Page 29 of Awakening

“Yes, I suspected you would say that.”

“I have chosen someone else.”

“Who. That man you ran off with the other day?”

“Trystan is the one with whom I belong. Not some Bertaèynian princess.” Marc stood steadfast against his father.

His father scoffed. “Your mother agrees with you.” His voice softened as he spoke and his face fell. Tears welled up as he looked away. He pressed his lips together and discreetly rubbed at his eyes. “Heaven help me, Marc, I do love her. I don’t want to lose her.”

“Then understand I do not want to lose Trystan.”

“Even in an arranged marriage, love can grow. I barely knew your mother when we were wed and yet, I’ve come to love her more than anything or anyone in this world.”

“That may be, but not in a thousand lifetimes could I grow to love Genevieve as much as I will have in one lifetime with Trystan.”

“Marriage to Genevieve will secure peace between our two countries and strengthen our armies and our borders. What will marriage to Trystan provide?”

“In my heart, something far greater than this marriage treaty of which you speak. I must ask you to trust me on this.”

“As the future regent king, duty must come above all else. You do not have the luxury of following your heart, my son.”

“And yet Mother told me that’s exactly what I am to do,” Marc countered. “But my love for him aside, fate brought him to me for another purpose.”

“No regent king has ever chosen a male partner. Genevieve can provide an heir.”

Marc was tempted to reveal that Trystan might possibly as well, but he wasn’t certain. That aside, he couldn’t offer up Trystan in that way. “The regent king has the authority to name an heir should there be no children.”

“Beyond duty, there is a certain joy in fathering a child and giving life, knowing you planted the seed from your own loins. You would give that up for this man?”

Marc’s heart clenched. Trystan’s affection meant more to him than fathering a child with a person whom he did not love.

“I would.” His voice came out hoarse. “I’ll admit, it is not preferred, but I would only grow to resent any child of mine that is not conceived with Trystan.”

Locryn arched a brow.

Marc cleared his throat. “But this is not about an heir. This is about doing right for our kingdom and our people. I need you to trust that Trystan is as right for this kingdom as he is for me.”

“How can you speak with such conviction?”

Marc stared at his father, considering his words. “Trystan has an intimate knowledge of Arthurian history, beyond what I’ve studied in books and ancient records. I have yet to understand how, and I cannot help but think he could have some knowledge of Arthur’s lost heir.”

“Your mother mentioned something about the heir returning one day soon.”

Marc stood firm. His father had always hoped Arthur’s heir would be found during his reign, and while Marc hadn’t lied entirely about Trystan’s connection with Arthur, he had embellished a bit to gain his father’s favor.

Even as he’d spoken, however, the words felt true. He thought of the prophecy mentioned by both Emrys and Noah and how Trystan’s past was the very thing putting Trystan’s life in danger. Trystan didn’t know his birth parents and had searched endlessly with no evidence to show they even existed. And his passion for Arthurian history—not lore—and firm belief in the legendary aspects… all of it combined pointed to one potential conclusion.

Trystan didn’t have ties to the heir.

Trystan was the heir.

“Very well.”

Marc blinked, schooling his features to stifle the excitement of his possible discovery as his father spoke again. If what he’d deciphered turned out to be the truth, his father would have the very thing that still eluded him to this day. The chance to restore the lost heir.

“You have until the solstice to prove him worthy, at which point, if he is not, you will either agree to marry Genevieve or you will abdicate your inherent title and your sister Iseult, will be named the heir apparent. Are we in agreement?”

The solstice was a couple months away.