His Best Intentions Chapter 8
Everyone was in high spirits the day after the festival. The staff joked with Jared and Jensen, and Jared had never seen the Prince so relaxed. They ate their lunch under shade trees in the garden while Jensen explained their upcoming trip. He just finished telling Jared how many men would join them when a page interrupted them.
“Sir, sorry for the intrusion, but I have news about your parents,” the boy began. “They have been delayed and won’t return until tomorrow.”
Jensen frowned. “Very well, thank you.” The page nodded and left them to finish their lunch.
“Jared, I’m sorry, but we can’t leave until my parents return. There’s kind of an unwritten rule that one of us needs to be in the capital.”
Jared smiled with understanding. “You probably want to see them before we leave, don’t you? One day shouldn’t matter.”
“Thank you for understanding. And yes, my mother will want to know all about the festival.”
Jared grinned. “Tell her it was incredible. That you were the best in every competition. That the food was amazing, the dancing was delightful, and the fireworks were fantastic.”
Jensen chuckled. “You have quite a way with words. Honestly, the important thing is that you had a good time.”
He squeezed Jensen’s hand and smiled when the Prince met his gaze. “I did. I had the best time.” Then he closed his eyes and laid back on the grass.
Jensen studied Jared’s face as the sun and shadows played across his features. He wanted to lean down and kiss those warm pink lips. They had been so close last night. It hadn’t been a dream. Jared had wrapped his arms around him; they had almost kissed. Jared had feelings for him, he was sure of it...or had it been the wine? Perhaps Jared drank too much. He did fall asleep on the ride back to the castle. Jensen cherished that memory, as well. Feeling Jared nestled against him, Jared’s head on his shoulder and his long legs stretched across the carriage to the seat opposite them was something Jensen would never forget.
How could he find out if Jared’s feelings were real or just wine?
“Sir! Sir, There’s a couple at the gate claiming to need to speak to Mr. Jared.” A young page approached, breathing as if he’d ran the entire way from the gate to the garden.
Jared propped himself up on his elbows. “Who is it?”
“I don’t know, sir. Says he’s a friend of yours. Said you and the Prince need to talk to his lady friend.”
Jared and Jensen exchanged looks and followed the page to the gate.
“Jason, open the gate,” Jensen said when he saw who it was. “Chad, come in, welcome.”
Chad bowed his head. “Thank you, your Majesty.” Then he elbowed the woman with him, and she curtsied.
“I thought you was lyin’,” she whispered to Chad.
“Told you,” he whispered back.
Once inside and seated, Jensen smiled at the woman. “Chad, please introduce your lovely friend.”
“Right. Jared, your Majesty, this is the lovely Brianna. Brianna, this is my dear friend, Prince Jensen, and my other friend, Jared.”
“Your Majesty.” She attempted another curtsey from her chair and nearly fell. “I thought he was lyin’,” she mumbled.
Jensen helped her up. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss.” He looked at Chad for an explanation, but Jared spoke up.
“So, Chad, what brings you and the lovely Miss Brianna here today?” Jared asked, trying not to look annoyed.
“She knows Travis. I mean, she met him, just recently as she was performing.” Chad bubbled with excitement. “Tell them what you told me. Tell them about Travis.”
Brianna looked from Jensen to Jared and back, shrinking in her seat and looking as nervous as a naughty child. “I’m a singer with one of the troupes you hired for the festival, The Birdwell Sisters. Only we’re not sisters, we just sing together.”
“Get to the stuff about Travis,” Chad said harshly.
“I am,” she sniped back. “We were up in Lancaster about six or seven weeks ago, and that’s where I met Travis.”
Jared looked from her to Chad. “How do you know it’s the same Travis that I know?”
“Well, he said his name was Wade, Travis Wade. He’s got real pretty blue eyes and a nice smile,” she paused as she thought. “His family runs the mill in the town, so he’s kind of a big deal, or at least he thinks he is. He struck me as kind of a big fish in a small pond, if you know what I mean.”
Chad nodded like she had described Travis flawlessly. Jensen kept his eyes trained on Jared, scrutinizing his reaction. Jared squinted. “We’ve heard of other Travis’s before.”
“Oh right, tell him the rest of it,” Chad demanded, tapping Brianna on the arm. The woman blushed and glanced at Jensen. “The Prince won’t judge you, I promise.”
She took a breath and said, “Well, like I told you yesterday, Travis flirted with me all night. He told me he had a weakness for dimples.” She smiled, showcasing the dimples in question. “After our show, he was trying to impress me. So, he told me about living in the capital and traveling and only coming home because he needed to run the family business. He was really nice until I refused to sleep with him. Then he called me ignorant and some other inappropriate words, but I told him I’m not that kind of girl.”
“She’s not,” Chad confirmed immediately. “I spent half my wages trying to get her to be, but she wasn’t having it.”
Jared’s jaw clenched, but he remained quiet.
“Lancaster isn’t far from Porthcawl. If he went North to fight alongside his family,” Jensen began, but Jared interrupted him.
“Thank you, Miss Brianna, Chad.” Jared smiled stiffly at them. “Please excuse me. I have some things I must attend to before my trip.” He fled from the room, leaving the others to stare after him.
Shocked at Jared’s sudden departure, Jensen turned to his guests to excuse him when Chad stood. “I’ll go after him.”
A footman showed Chad the way, and he easily caught up with Jared.
“Jay, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Yes, you did,” Jared sniped at him.
“No, not really. I wanted you to see that Travis has moved on, and you should, too.” He pulled a paper from his coat pocket. “I checked with my boss, and he says if you get Travis to sign this in front of a witness, he won’t have any claim on you.”
As Jared took the paper and read it, his anger left him. “Guess working for a solicitor finally paid off. Thanks, Chad.”
Chad grinned. “That’s what friends are for. You’ve always been there for me. I’m trying to return the favor.”
After their guests left, Jensen could barely look at Jared. His reaction to the news about Travis was all Jensen needed to know. Despite Jared’s actions yesterday, Jared still loved Travis, and Jensen had little chance at winning his heart. “So now that you know where Travis is, or at least have a decent idea, do you want to leave right away?”
Jared’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I thought you had to wait for your parents to return.”
Jensen cleared his throat. “I do, but you don’t. There’s no reason you need to wait for me.”
Jared shrugged, hoping to look nonchalant. “It’s one more day, after all this time, I don’t mind waiting one day if you’ll be able to join me.”
A solemn mood fell over the castle when the King and Queen arrived home. The staff acted as if fault would be found with every task.
The King and Queen summoned Jensen to their parlour just after tea. The Prince could tell by the maid’s expression that his parents were in foul moods. Once they were alone, his father began. “Has Jared agreed to be your Intended?”
“No, Sir.”
“I hear that this Travis person has been located and that you are leaving tomorrow to reunite them.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“That is a mistake. You will remain here and choose another Intended. Jared will travel with an escort to the North.”
“I don’t want another Intended. I love Jared. I won’t be forced into a loveless arrangement with someone.”
“What about your duty to your country?” his father demanded. “Don’t you love your country?”
“You know I do. But how can I rule if I’m unhappily wed? If I have to worry about my spouse’s motives?” Jensen argued.
“It’s your responsibility, Jensen. As first born, the mantle of this kingdom is yours,” his mother said. “Are you choosing Jared over your country and your family?”
“No, I’m choosing Jared because I love him beyond all reason,” Jensen explained.
“I’m not saying you can’t be friends with the man,” his father replied. “Appoint him to your court, if you want him around. His professors tell me he is rather clever. But you are wasting your year of promise!”
Jensen turned to his mother. “You said to give it time and I might win his heart.”
The King didn’t let her answer. “The law is the law. If you go with him, don’t come back. You will no longer be Prince Jensen and my son. It’s your decision. Your country or this boy.”
The Queen gasped.
“That’s not fair!” Jensen replied, struggling to keep his emotions controlled.
“The world isn’t fair, Jensen!” the King growled, “You have had months to find a replacement and have done nothing!”
“I’ve shown Jared my worth as a partner and as a leader. He no longer thinks I’ve ruined his life. Please, let me take this trip with him. Perhaps once he sees Travis he will realize the memory doesn’t live up to the man and I will have a chance. If not, maybe when I see them together I will get over him.”
The King dismissed that idea with a wave of his hand. “I have made my decision. You may come back with another Intended or don’t come back at all.”