The King & the Stable Boy

I: Remaining Hidden

Noah

I sat down counseling Nana as she had one of her many waves of panic about her son William.

"Noah do you know how long it's been since William's last birthday?"

"Five months, twenty-eight days, fourteen hours, eleven minutes, and somewhere around forty-five seconds?" I say, in a rather bored tone.

"Exactly! He's met every full shapeshifter in this kingdom and then three and nothing! I've even had him go to the other islands because a mate is better than no mate at this point."

"But Nana, that goes against the-"

"I know but laws were made to be revised once the public sees fit, and if it is within interests to the Royal family then it will either stay or go, you never know."

"My mistake."

"I just hope he finds her soon, it'd be sad to see him lose hope." she says, shaking her head.

"I'm sure he'll have a mate just as strong headed as you that keeps him in line and forces him to revise the law stating the heir is the firstborn male to simply saying firstborn."

"Why can't you be my actual son? You'd actually get things done if you were King."

"You only say that because you had the chance to feed me your political views without another side to counteract them."

"Exactly! Now, my boy, you're going to be twenty-one in just a few hours time. Aren't you excited?"

"I don't really know how to feel about it. I hope she isn't of high status in another kingdom, though, because I'd miss you, Sarah, and Roman greatly."

"What about William?"

"As I said I would miss you, Sarah, and Roman greatly."

"Noah Bartholomew Matthews!" she screeches, slapping my forearm.

"Ow!"

"That's what you get for being rude. You know William would miss you."

"That's only because he'd have to find someone else to torment."

The second I became Natasha's stable boy I swear William made it his mission to make me miserable.

He would constantly take stuff from the stable so that it would make my day slightly more painful, and once he stole my clothes while I was in taking a swim in the lake near the stables.

He is a menace and I hope he knows that I plan on resigning the second I find my mate because I refuse to be employed by him any longer.

I'd come by and visit Nana but I'd avoid him at all costs.

"[...] great. Are you even listening?"

"Sorry."

"I said I hope you know that if you don't come by and visit as often as possible that I get to go to wherever you end up to reprimand you."

"I know. Can I go to Aphrodite's temple?"

"Yes but why?"

"I want to pray that I find my mate sooner than William does."

She shakes her head and shoos me off.

The temple wasn't too far from the gates but far enough that it would take an hour to walk there so I decided to run in my wolf form.

A priestess stood there at the entrance as she always does and motions me forward, a robe outstretched to me.

I grab the fabric in my snout and turn back around to change among the trees before coming back to meet her on the steps.