Just a Marriage of Convenience with the Duke by Hazel Linwood
Prologue
The King’s Court was, for the first time in Alder’s memory, completely devoid of people. The large hall was usually teeming with faeries of all different castes and positions, their dull murmurs more of a roar than a whisper for sheer volume of people present.
But not tonight.
Tonight, the King stood alone on the dais in front of his throne, pacing back and forth with his hands clasped tightly behind his back and a deep frown on his face. While he usually seemed to loom over his subjects, tonight the King was almost small, lost in the vastness of the empty room. It was jarring to see him so.
Alder approached the man cautiously. Though the King was known to be both kind and benevolent, his temper was legendary when roused and every person in the Kingdom knew better than to rouse it if they could avoid doing so.
“Your Highness,” he intoned, bowing deeply in respect.
The King waved his hand impatiently but paused in his footsteps and turned to look at Alder who straightened up.
“We have a problem, Alder,” the King said, running his fingers through his hair. “And I fear that you are the only person who can help me with this.”
“Certainly, My King,” he replied, though he was privately rather confused about what was happening. Alder had never seen the King so agitated before and it made him rather nervous in turn. He would do whatever he could to assist.
The King looked relieved at Alder’s affirmation, but then he turned away to stare out of the large bay windows into the gardens below before speaking again in a slow, careful voice.
“There has been an… incident. It has come to my attention that at least one faerie has been illegally casting spells in the human realm. Spells that are permanent in nature and that could potentially reveal our existence to them.”
“I had heard something,” Alder said.
It was an understatement. The entire Faerie Realm had been aflutter with the news of the transgression a few days prior, and gossip was nothing if not a pastime for many people in their Kingdom.
The King’s face twisted in a moue of discontent as he sighed.
“I had hoped that people would be more discreet but, alas, it seems that this will never be the case,” he trailed off, deep in thought.
“What can I do for you, Your Majesty?” Alder asked, when it became obvious that the King would not continue.
“I have mission for you in the human realm, one that I think is perfectly suited to your unique talents and training.”
Excitement filled Alder. Despite the very thorough training he had undergone, he had had very few opportunities to put it into practice since. Eager to learn more, he looked at the King with a smile.
“What exactly are you proposing?”
It would be many hours before the two men left the Court, each deeply satisfied about the plans they had set in motion.
