by V Vee
What has my kekthar been teaching these children that they would not fear someone my size? Augustus wondered to himself. They have truly experienced horrors if I am not even able to scare one as tiny and young as my vessrir.
Chiamaka smiled and nodded her head emphatically with a giggle. She turned to Andreas and pointed. “You will be the knight who fights the monster,” she commanded.
Augustus looked over at his younger brother who gave him a smug grin. Augustus rolled his eyes when Andreas bowed low to Chiamaka and the tiny scrap of a child giggled again. “It would be my utmost pleasure to serve you, Princess,” Andreas said deferentially which made Chiamaka clap her hands excitedly.
“Do not persist in rolling your eyes at my daughter, bruthrar,” Algerone’s voice came from beside him and Augustus snorted out a laugh.
“Are you so protective then, bruthrar?” Augustus asked in a mocking tone.
“You have no idea, Gus,” Algerone replied using Augustus’s nickname. “Until you have a child, someone who depends on you for guidance, security, shelter, love, care, and so much more, you will only scoff at my actions and my words. But heed them carefully. You are my brother, whom I love deeply, but that is my child, they are all my children,” Algerone gestured at all five of his children who were standing around with varying degrees of excitement, suspicion, and awe on their faces as they looked at their new veshrars—uncles, Augustus corrected internally. He had to remember that he was in the uncultured, ignorant land of the Americans. How he longed to be back in Malvidence, or even in Tepprysi, his mother’s birthplace. The women there were beyond beautiful, cultured, refined, and educated on all manner of things. He snapped back to his conversation with his brother when Algerone gripped his bicep and turned Augustus to face him. “I love my children with an unbending, unceasing, all-powerful love that cannot be shattered and will destroy any and all who dare to hurt my progeny. Even you.”
Augustus’s jaw dropped at his brother’s words. He and Algerone had spent so much time together growing up, and even as adults, that their parents often joked that they were practically conjoined twins, who were simply born at different times. No one had ever gotten in between them. Not women, not sibling rivalry, not the appearance and birth of their three younger brothers, not their parents who were guilty of sometimes making them compete against each other. No one and nothing had ever been able to break their bond, but now… here were these children and their mother…
Your nieces, nephews, and sister-in-law, his conscience reprimanded him.
Augustus swallowed thickly and inclined his head in Algerone’s direction. “Understood. I will endeavor to be more… amenable to my vessrirs and vessrors,” he promised.
Algerone simply raised one eyebrow at him, compelling him without words to add more. Augustus sighed.
“And my new kekthar,” he said with a thin smile.
Algerone nodded and slapped Augustus on the back of his shoulder. “Fu,” he said with a smile. “Now, play with my drothar,” Algerone commanded.
Augustus nodded and returned his focus on young Chiamaka who watched him carefully and intensely. When her twin brother, Chikere, who moved stealthily from across the room—something Andreas had always done when he was younger as well—and came to stand next to her, folding his arms across his thin chest, much in the same way as Augustus, the prince was taken aback. Not only were his brother’s children not afraid of him, but they seemed ready to take him on in a fight. Though it was hesitant, Augustus felt a surge of respect and pride spread through him for the children and for his newly discovered sister-in-law.
“Shall I roar as monsters do, Princess Chiamaka?” he asked sincerely.
Chiamaka observed him for just a moment before launching herself at his legs and hugging him tightly. Augustus was startled by the reaction. What had he done to warrant such affection? Since meeting his brother’s kids he’d been polite, but not overwhelmingly welcome. He’d been cordial to Valerie as well, even friendly to his new sister and her children, but the beautiful woman had apparently been able to detect his reticence in welcoming her into the family, because she’d been only slightly warmer to him than he’d been to her. It was in that moment Augustus realized that his niece’s reaction to him was due to his erratic emotions and reactions regarding her and her siblings. Upon first meeting them he’d been welcoming, excited, affectionate… loving. And why wouldn’t he be? He’d finally been meeting the children that his selfish, cowardly, unusually reckless elder brother had kept from the family for over fourteen years.
But as the reality of their presence and that of their mother began to set in, Augustus had grown resentful. Angry. Perhaps even a bit envious. But he’d been directing those emotions at the wrong people. Instead of pointing them towards Algerone, who was the one at fault, Augustus had become standoffish with the most innocent of targets: children.
He was an asshole.
“Throm thived isri,” he cursed at himself.
“Thived isri!” Chiamaka repeated after him and Augustus gasped as did his brothers and his sister in law. Augustus leaned down and lifted Chiamaka into his arms in a flurry of giggles and skirts, laughingly placing his hand over her lips.
“You have been taught Malvidencian, yes?” he asked her.
Chiamaka nodded, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Augustus had to admit, he liked the cheeky child. She reminded him a bit of himself.
“Fu.” Good. He pointed at her. “Ptrai leuomi, voeñ su skwatax tvo nayau nu Malvidence. Nceffuv oukya neka nu naawe voeñy tacet.”—Little one, you are hope and light to Malvidence. Do not allow others to tarnish your crown.
They were the same words his mother had whispered to him the first time Augustus had gotten in a fight with a boy in school. The boy, Marshall Kinsington, had teased Augustus about being a royal, saying that Augustus needed someone to wipe his ass for him because he was too snooty to do it for himself. Augustus had punched him so hard he’d broken his jaw.
They’d been nine at the time.
Of course, that was nothing compared to what Andreas had done to Marshall when they’d all grown up. Augustus shuddered internally at the memory, and his gaze found his younger brother’s. The slight tilt of Andreas’s lips was more frightening than a snarl would be. If Augustus wasn’t certain his brother wasn’t telepathic, he would have sworn that the younger man knew exactly what he was thinking about.
He looked back down into Chiamaka’s upturned face. The little girl’s face was scrunched into an expression of contemplation. Augustus assumed that she was attempting to translate his words. When she smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering the English version of the advice into his ear, Augustus was stunned yet again. Not only had his sister-in-law… his new sister, Valerie, done an amazing job with his nieces and nephews by teaching them the history and language of their father’s country, but each of the children were extremely smart.
Augustus’s chest swelled with pride slightly as he realized that royal blood, Smythe blood, ran through the veins of these exceptional kids. He was distantly aware of his brothers snickering, when Augustus squeezed Chiamaka back, chuckling when she squeaked. He was also aware of the front door of Valerie’s home being opened.
He cut his eyes in that direction, taking notice of his brothers, all of them tensing and drawing a child behind them, as they turned as one to face the entryway. Two women came in. Both of them laughing, one of them holding a set of keys. They froze suddenly and stared at Augustus and his brothers, their amusement fading away.
Chapter Two
Helen
“So, we’re going in here to rough up His Highness, right?” Laeticia asked Helen with a mischievous smile on her face.
Helen shook her head and laughed as she applied the finishing touches to her makeup, her gaze firmly affixed to the visor mirror. She and Laeticia were heading over to their best friend, Valerie’s, home to give her husband a piece of their mind. After 14 years the Crown Prince of Malvide
nce had finally deigned his wife and children worthy enough to be claimed in front of the world. Though they’d been supportive of Valerie, who hadn’t pushed for her husband to tell the world he was married and had children, whenever she wasn’t around, Helen and Laeticia would discuss how stupid they thought she was being, as well as how much they really disliked Algerone.
No matter how hot he was, or how sweet he was when he was actually in town.
And, they may just be going to check out Algerone’s princely brothers in the flesh as well.
Helen rolled her eyes at herself. She shouldn’t even be trying to look at other men. Not when she’d just called off an engagement.
You can’t say you really cut it off when he was the one who broke up with you.
Yeah, because of the decision she’d made to honor her parents and her grandparents’ wishes for her to stay a virgin until she got married.
Helen frowned at her reflection. She was honestly surprised that Garrett had stayed around as long as he had. Most of the men Helen had dated before would only stick around for a month or two, then when they realized she wasn’t going to bend or break her vow to stay chaste and celibate until marriage, they all left.
It was why Helen would never tell her friends or her parents that she didn’t actually believe in love.
Oh sure, it worked for other people, but Helen wasn’t sure that what her friends and family members and coworkers thought they were feeling was love. Lust? Yes. Possessiveness? Yes. A deep, primitive need to copulate and establish connection? Yes. Of course. But love?
Love was just a lie conceived by the religious, the crooked, the dreamers, and the insane to justify their actions.
But Helen would never tell anyone she knew that she felt that way. It was her own personal secret.
Just another one to add to her list.
“Hel? Yo, you there?” Laeticia’s voice pulled Helen back from her internal musings and she blinked and glanced over at the other woman.
“I’m sorry, what?” Helen asked sheepishly. “My mind was wandering.”
Helen hated the sympathetic glance Laeticia sent her way. She’d been getting those looks for months now. Ever since Garrett had called things off between them. Helen desperately wanted to tell everyone where they could shove their looks, but her upbringing and her beliefs prevented her from doing so.
Dang it.
“Don’t look at me like that, Teesh. I wasn’t thinking about him.” Not really. “I was honestly thinking about Val and Al. And the kids,” she lied.
Laeticia huffed and rolled her eyes. “Yeah right, like I believe that shit. You looked as if you were ready to fuck somebody up, and the only person you want to do that to is that fuckwad ex of yours,” she stated firmly with a nod of her head.
Helen gasped. “Teesh! Watch your… language,” Helen said stumbling over her promise to not give into the urge to use a profanity herself.
Laeticia laughed. “You were about to say fucking language, weren’t you?” She continued cackling and Helen shook her head.
“No, I wasn’t! I don’t use those filthy words,” Helen denied.
“Those words aren’t filthy. You want to know filthy words?” Laeticia looked over at Helen and waggled her eyebrows.
“No!” Helen said. She knew how dirty Laeticia could be, and while Helen could usually take her best friend’s raunchy humor with a good-natured smile, she just didn’t think she was up to it that day. There was… something in the air. A feeling, a scent, a… foreboding or was it an excitement, that tightened the muscles of her stomach into a knot. She both wanted to hurry and get to Valerie’s home and simultaneously ask Laeticia to turn her sky blue 2018 BMW 8 Series around to take her home.
“Filthy is me saying that I hope Al’s brothers are hot and single so I can get one to fuck me with their royal cock,” Laeticia said laughing boisterously when Helen’s face flamed with embarrassment.
“Damn girl, I have never met a black woman who blushes as much as you!” Laeticia retorted, still laughing. “You would think, after over 18 years you would be used to how I talk by now. Your little Christian sensibilities should be immune at this point. I mean you still have your pretty little halo. It may be a little dinged up and slightly tarnished, but it ain’t crooked and you still got it. Unlike me.”
“Yeah, you tossed your halo away a long time ago,” Helen muttered.
“Damn skippy I did!” Laeticia yelled, hitting Helen on the side of her left thigh with the back of her hand.
Helen shook her head and assessed her outrageous friend out of the corner of her eyes.
Laeticia was extremely beautiful in Helen’s eyes—and if Laeticia’s dating past was any indication, to other people as well—with her lips that were so full they appeared bee-swollen, her petite frame, high, round, and large ass, slightly rounded belly, and sepia brown skin with its reddish undertones. Laeticia’s sew-in weave that she announced to everyone was “half-weave, half-her” was curly and black, only prominently displayed her round hazel eyes, and pert nose. Though Laeticia was outrageous, loud, and completely inappropriate in her everyday actions, when she was working as a public relations director, she was the very epitome of professional, to the point that more than once Helen had wondered which image was the real Laeticia.
She glanced down at herself and grimaced when the first thing she saw was her extremely large breasts. Size H.
Helen knew that with her clear almond-colored skin, slanted, light brown eyes, full lips, pointed nose, thick, straight black hair, and her extremely tall, curvy body: large breasts, ample bottom, curvy hips, and long legs, surrounding a thin waist, she was considered tremendously beautiful. It was why she’d been approached multiple times and had finally agreed to model in college in order to make extra money to help pay for college and send home to her parents in Virginia. But now, in her thirties, she just found her looks a hindrance, rather than a boon.
She was a talent agent and manager for a number of creative people. Had, in fact, managed Valerie’s artistic career for the last 18 years. Ever since they met their freshman year of college in the hallway of their dorm. Helen had taken one look at Valerie’s art and been blown away by the talent displayed on the canvas. When she’d inquired of Valerie as to who had created the work of art, and Valerie had shyly said she’d done it, Helen’s direction in life had shifted gears immediately. The next day she’d done and changed her double major from theology and social work, to communications and marketing, with minors in business administration and management. She’d never worked so hard in her life.
Helen’s parents, Ryan and Tifany Warren, were shocked, surprised, and a little disappointed in Helen’s decision, especially since they’d hoped and intended for her to follow them into the ministry. However, when Helen had shown a great affinity for her chosen career field and had promptly sent home generous portions of her very large paychecks and earnings, they’d quickly changed their tune. Their only worry after that had been that she remained “untouched,” “pure,” and “holy” for her future husband.
Contrary to her friends’ and parents’ beliefs, however, Helen had never really been tempted or had an issue with staying a virgin. With her pursuit of two bachelor’s degrees, and two associate degrees, simultaneously, Helen hadn’t really had time to date or pursue anything remotely intimate or sexual in college. Then, right after college, she’d been busy managing Helen’s career. Then managing their friends’ Payola and Hurit’s careers. Thanks to Helen’s hard-work, focus, and… celibacy, all three of her friends and clients had reached the pinnacle of their careers. Valerie was a world-renowned artist, sought after by museums, galleries, and the wealthy for commissioned and non-commissioned paintings, sculptures, and photographs. Whereas Payola was the highest earning Asian female director, who was also a lesbian, and whose wife, their friend Hurit was able to see her dream become a reality, and had become the highest paid, most sought after Indigenous actress in the world.
All thanks
to Helen.
Helen had worked her… butt off to get herself and her friends to where they were at that point in time. Helen received requests, headshots, CVs, applications, etc. on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, from creative people who wanted her to represent them, and also from hopeful talent agents and managers who wanted to work with her. And working hand-in-hand with Laeticia’s PR firm only served to increase Helen’s desirability.
Through all of this, however, Helen had watched as friend after friend, sibling after sibling, had gone on to get married, have children, and leave her behind.
In her virginity.
Even Laeticia had been married before. Though it wasn’t something they ever really talked about. With good reason. Laeticia’s ex-husband was a… doodoo head. Yeah. That’s right. She’d said it. Or thought it.
“Okay girl, we’re here,” Laeticia said and Helen looked around in surprise. They were in the circular driveway of Valerie’s mansion, which meant that not only had Helen missed most of the drive from her own rather large home, but she’d been reminiscing and lost in her thoughts when they’d pulled up to the gate and Laeticia had no doubt flirted with Valerie’s security guard.
“So,” she said with a grin, hoping to cover up the fact that she’d been a rather bad passenger to her best friend. “Think he’ll take you up on your offer?”
Laeticia laughed and nodded, flipping her curly black hair over her shoulder. “Girl, I know he will. Just give me a few more weeks with him and we’ll be good.”
Helen chuckled and climbed out of the car, smoothing down the skirt of her royal blue cap-sleeved dress which fell in an A-line down to her knees. She turned and reached into the backseat of Laeticia’s car to grab her purse and the gift bag filled with presents and treats for Valerie’s children—Helen’s godsons and goddaughters—as well as a surprise for Valerie, herself. Once she had everything in hand, Helen shut the car door and followed Laeticia up the four marble steps to Valerie’s front door.
