"Listen, there is no way any true man is going to let children live around him in his home and not discipline and teach, fight and mold them until they know all he knows. His goal is to make them better than he is. Being their friend is a distant second to this." Victor Devlin

----

Chapter Seventeen

Kit guiltily stuffed his mother's loving wishes of a happy Christmas in the drawer beside his bed. He knew it would have been the right thing to return home and make nice but a significant part of himself just couldn't find the courage to do it.

He supposed he was envious of Olivia in that respect. She was not on bad terms with her family and so she could enjoy the holiday with them.

Kit remained in Hertford, and had elected to journey to London for Christmas instead.

He had spent the time in between travelling organising relief for the families impacted by the snow. Kit had paid for food and ale and hay for the livestock.

But today was the twenty-fifth of December, and it was the first holiday he had spent without his family since they had taken him in. He was lying in what was possibly the most comfortable bed in England in the Palace of William V and was wondering if his sisters likes the dolls and baubles he had sent them.

A royal manservant arrived in his bedroom not long after. Kit was helped into his best suit, his chin was shaved, his hair was combed and his fingernails were cleaned.

"His Royal Highness Prince Edward is waiting for you in the east dining room, sir," the manservant informed Kit once he was ready.

"Thank you," replied Kit as he buttoned his coat. He departed the guest room and ventured out into the corridor.

It was funny now to think that his father's house in Kensington had once seemed like a palace to him. Kit could hardly fathom she sheer size of this building, or the immense cost of each one of the tapestries that adorned the walls.

The sovereign lived here with his three children. The eldest, the Prince of Wales, Edward's elder brother Charles, was the heir to the throne and the favourite son of the monarch, or so Kit was told. Princess Alice was the second, and was equally if not more precious to the King than Charles. Alice was only unmarried because the King could not bear to part with her.

And Edward?

Kit arrived at the east dining room, one of four dining rooms in the palace, and the door was opened for him by a footman.

Edward was slouching on the gold upholstered chairs alone at the round mahogany table, his nose in yesterday's newspaper.

Edward often ate alone and avoided his brother and father as much as he could. There was only so many "I am so disappointed in you, Edward. Why can't you be more like your brother, Charles?" speeches that he could take. And it was a capital crime to strike a sovereign.

"Happy Christmas," greeted Kit. He sat down opposite Edward.

Edward folded the newspaper and set it aside. "Same to you, my friend," he replied and sat up properly. The footmen began to serve the breakfast.

After months on end of eating porridge, it was a real treat to be served pastries, eggs and fruit for breakfast.

"Do you intend to eat at all with your family today?" asked Kit.

Edward's blue eyes narrowed. "Not at all if I can help it. Though I am sure I shall be summoned. My brother cannot think straight if I am not being scolded in front of him. Though I doubt my father would let me out of the royal church tradition."

It was tradition that the royal family attend a church service on Christmas while also giving alms to the poor.

"You will have to remain behind for that. We cannot have our newest MP fraternising with the royals. What would the newspapers say?"

"I am not an MP yet," reminded Kit. "But I agree, it would be unethical."

"What would be unethical?" came a woman's voice as the door to the dining room was opened. Princess Alice entered the dining room, dismissing the servants and seated herself before either Kit or Edward had a chance to stand.

Princess Alice was often considered one of the most beautiful women in Europe. Her portraits that circulated were most accurate. Her eyes were the same shade of blue as Edward's though her hair was darker, almost raven black. Her pale skin was like porcelain and her figure was regarded as most alluring. She was one or two years older than Kit, and was without a doubt the most eligible woman in the world.

Behind closed doors, though, she was kind, witty, and terribly clever. It was no wonder her father favoured her so.

Kit had once fancied himself quite attracted to her, but things had changed. There was a certain redhead who had captured his attention most willingly.

"Kit fraternising with us now that he is soon to be elected," Edward informed Alice.

Alice put on a look of shock. "Oh, dear no. You would not want anyone thinking you receive preferential treatment." Alice laughed. "Silly things forgetting we have not been an absolute monarchy for nearly two centuries." Alice helped herself to a boiled egg and salted it. "We have been reading about you in the newspapers, though, Kit. They paint you in quite an exciting manner. Young blood ready to revolutionise British parliament. I must say, I find it terribly modern of you to have a woman advisor. I commend you."

Kit was glad that some newspapers printed Olivia's role correctly. Those that liked to print gossip used some very un-Christian descriptors. "There was no other choice. If only you could hear Olivia speak, Your Highness. She is a champion for women, and for the lower classes. She is determined to leave the world in a better state than when she entered it. It is an ambition we have come to share."

Alice smiled coyly. "Then I shan't be satisfied until I have heard her speak."

"You shall have the opportunity at their wedding, Alice," teased Edward. "Poor Kit is mad for her, after all."

Kit felt his cheeks warm as Edward grinned.

"Am I wrong? I could see it the minute I saw you two together!"

"Oh, how romantic," remarked Alice.

Edward wasn't wrong at all. This time apart had clarified Kit's decision. He was mad for Olivia. He always had been, ever since she had given him his first kiss as a fourteen year old boy. But he had come to love her as an adult, as a woman, as a person. Kit admired her mind and respected her conviction.

If she would consent to be his, Kit would consider himself to be luckiest man in Britain.

"She is the most remarkable woman I know," said Kit after a while. "I love her, and I don't ever want to be apart from her again. Olivia wants to change the world and I will do my damnedest to help her."

"Cherish her," urged Alice. "The freedom to choose is such a luxury. To have found your soulmate is a rarity."

Kit knew that he was conversing with two people that would have little freedom to make their own choices with regards to matrimony. Edward would be married off just as soon as his father could decide what to do with him, and Alice would be aligned with a European power the minute her father could spare her.

The door to the dining room opened suddenly, and the footman announced, "His Majesty, the King. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales."

All three occupants immediately rose to their feet and bowed. Kit did not think he would ever get used to being somewhat acquainted with the royal family. Standing in the presence of the monarch was something that he could never have imagined in wildest dreams as a fourteen year old illiterate orphan.

He did not think the nerves would ever disappear.

The king was a tall, imposing man, with a gruff exterior and an even prickly interior. His expression showed displeasure whenever his eyes seemed to fall on his youngest child.

Edward had once told Kit that his father had resembled a human being when his wife had been alive.

Kit felt an overwhelming pang of guilt in that moment. The king looked at Edward as though he were a burden, an imposition. Kit knew that it made Edward feel terribly.

Kit's own father had never looked at him that way before their argument. There was never a man prouder of his son than Cassian of Kit.

The king was followed by his eldest son, Charles. Charles resembled his father in both looks and expression. Charles was being moulded by the king, and had developed an equal disdain for his younger brother.

Once the king was finished bestowing his cold glare on Edward, his blue eyes turned to Alice. His expression immediately softened. He held true love and tenderness for his daughter.

"I have come to collect your personally, dear Alice," said the king. "I have had a special breakfast prepared in my dining room."

"How kind, Papa," remarked Alice, "but I have already started dining with Edward and our guest, Sir Kit."

The king pursed his lips. "Come now, Alice," he said firmly.

"Do you not want to ask Edward to join us?" asked Alice hopefully. "It is Christmas, after all."

"Come now, Alice." The king would not ask again.

Alice looked to her brother regretfully as she moved away from the table. She followed her father and brother out of the dining room and the door was closed behind them.

"I am sorry, my friend," Kit offered sincerely.

Edward gave him a dismissive shake of the head. "He has barely said a word to me except to scold me since I told him I would not be returning to Cambridge. I just thank God I will never be king. If I were then he would make me shadow him like Charles."

"Could you ever talk to him?"

Edward laughed. "My father would rather cut off his own hand than give me a kind word. He already has a perfect son. What use does he have for me except to marry me off to a foreign princess?"

Kit merely looked down at his plate and found his thoughts wandering to his own father. How they managed to hurt each other and yet how he knew they loved each other. Kit knew he had been a bad son, and he knew that one of these days he would have to stand before his father and utter those exact words.

----

It has been a while since I wrote one of these! I am so sorry it's taken me so long to get back to all of you.

I hope you have all been well! I hope you can accept my apology for keeping you waiting!!

Basically what I have been doing in my absence is my final teaching placement. I spent a month teaching Foundation (prep, kindergarten etc in other countries) and OMG was it an experience. You literally have to teach these kids the social skills to interact with one another. But the breakthroughs were so rewarding. I watched kids just click and get it. I was teaching them to read, how to write their letters, I learned cued articulation which is like sign language for letters. It's amazing and I won't ever forget it. 

The came the fun part - the folio. I wrote and handed in my 47 page folio which about nearly killed me. That mammoth was one of the last things I had to do for my Master's. Now I only have ONE more unit to go - two more assignments and ya girl has her Master's. 

I can't believe some of you have been following me and reading my work since I was talking about graduating high school in my author's notes. 

This week I've been applying for new jobs for my last semester of university. I had an interview for a job I really wanted this week and I was running late because I had to part 1km away from where the place was. I was literally running down this busy Melbourne street in HEELS (someone as clumsy as me should not be running in heels) and because the footpath was so crappy I fell down and twisted my ankle. I got back up and kept running. 

And I fell again. 

And again. 

And again.

That's right. I fell over four times on my way to this interview. Just before I fell over the fourth time, I was calling them to let them know I was here but limping, just as the receptionist answered the call I fell over and I literally yelled out "F*ckkkk" as I slammed into the concrete again. My mum thought this was hilarious. I'm just hoping she missed it lol. 

My leather pants didn't rip but I'm sitting in the interview and I can feel blood running down my leg and my pants are sticking to it, it's disgusting. My ankle is throbbing. But I think it went well! Wish me luck!! I hear this week. 

Anyways, so I limped the 1km back to my car. My car is a manual and my left foot was the one that was twisted so my ankle is literally screaming in protest as I'm pushing in the clutch. I was this close to pulling over on the freeway and getting my brother to come and get me. 

I got home and cleaned up my bloody leg and iced my ankle. My ankle is still really bad and my mum thinks I've broken my foot which would just be hilarious. Tripped over four times on my way to an interview in heels, broke my foot, still managed to smile through the questions hahahaa. My knee is black with bruises. 

Moral of the story. You're five foot ten, Laura. You don't need heels. 

Anyways, so that's what's been happening in my neck of the woods. 

Also, anyone else super excited for How To Train Your Dragon 3 or is it just me? 

Okay, vote and comment!