Love For Hire

“You did the right thing sending that woman away,” Samuel said as he poured himself a glass of bourbon.

“Father, I really do not feel like talking about it.”

“It was kinder to dispose of her now rather than get her hopes up only to dash them later,” he said, taking a seat on in the armchair across from his eldest son. They had decided to take refuge in the library. The chairs were angled next to the fireplace to enjoy the warmth and catch the light. He had come in after dinner to read only to find his son moping. When asked why he was upset, Nicholas had confessed that he had sent his so-called girlfriend away. It was strange how much it seemed to bother Nicholas.

He just sat in his chair, staring at the fire while scratching the head of his service dog, which sat next to his chair. Nicholas’ eyes never left the fire, and Samuel was not positive if he was staring at the flames because he was lost in thought or if he was just staring straight ahead because he could not see anything. It was hard to tell. Nicholas’ blindness was going to take some getting used to for all involved.

“I said I did not want to talk about it.”

“She was not right for you, anyway. A prince should be with a woman of good breeding and class,” he said as he unbuttoned his suit jacket to make himself more comfortable.

“I happened to like Kinsley. She is a perfectly wonderful woman.”

“To go to bed with maybe, but she was hardly marriage material. The future queen should meet a certain standard.”

“Well, luckily, I will never live long enough to be King, so finding a queen that will meet your ridiculous standards is an issue I will not be forced to deal with.”

Samuel sighed heavily at the reminder of his son’s short life expectancy. It pained me to think about how his son would fall apart both meatily and physically. How, in a short time, he would bury his firstborn. It was a cruel God that would allow any father to outlive their child. Samuel had done all he could to save his son’s life. He had sought out the best doctors, funded the research and paid for the best medical treatment in the world and still, he was forced to watch his son wither away. He was King, and he had more money and power than most, and still, he had to stand by helplessly. It was a pain he would wish on no man.

sighed heavily, “it was not said to be cruel. I am looking out for you. I was thinking of what was best

me?” Nicholas laughed. “You never think

everything within my power to save your life. To give you just a

alive for your own selfish reasons. There is no cure, I have accepted that truth, and you should too. If you thought about me for even one second, you would let me die. But because you are a selfish man, I will die a humiliating painful, drawn-out death. A withered husk in some hospices bed. Scared because I cannot even remember my name. Helpless because I cannot see, I cannot speak, I cannot

a right as

anger. His hand fisted on the arms of the chair as he leaned forward. “What about my right not to suffer? What about my right to leave this world the way I want? When will anyone consider what I want?” He then rose from his seat and

***

way down the hall, making his round to see that the running of the manor was flawless. With the rest of the royal family here, his duties had doubled. “Oh, Octavius?” He heard the Queen call to him as she followed him down

Majesty? What might I do

the

he confirmed the rumours. “His Majesty,

I the impression she

was true,” he

her home because of what Samuel said at dinner?” She asked, eyeing his with that motherly look that said she already knew the answer to her question or at least suspected she knew

keep his secrets. Then again, she was the Queen and lying to a member of the royal family was a federal

he really wished she would not. “How did Nicholas

met her through an escort service. She was the

to be in this