Thirty-Two: Prince Cadoc
1181 Words
Chapter Thirty-Two
Prince Cadoc
The newspapers called the day of the first terrorist attack in Wales Blue Friday. They claimed it was because of the picture of the schoolgirl before the blast in the blue dress. That appeared on all the newspapers. But everyone knew better. The name came from the party that I’d attended that night, and the perfume that it was for.
It was all about the images of me kissing Bexley Adams. The night of the party, the same night that Penelope’s mother had died.
I stayed with her in the hospital wing for as long as they would let me. It was the Queen that pulled me out of there. My Mother. I woke to the sound of her voice.
“Cadoc,” she called.
I stirred awake, aware that Penelope was wrapped in my arms asleep still. “Mother?”
Queen Althea of Wales was a fierce some figure to behold. Perhaps even more fierce than my father. She had blond hair, and blue eyes, and was a mirror image of my sister except older. “Son,” she said, “what are you doing? You should be at home.”
“I can’t leave her,” I whispered, glancing at Penelope’s direction.
“You’ve been sleeping here for days on end. You need to come home. Besides, we’re having an important discussion about your young lady here.”
“Don’t let her here you say that,” I said.
Queen Althea looked at Penelope but said nothing. She pulled me away from her, and we left the school in the middle of the night. As we left, I noticed that Jasper was standing outside the door.
“Jefferies,” I said, “what are you doing here?”
“The Queen asked me to come,” he said.
I raised an eyebrow. “It has nothing to do with the fact that Penelope has lost her mother. And is in a vulnerable position?”
He stepped forward, standing tall, meeting my gaze head on in a way that he hadn’t before. “You might be the future King, but you do not rule hearts, your majesty.”
I stepped forward. “I rule hers, and that’s what matters.”
I walked away, knowing full well that he would use that as bait, but I didn’t care. I know where I stood with Penelope. We would always have that understanding between each other. No matter where we stood with the rest of the world.
“What’s happening?” I asked as we drove to the center of Owain, to where the main Pendragon palace was.
“Your father wants your opinion on what to do about the Peters girl,” my Mother said. "Half of the Kingdom would like to see her locked away for treason because they believe her to be a revolutionary. The other half believes that you are madly in love with her and that you should be married within a week.”
I chuckled; half exhausted with madness. “I agree with the second half. I’d marry her tomorrow if she’d allow it.”
“She’s truly the one?” my Mother asked, her hard gaze meeting mine.
“She’s everything,” I said, “If Apollo made Rose bloom, she’s the fire that’s yet to be stoked in the red dragon, Mother. Any desire I have to be King comes from a desire to protect her.”
“Everyone’s already making a power play,” said Mother, “they know about the connection that you two have. Lord Addington hates his own son and he still wants to adopt the girl because he knows the power he would have over you.”
“That can’t happen,” I said.
“Then, you’re going to have to make a decision son,” she told me, her gaze steely as she said it. "Once that girl becomes adopted by Lord Crowe, she’ll become one of the wealthiest heiresses in the land. You won’t be the only one competing for her affection. And her power could be the difference between you keeping the crown and losing it.”
“Will she even be able to inherit?” I asked. “She’s not royal blood.”
Mother paused. “Crowe’s sudden interest in the girl leads us to believe there might be more to their connection then meets the eye.”
“He's only interested because of her connection to me.”
“Fletcher Flemming told us it was Crowe who demanded the switch on the parliament liaison. He had no trouble maintaining his schedule, but he saw Penelope’s picture in the newspaper with you one day. He bugged him about her ever sense.”
I gripped the car door handle. “You think Crowe could be Pens father?”
“Her Mother never told Penelope the name of her father, only that he was a soldier who deserted the Welsh army. During the second Desert Storm. Crowe fled military service once. Only to resurface with that infamous scar and rumors of a bastard child. She could be Crowe’s legitimate daughter. It was what.... what caused trouble between my sister and him. You know she was Crowe's wife before she died. Regardless, he would make Penelope Peters his heir anyway if he thought he could get to you."
“What is it father wants from me?” I asked.
“To choose Penelope’s guardian,” Mother answered. "Whoever controls her future controls the fate of the Kingdom. Since you’re the last person alive that cares about the girl, it seemed fitting that you should get to decide.”
I clenched my jaw. “If I let Crowe adopt her, it will be very obvious the message that I’m sending. She might hate me. But the only other alternative is Addington. Unless someone else with more power steps forward.”
“Can you think of anyone else that might do such a thing? Someone that could keep her safe, and allow her the luxury of being a girl without being a target?”
I shook my head. “Crowe’s the only reasonable choice.”
“You’re final on that?” Queen Mother asked. “Because there’s no going back. You might as well have shot off a canon, declaring her yours.”
I leaned back in my seat. “Then, let the canon get shot. Penelope Peters is mine, and no one else may have her.”
Mother smiled. “There’s my son.”
With that one decision, I sealed Penelope’s future with me. And there was nothing that she could do about it. Let the world know.
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