King Huxley sat across from Presley for their evening tea as he raised a hand to dismiss the maidservants from the grand chamber. The heavy wooden doors clicked shut, leaving the royal couple in silence.
"Viktor's father will be coming to the palace. I have decided to go forward with their engagement," Huxley stated plainly. He picked up his cup, blowing gently over the warm tea as the steam rose between them. "Shouldn't you be apologetic for what you've done? Destroying the trust of your own kids and acting as though you are undefeatable?"
Presley lowered her eyes, unable to meet his gaze. Her fingers rubbed nervously against the porcelain rim of her cup, the silence stretching uncomfortably. "All I wanted..."
"A throne for your son," Huxley interrupted, his voice cutting through the quiet after he took a long sip. "And in doing so, you refused to see what your daughter would have lost. A mate whom she chose herself. Did you ever once try to know what our kids actually wanted?"
