The Duke's Bed Warmer

Chapter 79: Prince Of Astoria

Two days later, the sewing circle was interrupted by the loud blare of trumpets.

"What is that?" Evelyn asked.

"Royal trumpets," Lady Brennan replied. "They sound different when used to welcome foreign royalty."

Alina set her work aside and walked towards the garden wall. The others followed slowly, drawn by curiousity. A white carriage stood in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by guards in unfamiliar uniforms.

The carriage door opened. The man who stepped out seemed to carry light with him. His hair was pale, his coat dark blue, embroidered with silver threads. And his smile was radiant and contagious.

Everyone curtsied as he passes. Alina stood at the garden wall, still holding the wool in her hands, and watched him without lowering her gaze.

The prince greeted those around him warmly, exchanging words and nods. Then his eyes moved across the courtyard and paused on Alina briefly. He smiled. Alina still didn’t bow.

Then he turned, and got lost in the crowd.

Austin had not come to welcome him. Instead, he was watching everything from the battlements above.

Maren’s intelligence reports about the foreign royalty had arrived a week ago. The man below was Prince Dorian Lysaire of Astoria, third in line for a throne he was unlikely to inherit, so he was building alliances with different factions.

His father was aging, his brothers were settled, and he was ambitious. He collected connections like other men collected art: strategically and aesthetically. And that made him very dangerous.

"I’ve to watch him carefully," Austin muttered to himself.

That afternoon, Alina brought an apple tart for Cecily.

"We have an Astorian prince visiting," Alina told her.

"I saw him from the window," Cecily replied. "Austin was watching from the battlements. He has been up there for an hour. He only goes there when he is thinking about something he can’t solve at his desk."

Alina frowned.

"But why? He is just a prince."

"I don’t know much," Cecily replied. "But I know Astorians are masters of charm. If the prince is here, he must want something. Maren will know better. But I’m not sure she’ll tell you."

"She is training me."

"That doesn’t mean she trusts you with everything," she paused. "Be careful with the prince, Alina."

"I will," Alina replied, casually. "But there is no reason for him to take an interest in me. I’m of no value to him."

"You are close with Austin and that is enough reason."

Alina thought about it. Cecily was right. If Dorian was as calculating as Cecily told her, then proximity alone made Alina relevant.

"You’re right," Alina said. "I’ll be careful."

That evening, great hall had been prepared for a la diplomatic dinner. Dorian sat near Austin at the head and Audrey was at Austin’s right.

Dorian was effortlessly charismatic. He spoke well, asked intelligent questions about the military, trade, infrastructure, and so on. He listened just as carefully as he spoke.

He made a joke about the trade council’s internal disputes that made three lords laugh but Austin watched him as if counting the teeth behind Dorian’s smile.

Then Dorian’s gaze drifted to Alina.

"The striking woman there," he said, gesturing subtly. "She doesn’t seem like a courtier."

"She is not," Austin replied.

"Intriguing. A lady-in-waiting?"

"She is my bed warmer."

The words landed harder than he intended. Alina’s hand froze on the fork. She did not have to lift her head to feel the hall’s attention shift immediately.

"Your... bed warmer?"

"Yes."

"I see."

Dorian looked at Alina again. Under the table, Austin’s hand curled into a fist. He felt an irrational urge to overturn the table but he stopped himself. Instead, he picked up his wine glass and drank.

As the dinner ended, Austin remained seated. However, Dorian stood and looked at Austin.

"A walk, Your Grace?"

It wasn’t a request but an invitation.

"Sure."

They left the hall together. The corridor was quieter. Dorian walked casually, his hands loosely clasped behind his back.

"Everything is very disciplined and controlled in your castle," Dorian said.

"It’s necessary."

"For Ravenmoor, perhaps." Dorian smiled. "Astoria prefers flexibility."

Austin did not answer. They walked a few steps in silence before Dorian spoke again.

"And yet, there are things here that don’t quite fit the pattern."

Austin turned to him.

"Be specific."

"The woman at the table."

Austin’s jaw tightened.

"She’s not part of the pattern."

"Of course," he replied as they stopped near a small window overlooking the courtyard. "You told me what she is earlier, very clearly. Men usually don’t do that unless they’re trying to establish a boundary."

"Be careful, Prince Dorian."

"Careful?" Dorian asked, surprised.

"You’re a guest in my house," Austin said. "If your interest is heading somewhere it shouldn’t, you need to redirect it."

Dorian smiled, unbothered.

"I haven’t decided where my interest is heading," he replied. "That would require knowing more."

"You think you can?"

Dorian titled his head.

"Good night, Your Grace."

He turned and walked away.

Meanwhile, Alina was walking towards Austin’s room quietly when she heard a voice behind her.

"You didn’t curtsey when I arrived."

She turned. Dorian leaned against the corridor wall, as if the castle belonged to him.

"It wasn’t required of me," she replied.

"Everyone curtseys to a prince."

"Then I suppose you’ve met your first exception. Congratulations."

He laughed. It was genuine, definitely not expecting such an answer from her.

"I’ve heard about you," he said. "Though the version I was given was... incomplete."

"Stories often are."

"Austin wanted me to know what you are before I could find out who you are," Dorian said. tilting his head slightly. "So...who are you? Beyond the title he gave you?"

Alina studied him for a moment before answering.

"Someone you’ll never be able to understand."

He straightened off the wall and took a step forward.

"You’re not what I expected, Miss Ashworth. I’d like to know you better."

"A lot of people have told me that," she replied. "But most of them regret it."

"I rarely regret anything."

"That sounds like a flaw."

He smiled and graciously bowed to her.

"I look forward to proving you wrong."

Then he walked away.

Against her better judgement, Alina had to admit she liked him. But liking people so above her status in this castle was dangerous. She had already learned her lesson with Audrey.

"Careful," she reminded herself.