The King & the Stable Boy

BONUS: It's Been Six Years... (Well A Bit More Now)

Noah/Lucas

I stared Quentin down across the table from me, peeking out into the parlor at the dame he's brought home, smiling kindly at her before shutting the blinds, hoping to muffle our our conversation.

"She's a teenager, are you sure," I asked, not beating around any bushes.

"You sound just like her father."

"You met her father? Gods, he must be questioning how I've raised you. And for Olympus sakes what her other parent must be thinking as well."

"Actually it's just her father–"

"Poor thing. It's mighty tonight to lose a parent—"

"Actually, it's just him. He, uh, never mated. He kind of skipped that part and went straight to adopting Samantha and her sister Jade. Raised them with a bit of help from his mother, that is before she passed. I thought I might bring Sammy here to get her mind off of it. Her Nonna meant the world to her."

I shook my head. That poor thing. I'm sure she'd make it through. With what Quentin has said, her father seems like a tough one. Two kids all by himself, orphans at that, that's a lot to handle on your own. I wouldn't have been able to handle our first two without Jonny by my side and the three after? Forget it.

"Well, you tell her she can stay as long as she wants. I wanna hear all about her family—"

"That's the thing I'm worried about," Quentin interrupted. "Dad, there's been a few... concerns brought up in regards to just how well you'll get along with her father."

"Oh please Quentin. Jonny and I have loved your siblings parents I doubt we'd have any falling out with this one."

"I'm not worried about Pa. Actually, to tell you the truth, Pa's already met him."

I furrowed my brows in confusion. "What? When? Why didn't I know?"

"Cause I talked it out with Pa over some messages and he's one of the people that agreed that you both wouldn't get along. Again, more in regards to you. Sammy's dad and him actually got along quite well I was surprised. Pa met him when he went to the palace to petition the royals a few months back."

"But your father never goes and petitions I usually do that. Well, except for back in May, but that was only because" My tongue felt thick in my mouth. I slumped back in my chair. "You're kidding me."

"You're reacting much better than Pa thought you would—"

I got up on my feet and stormed into the parlor, ignoring Quin's murmur of "Or not...", to fetch my husband. He looked up from his conversation with Sammy, took one look at my face and sighed getting up.

"Pray for my safe return," he said to her.

She gave him a salute and he followed me back into the kitchen.

"Why in Hades hadn't you both warn me that I'd be in matehoods with that heathen?"

Jonny sighed. "Because you call him a heathen. Honestly, Luke I don't think he's the same as when you saw him last. I thought Willy was rather pleasant—"

"Willy?" I echoed, taking a seat. This entire household has gone mad.

When I went to Malick's home, I'd said my two cents and left immediately after. There was no discussion, there was no talking things out. I did what I came to do and didn't go beyond that, I hadn't felt the need. I had pushed William so far from my mind he was a distant memory. And just like clockwork he's come back.

"Yes, Willy. All his friends call him"

"So you two are friends now," I asked. Had I woken up in a parallel universe.

"Well, I wouldn't say friends but we're friendly. We've had a few drinks and talked about some things."

"Unbelievable."

"Well, Luke, what would you've had me do?"

"Well not sharing the occasional drink with the enemy is one thing"

"Enemy? Like it or not, Samantha and Quentin are mates. Is it so wrong that I wanted to get to know the guy?"

"You getting to know anyone? Every time a stranger comes by you nearly kill them with your dark magic!"

"Well, I've worked on that, and besides I can put away my albeit flawed contact with new people for my child, Luke. In the same way you're not the same person as you were all those years ago, maybe it's time you consider that William has changed too, or even give him the benefit of the doubt!"

"Benefit of the doubt? The man is a conniving son of Ares who manipulates things for his own agenda, uncaring of outside casualties until they affect him! You can't change that! I'm telling you Jonny, the only reason he's all nice and cuddly towards you is cause he has something to gain."

"Pardon my interruption," Sammy said, entering the room. "But I think it's hardly fair of you to make assumptions about a man you haven't truly sat down and spoken to in twenty-two years. You talk a big game for someone who's supposedly forgiven him sixteen years ago."

"He's your father, it's only natural that you would defend his actions," I said dismissively.

"Yes, in the same way it's only natural that you would despise and demonize him without a care for his own thoughts and complexities. He did break your heart, it's understandable that you're blinded by your bitterness."

I didn't know who this little mutt thought she was speaking to. How dare she take on such a tone with me, in my house. "Excuse me?"

"You're excused, Mister McCrowley. I apologize if this is in bad mannerisms and if I'm overstepping my welcome, but I couldn't sit in the parlor pretending not to hear this for a moment longer. I'm in love with Quentin. I want to mate your son. And it seems you're the one person between me and that goal."

Quentin grabbed her wrist lightly. "Sammy—"

"I've not come in here to fight him. Fighting gets you nowhere. I've come in here to listen, and in hopes that he'll listen to me too. My ship back home doesn't leave for another week, Gods know I have the time. Fighting leads only to stubbornness and hatred. It's through a good discussion, both of us speaking our truths and then listening to the other's that we'll be able to come to a peace, or some middle ground at the very least." She took a seat at the table, her eyes never leaving me. "And if this gets me the mating ceremony I desire, that's just the icing on the cake."

Her constant calm demeanor annoyed me. She had quite the intellect on her, I'd give her that, yet the unbothered way in which she delivers lines that would usually end in a full out brawl only served to irk me. She reminded me a lot of me when I was younger. I hated it.

Nevertheless, I took a seat. If she wanted to talk, then we'd talk.

"For someone so young, you have the wisdom of someone twice my age," I said.

"What can I say, my father raised me well," she said, folding her hands in front of her. "Now then, let's chat."