"I don't ask for forgiveness," the King said stiffly, his voice clipped like he was forcing control over himself. "I only ask for your understanding. I needed an heir. A legitimate one. I had to marry a woman. It's a sham marriage. It doesn't mean anything."
The young man's lips twisted, "I was a hidden lover, a whore you kept locked away in a gilded cage. Now what am I? A mistress. And mistresses don't get happy endings." His hands trembled as he continued, "Who's to say you won't fall in love with her while you're busy creating your precious heirs?!" He spat the word like poison. "Just leave me alone, for once. Just leave me in peace."
The King's face hardened. The guilt that flickered for a moment was gone, replaced with simmering irritation. "Stop making this into a bigger deal than it is," he snapped. "I needed a wife with a title—"
