begging to prepare him to appear before the king and queen.
Not one servant even blinked an eye at the very naked crown prince who rolled out of Hugo’s thoroughly used bed, wrapped in the thick comforter, and sleepily shuffled toward the door.
“Wait! Aren’t you going with me?” Hugo cried out as the bevy of servants attempted to herd him into the bathroom.
Everand turned his half-open eyes to a servant. “Was I summoned as well?”
The servant vigorously shook his head while trying to avoid looking at Everand’s rumpled state.
Everand flashed Hugo a crooked grin and shrugged his shoulders. “Guess not.”
“Everand!” Hugo shouted.
The prince turned and walked over to brush a kiss across his lips. “It’ll be fine. Father wants to reward you. Come find me when he’s done. You can help me with my bath.”
That would likely put Hugo in the bath with him. The only question was whether he’d be dressed at the time.
“I was thinking of returning home after. I’ve not seen my family in days,” Hugo called out as two servants got him moving.
“Then I’ll accompany you home,” Everand announced with a wave of his hand prior to disappearing out the door. Oh yes, Hugo’s mother was going to love that.
Hugo didn’t have another second to think about it. He was hurried through a steamy bath, dressed, and his hair styled. Within an hour, he was standing outside a pair of tall double doors, waiting to be summoned for his meeting. Butterflies the size of falcons had set up residence in his stomach, waiting to take flight. He thought Everand’s assessment was correct—the king probably wanted to reward Hugo for protecting his son and heir. That wasn’t what had Hugo so unsettled.
It was his complicated past with Queen Lilianna that needed to be settled. All the truth needed to come out if he was going to have a future with Everand.
Just as Hugo feared he’d been forgotten, he was called forward. The doors opened, and Hugo strode down the aisle of the massive throne room to the dais with his head held high and shoulders back. He released a sigh of relief when he saw that the full court wasn’t present. Only the king, the queen, a couple of ministers, and a scattering of servants.
As Hugo drew near, the king jumped from his throne and descended the dais to meet Hugo before he could reach where he was supposed to stop and bow. Hugo awkwardly stopped early and bowed. The king was disrupting royal etiquette, leaving Hugo scrambling.
“Your Majesties, it is an honor—”
“No! No, Mr. Baker. It is our honor to have you here today.” A firm hand clapped his shoulders and pushed him upright. “We had a long talk with our son yesterday about everything that happened regarding Wulia. He spoke highly of your efforts to protect him and broker peace with King Victor.”
“We’ve also received a letter from King Victor. It was brief, but had a glowing mention of you,” Queen Lilianna chimed in.
Hugo’s gaze darted to the queen to find that the old look of suspicion was gone, replaced with open warmth. He jerked his attention to the king as he half draped his arm across Hugo’s shoulders and ushered him toward the dais.
“I am honored, truly. My only desire was to keep His Highness safe,” Hugo stated, fighting the urge to wring his hands.
This close to the king, Hugo could see more similarities between Hubert and his son. They possessed the same prominent brow, soft eyes, and sharp eyebrows. Yet it seemed Everand had inherited his mouth and nose from his mother. King Hubert’s black hair was sprinkled with gray, and wrinkles stretched from the corners of his eyes, but there was still a spry energy to him despite his years. It didn’t appear as though he would hand off the throne to his son anytime soon.
“You’ll forgive me for doing this without the full court, but there was something we wished to discuss in private prior to making all the formal announcements with proper pomp and circumstance.” There was a hint of sarcasm in his tone that made Hugo think the king wasn’t a fan of big, showy displays.
A smile teased Hugo’s lips. It reminded him so much of Everand. Was the prince aware of how similar he was to his father? Hugo shoved the errant thought aside and suppressed his smile.
After the king returned to his throne, one minister stepped forward. The man wore a severe dark suit, while his neckcloth was tied in a complicated knot that swelled up under his chin. His bald head was shiny under the lights of the massive overhead chandeliers, while a bright-red beard combed sleek covered his jaw. He cleared his throat, removed a red leather folder from under his arm, and read aloud a lot of formal proclamation language that became white buzzing noise in his ears. At least until the minister reached the part where Hugo would henceforth be known as the Duke of Beaurenard.