A Modern Day Fairy Tale Teaser

“Your Highness, you have a meeting with the head of the financial committee in an hour, a late lunch with the agricultural committee to discuss the potential threats of climate change on the export of our coffee and an afternoon session of the House of Lords,” said Heidi, who’d stepped in as my personal assistant. Felix was my head of personal security. Alec had requested to be moved into Bella’s service.

Much to my mother’s chagrin …

Her staff was also pissed at her for her actions and words in the states.

“Your Highness?” Heidi pressed.

“My apologies, Heidi,” I sighed, looking up from my computer. “Is my schedule on my computer?”

“Yes, sir,” she nodded. “Along with a draft of the legislation from the agricultural committee. Be familiar with that for your lunch.”

“It was my bedtime reading for the past week, Heidi,” I snorted. Heidi arched a brow, crossing her arms. She suspected that Bella and I had been making up for lost time since her accident. Every day since we’d made love in Paris, we’d be insatiable. “I swear, Heidi. I have not been slacking in my duties as the leader of the House of Lords.”

“I didn’t say that, Your Highness,” Heidi said, a smile spreading over her face. “With your move into the royal apartment in the city center, out of Masen Manor, and the apparent rift between you and your mother …”

“The public don’t know, do they?” I asked.

“No. Only those of us who are within the inner circle are aware of your estrangement,” Heidi said. “Now, you’ve got an hour before your meetings begin earnest. Check in with your fiancée. She’s called, stressing out about ‘messing up the ginormous place that is not an apartment, but a penthouse … no, not a penthouse, a museum! We’ve got so much freaking room!’ That’s a direct quote from Bella’s mouth.”

“Pretty good impression,” I snickered. “You almost have that an American accent.” Heidi wrinkled her nose, ducking out of my office. I sat back in my leather chair. The office had once belonged to my father, my grandfather. Now, I was sitting in the same chair that they had. It was daunting, but I was trying to not stress out. Compared to the responsibilities of being king, leading the House of Lords was a cake walk. According to our constitution, I was nobility’s voice to the queen. Speaking for them … advocating for our people. It meant that I had twice weekly meetings with my mother.

Those were very difficult meetings. I talked to her about the issues of the people, cold and detached. When she tried to engage in personal conversations after those meetings, I’d just leave. It broke my mother’s heart, but she’d broken mine and Bella’s with her callous words.

Shaking my head, I opened my computer, dialing Bella on FaceTime. She answered after three rings. Her hair was curled around her heart-shaped face and her cheeks were pink. “Masen, this place … it’s … I got lost going to the bathroom,” she hissed, her eyes wide.

“Hello, to you too, cherie,” I snickered. “I take it you found your way out of there?”

“Bite me, Majesty,” she quipped with a quiet giggle, her nose wrinkled.

House of Lords

Exterior of the Apartment

Alec, Bella's personal bodyguard

Felix, Masen's personal bodyguard

Heidi, Masen's personal assistant