Chapter Two – The Prince
A haze of smoke followed him out of the meeting room, a gray billow that attested to the heightened emotions of the people he left behind. Benjamin scowled at the thick scent clinging to him. This was what he got from meeting with other Dragons in an enclosed space. It had been a calculated risk, though. Meeting with the council of generals always ended up in strong feelings. Sticking them all in a small space forced the meeting to be cut short because of all the smoke choking them.
Benjamin was pleased with himself, though. He had kept his fire under control the whole time, so none of the smoke was his. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck, glad it was over. He had an hour before he met with the building committee to discuss the budget for the construction of a new highway just outside the city. If he took half an hour to shower, it still gave him time to go visit his mother.
She was sitting at her window, dressed in a comfortable-looking outfit, hands clasped over her knees. It always seemed so wrong to see her in a wheelchair. The past year had been hard on her and being bedridden had stolen her strength. She smiled warmly at her son as he dropped to one knee beside her to give her a hug.
"Ah, there's my little scale-spot," she said, brushing his hair to one side. "You need to get a haircut."
"Mother," Benjamin started with a frown.
Maria waved a hand and shook her head. "Ignore me, Benjamin. It's hard for me to realize that you're a grown man sometimes. Now. Tell me what exciting things you have been up to."
Benjamin settled in a chair nearby. "Just daily business, mostly. I've commissioned a new artist for this year's Rose Day. An unknown. I found her work online and thought she could use a break."
Maria shook her head. "A new artist for Rose Day. Announcing a living payment to all citizens, regardless of employment status. Restoring the bridge at Swan River. These are all things that I can find out by turning on the news. I don't want updates about the kingdom. I want to hear about you."
"Mother, there really isn't anything to tell you about. I've been busy running the kingdom. Nothing else."
"Benjamin."
He shrugged, uncertain what she wanted him to say. "I've started reading Oscar Wilde's biography. I'm thinking of perhaps seeing a movie soon."
The queen stared at him for a long moment and Benjamin resisted the urge to shift in his seat. He might be the crown prince and a powerful Dragon warrior in his own right, but there was still something about his mother that made him feel like he wasn't quite as grown up as he ought to be. Still, he held her gaze and tried to keep his expression smooth.
"I was thinking of making the property we have out in the west into a protected park and turning the winter palace into a hotel. We never use it anyway, and—"
"And this girl you've hired for Rose Day. Is she the same young woman who I heard left your room early this morning?"
Benjamin froze.
"Heather told me that you brought her into your room, and only a few hours later put her back into the hallway. She didn't even have her socks on. Now. Are you going to tell me what happened?"
His shoulders slumped. "It wasn't like that. I had a girl, yeah, but she dressed before she left. She had sandals, she didn't put them on before she left but that was because she didn't want to wake anyone up. I'm not a cad, Mother. I let the girls know exactly what to expect before I let them into my room and if they seem like they're going to be too attached—"
"Benjamin."
He pulled back, his hands clenched. "Mother. Every other Dragon in this palace has lovers coming in and out of his or her bedroom. It's not like I'm doing anything that anybody else isn't. And I'm not tricking them. I make sure that they know I'm only after a single night of fun – that's all."
His mother narrowed her eyes further. "Do you think that these excuses are a justification for your behavior? Maybe you are doing what everybody else is doing, but you are not everybody else. You are the crown prince and future king. Your actions make the whole kingdom weaker."
"It shouldn’t!" Benjamin shook his head. "This is my business. My life. I might owe this kingdom a lot of things and maybe my life does belong to the kingdom, but until I am king, I am going to have some things that I do for myself. If that makes me selfish, then I guess I'm selfish."
"Are you quite done?" Maria arched a brow.
Benjamin grunted.
"You know exactly why this isn't just about you. Selfish? Perhaps not, but you can't afford to be selfish anyway. It's doubtful that I'm going to recover from whatever this is—"
"Don't say that. You're strong and you'll get over this."
"—and you are going to find yourself with more and more responsibilities. You have to think about your future as well as the kingdom's reputation. I'm too tired to be queen anymore, but I can't abdicate and allow you to be king when you are still behaving like this."
Her words cut out any argument Benjamin had. He swallowed hard, taking in the papery quality of her skin, her sunken eyes and the exhaustion ringing them. It was true that he was already king in all but name since she was unable to fulfill her duties.
Maria sighed. "I don't want to order you to marry, Benjamin. But if you would at least court a young lady, it would be one thing less for me to worry about."
What was he meant to say to that? The thought of marrying just for the sake of having a wife and queen left his blood cold. His fire rebelled against the idea. To spend his life with someone he didn't care for, someone he would share his bed with but live a separate life . . .
"I'll start looking," he promised. "But I can't say it will happen quickly . . . or that I will stop bringing women to my room until I have an idea whom I will pursue."
Maria still didn't look happy, but she nodded. "It will do for now. Now, my little sunspot, call Heather. I'm feeling dizzy and think I ought to lie down."
Benjamin nodded. Heather, Maria's maid, entered from a side door and he couldn't help but think she had been listening to this whole time. He wheeled his mother to her bed and helped lift her into it while Heather prepared her medicine. He kissed Maria's forehead before he left her room. His heart was heavy as he glanced at his watch. Forty-five minutes until his next meeting.
That left him fifteen minutes to spare.
The creak of wheels caught his attention. A woman dressed in a housekeeper's uniform wheeled her cart down the hallway, a map in one hand. Her brows were pinched together and she didn't seem to notice him there. The housekeepers weren't permitted in these hallways. There was a specially designated one for them, but it wasn't uncommon for newbies to get themselves lost.
Fifteen minutes. Benjamin eyed the woman, considering. She was a dark-haired beauty with a generous hourglass shape that hardly looked natural. She was somewhat more slender than he usually liked, though he could still see her muscle definition. No, he couldn't . . . It was against his personal policy to seduce housekeepers while they were working . . . He usually preferred to seduce them after work . . . Although he had fifteen minutes and he did need something to settle his nerves.
"Hey." He gave her his best grin as she jumped. "Lost?"
"I am, yes — oh!" Her eyes widened, jaw-dropping. Her complexion actually paled a little, and Benjamin sighed. He didn't like it when people feared him. The housekeeper ran a hand down her front. "You're the prince."
"I am. And you don't have to look at me like I'm going to bite you. What's your name?" He leaned forward and inhaled, looking for any scent that indicated she was in a committed relationship. There was no scent of a man around her.
"Julia."
"Well, Julia . . . There's some cleaning that needs to be done in my room and—"
"Um . . . " Her face reddened. "I can't."
Benjamin rose a brow.
"I don't have clearance to be in the royal rooms. I shouldn’t even be here. I just got lost . . . I'm new," she blurted out. She took a deep breath and looked him up and down. For a moment she looked angry, and she put her hands on her hips. "Besides, I was warned to stay away from you. I'm not in the habit of dropping my pants for my employer."
Benjamin's jaw hung slack. "Wait, that's not what I meant."
"Sure it wasn't."
Well, apparently she had him all figured out. At least she thought she did. It was odd: people, especially employees, usually treated him with more deference. He stepped back and held up his hands. "I'm sorry if I offended you."
She huffed, putting a hand on her hip as she cocked it out. The movement puffed out her breasts and, if he didn't know better, he'd have thought she was trying to entice him. His nostrils flared again. Baby powder. She smelled like baby powder.
"I have to get back to work . . . my lord." She ducked her head and the red in her cheeks increased. "I apologize if I said something I shouldn’t have."
"Don't worry about it. I suppose my intentions weren't exactly honorable." He winked, loving how her skin turned even redder.
"Thank you for your . . . interest. But I'm not . . . I have to go," she stumbled.
Benjamin stepped aside and let her pass, smirking as she did. Those tight pants showed off her heart-shaped ass to perfection. His mouth watered. Considering everything that was going on – his mother's illness, the strain he was under trying to rule a kingdom and now the need to marry hanging over his head – he could use a distraction.
"Are you sure? I've got fifteen minutes. No pants-dropping."
She stopped and stared at him. A strangled noise escaped her mouth and for a moment he thought he saw desire flare in her eyes. Without a word, she continued away, and Benjamin let her go. A hunt was just what he needed.
And Julia was going to be a delicious hunt.