The Forged King

Marina stared at her ring, twisting it between her fingers. It felt wrong to put it on now that a prince of Phoenix had made it, but that almost made her like it better. Besides, she had to wear it if she didn’t want to insult Ingvi.

The truth was she’d probably never see Reuben again, and that was for the best. Reuben was a Forge smith, so he’d probably despise palace life, and the fact the two of them had almost been betrothed before Reuben was born would be sure to rile up Ingvi if he saw them together.

Not that she’d ever have a reason to be around him. Once she became Ingvi’s consort, he would occupy all her time.

She put the ring back on, trying not to think of any of that, then took it off again. She should talk to Ivy about it. Ivy seemed to understand the situation better than she did.

She opened her door to Ingvi just outside of it. She clutched the doorknob, afraid he might try to kiss her again.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“The final meeting is done. The ball is starting. Dress in something appropriate for our announcement.” he finally observed her. “Why aren’t you wearing your ring?”

She easily placed it back on her finger.

“I was just fidgeting with it.”

“That’s unbecoming of a future consort.”

“Is it now?”

She was tempted to start fidgeting again, but she didn’t need his attention on the ring.

“Change your dress.” he ordered, “I will see you in the ballroom.”

Once the door closed, Marina turned around and immediately pulled off the ring. Barely stopping herself from throwing it, she stared at it in her palm.

“We need to be very careful, or you’ll doom us,” she warned it before returning it to her finger.

Marina stepped into the ballroom, removing whatever parts of her hated her fate. She was Marina Elanorei, princess of Mineria and future bride of Ingvi Snow, crown prince of Renue, and she couldn’t be happier.

The ballroom was hushed. Each kingdoms’ retinue of representatives were huddled together. Prime Minister Larian had joined the Ilvans. From within that same group, Ivy made eye contact and signed to her.

“He’s arrived.”

“Who?” Marina sent back as her brother grabbed her by the arm.

“Did you know about this?” Neri asked as he placed her in the middle of the huddled Minerians.

“Know about what?”

“Solam’s son,” Queen Clarrisse said, making Marina freeze, “Or at least a believable claimant, appeared just as the last meeting of the council was ending. Haven’t you noticed the lack of scribes?”

Marina looked around. The only person taking notes on the sidelines was an elf in Ilvan dress.

“They’re all waiting for Solam to come out of the chamber and either burn the boy to a crisp, or announce him as his heir.”

Marina held her ring hand to her heart at the thought of Reuben being burned by his own father, assuming it was Reuben, and this wasn’t just some terrible coincidence.

“Did the boy give a name?” Marina asked.

“Reuben Forge.”

This was bad. This was worse than bad, this was a disaster. If Ingvi had so much as an idea that she could be fond of Reuben, it would be a political disaster.

She begged fate that Reuben would be safe and somehow not recognize her in a different dress. He’d worn glasses, his vision wasn’t perfect.

Solam stepped into the ballroom alone.

“No,” Marina breathed. Neri’s eyes flicked to her.

“I have accepted Reuben Forge as my son and heir. He is being changed into something more appropriate, but I couldn’t delay our final celebration together. Please, friends, dance, eat, be joyful.”

Marina found her breath returning. Ivy walked over and bowed.

“Will you honor me with a dance, Princess Marina?”

“I believe I owe my first dance to another. I apologize.”

She did want to talk about what Reuben’s appearance meant, but she had duties to fulfill.

Ingvi met her about halfway, bowing as was appropriate for the leader of a dance.

“Will you honor me with a dance, Princess Marina?”

“Of course.”

Their steps were in perfect tandem with each other. Marina rested in the cadence of their movement, letting her mind be at ease.

“Did you know of this?” Ingvi asked, pulling her mind back to fear.

“Know of what?”

“This Forge Prince.” he said the title with acid on his tongue. She couldn’t admit what she knew, but at some point he would know she’d definitely met him before.

“He was the guide for our tour. I noticed his eyes of course, but it’s not a color exclusive to His Majesty.”

“He’s a handsome lad.”

Between Ingvi’s words was an accusation. Her thoughts about Reuben aside, she wouldn’t allow it.

She feigned laughter in her tone. “Is that jealousy in your tone, Prince Ingvi, or should I be concerned about our betrothal?”

“Not at all. I only have eyes for you, my dear.”

She kept herself from breathing a sigh of relief. She was safe for the moment, but she needed to talk to Reuben, and Ivy.

“I will have to ask for a dance with him though,” she said.

“Why?” Ingvi asked.

“You will too. He is new royalty around our age. It is expected of us.”

She sent a mental apology to Reuben for forcing him to share a dance with Ingvi.

The music ended, and the two bowed to each other. Ingvi extended his hand for the next.

“I already refused princess Ivy for you, I’d prefer to avoid offending her.”

She waited for him to give his reluctant nod, and turned to find Ivy immediately there.

“Were you watching me?”

“No, Lord Avery released me as soon as the music ended.” she bowed, “Do I have to ask again?”

Marina took her extended hand and allowed the shorter girl to lead her in a dance.

“Why do you always spend time with Lord Avery?”

“That is not the discussion,” Ivy said, “What are we going to do about Reuben?”

“We are going to act as we would around any new royalty, except with less cooing or saying he’ll make a wonderful consort.”

Ivy looked hesitant.

“We are the ones who revealed his heritage to him. We are to credit for his return. Why would we—”

“For the sake of my marriage, I cannot let Ingvi know my involvement. If you admit yours, then leave me out of it. Say I already returned to the guards because I got mud on my dress or something.”

“Your marriage.” Ivy sat with the word for several moments, “You’re marrying Ingvi? That’s been made official?”

“Yes, consider this your early announcement as my dear friend.”

Ivy’s next touch was consoling as much as it was a step in the dance.

“Ingvi’s terrible.”

“I know that, and he knows that, but our parents do not care. My mother cares about peace, and King Gandr cares about having an Elanorei grandchild.”

Ivy understood. Marina was ever grateful the Sylvans taught all their children affairs of state. She’d only have to explain the precarious situation once tonight.

“You can keep a secret, can’t you?” Ivy asked.

“Of course I can, Ingvi thinks I could be attracted to him.”

The doors opened again.

“Prince Reuben of Phoenix!” Solam introduced.

Reuben wore matching garb to Solam, emphasizing their similarities. Reuben already stood about the same height as his father, but he looked stronger. He’d lived a life of labor and his shoulders and muscles proved it. She found it hard not to stare, luckily everyone else suffered the same difficulties.

Ivy muttered the name Garret and a few other words under her breath. That was the boy who looked like Reuben apparently. The name was familiar in a different way too.

The dancing broke off. Ivy and Marina bowed to each other. Veilia beat Marina to Reuben.

Ingvi took her hand, nodding his head towards where their families gathered at the center of the room.

“Our fellow Sovereigns,” Clarisse said as Marina and Ingvi joined, “It is our honor to announce another great joy.”

“Our children,” Gandr continued, “Princess Marina and Prince Ingvi, announced their betrothal a mere week before our gathering.”

“May fate be kind,” the audience announced, “And your family joyful.”

Everyone clapped. Marina was comforted by Ivy’s scowl. She was able to see Reuben’s expression was a smile.

That was a good sign.

Ingvi bowed and offered his hand again as the music swelled for the next dance. Marina took it.

Ingvi let her go faster after their second dance, too busy lapping up the congratulations from the other royals. She caught Reuben as he bowed to Veilia before she left.

“Princess Marina,” he said, “Congratulations to you on your engagement.”

“Thank you, and congratulations to you on reuniting with your father, Prince Reuben.”

“Thank you.”

He stood awkwardly a moment. Marina bowed, extending her hand.

“May I share a dance with you?”

“I must warn you I’m not very practiced at it, and shouldn’t you dance with your intended?”

“I am a good leader,” Marina answered, “And I told Ingvi we all should try to dance with you, given that you’re new royalty. I’m just glad I got to you so early.”

He took her hand, and she guided his hold. It was awkward guiding his gait, but as she whispered instructions to him, they moved in a close enough cadence. She’d almost forgotten what she needed to request of him, enjoying the process of teaching him so much.

“Thank you,” Reuben said.

“You’re a good student,” she said.

“For that as well, but I meant for asking about the ring. I wouldn’t have known who my father was if it weren’t for you.”

She closed her eyes to build up the courage.

“Please don’t tell anyone about that,” Marina said.

“Is this about your engagement?” Reuben asked.

“Ingvi can get jealous. I don’t want relations between any of our kingdoms damaged.”

She didn’t look at his face, afraid of any expression he could have in response.

“Though I’m new to this diplomacy business,” Reuben said, “I trust you have your people’s best interest in mind.”

Marina laughed.

“You are new! But you’re right. If it were merely about myself, Ingvi wouldn’t even be allowed to say my name.”

“That’s a dangerous thing to confide in the prince of another country.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re new, but I suspect you’re trustworthy.”

He smiled, then looked afraid.

“I already told my father you were the one who informed me.”

She’d seen Solam speak with her mother. What would her mother do with her now?

“I suppose it can’t be helped. He might have been hoping to arrange a marriage between us again.”

“Again?”

She shouldn’t have said that, but admitting that would make things so much worse.

“I suppose it can’t be helped, as you’ll likely find out through rumors. I’m not much older than you, so when your mother was pregnant, Solam and my mother planned for me to marry the child. Had your mother never been accused of an affair, we’d probably be speaking of very different politics during this dance.”

Reuben, even a Reuben raised in luxury, would have been infinitely preferable to Ingvi, as anyone would be. At least Ingvi never stepped on her toes when they danced.

“I don’t know if it would be better to be more or less disappointed about that on your wedding day.”

How dare he make her smile like that. They barely knew each other.

The music ended, they bowed, and another partner quickly stole Reuben away.

Though he hadn’t really done anything for her—in fact he’d done exactly as she’d feared—Marina swore to do whatever was necessary to help Reuben.

Marina hummed all the tunes that had played as she moved to her room. She thought of red eyes that for once didn’t look at her with some kind of shame, and she chose to let herself fantasize for the night her engagement was announced that it wasn’t, at least not with Ingvi.

When she reached her room, her musings were interrupted by a scribe clearing his throat, the same one that had written the fact of Reuben’s existence down.

“Since Reuben Forge has been revealed to all as Solam’s son, may I remove the seal from the records?”

Those records listed her as involved in the discovery, specifically because of the ring. If those details were made public, what would Ingvi do?

“No,” Marina said.

Though the boy’s face was covered, she could see revulsion and disappointment in his body language.

“Please,” he said, “That document holds an invitation to Everin for me, but only if it’s public.”

Ilva’s library was prestigious for a reason. They actively recruited from the others to create the best hub of knowledge. This boy was delusional if he thought one document could earn him an invitation.

But delusions helped some to survive.

“It’s not a decision I make lightly,” Marina said, “I am engaged to prince Ingvi of Renue. If he discovers that the ring he gave me was made by Reuben, he won’t take it well. My kingdom’s safety rides on this marriage. I cannot risk my people for one boy’s dreams.”

She closed the door behind her.

Reality was rubbish.