Prince's Master (Calluvia's Royalty 4)

Castien looked at “Lola”—the small cleaning robot that was dressed in Sinead’s own dress—and mentally counted to ten. “No, I do not want to play. This is not a doll, my dear. It’s a droid for cleaning dust in your room. Let it do its job.”

Sinead’s bottom lip wobbled. “I know it’s not a doll! It’s my friend! Don’t be mean to her, Papa!”

Castien pinched the bridge of his nose and suppressed a sigh. “I would not mind you playing with a droid, except it is the third cleaning robot you turned into a doll. Your room is filthy.”

Sinead pouted and turned back to the robot, clearly deciding to ignore him.

A chuckle made Castien look up.

Eridan was leaning against the doorway, smiling widely and radiating amusement. “If only the Chapter could see the great and terrible Grandmaster Idhron having an argument with a three-year-old—and losing it.”

Castien gave him an unimpressed look. “This is all your fault,” he said. “She inherited your most charming traits: your lack of respect for authority and your propensity to pout and throw a temper tantrum if you do not get your way.”

“Maybe,” Eridan said, still grinning. “But she inherited your most charming traits, too: your tendency to think you’re always right, and, of course, your manipulativeness.”

“She’s a child, Eridan. She does not even know the word manipulative yet.”

Eridan snorted and walked over, slipping his gray robe off. “Don’t be naive. She absolutely does. She knows she can get you wrapped around her little finger if she just widens her eyes and makes her lip wobble.” He dropped a kiss on Sinead’s forehead. “Isn’t that right, Princess?”

Sinead blinked at him, looking all confused. “Don’t know what you’re talking about, Daddy.”

Eridan chuckled. “I’m not your papa, young lady. This isn’t going to work on me. Now turn the robots on before the dust monster comes here.”

Sinead frowned. “The dust monster?”

Eridan nodded solemnly. “Haven’t I told you the story about a little girl who didn’t allow her cleaning robots to clean her room and all the dust in the room turned into a giant dust monster?”

Sinead shook her head, her eyes wide.

“Come on, turn the robots on while I tell you the story,” Eridan said with a smile, and Sinead quickly obeyed.

Castien settled in the armchair and closed his eyes, sinking into a shallow meditation. Part of his attention was on Eridan telling their daughter some bizarre, fictional story. Part of him simply luxuriated in the feelings of warmth, comfort, and affection swirling in the room, in his bonds to Eridan and their daughter.

If a decade ago someone had told him this would be his life, he would have scoffed derisively and thought that person was insane.

If twenty-seven years ago someone had told his seventeen-year-old self that the little prince he’d been saddled with would become the center of his world, he would have never believed them, either.

Life was strange that way.

“What are you thinking about?” Eridan murmured, climbing into his lap and kissing him softly on the lips.

Castien opened his eyes and looked into Eridan’s beautiful eyes.

You, he thought, wrapping his arms around Eridan and pulling him closer. Tighter. He could never hold him tight enough.

He pressed their foreheads together. “I was thinking… that I love you, apprentice mine.” The words that had once been so difficult for him to say rolled off of his tongue easily enough. He’d had years of practice.

Eridan grinned. “I’m a Master Acolyte, Castien.”

He snorted. “You will always be my apprentice.”

Eridan’s smile became softer. He slotted their mouths together and kissed Castien, his affection, need, and happiness filling their bond and making Castien dizzy with the desire to possess him. His. This was his.

“Yes, Master. Always.”

The End