His Fairy Tale Ending
Page 1
His Fairy Tale Ending
By Casper Graham
Published by JMS Books LLC
Visit jms-books.com for more information.
Copyright 2018 Casper Graham
ISBN 9781634866163
Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com
Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.
All rights reserved.
WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.
This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Published in the United States of America.
* * * *
As always, my deepest love and gratitude to DRS, the man who stands by me through everything. I love you, I appreciate you, and I enjoy you.
Thank you to the readers who have purchased and enjoyed my books, especially those who have been with me since my first book was released on December 17, 2016. You’re awesome!
* * * *
His Fairy Tale Ending
By Casper Graham
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
Chapter 1
“Leonardo, be reasonable.”
Leonardo Emerson Winthrope, the Crown Prince of Gefrington, resisted the temptation to roll his eyes at his mother, Evelynne Margaretta Winthrope, who was the Queen Regnant of Gefrington. “Mother, Elaine and I have just finalized our divorce not long ago. She may be preparing herself to get married to her new husband in the next two months, but I’m not in a hurry to tie myself down. Again.”
He sighed when his father, Emerson Jasper Winthrope née Redmond, Prince Consort of Gefrington, cleared his throat to get his attention. “Leonardo, your mother and I aren’t getting any younger, and neither are you.”
“I’m thirty-three, Father,” he reminded his father while suppressing the overwhelming desire to snort out loud as they sat around the dining table. He ignored the multiple desserts in front of him. He wasn’t that hungry anyway. “I’m not that old.”
“Leo, a word if I may?”
He turned toward his younger brother, thirty-one-year-old Isaac Hunter Winthrope, and nodded. “Go ahead.”
“You know as well as the rest of us that you can’t ascend the throne without a spouse. It’s an archaic law, but it stands as long as the peerage agrees to it. Father is fifty-eight, and Mother is fifty-six this year. While they aren’t ancient by any standards, the plan for your coronation has been set in motion for a while now.”
“But—”
“Leonardo,” his mother interrupted him, which effectively shut him up. “I won’t be abdicating this year or next, but I do hope to step down by my sixty-fifth birthday. You father and I want to spend more time with Jacqueline and Alexander instead of filling our time with various engagements related to the monarchy.”
He glanced at his five-year-old twins, Jacqueline Evelynne Winthrope and Alexander Leonardo Winthrope, who were now staring back at him. He understood his parents loved his children very much, and he was aware of how protective they were toward the twins, especially after the scandal that rocked the House of Winthrope due to Elaine’s indiscretion with a Hollywood movie director. The whole situation was blown out of proportions for multiple reasons. Not only was Elaine the wife of the future King of Gefrington and the mother of the future Queen of Gefrington, she was also the daughter of a Baron. Moreover, she cheated on him with a famous director, which guaranteed front page news all by itself.
The media had hounded him and his twins for months after the news broke about Elaine being caught on camera when she exited from the hotel in the early morning hours in the arms of a then-unknown man. In light of Elaine’s infidelity, the divorce procedure was expedited, and Elaine lost everything, including the title and wealth bestowed upon her when the two of them got married to each other six years ago. Elaine was also disallowed from meeting up with the twins in private until they reached eighteen years of age. In addition, her parents were so ashamed of her extramarital affair, they disinherited her. She was, for all purposes and intents, nothing more than a commoner now.
However, he was simultaneously angered and heartbroken on behalf of the twins when Elaine didn’t even bother to contest her visitation rights to her children. Instead, she simply packed up her personal belongings and turned her back on the children before leaving the palace for good less than a year ago. Now, she was about to get married to the man she had committed adultery with. He had informed the twins about their mother’s upcoming wedding, but he had no idea if they could comprehend him completely. He didn’t know if he should be relieved or concerned that they didn’t seem to care about her or her upcoming nuptials. Besides, he had other issues to contend with, such as his impending coronation to become the next ruling monarch of Gefrington.
“The monarchy is willing to accept your next spouse even if it is a man.” His father’s declaration startled him out of his reverie. “The recent poll also shows the majority of the citizens of Gefrington are much more open to the possibility you may someday marry a man instead of a woman.”
He gazed at his parents and younger brother. “I know. I read the news online. It was also broadcast on several TV channels.”
“What’s holding you back?”
He couldn’t respond to his mother’s question. At least not in front of his twins. After all, he had some pent-up anger related to Elaine, and he didn’t want to lash out about his ex-wife and the mother of his children in front of Jacqueline and Alexander. “I’m simply not ready.”
His mother gave a gentle nod. “I hope you will consider the future carefully. After all, you’re next in line to the throne.”
He was irritated at being reminded of his role. It wasn’t as if he could ever forget about who he was and who he would be, not when he lived in the palace and had the servants and guards at his beck and call. He bit his lower lip, which was a horrible and unseemly habit for a royal member of Gefrington, but he couldn’t be bothered with protocols at the moment. It wasn’t as if he was out in the public’s eyes at the moment. After a moment, he turned to his mother and nodded. “I will.”
He heaved out a sigh of relief when his parents shifted their attention toward Isaac, who was currently dating Vivian Cathleen Wells. It might be selfish of him, but he wished Isaac would hurry and wed Vivian, who was one of the daughters of a Viscount from another European royalty. After all, Isaac and Vivian had been together for nearly three years. Most importantly, his brother’s potential wedding would divert the media’s attention away from him and his twins. Granted, the public was much more fascinated with him since he was the next ruler after hi
s mother abdicated the throne, but a royal wedding would take some heat off of him. He desperately needed a break from the paparazzi at the moment. Any temporary respite would be a blessing for sure.
* * * *
Tristan Quinn Calliwell whistled merrily as he stepped out from the diner where he worked as a server. His co-workers invited him to a night of drinking at the local bar at Kaiserbourg, but he declined. He wanted to visit Fingo, the capital of Gefrington, early the next morning since it was his day off from work. It would be his first visit ever, and he was excited about it. He needed to rest up early, so he could wake up in time to catch the bus and train the next morning.
He had grown up in a local orphanage because he was abandoned there as a baby. Or so he was told. While some of the children were fortunate enough to be adopted, he had been one of the kids who was less lucky in that regards. Nobody wanted him, so he had remained at the orphanage until he was eighteen years old. After that, he had left the place behind and begun to work at the diner. He had also been given a small apartment he shared with two other employees and three square meals a day, so he was able to save most of his money for rainy days.
He had never ventured outside of Kaiserbourg even though he was already twenty-five years old. Hence, he was determined to enjoy himself to the fullest on his first trip ever to Fingo. He also had a tentative itinerary in mind because he might not be able to return to Fingo for a while. Multiple trips, including the transportation and food, would cost too much money, and he didn’t want to deplete all his savings. He would have to make the best of his opportunity.
He wanted to visit any one of the museums in Fingo. He had read about them in the local library at Kaiserbourg, but he didn’t have ample time for all of them. He might also splurge on a nice meal or two while he was in the capital. However, he was most excited at the prospect of visiting the palace. While he might not be able to enter the palace grounds at all, he would be more than satisfied if he could take a photograph of himself in front of it. The built-in camera of his second-hand mobile phone might not have the best quality, but it would have to do.
“Tristan, are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”
He turned around and smiled at Thomas, one of his fellow servers at the diner. Thomas was also one of his two apartment mates. “Nope. I have to catch the bus to the train station really early tomorrow morning. Then I still have about one hour on the train before I reach Fingo. It’s going to be a long journey. I need to rest up tonight. You guys have fun.”
“Okay then,” Jacob, another server at the diner and his other apartment mate, responded. “Thomas and I will try to be quiet when we get back to the apartment later.”
He laughed at Jacob and Thomas. “Sure. I believe you. Enjoy.”
He shook his head in amusement as the rest of his co-workers bade him farewell. He watched as the whole group walked away in high spirits. He was certain Thomas and Jacob would be drunk when they returned to the apartment. They would disturb his sleep, but he was used to them at this point in time. He liked them, though. They were friendly and kind. He was also relieved the three of them were all gay, so he didn’t have to worry about living in the same apartment with potentially homophobic people. In fact, he was fortunate everyone working at the diner didn’t have any issues with his sexuality.
As he made his way back home, he couldn’t stop smiling to himself. He couldn’t help it. Just the thought of his virgin trip to Fingo was more than enough to send a spark of exhilaration coursing through his entire being, buoying his spirit for the rest of the evening. He was looking forward to it. Brand-new adventures awaited him, and he was going to enjoy them. He had no idea what they would be, but it didn’t matter. It wasn’t as if he expected to bump into a member of the royal family. It would be a normal day of fun, one that he would remember for the rest of his life.
Chapter 2
Leonardo pinched the bridge of his nose as he read through the financial report on his desk. It was for one of his multiple businesses. He might be the Crown Prince of Gefrington, but he refused to rely on his family’s massive wealth. It might be enough to allow the next fifteen or even twenty generations of Winthropes to live in the lap of luxuries, but he enjoyed running his own businesses. It also helped to alleviate some of his boredom when he didn’t have any official duties to deal with in his capacity as the Crown Prince of Gefrington. He had plenty of people working for him, but he liked to check up on everything once in a while to make sure his businesses were in the green.
He had less spare time over the last two, three years, though. His parents were grooming him to take over the duties he would be responsible for when he ascended the throne once they stepped down. Moreover, he had the twins to look after, as well. He felt guilty sometimes because he couldn’t spend ample time with his children. However, he had a ton of obligations to handle on a daily basis. He tried to be present during at least two of the three meals every day, but it wasn’t possible on certain days. He was so engrossed in his work, he jumped a little when there was a soft knock on his office door.
“Enter.”
Isaac poked his head in and grinned. “Busy?”
He shook his head. “Very, but it’s okay. Come in and have a seat.”
Isaac strode into the room and grabbed the chair across the desk from him before sitting on it. “Still busy with the reports?”
“Yeah. What about yours?”
Isaac nodded. “I’m done. I don’t feel like reading the other reports, though.”
He chuckled when Isaac grimaced at the end there. “You’re fourth in line to the throne, little brother. You don’t have that many documents to handle.”
Isaac laughed at him. “True.”
After that, the two of them were quiet for a minute or two. He gazed at Isaac and snorted. “Out with it. Something is bothering you.”
Isaac snickered, cheeks turning a little red. “I can’t hide anything from you, can I?”
“No, you can’t. I may be the future King of Gefrington, but I will always be your big brother first and foremost.”
Isaac sighed softly. “It’s…Vivian.”
“What about her?”
“I love her. She’s intelligent and kind. She doesn’t let me get away with anything.”
“And?”
“She’s so beautiful. Do you think she will agree to be my wife if I ask?”
He raised his left eyebrow and smiled at Isaac. “Is that it?”
Isaac appeared to be rather bewildered. “Yeah. Of course. Stop teasing me. Out with it. What do you think?”
He leaned against his high-backed chair and tried to suppress his amusement. “You’re a dumb ass, little brother.”
Isaac gave him the middle-finger salute. “Up yours, prick.”
He guffawed in retaliation. “Don’t let Mother witness that gesture of yours. She won’t be pleased.”
Isaac rolled his eyes and placed both hands down on the desk. “So?”
Leonardo leaned forward before responding. “Vivian loves you, you idiot. Even a blind man can see that clear as day. I mean, I don’t know why she does. You’re ugly and not half as charming as me, but I guess there’s no accounting for taste.”
“Oh, be serious for once, Leo. I’m about to lose my shit here.”
He observed Isaac more seriously. He could tell Isaac was stressing over Vivian based on his younger brother’s tone of voice. He might only be two years older than Isaac, but he had to grow up faster than his younger brother. After all, it had been driven into him ever since he was a toddler that he would one day be the reigning monarch of Gefrington. There were responsibilities he had to shoulder, which Isaac would probably never get to experience. He could read body languages and detect the subtlest tone in voices with an almost unerring accuracy. It was a part of his training from a very young age.
“Isaac, listen to me.” He waited for Isaac to look him in the eye before he continued. “Vivian loves you. She really does.”
“Not the same,” he cut Isaac off midsentence. “Don’t compare Vivian to Elaine. They’re two different people. Vivian doesn’t care about being a queen. Elaine…she’s a mistake. I don’t regret marrying her because I got Jackie and Alex out of it. However, I misjudged her character. I’m only sorry because my children were hurt due to her actions. I believe that Vivian is a wonderful woman. I truly do.”
“Yeah?”
He noticed the hesitancy in Isaac’s voice, so he got to his feet and made his way around the table. Then he pulled Isaac up and off the chair before embracing his younger brother. He hadn’t done that in a while. He used to hug Isaac all the time when they were much younger, but his brother stopped asking for reassurances many years ago. He missed the closeness. After a few seconds, he stepped back a little before messing up Isaac’s hair by rubbing his palm all over it. Isaac glared at him, but he could tell his brother was more amused than furious.
“I’m positive.”
Isaac nodded. “I think…I think I’m going to propose to her soon.”
“That’s great. When?”
“Maybe right after Valentine’s Day.”
He snorted at Isaac. “That’s less than one month away. By the way, why not on the day itself?”
“Too much of a cliché. Besides, I want our engagement to fall on a separate day.”
He chuckled at Isaac. “I never knew you’re a romantic.”
Isaac blushed and glanced away. “Shut your trap, Leo.”
He burst out laughing as Isaac’s face and neck turned redder from the embarrassment. “Vivian will appreciate the gesture. I’m sure of it.”
“You think so?”
He gave Isaac a serious expression. “Yeah.”
Isaac seemed pleased to hear that. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Anyway, care to tell me about your proposal idea?”
Isaac’s expression brightened, and Leonardo led his younger brother to the comfortable couch in one corner of his office. He got himself ready to listen to Isaac for next few minutes. It was obvious, by Isaac’s excited tone, which they would be spending quite some time on the couch. Not that he minded at all. He needed a break from the dry and boring reports sitting on his desk anyway.