The Broken Pear

Synopsis

During the Midwinter Feast, the king turned and asked, "Adrian, if I grant you Charlotte, will you take her as your wife?" Adrian lifted his eyes. They were pale, almost gentle, though his voice sounded worn down. "I thank Your Majesty for the honor," he said. Ten days later, a royal decree sealed our fates. Isabelle and I were married to Adrian on the same day—one as his lawful wife, the other as his kept consort. It tore him apart, yet bound his hands completely. On our wedding night, he spent the evening in the consort's chambers and left me alone to face an empty bed. Much later, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my hair, the warmth of wine lingering on his breath. "Let's give Eddie a little sister," he murmured. "Shall we?"