Chapter 10
Erik was not prepared for the explosion of gossip his search for a fiance had brought about. He supposed people had always been talking about him, but with Emma constantly moving in to administer damage control, he couldn't seem to escape it. On the bright side, since sending out invitations he could walk through public spaces without feeling like a hare in a wolves den.
Angel, the head messenger, brought him letters of acceptance from Cain Marko and Evalin Dampierre. Evalin made fun of him the next day when they were sharing lunch.
"I thought you were hard to get a hold of before, now I need a formal invitation to see my best friend?"
"Honestly, darling, we both knew this day would come. There's no reason to take it so personally." Erik shifted to sit in his chair languidly, producing an air of haughtiness.
Evalin laughed. "I was never very good at hard to get, Erik. I can't believe you have me competing with barons and sons of counts! I'm insulted" Evalin crossed her arms dramatically and pouted.
"What can I say? It makes me feel better about myself." Erik tilted his nose up.
"Then I should have been twice as patronizing in that little acceptance letter." Evalin slumped back into her chair in resignation. "What is this whole invitation business about anyways?"
Erik laughed nervously, and shifted to sit properly. "Well, as you know I've never looked forward to a political marriage. My father has agreed to give me a chance to choose my own spouse, but with the treaty they initially agreed to with the Spanish there's a pretty small window for them to alter the terms. Emma Da Vinci also thinks it's best if I have a reason, a lover, to ask them to refuse the tradition of joining our families."
"Have you considered this Emma is just using your cold feet as an opportunity to marry up? She technically has no title right?"
Erik laughed. "You should meet Emma, she isn't conniving like a courtier. She loathes the idea of 'being a princess,' says it would get in the way of her passions. As far as I can tell she's doing this honestly to see if she can, not to gain anything out of it."
"Oh..." Evalin sipped her tea in silence. "And these invitations, all the lunch dates you're suddenly busy with, they're your way of weeding through potential suitors?"
"Yes."
"And this lunch, the invitation you sent me yesterday, is a part of that?"
"I'm afraid so, Mademoiselle Dampierre."
"I'm being serious, Erik. I... Didn't realize you thought of me that way."
"Until quite recently, I couldn't afford to. You're one of my oldest friends, Evalin, and someone I've always enjoyed being in close proximity to."
Evalin hummed softly in agreement. "I suppose that does make me a reasonable potential match."
"It does," Erik agreed softly.
******
The next day Angel brought him a letter from Wiatt. Too long a letter to simply say he would be coming. Erik held the letter delicately in his hands, running a thumb over the wax seal and bracing himself before reading the letter.
"Erik,
"It's been some time since I've heard from you, and I can't think of stranger circumstances. I've never been good at pretenses, so I'll plainly say that I'm honored to know you think of me so fondly as to reach out when you have a chance to marry anyone of your choosing. “Unfortunately, I do not have that luxury and if I did, I cannot say I would ever marry you purely out of love and that your position was not an influencing factor. Out of respect for how much you used to mean to me and an acknowledgement to how fond I am of you still, I must decline your invitation. I hope you truly do find love, but I know deep down that you were meant for someone more compassionate than me. I can’t imagine the kind of contests that are being held for your hand in the palace, but please be thorough with your considerations. Forever is a long time to be with someone and find out you don’t like them as much as you’d thought, I’d hate for you to have the chance to choose your spouse and realize you chose poorly.
Fondly, Wiatt.”
Erik put the letter down gently on the nearest table. He told himself he shouldn’t be surprised. And that he should be grateful Wiatt had been so genuine with him.
******
Angel told him she was unable to get James Deloncret his invitation despite hunting down the Deloncret manor in one of the eastern provinces. Maslin Islenger dropped by Erik’s chambers the night before to tell Erik he would be attending, a rather bold move but Maslin was otherwise perfectly respectful so Erik had allowed it. The day of his tennis match Marcos Du Bellay informed him at the start of the match that Alaine had been offended at the idea of competing with several other nobles so openly, even if it was for a Prince, and she would not be attending the match. Evalin and Maslin were in attendance, as was Cain Marko.
“I didn’t realize you and the prince knew each other so well,” Evalin said to Maslin at the start of the match, doing her best to sound steely.
“I didn’t realize Erik was interested in women,” Maslin replied nonchalantly.
Evalin laughed, genuinely. “I suppose he does have a preference, after all two thirds of those of us who got invitations are men. And many, including Alaine herself, seem to think he sent one to Du Bellay out of courtesy more than interest.”
“I don’t blame him; if this is the level of offense that she took after being offered a chance at marrying the prince, imagine the offense she would’ve taken at her brother’s tennis match being used as a courtship event without their prior knowledge.”
“So you think he invited her knowing she would turn it down?”
“It makes no difference to me, truthfully. There were six invitations originally, and seeing as how you me and some Marko are the only ones that showed up, that puts the contenders down to three. No offense, but I think in the end he’ll prefer a man, and I outrank Marko quite considerably so I am quite confident about my odds in this affair.”
“Aren’t you now,” Evalin commented. “What do you think of all the blue in the crowd today?”
Maslin seemed refreshed at the change of subject. “I think it’s adorable. Someone in the court swears he once heard Erik say he prefers the color blue and all of the sudden every marryable girl and every marryable man who is willing to be penetrated is wearing their bluest garb out every day.”
There was a gasp from the crowd as Prince Erik missed a serve that shot into the crowd and he stumbled backward into the few people, mostly women in the front row. Maslin snickered as he watched four different women stuff hankerchiefs into Erik’s sport tunic, and the clear disgust on his face.
Erik turned to Marcos across the tennis court when he had righted himself, shaking off the near fall and preparing for the next serve. Marcos gestured for Erik to return the ball.
Erik looked around on the ground for the tennis ball, then groaned as he realized someone in the crowd surely had it. He motioned for one of the racket hands to get him a new ball but Marcos pointed behind him.
Cain Marko was standing near the front of the crowd, a ruby red tunic drawing all eyes to him against the sea of blue satin and silk, holding up the recently lost tennis ball.
Erik walked over to Cain to take it back and Cain smiled smugly at him. “I believe you lost something?”
“It seems I have. Thank you monsieur Marko.”
Cain’s eyes blatantly flicked down and back to look the Prince in the eye. “Always a pleasure to hold a royal ball,” he said as he handed over the tennis ball.
Erik turned red with embarrassment as the crowd within earshot suppressed a laugh.
Evalin keenly observed from across the tennis court as Cain handed Prince Erik the tennis ball. “Ah, so that’s Marko.”
“What makes you say that?” Maslin asked, bored.
“Whatever he just said to Erik, it must’ve been quite crude. Who else would get away with a pass like that besides you or me right now, that neither of us would recognize?”
Maslin broke out into laughter. “Oh, my. And he thinks he’s going to /seduce/ the prince into marriage? Could he be any more transparent?”
“It is a bit… tacky.”
Evalin and Maslin continued to gossip idly through the rest of the tennis match, clearly bored with the sport. Having been surprised by Cain's appearance, Erik couldn't help but scan the crowd for James, as he never did say he would not be coming. Which Erik knew was dumb because Angel said he'd never received his invitation. Yet, opening himself to the public had been Jame's idea, surely he wouldn't miss this?