Page 34
Story: The Spy
Braxton squeezed Caro’s hand, following his gaze to where Shan and Lyric were standing together against one wall.The two of them were a couple and had announced their relationship to the family, but they could never get married.Yaroi might be willing to overlook one of their royal princes choosing to stay in Toval, especially after the message Toval sent after the near-fiasco that almost killed Karl, but they wouldn’t overlook Lyric marrying into the royal family, even if Shan was only a quasi-royal like Karl had been.Yaroi would invade if anyone even thought the word marriage for too long.But Shan and Lyric seemed happy together anyway.
And, as usual, Caro was correct that they would make excellent spies.As a very skilled sous chef, Shan’s abilities would open doors into places similar to how Karl had used his baking skills in the past.Lyric could literally fly, and there was no telling what else he could do.
“It’s an interesting thought,” Braxton replied.He looked at Caro and snuck a quick peck of a kiss.“But not today.Let’s celebrate Ama and Karl today and maybe recreate certain parts of our own wedding night later.”Braxton let his mischievous grin indicate to Caro exactly which portions of that night he meant.“I’ll think about spies again tomorrow.”
Caro’s answering smirk said he was definitely on board with Braxton’s plans.“Then I expect you to dance with me tonight.You have to woo me.”
“But I hate dancing,” Braxton groaned, his tone slightly whiny and only half-joking.
“But you love me,” Caro added pointedly.
“Yes, I do,” Braxton answered easily.He lifted their clasped hands and pressed a kiss to the back of Caro’s, feathering his lips over where their fingers were intertwined.
“I love you too,” Caro replied, his tone gruff, but then he brightened.“Which is why a dance or two won’t hurt you.Besides, I know that you know you actually enjoy dancing with me.”
Braxton tried to hold onto his morose façade, but the laugh escaped before he could stop it.“Only when I’m with you, Caro.”
They were pulled into the throng of people heading en masse toward the social hall where the cocktail hour was being held as the next stage of Ama and Karl’s wedding began.The promise of forever Braxton and Caro had made at their own wedding all those years ago might mean Braxton had to dance at events like these, but as usual, Caro was right again.Braxton would never turn down a chance to hold Caro close.
Because together forever was definitely worth it.
*
FEN
Locating Char amid the throngs of guests at the ball was as easy for Fen as always.Char was by the banquet table, checking out the quality of the food.Fen took a wide path around the dance floor where Braxton was getting carted around by Caro, and cut through the tables where many people were sitting and enjoying the lavish feast.Char wasn’t eating anything when Fen finally reached his side—well, of course he wasn’t.The man could look at a pastry crust and immediately tell if it was lacking even a teaspoon of butter; he didn’t need to taste something to know whether it was well-made.
“So, how much of this did you help cook?”Fen asked.He slid an arm around Char’s waist and bent close so Char could hear him, which also let him sneak a quick kiss.
“Terrance blocked me from the kitchen, remember?”Char replied.He frowned for a brief moment, but when Fen grabbed another kiss, the frown melted away.“Stop that!Anyway, because of that, I wasn’t able to help out.Um…much…”
Fen laughed.“You snuck in when your cousin was out, didn’t you?”Char’s cousin Terrance was admittedly better at paperwork and ordering than actually cooking, but he was an Aba-Musen, same as Char, so his ability to nullify poison was invaluable in the castle.However, Char made it a habit to stop by the castle kitchens when he was staying over, so even if Terrance wasn’t improving, the other kitchen chefs were learning a ton.The quality of the food had improved significantly since Char had joined them.
“I may have done that,” Char said, hedging.“But Terrance let me help with the wedding cake, so I didn’t always have to sneak.”
Terrance had Char help with the wedding cake because serving subpar wedding cake to someone as incredibly talented as Karl would have been an unrecoverable insult.Of everyone in the country of Toval, only Char was better at baking cake than Karl, but an average tongue wouldn’t be able to taste the difference between Char’s and Karl’s baked creations.
“Well, I will definitely make certain to have a slice of cake once it’s served.”Fen tugged gently with the arm he had wrapped around Char.“Until then, come dance with me.We can’t have Braxton be the only one grimacing and trying not to step on people’s feet out there.”
“Hey!My dancing has gotten a lot better, thank you very much,” Char replied.He didn’t resist when Fen tugged a second time, joining Fen in an open spot on the floor and picking up the steps of the current song midway.They twirled together, hands clasped, bodies close, and Fen took in every movement of the beautiful man he loved.
“Who knew not killing you that day in the forest would lead to all this,” Fen murmured.Char tilted his head upward and to the side, as if to say “what?I couldn’t hear you.”Fen just laughed and stole yet another kiss.
They spun around Braxton and Caro, who had only met and fallen in love because Char had intervened at the lake.They passed by Queen Carmillian, apparently holding court at a table adjacent to the dance floor and looking regal.And finally, as the song came to a close and they slowed, they turned to look at where Karl and Casmir sat close together, practically cuddling, at the newlywed’s table.Adopting Karl had been troublesome, but the good sort of troublesome.Now they had added Casmir to their family, which felt completely right.
Even with all the battles they fought and the hardships they endured, they had all somehow found peace and love.The orchestra started playing a new song.Fen looked away from the newlyweds to focus on his own husband, taking Char into his arms and whisking him away, off into the remainder of a perfect evening and the rest of their lives together.
And, as usual, Caro was correct that they would make excellent spies.As a very skilled sous chef, Shan’s abilities would open doors into places similar to how Karl had used his baking skills in the past.Lyric could literally fly, and there was no telling what else he could do.
“It’s an interesting thought,” Braxton replied.He looked at Caro and snuck a quick peck of a kiss.“But not today.Let’s celebrate Ama and Karl today and maybe recreate certain parts of our own wedding night later.”Braxton let his mischievous grin indicate to Caro exactly which portions of that night he meant.“I’ll think about spies again tomorrow.”
Caro’s answering smirk said he was definitely on board with Braxton’s plans.“Then I expect you to dance with me tonight.You have to woo me.”
“But I hate dancing,” Braxton groaned, his tone slightly whiny and only half-joking.
“But you love me,” Caro added pointedly.
“Yes, I do,” Braxton answered easily.He lifted their clasped hands and pressed a kiss to the back of Caro’s, feathering his lips over where their fingers were intertwined.
“I love you too,” Caro replied, his tone gruff, but then he brightened.“Which is why a dance or two won’t hurt you.Besides, I know that you know you actually enjoy dancing with me.”
Braxton tried to hold onto his morose façade, but the laugh escaped before he could stop it.“Only when I’m with you, Caro.”
They were pulled into the throng of people heading en masse toward the social hall where the cocktail hour was being held as the next stage of Ama and Karl’s wedding began.The promise of forever Braxton and Caro had made at their own wedding all those years ago might mean Braxton had to dance at events like these, but as usual, Caro was right again.Braxton would never turn down a chance to hold Caro close.
Because together forever was definitely worth it.
*
FEN
Locating Char amid the throngs of guests at the ball was as easy for Fen as always.Char was by the banquet table, checking out the quality of the food.Fen took a wide path around the dance floor where Braxton was getting carted around by Caro, and cut through the tables where many people were sitting and enjoying the lavish feast.Char wasn’t eating anything when Fen finally reached his side—well, of course he wasn’t.The man could look at a pastry crust and immediately tell if it was lacking even a teaspoon of butter; he didn’t need to taste something to know whether it was well-made.
“So, how much of this did you help cook?”Fen asked.He slid an arm around Char’s waist and bent close so Char could hear him, which also let him sneak a quick kiss.
“Terrance blocked me from the kitchen, remember?”Char replied.He frowned for a brief moment, but when Fen grabbed another kiss, the frown melted away.“Stop that!Anyway, because of that, I wasn’t able to help out.Um…much…”
Fen laughed.“You snuck in when your cousin was out, didn’t you?”Char’s cousin Terrance was admittedly better at paperwork and ordering than actually cooking, but he was an Aba-Musen, same as Char, so his ability to nullify poison was invaluable in the castle.However, Char made it a habit to stop by the castle kitchens when he was staying over, so even if Terrance wasn’t improving, the other kitchen chefs were learning a ton.The quality of the food had improved significantly since Char had joined them.
“I may have done that,” Char said, hedging.“But Terrance let me help with the wedding cake, so I didn’t always have to sneak.”
Terrance had Char help with the wedding cake because serving subpar wedding cake to someone as incredibly talented as Karl would have been an unrecoverable insult.Of everyone in the country of Toval, only Char was better at baking cake than Karl, but an average tongue wouldn’t be able to taste the difference between Char’s and Karl’s baked creations.
“Well, I will definitely make certain to have a slice of cake once it’s served.”Fen tugged gently with the arm he had wrapped around Char.“Until then, come dance with me.We can’t have Braxton be the only one grimacing and trying not to step on people’s feet out there.”
“Hey!My dancing has gotten a lot better, thank you very much,” Char replied.He didn’t resist when Fen tugged a second time, joining Fen in an open spot on the floor and picking up the steps of the current song midway.They twirled together, hands clasped, bodies close, and Fen took in every movement of the beautiful man he loved.
“Who knew not killing you that day in the forest would lead to all this,” Fen murmured.Char tilted his head upward and to the side, as if to say “what?I couldn’t hear you.”Fen just laughed and stole yet another kiss.
They spun around Braxton and Caro, who had only met and fallen in love because Char had intervened at the lake.They passed by Queen Carmillian, apparently holding court at a table adjacent to the dance floor and looking regal.And finally, as the song came to a close and they slowed, they turned to look at where Karl and Casmir sat close together, practically cuddling, at the newlywed’s table.Adopting Karl had been troublesome, but the good sort of troublesome.Now they had added Casmir to their family, which felt completely right.
Even with all the battles they fought and the hardships they endured, they had all somehow found peace and love.The orchestra started playing a new song.Fen looked away from the newlyweds to focus on his own husband, taking Char into his arms and whisking him away, off into the remainder of a perfect evening and the rest of their lives together.