His Best Intentions chapter 12
“You look tired.”
The King looked up from his desk in surprise. “You’re speaking to me?” Hoping this meant the end of their weeks long quarrel, he stood and crossed the room to her. He had expected her anger but not the soul shattering silence that had become their relationship.
“If I don’t, how will you know you’re being a jackass?”
“You think I’m being too harsh but --”
“Harsh? No, harsh was when he couldn’t leave his room after he ran away. What you’re doing now, is wrong.”
“Being king isn’t easy.”
“Neither is being your wife!” she snapped. “You’ve taken both my children from me. How can you expect me to accept that?”
The King took a breath. Fighting with his wife exhausted him. “I must prepare the boy for the complexities of governing.”
“The ‘boy’ is your son. You could treat him that way.”
“You coddle him too much,” he barked.
“This test is too much!” she sniped back.
They each took a breath and stepped back. Both thought they were right and neither gave an inch.
“You’re the King, you can change the law.”
“That solves nothing. We all must move on for the good of the kingdom.” He looked pleadingly at her. “Look how much I rely on you. Jensen can’t rule alone, he must find someone to be his partner.”
“Jensen is smart and capable. He is more patient than either of us. He will rule the kingdom justly.” She rested her hand on her husband’s arm. “He did everything right and passed every test for his Year of Promise. His only oversight was Jared’s involvement with this other man.”
“A king can’t afford a dereliction of duty!” the King explained.
The Queen glared at him, a venomous retort on the tip of her tongue when she caught herself. She inhaled slowly to quiet her rage. “You’re right, but he’s not the king. Not yet. Shouldn’t he have the opportunity to learn from his mistakes?”
“But this thing with Jared has wasted so much time. Jensen must woo another Intended by year’s end.”
“Give him more time,” the Queen pleaded, to which her husband rolled his eyes. “Your great-grandfather changed the law to allow for affrèrement after your great-uncle couldn’t take the throne. It is not unprecedented to change the laws concerning the Year of Promise.”
Her husband looked surprised by her argument.
“I learned a thing or two in the classes I took as your Intended,” she said with a smirk.
“But the court-”
“The court is not your family. You’ve already lost a son. You risk losing a wife and daughter, too, if you are unwilling to think about a change.”
The King collapsed into his chair. It wasn’t supposed to get this far. Jensen was meant to forget about Jared and choose another. The King never expected to lose his family. He buried his head in his hands and mumbled, “I can’t.”
The Queen swallowed. He was calling her bluff. She couldn’t leave him and Elizabeth might not forgive him, but she would become Queen one day. Tears filled her eyes. She had no card left to play. She had failed her son.
“I can’t lose you.” The King’s voice sounded wrecked.
The Queen froze. Had she heard him correctly? “I can’t lose my children.”
“A month. A season at the most. The court should find that reasonable.”
“You’ll let Jensen come home?” Her excitement was clear in her voice.
The King nodded, got out of his chair, and walked to her. “He has to have his Intended by then. Then the ceremony can go on as planned.”
“If he doesn’t?”
“We’ll talk to the court. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Thank you,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest.
He held her and kissed the top of her head. “Thank you for reminding me to be his father first and then the King.”
After riding most of the day, the men rested near a stream. Jared noticed no one was setting up tents or gathering wood. "Why aren't we setting up camp?"
"We'll be sleeping at inns for the rest of the trip," Jensen explained. "This part of the country is not as familiar to me, so I decided against camping."
"Oh," Jared said with a touch of disappointment. "I was kind of looking forward to sleeping in a tent with you."
Jensen pretended Jared's words didn't affect him. "I'm sure a proper bed is preferable to the ground."
"Of course but--"
Before Jared could finish his thought, two men on horseback interrupted them. Jensen met with the men, then they rode off, and he returned to Jared. "Come. They have secured our lodgings for the night." He mounted his horse. "If the weather holds, we should be in Lancaster the day after next."
"Oh, good." Jared smiled, but the news didn't cheer him. In two days, everything in his life will change. He hated that his future depended on Travis.
Jensen, Jared, and the men filled nearly every table in the inn's dining chamber. The rest of the tables were also full. A young girl hustled from group to group, delivering drinks and fresh bread.
Jensen sat in the corner, his back to the place. Tahmoh and Richard sat on either side, leaving Jared the seat that faced the Prince and the busy room. After a moment of watching the young girl struggling with a tray of dishes, Jared excused himself from the table. "Don't be too long. When our food finally gets here, I can't promise I'll leave you any," Richard teased.
"You'll leave me something if you know what's good for you," Jared joked back.
Then he went to the tables at the opposite end of the room, gathered their dirty dishes, and took them to the bar. "Thank you, but you don't have to do that. My girl will get to it," the owner said.
"I know. But you're very busy, and she's working really hard. I don't mind helping while I wait for my food."
"I can't pay you."
"I don't need paying, but you need assistance, and I can help." Jared then grabbed a pitcher and some glasses and asked the girl where he should go.
With a relieved, tired smile, she pointed, and Jared went about serving as many people as possible.
"What is keeping Jared?" Jensen asked when he hadn't returned several minutes later.
"Shall I go look for him?" Richard asked, turning in his chair. Then he tapped Jensen's arm. "It appears young Jared is working here."
"What?" Jensen spun in his chair and watched Jared deliver a tray ladened with heavy plates to a table. "Of course, he is." Jensen smiled fondly as Jared walked around the room, helping the young girl deliver dishes and drinks.
When Jared rejoined them, he brought a flagon of ale. "Sorry I was gone so long. The young girl seemed overburdened."
"That was gracious of you, Jared. I'm sure she appreciated it," Jensen replied quietly.
"I bet they won't pay you," Tahmoh laughed.
Jared shrugged. "No, but they gave me this ale for free, so that's something."
Richard and Tahmoh laughed and cheered with their mugs, but Jensen stayed quiet. Richard and Tahmoh filled the silence with jokes and stories as they ate. They didn't notice the Prince didn't join in the telling of stories.
After dinner, Jensen walked around the small village, stopping by a well to drink some fresh water.
"Hey, there you are. I was wondering where you'd gone off to." Jared waved and jogged to join him at the well.
Jensen sighed and offered Jared the cup. "Just having some water. Would you like some?"
"No. I'm good." He sat on the edge of the well, watching as Jensen drank and returned the cup. "You were quiet at dinner, and then you left without saying anything, are you okay?"
"I just wanted some time alone."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Jared stood up. "I can leave."
"No. I don't mean you. You are always welcome. I meant," he inclined his head to the guard, standing a few feet away. “That’s one thing I won’t miss when I live in Muldera.”
“Are you accepting banishment?” Jared asked.
Jensen huffed at the blunt question. “I don’t have a choice.”
“Yes, you do. This is so stupid.”
Jensen pressed his lips together. He wasn’t stupid. Hearing that come from Jared stung more than when his father had said it. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Jared. Thankfully you will be reunited with your beloved Travis soon and my stupidity will no longer be your problem.”
“That is not what I meant. I’m sorry. I wasn’t calling you stupid, the tradition is stupid,” Jared explained.
Jensen took a deep breath and exhaled like it would blow away his frustration. “That is what you don’t understand,” he began. “I am the tradition. My country, my family, these customs you find stupid are what make me who I am.” Jared started to interrupt, but Jensen continued. “I wouldn’t exist if my father hadn’t found my mother. This tradition forges loyalty and unity within our country. I’m banished because I cannot rule alone and I have not found anyone who complements me the way you do.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. You would make a wonderful King, Jensen.”
“I’ll be a wonderful peasant in Muldera, too,” Jensen said, a sarcastic smirk masking his frustration.
“Is that what you want?”
“No. I want to rule my country like I was raised to do. But I want you by my side.”
“I told you I’m willing to go anywhere with you. And I’m willing to face your father and convince him you should be King.”
Jensen smiled indulgently. “You say that now. But after you meet with Travis, you may change your mind.”
Jared nodded. “You don’t believe me.”
Jensen sighed. “You say you love me, yet you insist on seeing Travis.”
Jared pulled a paper from his jacket pocket and handed it to Jensen. “This is why I need to see Travis. He must sign this to release me from any claim he has on me.”
“Why can’t we send Richard or Rob to have that signed? Why must it be you?” Jensen pleaded.
“Because I have a plan to make sure he’ll never bother us again,” Jared explained. “You’ve done so much for me, I don’t deserve you. You are kinder than me, more patient. You challenge me to be a better person and...I need to prove that I’m worthy of being your Intended.”
“Jared, of course you’re worthy. I convinced my father of that when I chose you.”
“I don’t care about convincing your father. I need to convince you. You must believe that I love you and we belong together.”
Jensen let Jared’s words wash over him. “I’ve always thought we should be together,” he whispered.
Jared stepped closer, eager to show his love with a kiss, but Jensen glanced at the guard and Jared stopped himself. “Soon, my Prince, it won’t matter who sees us.”