Chapter 21: 21


    Kinsley came rushing down the stairs when the maid told her that her family had finally arrived. It had


    been a week since Nichs had asked her to marry him, and they had kept it to themselves. They


    wanted to give Nichs time to recover from the incident. While his wrists were not healedpletely,


    the pain had faded, and he had regained his strength. Kinsley had wanted to have Nichs meet her


    family before they told everyone they were getting married, and he had suggested inviting them to the


    pce and having the two families have dinner together and telling them both at the same time.


    Nichs had warned his family about their guests, and there was some protest from Samuel and


    Matthew, but Naya was very supportive, and she assured Kinsley everyone would be nice during her


    family’s visit. Kinsley had told her family on the phone that they would be dining with royalty and to


    dress ordingly and Much to her surprise Nichs even left the house to take her shopping and


    bought her a lovely dress appropriate for the asion.


    She reached the foyer where her parents and her little sister Evelyn came in. She ran over and hugged


    them each hello. They were all excited as they took in the pce’s grandeur. “Wow, when Mom said


    we were going to dinner at a pce, I thought she was pulling my leg,” Evelyn giggled as she looked


    around. “This is a real to god pce right here in California,” Evelyn was eighteen, and she was going


    to University to be a vet. She no longer lived at home. She stayed in the dorms, but she visited every


    weekend to do herundry and mooch a meal. She was pretty with her short dark hair and curvy figure.


    “I am still in awe,” their mother Dara said as she pressed out invisible wrinkles from her Sunday best., “I


    hope we look ok.”


    “You look fine,” Kinsley assured her. “Hello, Daddy,” she kissed her father’s cheek. He was dressed in


    the only suit he owned, looking as nervine as his wife. Andrew Wells was a man in his early fifties who


    had spent his whole life working in a warehouse. He was a white man of average build and height.


    Rather unremarkable, but he had fallen in love with his wife when he met her on vacation in Mexico. He


    had gone back every month to see her for six months, then married her and brought her home to


    America, and they had been together twenty-seven years.


    “I hope we are notte,” he said. “This ce is kind of out of the way.”


    “That is because I value my privacy,” Nichs’ voice boomed through the room. Kinsley turned, and


    they all watched as Nichs came down the stairs. He looked amazing. She had never seen him


    dressed up, but tonight he had shaven and brushed his hair. He was dressed in lightly tanned canvass


    dress pants with the leg tucked into the top of his tall leather boots. He wore a royal navy-blue double-


    breasted dinner jacket with gold embellishments and a white sash that draped over his right shoulder.


    He looked like prince charming right out of a fairy tale. In his right hand was Brutus’ harness. Nichs


    had the staff wash and groom Brutus for the night, and the pure bread Doberman looked just as regal


    as his master. There was no mistaking Nichs for anything but royalty tonight.


    As he reached the floor, her nervous family all bowed, respectively. “Everyone, this is Crowned Prince


    Nichs Kane, heir to the Kustium throne. Nichs, my family. My sister Evelyn. My Mother Dara. And


    my Father Andrew,” she introduced them all.


    “A pleasure to meet you all. I apologize for themute, but I promise dinner will be worth the drive,”


    he said with a smile. Kinsley noticed how her family was staring at Nichs questioningly. Her father


    looked over his shoulder, wondering what Nichs was looking at since he would not look him in the


    eye. “If you will follow me, I will show you to the dining room,” Nichs then started to walk away, and


    they began to follow, trailing behind him. “Is there something wrong?” Andrew asked. “He will not look


    at me.”


    Kinsley lowered her voice, so only her family would hear her. “Nichs is blind.”


    “Oh, well, that exins why he is holding onto that dog so tight,” Dara said.


    “He went blind fairly recently. Please do not make a big deal out of it. He is very sensitive about it,” she


    whispered as they walked into the dining room.


    Kinsley noticed Matthew and Teegan were already there. Like their brother, they looked every bit a


    well-bred as their brother did tonight. Kinsley had done her best to avoid Matthew this past week, but


    she had gotten to know Teegan, and they had be fast friends. Teegan was really sweet and down


    to earth for a princess.


    “May I introduce my brother Matthew and my sister Teegan,” Teegan came around the table and shook


    everyone’s hand, but Matthew just glowered as he drank his brandy. He was a foul-tempered man.


    Just then, a servant appeared in the door. “All rise for his Majesty King Samuel Kane and her Majesty


    Queen Naya Kane,” he announced. Everyone stood, and Kinsley watched as Dara fussedte minute


    with her hair. Samuel and Naya walked in with her arm draped over his arm. Like their children, they


    were decked out in formal wear. They looked amazing as they came into the room with their heads held


    high.


    They all took their positions at the table and waited for Samuel to sit first before the rest of them took


    their seats.


    Naya smiled across the table ad, Dara. “Oh, what dress you have on.”


    Dara grinned. “Oh, thank you. I am afraid it is not as fine as the one you have on.”


    “Mother, allow me to introduce Kinsley’s mother and father, Dara and Andrew Wells, and their daughter


    Evelyn,” Nichs introduced everyone.


    “It is a pleasure to meet you,” Naya said. “I cannot tell you how fond we are of Kinsley. She really is a


    wonderful young woman. And our Nichs has really taken a shine to her. You did a fantastic job


    raising her.”


    “Oh, thank you,” Dara said happily. “I am afraid we are at a disadvantage. We did not even know


    Kinsley was seeing anyone until she invited us to dinner.”


    “Well, hopefully, it is the first of many dinners,” Naya said.


    “I must admit I thought Kinsley was pulling our leg when she told us Nichs was a real prince. I was


    not aware there were other monarchies out there besides the one in London.”


    “There are very few left in the world,” Samuel said. “We are one of them.”


    “I have never heard of Kustium,” Andrew said as the maids ced the meals on the table. “Where is


    it?”


    “It is a small country in northeastern Europe.”


    “What is it like out there?”


    “It is wonderful. Thendscape is picturesque. Our economy is strong. We have many gold and


    diamond mines. We supply jewellers all over the world. Our diamonds are second to none,” Samuel


    said with pride.


    “What do you do for a living, Mr. Wells?” Naya asked.


    “Well, I am not a King. That is for sure,” he chuckled nervously. I am a skid steer operator at a


    warehouse.”


    “A noble endeavour,” Naya smiled.


    “It is not as important as ruler of a nation,” Andrew said.


    Naya chuckled. “Do not sell yourself short. Every nation is like aplex machine. Every cog and gear,


    no matter how small, is vital, or the machine will fail to work.”


    Samuel smiled lovingly at his wife and took her hand in his giving it a little squeeze, and Kinsley could


    see the love between them. “My wife,” Samuel grinned, “ever the idealist. Without her, I would lose


    touch with themon man. She keeps me grounded. She is the loving hand behind the crown, and


    the people love her as much as I do.”


    “Speaking of love,” Nichs spoke up, drawing the attention of the whole table. He reached out, and


    Kinsley put her hand in his so he did not have to search for her. “Kinsley and I have a confession to


    make. There was an ulterior motive to suggesting this ‘get to know you’ dinner. Kinsley and I are getting


    married.”


    The room fell deadly quiet. “You hardly know each other,” Samuel blurted out.


    “Given that, I do not have a lot of time left in this world. We figured, why should we wait.”


    “I think…” Samuel began.


    “That it is a glorious idea,” Naya cut him off with a stern look. She then leaned over in her seat and


    hugged Kinsley. “I am so excited to have you as part of our family.”


    “Thank you.”


    “Kinsley, dear, are you sure?” Dara asked. “Marriage is for life, and you do not know him very well.”


    “I know all I need to know,” Kinsley assured her.


    “Besides, it is not forever,” Nichs said. “At best, maybe four years, five if we are lucky.”


    Her family looked confused. “I am afraid Nichs has a rare condition,” Naya exined. “He is dying.


    Nichs is at the end of his life, expectancy,” Kinsley could see the pain in Naya’s eyes as she talked


    about the fate of her son.


    “All the more reason not to wait,” Nichs said. “We have also discussed it, and we will be starting a


    family right away.”


    Naya’s face lit up. “Grandchildren? How wonderful. I never thought Nichs would give us


    grandchildren. Are you pregnant already?” She asked, hopefully.


    “No. Not yet.”


    “I think that is fantastic,” Teegan grinned. “I am going to love being an aunt.”


    Kinsley could not help but notice Matthew had stopped drinking. His grip on the ss in his hand left


    him white-knuckled. His brows were drawn together in anger. His teeth were clenched, and his left eye


    was twitching. He was not pleased with the news.


    “A child,” Samuel smiled. “Let’s pray; it is a son. You will leave me an heir,” that was when it donned on


    her. Matthew was angry because if she bore Nichs, a son, their child would be king, not


    Matthew. He will have been robbed of the throne he had been waiting so patiently to inherit. She found


    some pleasure in that knowledge.


    “I, for one am absolutely delighted,” Naya said.


    “I am going to have a sister,” Teegan grinned. “How wonderful.”


    “Congrattions, Kinsley. I do not think it is possible to do better than a prince,” Evelyn teased.


    “Well, if you are happy, then we are happy for you,” Andrew said.


    “I cannot wait to start nning the wedding,” Dara said.


    “Kinsley was happy that everyone was happy. Everyone except Matthew, but she could not care less if


    he approved or not.


    “Well, I guess that means we are all family now,” Naya giggled as she picked up her wine and lifted it to


    make a toast. “To family.”


    “To my future heir,” Samuel said, lifting his ss. “You two had best get on it.”


    Everyone lifted their sses and drank to the union. Naya put her ss down and ced her hand


    over Kinsley’s. “We will have to start nning the wedding right away,” she then looked at Dara. “With


    your help, of course.”


    “Oh, how exciting,” Dara grinned.


    “We shall have the wedding in Kustium,” Naya said.


    “At the pce,” Teegan suggested. “Oh, Kinsley, the Grand Pce is beautiful this time of year. You


    will love it.”


    “Kustium,” Andrew frowned. “That is so far away. It sounds expensive.”


    “Nonsense,” Nichs piped up. “We will pay for everything, including airfare.”


    “Absolutely,” Samuel agreed.


    “We must speak to Dr. Horton and be sure he cane to Kustium for the wedding. I do not want


    Nichs too far from his caretaker,” Naya said.


    “Do not bother the doctor,” Nichsined. “I am sure he is busy.”


    “Pish-posh. I am sure he would think of it as an all-expense paid vacation,” Naya said, ignoring his


    protest.


    “I think it is a good idea,” Samuel agreed with his wife.


    “Do I get a say in this?” Nichs asked. With annoyance.


    “No,” they both snapped. Kinsley took his hand in hers. “Nichs, it is a good idea. I do not want you


    dropping dead on our wedding night.”


    He chuckled. “Alright. For you, I withdraw my objection.”


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    “Wow, look at that, not married yet, and already pussy whipped,” Matthew grumbled.


    “Shut up. You are just pissed of that you could not get her to put out for you,” Kinsley’s eyes widened,


    as did the eyes of everyone at the table except Matthew’s, who just glowered at his brother. “Judging


    from the silence in the room, I am picturing dropped jaws. Yes, I know about Matthew’s attempt to sleep


    with Kinsley. I may be blind, but I know everything that goes on.”


    “How do you know?” Kinsley asked awkwardly.


    “Stephan,” he said bluntly. “He told me that Matthew asked him to drive him to your apartment.


    Knowing my brother as I do, I deduced he was going to proposition you. He is so predictable. All our


    lives, Matthew has always wanted what was mine.”


    Matthew picked up his wine and stood up, adjusting his jacket. “I have a toast,” he said, raising his


    ss. “To Nichs, may you drop dead before your nuptials,” he snarled with a cruel smile and then


    drained his wine ss in one shot.


    “Matthew!” Samuel snapped as his son ced his ss on the table and then stormed out of the dining


    room.


    Kinsley looked at Nichs, who was actually chuckling with great amusement. The only one at the


    table with a smile. “I do believe someone is a bit testy tonight,” he grinned as he reached for his wine


    and took a sip.


    “Ignore him,” Naya said to Kinsley. “He is just upset about session. He will get over it ande


    around,” she assured her. The family seemed to think Matthew’s outburst was nothing more than a


    childish tantrum, but after the conversation they had back at her apartment, she was not so sure.


    ***


    Matthew stormed up to the bar in the salon and poured himself a strong drink. So, Nichs suddenly


    wanted a family. Fuck, that threw a wrench in his ns for the future. He knew married or not, Nichs


    would never live to be crowned. That had not changed. However, if that bitch gave him a son, that child


    would inherit the crown, and Matthew would be passed over.


    He was not losing his chance at the throne just because his asshole brother suddenly got baby fever.


    He could not allow that slut to get pregnant. He would move heaven and earth to prevent it. If he had to


    make a deal with the Devil himself, but Nichs’ child would never be born.