Judge Bose didn't seem particularly fussed that he was flouting the king's will. Smiling, he shook hands with both Yuri then Angelo after giving Nadia and the queen shallow bows. The ceremony was over quickly and before he realized what had happened, he and Yuri were married. Not quite believing it was all real and not still part of his dream, Angelo bent down to kiss Yuri.
“Just what, exactly, is going on?” a voice thundered. It was the king. They'd been discovered.
Yuri, much to Angelo's surprise, pulled away from him and faced the king. “It's official. Tanzhirian and Mirean law differ in a few respects. Chief among them is citizenship. Marriage doesn't confer automatic citizenship in Tanzhir, but it does in Mirea. Once the judge made our marriage official, Prince Angelo immediately became a Mirean citizen. You can't hold him against his will any longer. To do so would be to hold a citizen of Mirea hostage. My parents are already pledged to do everything in their power to bring their subject home.”
Shock rippled through Angelo. Of course he'd known of the citizenship law, but he hadn't put the pieces together. Not until just now.
“Nonsense. You're my son, first and foremost. This marriage will be annulled at once. Bose. See to it. Gabby, I'll deal with you later.”
“Your majesty,” Judge Bose said, “I'm afraid they have the right of it. Your son now has Mirean citizenship and he's well above the age of consent. If you hold him here against his will, Mirea does have the legal right to insist he be set free. Not releasing the prince will not go well in an international court of law.”
“It won't look good to the public, either,” the queen pointed out. “Aryan, please let this dream of yours go. Think like the loving father I know you're capable of being and not the despotic idiot you're behaving like. Wish your son happiness and let him go.”
King Aryan faced Angelo. “I only wanted what was best for you.”
Angelo wanted to argue but didn't. There wasn't any point. He and Yuri had won. “I'm happy with Yuri. My life with him is what's best for me. I hope you'll come to feel the same way.”
Several emotions passed over the king's still-handsome face—anger, regret, and what might have been shame. “I'm still your father,” he finally said.
“Then be my father,” Angelo replied.
“Go,” King Aryan said, sounding defeated. “You’re free to go. Make of your life whatever you will. Know, always, that you chose this boy over being a king.”
“I plan to,” Angelo said. He looked away from his father and down at his brand-new husband. “Every day of the rest of our lives.”
33
Yuri Has Two Weddings and One Happy Ending
Angelo straightened the golden coronet on Yuri’s head. It was heavy as fuck and already threatening to give him a headache, but it was also important, so he stood still under Angelo’s ministrations. They were in a bathroom near the great hall of Mirea Castle. It had probably once been a withdrawing room, but these were modern times and Yuri blessed being born in a time of indoor plumbing, mobile phones, and deodorant.
“There. It’s not crooked anymore,” Angelo said with a smile, then kissed Yuri’s cheek.
“Yours, of course, is perfectly straight,” Yuri grumbled.
That made Angelo snort. “Not perfectly straight.”
Yuri stifled a shout of laughter. “No,” he finally said when his voice was under control. “You’ve definitely got a bit of a bent to you.”
“I try,” Angelo said. “Are you ready?”
“Yes,” Yuri said, afraid to nod his head. “I’ve been ready for most of my life.” Angelo looked beyond handsome in the gray silk evening dress he wore. His waistcoat was the blue and gold colors of Tanzhir. Yuri wore the twin of the suit, his black waistcoat embroidered with silver unicorns and crimson griffons. They both looked, according to the mirror in the bathroom, fantastic. Not that Angelo didn’t always look fantastic, because he did, even with sleep in his eyes and bed head.
Angelo’s smile bloomed into a full grin. “I know,” he said smugly, making Yuri roll his eyes. “I love you,” Angelo whispered. “Let’s do this.”
“Right then,” Yuri whispered back. “Let’s.”
This wedding was nothing at all like their first legal marriage. This one was held in the great hall, which was decked with tons of silk bunting, kilometers of satin ribbon, and flowers as far as the eye could see. It had taken his mother, with the help of Angelo’s mother, sister Nadia, and Jacki, months to plan what they considered to be the perfect wedding. Yuri was content with the first one, but there was a part of him that was thrilled to have the second, far more elaborate celebration. It was a true extravaganza, with everything from hundreds of people gathered to witness the ceremony, exquisite decorations, and best of all, the handsome prince waiting for him at the front of the hall.
Even Angelo’s father had agreed to come. He still wasn’t pleased his plan hadn’t come to fruition. Everything was back to the way it had been. Nadia was the heir, would one day be regent, and eventually, queen. Mirea and Tanzhir still had a favorable trade agreement. And, most importantly to Yuri’s way of thinking, Angelo was his, forever, and no one could change that.
After the ceremony, banquet, and ball, Yuri’s parents and brothers pulled the grooms aside. Archie was predictably drunk, but still conscious. Alex braced his brother and his expression flitted between irritated and pleased. The king and queen both looked pleased and excited. The king wasn’t quite as drunk as his son, but he was a good way there. Both had the ability to drink as much as they pleased without suffering from a hangover the next day, which Yuri found unfair in the extreme.
“We’d like to give you our present,” Queen Eleanor said. “It’s not really a
