Chapter 53: A Wedge

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen His Majesty so happy.” Basil frowned, recognizing the voice as Chasel’s. “With any luck, I can get the Imperial Calligrapher to draft up the announcements by the end of the day.”
“Best of luck, cousin. I have to hope the Imperial Tailor is up to the task! Decorating for another wedding so soon is going to be chaos!”
The two laughed and their footsteps faded. Another wedding? His father was getting married? To who? Worse than that, he’d told Chasel? What about him? He was his son, he should have been the first to know that his father was getting married!
He clenched his fist. He knew that Adolph trust Chasel above all others, but still. Whoever this woman was would be his stepmother. He had the right to know that his mother’s place was being filled by some random woman he’d never met!
“I don’t understand why he wouldn’t have told me first!” Basil cried, pacing his parlor as Delia sipped tea on the couch. “I’m his heir! Who could he be marrying?”
He hadn’t noticed his father with any of the courtiers. They would have been very vocal about it if he’d taken interest in any of them.
“I don’t know,” Delia said quietly, “But maybe…”
He frowned and turned to her as she seemed to be thinking it over. He waited for her to say something when she shook her head.
“Oh, no… I don’t think that’s the reason.”
“What?”
“Well,” Delia said softly, hesitantly. “Maybe he just doesn’t think you need to know.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” Basil huffed. “If they get married, then whoever she is will be my stepmother!”
Delia sipped, thinking it over. If they got married, it would only complicate her mission. She had to make sure that didn’t happen and somehow break up Basil and Adolph’s relationship. Basil trusted his father. He practically idolized him. There had to be something she could say or do to make a crack in Basil’s faith in his father.
She hid a smirk behind her teacup as an idea came to mind, seeing Basil’s pathetic expression.
“He’s already said that you were useless,” Delia said, calling up tears. “He was… so mean to you. It’s not your fault that the food was tampered with.”
“It wasn’t.”
“And he doesn’t like me…”
“No,” Basil shook his head. “He just doesn’t know you is all. Just give him some time.”
“He likes Laura,” she sniffled. “You said as much. He thought she was smart and he’d never even met her!”
Basil scoffed, “He would think differently if he met her! Really. He’ll learn to like you…”
Basil said it, but he wasn’t convinced of that. His father was usually very sure about his views on people.
“Well, maybe you should ask him why he hasn’t told you,” Delia suggested.
He winced at the thought of asking his father about it, but he took her words to heart. Adolph seemed rather disappointed in the decisions Basil had been making, but this was different. This affected him directly.
What about his mother’s memory? How could he just disrespect her memory by replacing her with some random woman?
Did the ministers know already? If his father had told them before he’d told Basil, he didn’t know how he would feel about that. Sure, it’s a political issue, but it’s a family issue too. Didn’t he care about Basil’s feelings?
Delia watched the turmoil roll across Basil’s face and smirked, setting her teacup aside to lean into his side.
“Don’t worry so much,” Delia said softly, squeezing his arm tightly. “Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding? Maybe his new wife didn’t want you to know.”
Basil hummed, placing a hand on hers. He pressed a kiss to her temple before standing and excusing himself.
“I’m going to go talk to my father.”
“Okay. Should I wait here?”
Basil nodded, “Thank you, Delia.”
“Of course. I love you.”
He smiled a little, “I love you too.”
Basil exited and Delia leaned back with a grin. She couldn’t wait to hear what Adolph had to say about it and who he was marrying. She had a feeling it was Laurel, but it was best to be sure. She’d have to figure out how to keep pushing them apart based on what happened. In the meantime, did Eden know that Adolph was getting married? Whoever Adolph was marrying was dangerous. More dangerous than Laura had been because Adolph trusted her.

*******
Basil walked down the corridor, heading up to his father’s office, and stopped in front of the door. He hesitated to knock, his stomach turning with anxiety. He turned away and began to pace, trying to figure out what he would say and working up the courage to do so.
His father was terrifying. Sure, he knew that Adolph probably wouldn’t hurt him, but he didn’t know how to interact with the man either. He grew up hearing stories of Adolph more than ever interacting with the man.
His grandfather told him that Adolph was a great warrior and a faithful husband, but not much more than that.
“Basil?”
Basil spun around, staring wide-eyed as Adolph came up the stairs with Laurel on his arm. His hair was windswept and the two of them looked so happy standing together. Had he looked that happy with his mother? Had Adolph ever looked so happy? Laurel looked up at his father with the most gentle expression. She looked like Laura had the day they married: a young girl in love.
“Father, I…” Basil cleared his throat. “I wanted to speak with you… Privately.”
Adolph smiled and Basil was stunned. He didn’t remember if his father had ever smiled at him.
“Good. I was hoping to speak with you before the noble assembly.”
He walked Laurel to the door of the luna’s office, opened the door for her, kissed her hand, and ushered her in. She flushed, ducking her head and hurrying inside before closing the door softly behind her. Basil watched trying to reconcile the cold, condescending young woman he experienced with the sweet innocent girl flushing at her lover’s show of affection.
It didn’t make any sense.
Adolph smirked and threw an arm around Basil’s shoulder in an oddly casual show of affection that left Basil off balance as they entered his office and closed the door.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Adolph asked.
Basil shook his head, “Go ahead and go first, father.”
Adolph eyed him suspiciously but nodded, “Laurel and I are getting married.”
Basil blinked, “What?”
A large part of him reared up in anger, but it felt so muted by confusion. His father couldn’t marry Laura.
*Laurel*, he corrected himsed. They were similar not the same. His father couldn’t marry a seventeen-year-old girl from nowhere!
“I’m hoping for next month at the latest depending on how preparations go, but I wanted you to know before the assembly.” Adolph clapped him on the shoulder as Basil blinked in shock. “I didn’t want you to be surprised when I announced it. It affects you, after all. I know your wife doesn’t much care for Laurel, but I expect you to be cordial, at the least, and have your wife behave accordingly…”
Adolph went on, but Basil couldn’t find the words to speak. Adolph did care about his feelings on the matter? Had he just gotten upset about not being told for nothing? His marriage partner was a much bigger issue!
“I think that’s about it…” Adolph hummed, rounding his desk. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Father… you can’t marry that girl!” Basil cried. “She’s seventeen!”
Adolph chuckled, “Her age aside, are you now telling me what I can’t do in my kingdom?”
Basil flinched, closing his mouth and turning stiffly. Fear went through him. It wasn’t Adolph’s tone that frightened him. He seemed amused, but Basil didn’t want to chance it.
“I… I’ve got to go.”
He escaped hastily, almost running down the stairs until he found an empty corridor. He leaned against the wall with a deep sigh.
What, in the name of the goddess, was happening?
“Your Highness, are you not feeling well?”
He turned and sighed with relief seeing Tina there. Tina always had an answer. She’d known his mother and father for a long time.
“Tina,” Basil said coming closer to her. “Maybe you can help me.”
“I live to serve the royal family,” Tina said.
“My father is getting married.”
She paled, “Y-You must be mistaken, Prince Basil. Your father loves Luna Olivia. He would never—”
“He plans to announce it at the meeting, but I don’t know what to make of the way he told me.”
Tina flushed, “That… *harlot!*”
Basil sighed as Tina started talking about his mother and shook his head. Tina would not be able to help him with this.
The meeting went by quickly as Adolph took his seat, announced his wedding plans, and told the ministers to prepare the budget for the affair before leaving. Basil’s head was still spinning when Gavin pulled him aside.
“Did you know about this?” Gavin hissed.
“Father told me this morning before the meeting,” Basil asked. “I just…”
Gavin turned from him, flushed and growling to himself. He stalked away leaving Basil bereft of an answer. He returned to his room and found Delia still there.
“Is everything okay?” Delia asked as he sat. “What did he say?”
“He told me they’re getting married,” Basil said, looking at her. “He was… planning to tell me before the meeting…”
Delia’s eyes widened and she paled, “W-Well what else did he say?”
“That’s the thing,” Basil said, relieved that she was willing to listen. “He said he knew it affected me and wanted to tell me about it. He said he didn’t care that you didn’t like her, but he expected me to be cordial… He seemed… happy to tell me.”
He didn’t think he was that happy either time he was preparing to get married. Adolph’s entire body seemed to be overflowing with joy as if even his wolf was happy.
“What do you think, Delia?” Basil asked. “Maybe I misjudged my father…”
She stood, “I think I should return to my room.”
Basil watched her go with a sigh, lounging across his couch and wondering why no one who he usually would have asked to help him figure something out didn’t seem interested in helping him now.

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