Rafael's first reaction was laughter.
Not subtle laughter expected of a duke standing in one of the imperial residence corridors before noon.
Real laughter that hit him so abruptly he had to put one hand against the wall to steady himself, shoulders shaking once as the sound escaped anyway.
Frederik, who had clearly not expected to walk out of his rooms and immediately encounter one of his fathers, came to a stop so abruptly he almost got into the banister.
The mark on his neck was impossible to miss.
Cecil had not been subtle. Of course he had not been subtle. A hidden mark would have implied moderation, shame, or at least the basic instinct to avoid turning private affairs into public declarations. Both Cecil and Frederik were anything but private about their relationship if one knew where to look.
