Loving the Forbidden Prince

ETAN

Both Borsche and his mother stood before him, staring, waiting for his explanation. He swallowed and hardened his heart, praying for the Father's strength. Borsche, at least, he could fill in later. But he couldn't risk his mother learning enough to ask the right questions. He'd never been good a lying to her. 

"I need your help," he said to his man, praying his gaze was firm enough to communicate that this wasn't something that could be discussed before his mother. "I need you to locate our friends immediately and warn them that the Zenithrans are doing everything in their power to block Summitras from the Peace Accord, and so we must take drastic action. Today. All our former hopes and plans must be delayed. Postponed until all the Kingdoms are at peace. Our friends must step very, very carefully until the Accord is signed. Give no reason for the Zenithrans to question their loyalty, or their intentions. Do you understand?"

Borsche nodded slowly, his eyes conveying that he understood the warning, but not the catalyst behind it. "But what about—"

"Nothing is more important than reaching the Accord. After that is signed and our Kingdoms are secure, everything will become clear. I will make everything clear," he corrected himself. "Please. Go. The… the message we received was a trap which we did not spring, thank the Father. Tell them… tell them to keep their heads down, their eyes open and their hands at their sides. We will say what needs to be said after the Accord is signed. They are to say nothing—nothing!—until the announcement of Unions."

Borsche's throat bobbed, but he nodded and started for the door. But Etan caught his elbow as he passed. "Tell them…" his breath caught and he hesitated, Borsche's eyebrows climbing in alarm. Etan swallowed and clenched his jaw. "Tell them that while I may be silent, they never leave my thoughts. But I will not speak of them because the walls have ears."

Borsche's eyebrows pinched together, but with a hesitant glance at Etan's mother, he nodded slowly, then, when Etan released his arm, he turned on his heel and stalked out the door, closing it carefully behind him.

Etan took a deep breath, his hands clenching against the pain as his heart shattered. It was begun.

"Etan, what's going on?" his mother repeated, startling him as she questioned him more firmly this time. "What has happened while you've been away? Which friends are you warning?"

Etan swallowed, then turned back to her. Her fists were on her hips in a pose she'd taken for as long as he could remember whenever someone close to her was being harmed and she was readying to step into the battle. 

He was so blessed to have her. 

"Etan?"

He blew out a breath, then taking both his mother's hands and holding them, he spoke looking back and forth between where their fingers met, and her searching eyes. He couldn't hold her gaze, couldn't risk her reading the pain in his own.

"I have spent the last two days in reflection, as you know," he said. She nodded, eyeing him warily. "While I was gone, all my time was spent determining who I should align with—whom I should marry, the Kingdom with which I should bring our people together. And I am… I was resolved that I knew the best choice. But the Zenithrans… they work hard. They wish to thwart me—us. Mother, we must step so carefully. If we give them even the slightest excuse the Zenithrans will have us barred from the Accord—whether the other nations agree or not."

"Nothing new there," his mother said dryly. "But you said they already attempted to remove us from the Peace Accord? What happened?"

"They set a trap for me before I left, then another while I was gone. Their sorcery is… ugly." His mother's eyes widened so he rushed in to reassure her. "I did not fall to them, Mother. Do not be worried. But I return today, desperately aware of how precarious our situation is. You must trust me. I cannot tell you everything because it would put you at risk. But I can tell you… I can tell you that I know who should return to Summitras with us as… as my fiancé. So I wanted to speak with you alone in the hope that you would assist me in securing the match. We don't have much time. We must do it before the Accord so it can be announced with the other Unions."

His mother tilted her head. "Who is that you believe you should marry, Etan?" she asked calmly, but an edge of fear had entered her tone.

Etan stared at her for a long moment, picturing himself telling her the truth. Images of Ayleth flashed through his mind—her smile, her spark, her courage… their wedding night and the joy in her eyes when they were alone… the way she'd closed her eyes and opened her mouth when she'd thrown her head back in pleasure. The way she'd trust him, and the tears she'd shed in his arms. 

He yearned to tell his mother about the perfect way the Father of Lights had brought him and Ayleth together—and beg her forgiveness and her prayers for the only way Etan could see to walk through this hell. The only way he could be certain of keeping his wife, his love safe and alive. 

He had to make her believe it had all been a lie until he could find a way to free her from her mother's sorcery.

His hand was squeezed, and Etan blinked and realized his mother's face was beginning to drop into fierce concern. She opened her mouth, but he shook his head to stop her speaking and looked down at their linked hands—a coward's move, but one he needed in that moment. 

"I must ask Father to approve… to reach for the hands of alliance with… the Lady Sarya Playne and her Kingdom."

***** 

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