King Of My Heart (mpreg)

CH 11

"Introducing the Prince of Britannia, Prince Louis William Tomlinson!" Culpepper said as I walked into the dining hall. I quickly made my way to my table which was elevated to give me a clear view of the entire hall; I could feel everyone's eyes on me and it made me very uncomfortable. 

Everyone in the room applauded me as I walked to my table but I could hear their whispers underneath the applause.   I sat in the large, lonly, golden chair that was in front of the table; I would sit alone during dinner and after dinner is when I would actually start meeting people. 

"Please don't go far" I discreetly whispered to Harry as he filled my cup with watered down wine, Harry chuckled "Of course not, Liam is right over there also if you need anything" he said before walking away to tend to my guests. 

I sat back in my chair and watched my guests; it was interesting to see their reactions.   I was being stared at, but once I made eye contact with whoever was staring at me, they would look away quickly and then make it a point not to look directly at me for a while.  I ate dinner alone and as soon as the musicians came out, it seemed everyone rose up all at once and ran right at me. 

Back home we introduced and greeted each other with a hug or if you just met someone for the first time you would each place a hand on each others shoulders; a symbolic gesture meaning that you would help each other carry whatever the other was carrying, in terms of problems.  Here however, the first person I met shoved a box in my face before I could even stand up, took a step back out of arm's reach and bowed to me. 

"Highness please accept this humble gift" the man said before he introduced himself, bowing the entire time he spoke.  I opened the carved wooden box that had a hunting scene beautifully carved into the lid; inside was an object that seemed to be an egg made of silver with gemstones studded throughout.  "Thank you...it's very nice" I said partly lying and partly truthful. 

The man, the Duke of a place I've never heard of before, beamed at me before bowing again and walking away.  This is how, apparently, introductions happened here: with a gift first, as everyone gave me something.   I met so many people, mainly men, tonight that I completely gave up at trying to remember names.  Everyone was either a Duke or an Earl of someplace that I didn't know existed; I didn't even know the difference between a Duke or Earl, I just knew that those titles were for those that held land and cities. 

After I met everyone, people started talking amongst themselves; I sighed in relief and sat back in my chair, it was overwhelming to be mobbed like that.  "Highness" a voice said in my ear
"A special guest just arrived and is wanting your personal attention".  I looked over my shoulder to one of my staff, I think he tended my gardens; I nodded and stood up to follow him, just happy for an excuse to leave this place for a bit.

As we were walking down the corridors this entire situation suddenly struck me as suspicious; the two of us were walking alone and I don't think anyone saw me leave the party since we used the side door that was close by where I sat. 

As we walked out into the gardens I finally asked "Where are we going?" as I pulled my coat tighter around me as a breeze picked up.  "Not too much farther Highness" my gardener said "We'll be meeting your guest in a tavern" we crossed the gardens and went through a side gate into the city of Doncaster.  Thankfully we stopped at the first building we came across, it was a lively tavern, thank God; I had made the decision that if my gardener took me to anywhere that was at all suspicious, I would run.

He lead us to a table where two men sat drinking beer, what was striking though was one of the men had a full head of red hair, I've never seen that before. Both of them were older than I was, probably in their late twenties.  They were both dressed plainly but each sat with pride, and glared at anyone who tried to sit at their table until the other person left. 

My gardener and I sat at their table and the guy with the red hair waved his hand in the air before a serving girl set down two mugs of beer in front of us.  "Highness" my gardener said in a quiet voice as if he didn't want other people to hear him "This is Prince Erik, son of Thorvald the King of Norway; second in line for the Frozen Throne after his older brother Ragnar".

Before I could even register that this guy was my enemy, he raised his mug in friendship "I'm pleased to finally meet you Louis; your existence brings me great happiness for I get to see my elder brother squirm and panic" he said in an accent thick enough to spread butter before taking a deep drink of his beer, I sipped mine to be polite.

When I didn't say anything Erik folded his hands together "You're probably wondering what I'm doing here, since very soon we're going to be on opposite sides of a war, so I'll be honest: I hate my brother, and he is the one that currently sits in London chasing English women.  He cares more about women than he does in ruling; he has allowed this land to fall into chaos and because of that, is diverting father's attention from our homeland". 

Erik took another swig of beer "So I want to help you bring this rebellion of yours to a swift end.  You can have your islands back and in return I want you to kill my brother; father's time is quickly coming to an end and it will be the end of Norway if my brother becomes King".

I completely blown away, how can someone even consider killing their own family? If anyone would have asked me if I ever thought about killing Liam I would have been furious.  Yet Erik spoke so simply that he might as well have been discussing breeding pairs among our horses or pigs.

"Why?" Was all I could manage to say.  Erik sighed "Our old rival Russland has been gathering troops among our eastern border; if the Russians are allowed to invade our territory of Finland it would be the start of a very long, costly and bloody war.  We must attack and scatter them now before they have a chance to group; however Father is too distracted by your rebels to focus on our eastern borders.  He has to send more resources and troops here to keep your people in line which means less people and resources to defend our homeland".

He leaned back in his chair "As wealthy as these islands are, we cannot afford a war here and over there; so we have a to make a choice.  What say you, Prince of Britannia?" I crossed my arms "How do I know that you won't trick me?".  He chuckled "It would be far easier to just assassinate you than to trick you. Your rebellion lives and dies with you". 

Erik stood up and so did his friend "I shall be in contact with you Louis" he said before nodding to his friend who took out a knife and stabbed my gardener in the neck; but from an outsider's perspective Erik's friend was whispering something into my gardener's ear. 

"He was one of my brother's spies, which I how I was able to meet you; first lesson of being a Prince, Louis: Always cover your tracks and never leave loose ends" was all the explanation he gave before he and his friend left the tavern.  I jumped up and ran from the tavern before anyone thought I murdered my gardener.