“Father, you’re back,” Carlotta called out.

Crap.

He’d been hoping to avoid Carlotta. Not because he didn’t want to see her, but because he didn’t want to hear the nagging that was about to happen.

Edvardus closed his bedroom door, turned around, and smiled at his daughter. She looked well. Her flawless black skin was glowing in the morning sunlight that streamed through the castle windows. He bowed his head and said, “Good morning, your majesty.”

“Shut up.”Carlotta’s eyebrow twitched and her scrunched-up face was not a good sign. She was angry.

“What’s the matter, sweetie?”

“What’s the matter?” Carlotta squeezed each word out at a higher pitch. “You left me here. You abdicated the throne and ran away without even saying goodbye. I’ve been swamped with work, I haven’t seen you for over a month, and now you’re sneaking around the castle like a thief. Bowman had to inform me that you were here. Were you planning on visiting me at all?”

No.

He couldn’t say that. It would make everything worse. “Of course, I wanted to see you, sweetie. I do. I just didn’t want anyone trying to bring me back into power. I’ve been ruling since I was fifteen and you were ready to take over.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me in advance?” Carlotta asked.

“Because you would have said no.”

“Well… I can’t argue with that, but that doesn’t make it acceptable. I wasn’t ready. I haven’t had any time with Derrik or Emalyna. She’s only two and is missing her mother and her grandfather. What have you even been doing?”

Should he tell her? Well, she couldn’t get any angrier. “I’ve become an adventurer. I’m a wizard now, and I fight monsters in dungeons. The best part is that no one in my party has any clue who I am. They call me Edvard and they talk down to me and joke around. It’s wonderful. And even though I’ve only been adventuring for a month, I’m already level six. Can you believe it?”

Carlotta stared at him, her mouth slightly ajar. “You’re fighting monsters. Monsters that don’t even leave the dungeon and do not bother anyone. Why? What’s the point?”

“It’s the first time in my whole life that I get to make my own decisions. I did not get to choose your mother, even though I came to love her, and I didn’t get to choose to be king. It fell in my lap when your grandparents were assassinated. I’ve been in charge of this country since before I even needed to shave, regularly.”

“Does this have anything to do with Gretchell? You threw her in the tower the same day you left. What did she do? Did she harm you?”

Gretchell. He didn’t want to think about his childhood friend. The one person he’d been able to rely on, and she’d betrayed him. “I don’t want to talk about it. You can ask her what happened if you’re so curious.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“I did. She said she kissed you.”

Kissed. That would have been fine. Gross, but not worthy of imprisonment. “She drugged me. Nothing happened. Luckily, I’ve built up an immunity to many things over the years but I cannot, and will not forgive her.”

“She tried to force herself on you? How dare she?”

Carlotta's face turned red and splotchy. Her anger was visible to those who knew her well. She too had known Gretchell most of her life and had treated her almost like an aunt.

“Ever since your mother passed I’ve had to fend off women and the only one that I trusted, the only one that I’ve known since the time I could crawl, wanted to get pregnant so that her child could reign. She ranted for quite a while when she thought I was immobilized and I realized that as long as I was king, those types of situations would keep happening. What if some crazy woman actually killed you?”

“I’m sorry, Father. I was aware that women were trying to seduce you. They didn’t hide it well, but you always managed to get rid of them so I never worried about you. Could you come back for a couple months and help me get used to ruling? Or at least visit regularly? We all miss you.”

Her face softened. She wasn’t mad anymore, but he’d had to tell the truth. He’d never wanted to revisit that moment and more than anything else he couldn’t trust his own judgment. He’d trusted Gretchell even given her a position of power. “I’ll try, but I need some time.”

Carlotta stepped toward him and crushed him in a bear hug. “I love you and I’m doing fine. It’s hard, but I’ve spent my whole life preparing for this, so go and enjoy your freedom. But before you leave, spend some time with your granddaughter.”

“Can I show her my skill? I learned Fireball.”

“If you take her outside and don’t burn down the castle. I’ll come too. I’d love to see you hurling magic balls of fire.”

Edvardus smiled. “I’ll grab Emalyna and meet you out back by the willow tree.”

Carlotta nodded, and he rushed upstairs to Emalyna’s room. Toddlers grew so fast, and he couldn’t wait to see how much she’d changed. Her nanny spotted him first and escorted him to where Ema was playing with her dolls.

“Ema darling, Grandpa is here.” He opened his arms up, and she ran to him and jumped into his hug. She was still tiny. Her black mop of tightly coiled ringlets tickled his beard.

“Bampba, I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Edvardas marveled at how much easier it was to understand her. “Do you want to see some magic? I want to show you what I’ve been learning.”

“Sure, Bampba. Do you want to see my new toof?”

“Yes, I’d love to.”

Ema opened her mouth by pulling and stretching her lip with a finger. She pointed to the back bottom tooth. “Look.”

“Wow, you have all your teeth. You’re so big now.”

They chatted as he carried Ema out back to the willow tree next to the stream where he’d had hundreds of picnics with Carlotta and Dorma. It was their family spot. His daughter and her husband were already waiting for them. It was a slightly chilly fall day, but there was a picnic basket on a blanket.

It was nice being home. He wasn’t going to stay long, but it was nice. Edvardus shot a few fireballs into the air. Ema giggled and clapped and then they ate and talked for hours.

“You’re not staying are you, Father?” Carlotta asked.

“No, but I’ll be back. I can’t let this little one grow up without me. And I’ll write letters.”

“I’ll miss you, and I love you.” Carlotta leaned in toward him and placed her head on his shoulders. “You always made me feel like I was your daughter, not just a princess with duties to fulfill and you gave me time to get to know and choose between my suitors. I’m grateful that I had a choice and now you do too.”

Edvardus patted his daughter’s back. The same way he had when she was little. “I love you too sweetie and you are a wonderful Queen, Carlotta. Trust your intuition and spread the workload. Don’t do everything on your own. That way you’ll still have time to be a wife and mother.”