A Royal Rebellion (17 page)

“Are you…” Edward must have sensed the glare he sent at his prince through the stall wall, since he amended his approach. “When you want to come out, I’ll be waiting. No rush. I love you.”

Edward’s quiet and gentle declaration made him smile. Edward was trying so hard not to upset him further. Percy got up, and used the toilet, sighing in relief as his bladder emptied for what felt like the millionth time that day. He opened the door after he flushed, and gave Edward a small smile as he went to the sink, washing his hands.

His poor prince. Edward was bruised, shirtless, muscles gleaming with sweat, and he watched Percy like he was the most precious thing in the world. Percy dried his hands, and went to Edward, his prince folding him into a big hug. Percy kissed the firm swell of one pec, smiling when the small nipple there hardened in response.

Percy licked it next, and Edward jumped, groaning. “Little one, we don’t need to…”

Percy ended that thought quickly by sucking Edward’s nipple into his mouth, the tiny nub pebbling under his tongue. Edward sighed, big hands stroking his back and sides.

Percy went from crying to horny in seconds. He wanted his mate, his prince. The taste of salt on his tongue made him moan, cock hardening. Edward’s hands ran up his back, his shoulders, and then back down, encouraging him. Percy touched every single inch of exposed skin, his own hands mindless in their desire to feel every edge and line of muscle.

Percy kissed his way up Edward’s chest, standing on his toes to get his neck. Percy licked then bit, hands on Edward’s shoulders for balance, and he did it again, enjoying the silent hitch in Edward’s breathing.

“Fuck me,” Percy said, his breath ghosting over Edward’s ear, and the whole body shudder that worked through his prince made Percy feel powerful.

Strong hands turned him around, and Percy gasped as his trousers hit the floor, his underwear soon following. His hands hit the mirror, and his feet were kicked apart. Edward pulled his hips back, and Percy was bent over, ass exposed and wet, cock throbbing in time with his rapidly beating heart.

The sound of a zipper opening and the slide of cloth to the floor made Percy pant with need. Seconds later hands spread his ass cheeks apart, and hot flesh pressing to his back and thighs left his head swimming with arousal. Edward wasted no time.

Edward’s thick, hard cock was in him faster than his brain could process the sensations. Percy screamed, arching his back, pushing back against Edward as his master fucked into him, over and over. Percy’s body went insane, his inner muscles trying valiantly to grip the cock spearing into him, but Edward’s thrusts were too powerful, too fast, and so very deep.

“Harder!” Percy shrieked, and Edward gave it to him.

A hand gripped the nape of his neck, the other on his hip, pulling his body back as Edward thrust forward. Edward leaned over him, chest to back, and Percy mewled as the wet sound of their fucking joined their gasps for air.

“You are mine,” Edward whispered in his ear, hot breath making him shiver even as the changed angle made his toes curl and his cock drip precum in copious amounts.

“Yes,” Percy said, barely getting the word out. “Yours.”

Percy came. Hard, deep, violently, he came over the wall, the mirror, and the floor. Arms lost their ability to hold him up, and Edward pulled him back to his chest, standing them upright, and Percy’s inner muscles finally caught Edward in an impossible grip, sucking him in deep. Edward came with a shout, and Percy shattered in his arms.

***

Percy

Percy woke up in the sitting room that Lord Lucius had converted into a type of computer room. Mason had commandeered a desk, full of flat screen monitors, and more equipment than Percy could name. He only barely understood exactly what the internet was, while he listened patiently to Mason explain it, he still ended up wishing for a book and warm cup of tea.

“…King Henry, my father, made it clear, that if I did not release Percy as my consort willingly that he would be stolen from me, and if I protested, that I would then meet an unfortunate end. When my father learned that Percy was pregnant, he threatened to steal my child as well, and I would never see Percy or my babe again.”

Edward shifted on the stool the camera in front of him making him awkward, but Percy could see the anger underneath the embarrassment of the situation. Edward was a private person, and Mason’s videos stripped away the layers, made everything accessible and exposed.

“My father is not the man he shows the world,” Edward said, eyes locked on the camera, unwavering. He spoke with restrained anger, the unease at speaking thus fading away. “He cornered Percy, my consort, at one of the christening parties late last month. He tried to choke Percy, in a drunken attempt thwarted by my brother, Mason. He almost killed the man I love and our babe. My father’s insanity has no limits.”

Mason clicked a button, and the lamps that illuminated Edward on the stool went dark. Edward’s shoulders slumped, and in the shadows seemed drained. Percy got up from the chaise he was on, throwing back a quilt and climbing to his feet. He was dressed again, and Percy smiled, thinking that were more times he was mysteriously clothed than he could remember. He tended to pass out after an orgasm, and Percy always ended up back in his clothing or tucked naked into Edward’s bed.

Percy went to Edward’s side, and Edward looked up with a smile and gathered him into a hug. Edward gave him a kiss, all lips and love. Percy melted and sighed, wrapping his arms around Edward’s shoulders and kissing him back.

Edward ended the kiss, dark eyes aglow. Percy tucked his face in Edward’s thick hair and breathed him in, loving the masculine scent.

“Mason? How long until that goes up?” Edward asked his brother, who was sitting at the bank of screens and fiddling with equipment Percy barely understood.

“About an hour,” Mason replied absentminded.

“Have you heard anything new? How’s the reactions out there?” Edward asked, and Percy looked up for Mason’s reply, curious as to the answer.

“Day one was disbelief. Everyone thought it was a prank. Palace made the mistake of trying to block it, taking down website after website. But the palace trying so hard to contain it, and ultimately failing, coupled with my earlier videos detailing my imprisonment and torture along with the palace’s inability to produce either you or Percy is making the public lean our way.”

“How so?” Edward asked, hopeful.

“Well, the major networks are running with it like crazy. Some conservative channels are saying it’s a farce, that you and I are the crazy ones, and we’ve joined some kind of domestic terror society or something and are promoting anti-monarchist views.” Mason’s voice was full of amusement at that one, and Edward snorted, shaking his head. “But every other network and media organization is of the opinion that we’re telling the truth, or most of it. Public opinion on the social media sites are in our favor, too.”

“That’s good, but I’m still not sure how this will help us,” Edward said, pulling Percy into his lap, a hand going to his belly immediately.

“Well, if we to stop and do nothing more, then all it does is piss Father off, destroy our family, and make everyone very, very uncomfortable,” Mason quipped, and Percy rolled his eyes.

“Father is king, Mason. This isn’t one of those tiny democratic nations that elect their leaders. Father is King by Right of Blood, birthright, and he will not abdicate,” Edward said, and Percy looked back and forth between the brothers, listening intently. “None of this matters in the long run.”

“Eddie, little brother. Don’t you remember your history?”

“I remember plenty, get to the point.”

“Once upon a time, in a faraway land named Cassia….”

“Mason!”

“Oh, fine. Farmers have no sense of humor,” Mason said to Percy with a wry twist of his sexy mouth. Edward glowered at him. “Not every son or daughter in the line of Airric has been fit to rule. Some were crazy, like our father, some were mentally incompetent, and some were just plain stupid.”

“Yes, I am aware.”

“So how did they jump succession then, little brother? How did a more worthy royal take the throne? Not counting coup attempts by impatient sons, of course.”

“All of the blood princes or princesses in the line of succession would….”

Edward froze under him. Mason leaned back in his chair and laced his hands over his stomach, idly kicking at the floor as the chair swayed back and forth. Mason grinned, and Percy saw Edward swallow, face gone pale.

“What, Edward? What happens?” Percy whispered, worried.

Edward heaved out a shaky breath, and looked at Percy with wide eyes.

“Those of the blood eligible for inheritance convene in the throne room and vote to remove the current monarch from power, there is a challenge to the vote by the monarch, and if the monarch loses then the crown would be passed on to the closest Cassian Royal in the direct succession. That means all blood princes and princesses, which means full-blood siblings of the current monarch and any eligible children of the monarch—they then confront the king, cast their vote of lack of faith… and then the current king can ever accede to their wishes and surrender the crown or…”

“Or?”

“The current monarch faces the presumptive monarch in combat, either by a proxy champion or fighting themselves.”

Percy sat still as stone in Edward’s lap.

“That means…” Percy whispered. Mason answered him.

“Malcolm is ineligible, and he wouldn’t deign to help anyway. I’m ineligible for the same reason as Malcolm. Our sisters are knocked out. Our uncles are deceased, and there are no cousins close enough to the throne to be blood titled. The only blood prince in the line of succession is Edward. That means you, little brother,” Mason said, pointing at Edward, “Will need to confront Father in the throne room, list his sins for the world, and cast a single vote for lack of faith. You challenge his right to rule, and he will have to respond. Father will then either have someone else try to kill you, or he’ll do it himself.”

“Oh my god.” Percy couldn’t tell if it was either him or Edward who said it in disbelief.

“Then why all this, Mason?!” Edward snapped, arm gesturing wide. “Why drag our family through all this if all I needed was to walk in that room and confront him?”

“Because you can’t walk in that room if you’re in jail for treason, you fool! It only works in this day and age, in modern times, if the country, if the world, believes your claim of no faith to be true and just. We may not be elected officials, but try ruling a country that calls you usurper instead of king!” Mason shouted as he stood, the chair falling back to the floor, wheels spinning. “If Malcolm isn’t disqualified, if I’m not, if our sisters are not tossed out of succession, this doesn’t work! They are all too cowed by Father’s will to cast a vote of no faith!”

Mason stormed across the small span between them, and Edward stood, gently putting Percy aside. Percy stepped back, out of arm’s reach, staring. Reynard, responding to the shouting, ran into the room, eyes alarmed and breathless. Percy backed away some more, and Reynard came to his side.

“I have to prove to the people, to our siblings, to the entire world that Father is truly the monster I’ve known him to be the whole of our lives. Otherwise you get nowhere near that throne room, and will either die by execution or rot in a cell the rest of your life. He is not fit to rule, and if in the process of freeing us all from his madness I get my revenge, then I will count myself content,” Mason whispered, he and Edward’s gazes locked, both men bristling with anger and frustration.

“Mason, you ask me to…” Edward began, and Mason nodded once, curt.

“I am asking you to kill him, Edward,” Mason agreed. “No mercy for him, he’ll only stab you in the back from prison. Kill him, and free us all.”

“And if he chooses battle by proxy? Am I to kill a man he’s chosen, a man I’m bound to have no quarrel with, and then kill Father?”

“If that comes to pass, and he chooses a proxy then, I will fight in your stead, my prince,” Reynard said, stepping forward. “And I will fight the King if that is your choice as well.”

Edward nodded at Reynard, not in agreement, but understanding. Edward gripped his shoulder and squeezed, and did the same to Mason.

Percy stared at all three of them, shaking his head. He may not understand entirely what was going on, but the grim resolve on their faces set an iron weight in his gut.

“You are all insane!” Percy whispered loudly, incredulous. He shook his head and walked back to the chaise when they all looked at him, surprised.

Chapter Eleven

Edward

He paced the empty hall, back and forth, the long stretch between the room he and Percy shared and the one shared by his brother and the captain. Reynard had eventually conceded that Lord Estiary’s guards were up to the task of protecting them, and had taken to sleeping with Mason in his room instead of skulking about the halls like a spook.

Twenty steps, from door to door, and Edward’s strides consumed them before he was ready, and he spun back around, pacing back the way he came, working in his mind over and over the choices laid out before him.

Three weeks since Mason laid out the path to the throne for him, and he was no closer to finding peace with it than he had been that day. Six weeks, almost seven here at Estiary’s estate in total. The world was consumed by the scandal devouring the Cassian Dynasty, with public opinion heavily in favor of Edward’s claim. Not that he’d made one. It was one thing that he and Mason agreed on in this whole mess—Edward would avoid making a claim of no faith and challenge until he was actually in front of his father. Making a bid now in the court of public opinion would only seed the idea that Edward wanted the throne and this entire debacle was but a smokescreen to hide his greedy bid for power. That didn’t stop the more educated of the Cassian public from putting things together themselves and punting about the idea of the no faith challenge. It was trending on all the major social media sites, according to Mason, in the Top 100 topics, and had been for weeks.