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“Moktu,” I apologized.
Next to Aeon sat Holly. I pulled out the vacant chair next to her for Kat so she’d have a friend to talk to. Breaking with protocol, I took the far-end seat.
Seating arrangements followed a mash-up of line of succession, age, and bond-mate status. The king and queen were always in the center. The crown prince, Aeon, assumed the position to my father’s immediate right. Second in line, I sat to Aeon’s right. At my mother’s insistence, bond-mates were paired together. Seated on my mother’s left were my three other brothers in order of ascending age, the youngest closest to her so she could monitor his table manners.
We had no sooner taken our seats when a bevy of servants bustled in with bottles of our finest wine. In order of succession, we were served, including my young brothers.
“You let children have wine?” Kat eyed the splash in her glass. “I guess there’s not enough to worry about them getting drunk.”
“This is just for the toast,” I explained in a whisper. She wouldn’t be able to understand Ara-Cope. I jotted a mental note to get her fitted with a translator as soon as possible.
When everyone had wine, my father and mother stood and held up their goblets. En masse, everyone else stood up and raised their glasses.
The crown jewels embedded in my father’s horns sparkled under the light, radiating a halo of iridescent colors. For this private gathering, he’d traded his ceremonial robe for a casual, but finely tailored tunic and leggings. My mother looked lovely in a lustrous cyan gown that complemented her citrine eyes. She’d been named for the rare pale-yellow color.
“Her Majesty and I are pleased to share an important, pivotal celebratory moment in our lives. As you’re aware, our son, Prince Lomax”—he glanced at me—“recently fell into some unfortunate circumstances, in which he was mentally compromised.”
Aeon snorted. “He thinks that’s recent?” he whispered to Holly in Terran Universal.
She elbowed him. “Aeon!”
“Sorry,” she mouthed to me.
But my brother’s mockery didn’t offend me. Just the reverse. Being able to joke about the situation reinforced my troubles were behind me.
“Lomax has been working with a mind-control-reversal expert who yesterday reported that our son is free of the destructive programming that imperiled him. He has been returned to his right mind.”
Aeon coughed into his shoulder, choking off outright laughter. A few aunts and uncles coughed as well. A cousin who tittered aloud was hushed by his parents.
I tried not to show any outward embarrassment, but I could feel my face heat.
Unable to understand Ara-Cope, Kat looked at me blankly.
Fortunately, when my father addressed the populace, he had speech writers who put the appropriate words in his mouth.
“What Saar and I wish to say,” my mother spoke up, “is that we are very happy for Lomax who has prevailed through disheartening and challenging circumstances. We love him, and we are very proud of him for facing his troubles. We expect he will be fully cleared of all charges and will be able to return to his regular royal duties.”
To my pleased surprise, she repeated her comments in Terran Universal for Kat’s benefit. Then she raised her glass high. “To Prince Lomax. Botuk!” She flung the contents of her goblet onto the floor in a traditional toast.
“Botuk! Botuk!” Family members cheered and emptied their glasses.
Kat’s jaw dropped. “This is how you toast?”
“How else would you do it?” I spilled my wine.
“Drink it?” Kat looked at Holly who shrugged and emptied her glass, having toasted before.
“There will be a different wine for that,” I said.
Hesitantly, she completed the toast. “No wonder nobody seemed concerned about underage drinking.”
“Lastly,” my mother said, “I would like to introduce my son’s”—she hesitated—“friend, Kat Whalen. You will be seeing more of her. Should you encounter her in the palace, please make her feel welcome.”
My relatives openly gawked. “Why are they looking at us?” she murmured.
My mother repeated her welcome in Terran Universal.
“Oh.” Kat widened her eyes and gave a little wave.
