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  The first meeting had ended in tears—on his father’s part, not Leyah’s—when Leyah stated that her people wanted the land returned to them. Things had gotten tense. Alastair’s father shouting, cursing, and slamming his hands down on top of the table, sighting his own ignorance of the previous theft, and the vast number of Malvidencians who would be displaced if Leyah were to restore Waldakan to the land, and boot the people of Malvidence out. Callum had been unable to hear Leyah’s compromise at first, but on the second day, he’d sat quietly and listened as Leyah outlined a way for the people of Waldakan to not only keep the land that they currently lived in, but to also take half of Malvidence, land that had been set aside for future development and construction sites, in order to regain the amount of land the people had originally.

  It had meant that the school his parents had originally tasked Algerone with overseeing through the construction, application, and enrollment, had been scrapped, but Leyah had once again shown not only her brilliance, but her forgiveness, by suggesting that the school be built on the line that would separate the two kingdoms, and be a school open to both Waldakan and Malvidencian school-aged children. This way the children from kindergarten up through twelfth grade, would grow to have an appreciation for the histories and cultures of both Waldakan and Malvidence. And both sets of children would learn about the history of the two countries.

  Alastair had never been prouder of his wife.

  That pride had only turned into awe as he watched her lead her people, even as her belly expanded and grew. She did not allow her new shape to cause her to slow down. She pushed on, kept moving forward, even when she had to rule sitting down due to her swollen ankles. She had mood swings—boy did she—but once her anger went away, or her tears evaporated, she would simply laugh, apologize, and continue on with her day.

  Alastair, too, had found that settling into his new position as King of Waldakan, was considerably easier than he’d expected it to be. The Waldakan people had been gracious and accepting of him, once Leyah introduced him, and explained how things had come to be. And when Alastair had apologized for the actions of his ancestor—though Leyah had told him he didn’t have to—the people had embraced him even more. Some literally, though for most the embracing was a figurative thing.

  Now, he followed his very pregnant wife as she headed toward the kitchen, her steps slower, her body waddling. Her green, jewel toned, peasant skirt swirling around her ankles. Her feet clad in brown sandals, and a flowing brown maternity tunic, that was off the shoulder, wrapping her torso. Her larger breasts straining against the material.

  When she stopped suddenly, Alastair stepped quickly to her side and wrapped an arm around her waist.

  “You’ve been having contractions, haven’t you?” he accused.

  Leyah looked up at him guiltily and nodded her head.

  “How close are they, Leyah?” he asked.

  “Um…” Leyah bit her lower lip, and Algerone’s gaze lasered in on the motion. God her lips were so plump he wanted to suck them into his mouth right there.

  No, man. Focus, he admonished himself. When a popping sound echoed through the entranceway of the palace, and water splashed on his feet, Alastair’s eyes widened.

  “Did your water just break?” he practically squealed.

  Leyah grit her teeth, clenching her jaw, and nodded.

  “Oh, fuck.” Alastair swung his head left to right. “Let’s go to the bathroom to clean you up.”

  “No!” Leyah gripped his arm. “I am not having our babies in a bathroom, or a bathtub, or here at the palace, Alastair!” she screamed at him. “I told you that. Get me to the car, and to the hospital. We’ll send someone for our stuff.”

  Alastair nodded his head, remembering Algerone’s advice that he not argue with Leyah when she was in labor. That it would be the worst thing he could do. Apparently, women gained superhuman strength when they were in labor. Alastair had initially laughed, but as his smaller wife practically dragged him by the arm, out the doors of the palace, barking orders to the palace staff to clean up the mess in the entryway, to grab their go-bag from the walk-in closet just off the sitting room, and to pull their car around, he had to concede that his oldest brother knew what he was talking about.

  His wife wanted to give birth to their twins in a hospital, and that was apparently what they were going to do.

  Chapter Thirty

  “W elcome to the world, Princes Janu and Jash Zameer-Smythe of Waldakan and Malvidence,” Leyah murmured to the beautiful caramel-colored newborns in her arms. “You are the very first boys to be princes in two different countries for a very long time,” she told them.

  “And you are extremely loved for who you are. You were made in love and will be raised that way,” Alastair’s deep, exhausted voice—though he’d only coached her through the labor, not actually engaged in it himself—came from next to her where they rested on the bed.

  Alastair’s family were on their way, but Leyah appreciated having this moment with her boys. Just her, her beautiful newborn, identical twin sons, and her gorgeous husband.

  “That’s very right. Your kotíbābā and I love each other very much, and one day when you get older we’ll tell you the story of how we met, fell in love, got married, lost each other, but found each other again, with our love stronger than ever,” Leyah whispered. She and Alastair had spoken over the last few weeks about what language they would use with the twins, and Alastair had pointed out that Leyah knowing English, Waldakan, and Malvidencian had served her well. So, they’d agreed to use all three languages as the kids grew.

  “I love my nieces and nephews,” Alastair said out of the blue and Leyah frowned, looking up at him. “And I think they’re all beautiful children, and wildly intelligent, but just look at our boys… I think they’re way cuter, and they’re geniuses already, even though they’re only three hours old.”

  Leyah shook her head. “You’re ridiculously arrogant, even about your own children,” she told him.

  Alastair looked down at her with a fond smile on his face. “But you love me anyway.”

  She smiled back at him. “That I do, my King. That I do.”

  Epilogue

  T aylor Weshian stepped out of the New Waldakan hospital and stepped around the corner. She was surprised that Augustus had allowed her to come with him and his precious Helen of Troy. She rolled her eyes. Ever since she’d given birth to her daughter, a tiny, pink person with dark hair and blue eyes, Augustus had been overly protective and solicitous to her. He hadn’t wanted to do a DNA test on her, Princess Autumn of Malvidence, when she’d first been born but she knew that her time was coming to an end. He would want her to get Autumn tested sooner rather than later, but if she could produce the results of the paternity test that proved he was the father before he asked for them, then he would be none the wiser.

  Augustus must never know that not only was Autumn not his daughter, but that he’d been way too drunk the night he’d woken up with her naked in his bed, for them to have ever had sex.

  “There you are, Lady Taylor,” he said as he stepped forward.

  Taylor sighed in relief and held out her hand. “Well? Do you have it?” she asked.

  He nodded. He handed her the official medical documentation that had exchanged his name for Prince Augustus’ in the position of “father.” Taylor looked down at it and smiled, her heart returning to its normal, slow beat. It was right there in black and white. “Proof” that Prince Augustus was the father to Autumn Weshian.

  Now Augustus would have to marry her and make her a princess, and she would be able to get her revenge on Algerone and his black bitch for making her look the fool in front of the world.

  “Thank you,” she looked up at him, trying not to curl her lip in disgust as her eyes took in the scar on the side of his face. It was one he hid well beneath prosthetics when he was in the palace and trying to hide, but here, he had no need to.

  “Don’t forget our deal, Lady Taylor
,” he said. “You have your DNA test. Bring me Helen Warner.”

  Taylor nodded and turned away. She paused and turned back around. “What do you want Prince Augustus’s girlfriend for?” she asked. Her eyes widened, and she gasped when he wrapped his gloved hand around her throat squeezing tightly and cutting off her air.

  “Don’t you fucking worry about it. Just know that Miss Warner and I have a very special appointment to keep in a special building on the grounds of the palace. I have a mission to complete and she’s the key to it being fulfilled.”

  He released her throat, and Taylor coughed harshly, before turning and rushing back into the hospital. She ignored his raspy laughter behind her, wondering if she’d made a deal with the devil in her quest for revenge.

  The End… Continued in The Royal Beauty. Coming November/December 2018!

  Author’s Note

  When Princess Aa’Leyah first came to my mind I was amazed at her. Here was this beautiful Nubian princess who’d suffered the loss of her parents at a young age and had then been forced to take up the responsibilities of an entire kingdom. Most of us are barely prepared to handle our own checking account at the age of fourteen. When Aa’Leyah told me who she was going to end up with, I laughed. Alastair? Staunch, by-the-book, everything in its place, Alastair? But when both she and Alastair revealed that there was much more to the third eldest prince of Malvidence than what met the eye, I was extremely intrigued.

  When I found out what made Alastair so special, I smiled so wide.

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  Leyah’s story is very different from Valerie’s. Where Valerie was a woman deciding whether or not to stay with a husband who had, essentially, abandoned her and their children, Leyah’s story is about when and for how long we allow the hurt of the past, the embers of revenge and hatred, to fuel and push us in the present. Leyah was a warrior, a princess, and a future Queen, but in the end, she was an orphan who was still grieving the loss of her parents, who had never been given the chance to properly mourn them due to her responsibilities to the people of Waldakan.

  For those asking if Waldakan is inspired by Wakanda ™, Ummm… duh! However, the idea for this country, this nation of “African” people who were more advanced, more educated, more economically, medically, scientifically, and socially evolved than the world around them, though they weren’t seen that way, was something I’d had for years, before hearing of Black Panther © or Wakanda. This was due to research that I’d done for another book, and series (yes, I’m going to be writing). The book is titled: The Duke’s African Bride, and the series is: When Africa and England Meet. It’s historical, interracial, and the research I did opened my eyes to the truth and reality of the real Africa and not just the one shown on National Geographic © and on those “For the price of a cup of coffee a day” commercials. During the slave trade, even before and after it, Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, and other nations of Africa were extremely advanced. Especially as it came to math and science. It made me want to write about a country, a nation of people who lived that truth, even though the rest of the world thought them incapable. Waldakan gives me that opportunity (even if Marvel published their stories first. Ha!)

  Leyah and Alastair had to wade through a lot: betrayal, trust, anger, grief, violence, hurt, pain, control, dominance, revenge, and truth, the ultimate truth of their shared histories, in order to fall deeply in love. A love that was unwavering when faced with all manner of obstacles (don’t worry Danorian will get his in the end, as will Lady Taylor-whew! She is a piece of work, isn’t she? And who is he? Everyone seems to be afraid of him to a certain degree, but his ultimate identity will surprise you!). While Algerone and Valerie opened this series—and yes, Valerie’s sisters have their own stories, as do her brothers, I may even write the story of her parents falling in love—I believe that Alastair and Leyah’s story is more important, and really begins it all for the Smythe family. We learned a lot about the royal family of Malvidence, the Rebellion, and the other players in this book, but it’s not done yet. Augustus and Helen’s story is next, then after that Alfie and Laeticia—who was justified in her anger at Alfie, don’t you think? Who just bounces back to an ex because the person they’re interested says that they’re friends because they’re scared?

  Leyah sang a lot of songs throughout this book. Some of them I wrote, some of them are songs by others, translated into “Waldakan”, which is a blend of Arabic and Swahili. I thought I would share them with you all. The full lyrics, in English. Enjoy!

  And I hope you enjoyed, The Royal Nanny. Thank you all for your reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads for A Royal Secret. I hope you will leave a review of The Royal Nanny as well. And I hope you join me for the next book in The Bad Boy Princes of Malvidence series: The Royal Beauty. Helen and Augustus, you’re next!

  -V. Vee

  Lyrics for Songs by Leyah

  “Warrior People” by Nahko & Medicine For The People

  Warrior people

  Warrior, Warrior people

  I am indigenous original resistance

  I 'm gonna need assistance if I' m a difference

  Used to be restless now I am relentless

  I teach my children who to trust and how to listen

  Are you listening'

  Are you, are you listening'

  Are you listening'

  Are you, are you listening'

  Are you listening'

  Are you, are you listening

  I teach my children who to trust and how to listen

  Went to the heavens came back a stallion

  Now I am ridding into the storm

  The storm, the storm, the storm, the storm

  Thunder beings carry me home

  I am a raven, I am a buckskin, I am a killer whale, I am a Lion,

  I am a panther, I am coyote

  I'm just a human being on another fucking journey

  Well I will learn to be peaceful, but I keep my knife at my side

  I will pray for compassion but if war comes to my door you know

  I will be blasting warrior mentality my responsibility bringing in to my people now

  I am an Indian I've been betraying sold my heritage, so I could get a reservation

  I'm on a mission

  These times definitely call for certain kinds of patience

  I'm changing it's amazing

  Everything you do in life is definitely relevant

  Warrior people Warrior, Warrior People

  Warrior people Warrior, Warrior People

  Warrior people Warrior, Warrior People

  Making the best of peace with the strength of an eagle

  I will learn to be peaceful, but I keep my knife at my side

  I will pray for compassion

  But if war comes to my door you know

  I will be blasting warrior mentality my responsibility bringing in to my people now

  I have two mothers, two beautiful mothers

  One of them is brown and one of them is white

  One of them taught me to be peaceful

  One of them taught me how to fight

  Now I put the two together and I know wrong from right

  I have two fathers two beautiful fathers

  One of them is brown a
nd one of them is white

  One of them taught me how to sing

  One of them taught me how to write

  Now I put the two together and I know wrong from right

  I am a woman

  Saved my native wisdom I follow my traditions

  I teach my children who to trust and how to listen

  Are you listening', are you listening'

  Are you listening', are you listening

  Are you listening', are you listening

  I teach my children who to trust and how to listen

  Waldakan Lullaby © by Vicktor Bailey as V. Vee

  Goodnight, bright star.

  The sun is gone.

  The moon has come

  The day is done.

  Goodnight, my heart.

  No time to play.

  My love will guide you

  To a bright new day.

  Goodnight, sweetheart.

  Nothing more to do.

  We’ll have tomorrow

  For I’ll always love you

  Waldakan Princess Song © by Vicktor Bailey as V. Vee

  You shine as bright as the sun

  My little one

  You are perfect as a star

  Wherever you are.

  My beautiful baby

  Future little lady

  No harm will come

  Wherever they be.

  I will protect you

  Whatever you do

  I will guide you

  Be your angel too.