by V Vee
King Callum scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Of course they are. They are children. They need their father.”
The sound of a door opening behind him caused King Callum to stiffen. The door led to his wife’s royal business suite. He said nothing as she walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning over to look at the documents on his desk. He could tell the exact moment she got to the most heartbreaking part of the report, because her hand tightened briefly on his shoulder, before she relaxed, though King Callum could tell she was still troubled by the tension he felt against his side.
“We have five grandchildren living in America, with a daughter-in-law we have never met, know nothing about, and have never given our approval for?” Queen Araminta asked, though the tone of her voice let him know she wasn’t really asking for confirmation, merely stating what was in the file in a bewildered, but almost dispassionate tone.
“Y-yes, Your Highness. You see—” the official stopped when King Callum raised his hand.
“Leave us.” His tone brooked no argument, and without another word, the man rose from his chair, bowed, and hurried out of the room.
No longer having to maintain their regal appearances, Araminta sat in Callum’s lap and turned to stare at the photos of their grandchildren and daughter-in-law. Callum ran the fingers of his left hand along the nape of her neck, twisting the tendrils of her dirty-blonde hair that had escaped from her chignon, around his forefinger. He knew she wanted to say something, but he would not push her to speak. Araminta was a fearsome, independent, intelligent woman. When she spoke it was with passion, thought, and wisdom. He knew that this time her words would be flooded with emotion, most likely hurt and disappointment, but he could not blame her. He felt the same.
“How could Algerone do this, Cal?” Araminta asked.
“I do not know, miora ruĝa, but we will get to the bottom of this,” he vowed to her.
Araminta straightened in his lap, her bottom rubbing against his trouser covered shaft, which grew harder at her movements.
“Put that away, Miora Vlenti,” Araminta said with a soft chuckle. “We must first deal with our errant chuvrar, and once we have a plan on how to handle him, then we will slake our passion for each other.”
Callum groaned and leaned over to place a kiss on her shoulder. “What plan do we need, miora ruĝa? We will just call him and inform him that we are in possession of the details of his biggest secret. That we know about his American family,” Callum spat the word American as if it were a curse. He detested the bloody Americans as they were known in Malvidence. A nation filled with so much thirst for violence and bloodshed could not possibly produce someone worthy of being a princess. Callum paused as he remembered the number of American women whom had married into royal families.
Okay, there are a few who have the class to handle the position, he conceded internally.
Araminta shook her head, unaware of her husband’s internal struggle with their daughter-in-law’s country of birth. “No, that would be entirely too easy. Now that we know of all that we have been denied for these many years? Time with our grandchildren, with our daughter-in-law? Assuring the kingdom that our line will continue and has an heir? No, we must make him suffer and make him truly regrettable.”
Callum grinned and squeezed his wife around the waist. “I love your devious strategies, miora ruĝa. What were you thinking?” he asked her.
Araminta grinned. “I know we only used her as a threat against him, but perhaps he needs a bit more of a shove. I think it’s time we bring Lady Taylor Weshian and her father, Lord Jeffrey Weshian, to the palace, so that when Algerone returns home, they will be here, have dinner and a rumor or leak will get out to the media about their engagement. If that does not cause him to tell us about his marriage and his children, then we shall confirm the rumors.”
Callum leaned his head back and let out a loud laugh. “You are delightfully ruthless, Miora Vlenta. Yes, we shall do that.”
“Great,” Araminta said, leaning down to kiss Callum deeply. “Now, I believe there was talk of passion?”
With a wolfish grin, King Callum lifted Queen Araminta into his arms and carried her off to their bedroom.
Chapter Ten
A lgerone played hide-and-seek, tag, and horsey with his children outside while Valerie sat inside with her siblings planning their parents’ anniversary. He’d gotten a hug and brotherly pat on the back from Leon, the eldest of the Hall children, and the oldest Hall brother. However, Duan merely jerked his head upwards in greeting. It was cold and off-putting in comparison to the greetings he’d received from his other brother-in-law and sisters-in-law. However, Algerone knew from overhearing Valerie’s conversation with the other man the day before, and his previous interactions with the handsome black man, that Duan merely treated him that way. Algerone shrugged it off, though he knew Duan’s behavior annoyed and bothered Valerie.
“Kothrar! Can we go swimming?” Chiamaka asked from where she stood in the backyard, hitting the bottom of her shoes with a plastic bat. He’d seen her doing it a couple of times, and when he asked her where she’d learned it she’d proudly told him she learned it from tv. “Pitch, Kothrar! It’s an awesome show!” Algerone had looked towards Beaumont and Algerone who had filled him in on the fact that it was a cancelled television show their mother loved about the first woman being drafted into a major league baseball team, who just happened to be black. They had assured him that their mother didn’t let them watch the “grownup stuff.” Algerone had nodded soberly since his sons had given him the information with such serious faces.
“We have to ask your kuthrar,” he told Chiamaka, who let out a groan of protest.
“She’s going to say no,” AJ mumbled from behind Algerone.
AJ hadn’t joined in the fun with his siblings, he’d merely stood against the railing of the patio, scoffing, and making negative comments. Algerone would have reprimanded the teenager, but he knew he was the cause of the resentment that hung on his son like a cape. Not only that, while AJ had stated quite loudly that he wasn’t going to go outside with them and spend time with his father, he had joined them after only ten minutes. Algerone knew he only needed to spend time with his oldest son, more time, and they would heal things between them.
“Why would she say no?” Algerone asks.
“She always says no. Mom doesn’t swim, so unless we have other people with us, she won’t take us,” AJ shrugged.
Algerone frowned. He could distinctly remember Valerie swimming on their honeymoon… Right? But as he thought more about it, he realized she’d held onto him, or excused herself from any type of swimming excursions. They had been married for fourteen years, how did he not know his wife didn’t—or couldn’t—swim?
The familiar acrid taste of guilt flooded Algerone’s mouth, and he swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath before he turned to look at AJ.
“Well, I shall just have to make sure that I come along so that you all may go swimming, and perhaps I can teach your kuthrar how to swim, or make her more comfortable in the water so this will no longer be an issue?” he stated.
AJ shrugged but Algerone could see the corner of the young boy’s lips twitching as if he were holding back a smile. Happiness filled Algerone’s being, and he swept Dahni up into his arms, turning and sitting her on his shoulders. Once he was certain she was safe, her hands fisting his hair as she squealed from being up in the air so high, Algerone began making monster noises as he stomped around the backyard heading toward his other children. He allowed Dahni to “steer” him, going in whatever direction she tugged his hair. Algerone knew the moment she realized that she could control him, because she bounced with happiness before she yanked his hair and directed him towards Chikere, who sat in the grass reading.
“Chi! Chi!” Dahni exclaimed.
Algerone stomped directly over to his third born son, and saw the moment Chikere decided to play along. The young boy sighed, put his bookmark in his book, t
hen stood and took off running. Algerone stood in surprise for a moment. Chikere was exceptionally fast. Who would have known?
“Daddy! Go Daddy, go horsey!” Dahni bounced up and down, tugging his hair, and patting him on the top of the head.
Algerone made a neighing noise and “galloped” after Chikere. He changed direction when Dahni ordered him to go after “Bobo!” Beaumont was ready, however and he crawled between Algerone’s legs to run around the yard with Chikere and Chiamaka.
“Need some help?” AJ’s voice came from beside him and Algerone looked down at his eldest son—his heir—and smiled. While Algerone was next in line for the throne, AJ was third in line, and though he hadn’t been given the proper education or training on protocol, etiquette, and Malvidencian customs, his son already carried himself with a bit of a regal air.
“Yeah. Thanks,” Algerone said.
AJ shrugged. “Whatever. There’s nothing else to do.”
Algerone knew that AJ was attempting to come off as apathetic and nonchalant, but he could see the twinkle in the young teen’s eyes. His son was looking forward to having fun, to running around with his siblings, and maybe hanging out with his kothrar. Algerone would make sure all of the kids had fun. He had a lot to make up for, and he would start here. Right now.
“So, he’s back…” Duan said as Valerie sat with her siblings around the coffee table in the family room. She sighed and looked at her older brother. She loved Duan, she really did. She even understood that in his own misguided, hurtful, prejudicial way he was trying to look out for her. However, she was no longer the little girl who’d come running to her older brothers because the boy she liked in middle school—who was white—told her it was against the word of G-d for them to like each other, because he was pure and white, and because she was black, she was cursed. Duan and Leon had beat the boy up—though to be fair, it was more Duan than Leon—and when they got in trouble, neither told their parents why they’d been fighting the other boy.
Valerie had grown up a lot since then. She knew that the boy from her childhood had been taught the wrong things at home, and by the other people in his life. She was thankful for her parents who taught all their children to judge each person individually and to not lump everyone together, because it was what people did to black people, and other people of color, all the time. Valerie and the rest of her siblings understood that, and yet, Duan seemed to have missed that lesson.
“He was here when you called,” she told him. “And he has a name, and I know you are aware of that. I’m even positive you know how to pronounce it correctly.”
She ignored their other siblings who laughed softly.
“Yeah, I do. I’m just not going to use it,” Duan said stubbornly. “You are being really stupid, Val. I mean, dude ups and leaves for months at a time, leaving you here to raise all five of those kids by yourself…”
“Single mothers,” Valerie stated firmly.
“What?” Duan blinked.
Valerie pointed at Duan, then the rest of their siblings, then herself. “We are the lucky ones. We grew up with not only both parents, but with our parents being married, educated, and middle class. They worked damn hard to give us that security, the privilege of having our tapestries of love and relationships created out of them loving each other, respecting each other, communicating, and so many other things. The fact is, however, there are a lot of single mothers our there, and even single fathers, who are having to raise their children alone. Some because of incarceration, some due to lack of commitment, some due to lack of compatibility, some due to infidelity, some due to the involvement of others, some because it’s illegal, some due to death…” she sighed and glanced down at her notebook on the table. “The fact is, there are single parents out there with multiple children who are making it work. They are surviving, they are fighting, and some are thriving and doing better than even you are.” She looked up and gave Duan a hard stare. “Yes, I am left to care for the children on my own a lot, but the fact is, as I told you earlier, they know who their father is. He is here when he can be, and he provides for us. He loves his children, and he loves me. He married me when he didn’t have to, he could have simply slept with me and taken off at the end of the summer. You know all about that.
“I could hire a nanny, go out clubbing, go to the spa, hell, go to the art museum. I could even go on vacation and leave my kids with someone to care for them while I traipse around spending the exorbitant amount of funds that my husband sends to his wife and his children. But I don’t want to do that. I want to raise my children. I chose this. And Algerone? I don’t know if he ever will claim us publicly, he said he would, but I don’t live my life on maybes and possibilities. Not in that way, anyway, not anymore. So, either support me, and have my damn back—most importantly, respect my husband and my fucking marriage—or keep it to yourself. Got it?” she stated firmly.
The room was silent and filled with tension, before Duan nodded. “Yeah, I got you lil’ sis. I just…” he stopped and shook his head. “Nope. I’m not gonna say that. Just know that I got your back, okay?”
“Me too,” Leon spoke up, his voice deep and growly putting Valerie into the mindset of a bear—teddy bear—as it always did.
“Me too,” Ella and Merlina said simultaneously.
Valerie gives her siblings a small smile and releases a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Now, let’s talk about this party. I was thinking we should go with green and silver, since it’s their thirty-ninth anniversary and we’re sending them on that trip to the Motherland next year for their fortieth.”
“And can I just say, I think that’s the best idea we have ever collectively come up with before?” Merlina stated, straightening in her seat, and smoothing down the skirt of her white dress.
Ella gasped and covered her mouth, her dark brown eyes widening behind her glasses. “What? Are you passing out compliments to us, Oh Perfect One? Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!” Ella raised her hand and started to wave it around crazily. “I want one! I want one! Gimme!”
Valerie laughed with her brothers when Merlina merely rolled her eyes before exhaling in amusement. “Fine, you want a compliment? Ella, you are a brilliant, and gorgeous black woman. I am proud of the work you are doing at BI and I am astonished at your accomplishments towards genetic diseases; especially those that would directly affect so much of the African-American community. You are amazing.”
Ella lowered her hand and stared at Merlina in shock. Valerie could feel her own amazement shooting through her system. When she looked around she saw that both of her brothers similarly affected. Ella’s eyes filled with tears, and she lowered her head to hide them.
“Holy. Shit. What is up with this day? Val went off on Duan, something we’ve all wanted to do. Merlina gave Ella an actual compliment, one that was sincere and makes me a little jealous that I didn’t ask for one first. And this one,” Leon gestured at Ella with his thumb. “This one is crying!” He shook his head. “Did someone check the sky?”
Valerie lowered her brows in confusion. “What? Why?”
Leon shrugged. “Pastor Cherry said we would know when the Messiah was returning by the signs of the impossible taking place around us. I just wanted to know if anyone saw Him in the sky on the way over?” he grinned slyly.
Valerie shook her head and reached for the pillow behind her and tossed it at her eldest brother’s head. “Jerk! You made me think something had happened!”
“Something did,” Leon and Duan said simultaneously, before they turned to look at each other and laughed.
Leon was the quietest of the Hall children, so when he spoke they all tended to listen. It was rare for him to make jokes, or to show that he had a sense of humor. Valerie was happy to see that in the aftermath of her eldest brother’s heartbreak from six years before, he was learning to laugh and make jokes again. Even if it was at the expense of his youngest sisters.
“Okay, that is enough fun and playtime, Halls. Now, Valerie,” Merlina stated, a sma
ll smile on her face, before she wiped it away and replaced it with a look of determination. “Why were you thinking of the colors of silver and green? And what color green are we thinking of? Don’t you think incorporating Father’s birthplace of Saint Thomas, Barbados? Perhaps with incorporating some of the colors from its flag? And what about Mother’s birthplace of Harlem?”
Valerie snorted. “We do those things for their birthday, Lina. I am sure by this point that both Mom and Dad are more than aware of the fact that we know where they were born and that we have a healthy appreciation of our heritage. And really, Father and Mother?” She leaned over and whispered loudly. “They can’t hear you, you know. You can call them Mom and Dad.”
Ella reached forward to grab a donut from the box sitting in the middle of the table. “Shit, at this point you can call them Lloyd and Lorraine.”
Valerie, Leon, and Duan all gasped and covered their mouths, looking at Merlina, who merely stuck her tongue out them. This sent them into more peals of laughter. Valerie would never tell her siblings, but she missed them. They all came around when they could, and Leon and Duan were over at least biweekly, but it had been some time since all five of the Hall children had been together without it being a birthday party, funeral, or anniversary. Usually all planning was done via emails, group texts, and FaceTime calls where information was being relayed from one sibling to another, for another.
And if Algerone goes public with your marriage, you may never see your siblings except through apps and computer software. Perhaps it’s not so bad that he has chosen to keep things private, it allows you to remain normal, and your children as well. Her kids. How would they even adjust to living in a palace and having all eyes on them all the time? Valerie shuddered just thinking about it. As her brothers and sisters bickered teasingly about what name was appropriate to call their parents at their ages, Valerie thought of the possibility of her own children not being able to have this sense of camaraderie due to duty to the Crown or law.
