Betrothed: To the People's Prince

Nicky looked doubtfully at his mother. She was too numb to respond.

‘Thene,’ Nikos said urgently, and she tried to pull herself together. What was he asking? Fine, she decided. Anything. The gods would have to take control from now on. She couldn’t.

‘Can I take Oscar?’ Nicky asked.

‘Yes,’ Nikos said.

‘You really knew my mother when she was little?’ her son asked.

‘When she was Princess Athena,’ Nikos told him. ‘Your mother needs to be Princess Athena again. Come with me and I’ll tell you why. Will Oscar come with us?’

Nicky was looking at her. Waiting for her approval.

What did it matter? She was no longer in control here. She knew nothing.

‘Fine,’ she said weakly. ‘Take…take your time. Christa and I will look at the zoo.’

She sat on the bench and watched Christa finish her ice cream, and the desire to weep grew almost overwhelming.

What was it with men? How could she have thrown those two birth dates together and have Nikos react without the slightest regret? Or shame. Or guilt.

He’d called her selfish for leaving the island. She’d told him she wanted to leave for an exciting job in New York and he’d looked at her with shock and disbelief—and he’d let her walk away.

But if he knew the true reason…That if she’d stayed his family would be ruined. That the old King had threatened everything Nikos loved if she stayed. How could he never have guessed?

He’d never, ever asked. He’d never so much as written. And, when she’d learned of Christa’s birth, she knew the reason why he hadn’t.

Her fingers were clenched into her palms so hard they hurt.

‘Papa,’ Christa said suddenly, as if she’d just realised Nikos was gone. She looked worried.

This wasn’t Christa’s fault. She had no right to let her own misery and confusion spread to this little girl. ‘He’ll be back soon,’ she said gently.

‘Papa.’

‘There’s a little zoo just near here. Do you like animals?’

The little girl considered. ‘Big?’ she asked.

‘Little. Funny animals. Friends.’

‘Friends,’ Christa said and put out a hand for Athena to help her to her feet. She smoothed her dress, tucked a sticky hand into Athena’s and had another lick of her ice cream. ‘Friends.’

There were so many questions…Where to start? An inquisition could be a good way to send Nicky straight back to his mother.

‘Where do you go to school?’ he asked, and then thought, great, very insightful. Not.

‘Over there,’ the little boy told him, pointing south east.

Good. That got him places. ‘Do you like school?’

‘Sometimes. I hafta go to Greek lessons after school, too.’

‘You speak Greek?’

‘Mama does. She makes me.’

He needed time to take that one in.

They walked along. Kicking stones. Nikos suddenly realised…He was kicking stones in front of him. So was Nicky. With his left foot.

‘You’re left-handed?’

‘Mmm,’ Nicky said.

‘Your mama’s right-handed.’

‘Mmm.’

Riveting stuff. Both being left-handed. It meant nothing.

It meant everything.

‘Has your mother told you about Argyros?’

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Are you a fisherman?’

‘Yes.’

‘I like boats.’

‘Have you been on boats?’

‘Twice. I don’t get seasick. Mama does. This is the place where a Beatle was shot.’

‘Right,’ Nikos said. He gave up. There were too many questions for one small boy to handle.

There were too many questions for him to handle.

They were sitting right where he’d left them, only Christa had replaced her ice cream with a hand puppet. A squirrel.

She wiggled it as they approached, her face lighting up as she saw him.

‘Thena bought…me…squirrel.’ He grinned and swung her up into his arms. No matter what else was happening here, this mustn’t touch her. That had been his mantra for almost ten years and he wasn’t budging now.

‘Thank you,’ he said gravely to Athena.

‘We didn’t get all the way round,’ Nicky said. ‘We caught another buggy. Nikos says John was his favourite Beatle. He was yours too, wasn’t he, Mama?’