Time Passes: In The Garden

Prince Valn tilts the watering can into the rose bed and watches as the water falls onto the dirt. His bodyguard is standing at the edge of the garden watching the Prince as the guard nearby continues her patrol. The bodyguard straightens when the Prince sighs and waits to be called over, as is the cycle they have fallen into after years of the Prince needing time to think and orient his thoughts.

"Trix, would you be willing to give us the garden. We're within the castle walls after all."

"Of course, Your Highness. Though General Vunfor will likely be upset about my leaving you alone with an unbonded."

"He will be, but that is not for him or you to decide on my behalf," his eyes pierce into the Guard as she flinches in shame.

"Forgive me, I have over stepped my bounds." She bows and the Prince nods in acceptance before gesturing her to leave.

He is already looking over at his bodyguard and friend who shakes his head with a soft smile and comes over.

"You must be stressed if that's how you accept apologies tonight."

"I'll send her roses to make up for it. We need to talk about what the messenger said."

"If I may, I thought you handled the situation well, if not a little petulantly."

"Ass," the Prince punches his friend's arm with a smile that slowly fades into his grim expression once more. "I am worried for my sisters. The Princes of Gulres have stated before that they will not take an Omega as a mate, only as a plaything."

"Which is why we're all worried for you," Helrith stated with concern.

"The laws protect me as the eldest son must take the throne of Valgroth and I can only marry those outside the kingdom if blessed by my father or under dire circumstance. My father would never bless such a marriage unless he knew I loved one of them. Which, and this goes without saying, I don't."

"Yet, this could be considered a dire circumstance, could it not?"

"That's what I'm wondering. I reread the old treaty before Valgroth and Gulres. It should last another three hundred years, if not more. Yet the Princes claim that I'll jeopardize that with my reign. For them, if that fear is genuine, it would be a dire circumstance, but for our people and the treaty itself it isn't and I'm almost certain this is just another grab for power."

"It most certainly is, but we can't prove it. So how can we stop it?"

"Well, to keep me King of Valgroth and out of a marriage with the Gulres line, I need to marry a nobleman within Valgroth or a royal I'm in love with from outside the kingdom."

"Who's considered nobleman? Your brother?"

"You ass," laughing Valn elbows Helrith. "Knights, Guards, the wealthy, they are nobles. My brother is a child."

"I know, but can you marry anyone then?" The bodyguard seems to be considering something.

"I suppose, so long as I'm willing to," shrugging Valn goes to sit down.

Before he can sit Helrith grabs a hold of his wrist and spins him around so they are facing each other. Startled, Valn goes to say something when his guard kisses him deeply and sends out his Alpha pheromone.