PROLOGUE
Nic
“I am not going to the ball,” I told my father, trying not to grind my teeth in irritation.
I might be only a little less than two weeks away from my thirtieth birthday, but I wasn’t going to find a wife at some crazy masquerade ball. My situation was intolerable, and shopping for a bride amongst hundreds of eligible women who my father had pulled together from all different areas of the world wasn’t going to improve my ornery disposition right now.
Yes, I had to marry, but I wasn’t going to let my father pick a woman I had to live with for the rest of my life. I knew my duty, and I’d do it. But I didn’t have to be happy or enthusiastic while I was condemning myself to a life sentence with someone I really didn’t know.
“You will attend,” my father bellowed, his face turning red with anger. “You need a wife, and I’m hearing rumblings among our people that the Arcano are getting restless.”
“Let them,” I replied. “No doubt I will give in to this archaic tradition when the time comes, but not a moment before.”
I was, after all, a Demande, Prince Niccolino of the royal family of Rubare Virgina. Luckily, I wasn’t inheriting the crown like my eldest brother, Ballasare, but I knew our country’s traditions. How could I not? My father reminded me of them every damn day.
“You plan to wait until the eve of your birthday?” he asked.
“If necessary,” I answered in a clipped tone that lacked the respect I usually showed my only parent. But forcing me to marry was a sore subject, and I hated the topic enough not to care how my words sounded at the moment.
In all other things, I respected my father’s opinion. He was a good king, and he’d spent his life trying to do what he thought was best for his people. But it was my life we were talking about. I’d have to live with the bride I chose for the rest of my life. No doubt I’d pick one of our citizens, a woman who I could at least share a friendly relationship with in the future. There were a few local women I knew well enough to tolerate, and I knew they’d accept a marriage proposal. But I was going to enjoy my last few weeks of freedom before I made my match.
All I wanted was some peace as I neared my birthday. I’d traveled all over the world, and I hadn’t found a woman I could fall in love with. I was starting to strongly believe she didn’t exist.
“Do you have somebody chosen, Nic?” my older brother asked me sympathetically.
I turned my face away from my sire’s enraged expression to look at Ballasare, and his wife, Jessica. All four of us were standing in the great room of my father’s palace after I’d been summoned here…only to find out that my father had planned some kind of insane “wife hunt” without my knowledge. “I don’t have a woman lined up yet,” I finally admitted to Ballasare. “But what does it matter? It will never be the marriage that you two have. I’ll choose hoping for friendship and companionship rather than love.”
My elder brother had married for love, an American woman who he’d met after planning a conference event on his own terms, where he’d met and fell in love with Jessica.
“Maybe you should go to the ball tonight,” Ballasare answered. “At least you’d meet women from other countries. Maybe one of them would suit better than the women you’ve met here.”
“I’ve been around the world and back, Big Balls,” I responded tersely, using the nickname I knew my older brother hated. “Don’t you think I’d have met her in my travels if she existed? Why waste my existing days of freedom on a fiasco full of women who want nothing except my title and money?”
Problem was, I’d never met a female who cared more about me than she did about my status and wealth. It was as if none of them were able to have any kind of conversation without referencing my title or my wealth. I was starting to doubt that there was anyone out there who could ever meet me as an equal, or who would give a damn about something other than being a very rich princess.
“You will go to the ball and evaluate the females I’ve invited here for you,” my father said in a booming voice. “Then, you will court one of them after you’ve made your choice and announced the engagement. The festivities will go on for a week, so you’ll have time to get to know the woman of your choice. Either that or you pick a local bride right now. We need to at least make an announcement.”
“Your Majesty, give Nic some time. One night is not enough for him to decide,” Jessica suggested. “Please. A decision like this is not one to make lightly. He has to spend the rest of his life with his choice.”
My father grumbled, but then he was silent.
I had a hard time not grinning at Jessica. Very few people could make my father stop speaking. But over the last year or so, she’d become more and more influential with my father. I found it amusing that the woman who my father hadn’t wanted for my older brother had turned into the perfect princess for Ballasare, and had come to have my father’s ear more often than not.
My brother was so damn lucky to have a woman he could love, and who loved him back just as fiercely. I wasn’t jealous of their relationship. Hell, I’d hoped for the same thing after I’d watched the two of them together and happy. But it just wasn’t to be for me. I’d resigned myself to the fact that I’d have to choose wisely and hope that the relationship would eventually be one of friendly companionship.
“I’ll make my decision before my birthday. That’s all I can promise,” I answered morosely, still angry at my father for bringing a gaggle of women to Rubare Virgina that he wanted me to inspect like I was buying a vehicle instead of looking for a bride.
I knew I would follow tradition to keep my family from harm. The last thing I wanted was the Arcano, our secret police, to take my actions out on the rest of the royal family.
“That sounds fair to me,” Ballasare answered before my father could say anything.
“It’s still not acceptable to wait until the last minute. How can we plan the nuptials? And what of the restless Arcano,” my father asked.
“The wedding will be immediate family only in the chapel here in the castle. I refuse to make a spectacle out of an event that will be forced on both myself and my bride,” I answered sternly. “Until then, please allow me my freedom.”
I bowed my head formally to my father and decided to take my leave. I had pressing matters at home to deal with and resolve.
“You will attend the ball this evening,” my father called after me.
I lifted a hand, but I didn’t turn around to face him again. I rarely got this angry, but when I did, there was no authority in the world that could calm my temper.
Having a whole week’s worth of useless events laid out before me during my last days of freedom was the last straw. My father had planned this gala and the parties taking place over the next week, flew in wealthy females from prominent families all over the world who were eager to be a princess with unlimited wealth. If my only parent wanted to attend his ball tonight, then fine. But to expect me to waste seven days right now for a plan I’d never agreed to was unacceptable.
But what if she’s there, the woman I was meant to marry?
I pushed away the fanciful thought. I had been almost everywhere in my nearly-thirty years on Earth, and that female just didn’t exist.
I’d marry, but I’d do so on my terms and in my time. I had over a week until I was forced to take a bride, and I didn’t plan on squandering that time.