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“Ah.” David took a quick bite before lowering his voice a little. “Might this have anything to do with these ‘guests’ of yours I’ve been hearing about?”

Talking with his mouth full didn’t strike Hector as very princely. Hector decided to keep that thought to himself, though. “What have you been hearing, exactly?”

“Oh, this and that. You’re taking people prisoner. You’re building an army. You’ve cloned yourself.”

Hector cocked his head to the side. “Excuse me?”

“Wild speculation en masse,” said David. “You are a popular subject, you know.”

“...Cloned myself, though? Really?”

“At this point, I think people just have fun talking about what you might be up to. Much of what gets said is similarly unbelievable. But perhaps you would like to inform me of the truth of the matter?”

“Uh... I would like to, actually, but...” He looked toward the Queen, who was busy conversing with her husband, then toward Lynn, who merely gave him a knowing look. “This may not be the best place for it,” he told the Prince. “But I already told, er... ah...”

The Prince glanced toward his sister as well, then no nodded. “Ah. Say no more, then.” David went for his for his glass of wine and held it up to Hector. “Let us forestall our worries for the moment and enjoy this fine meal, shall we?”

“Ah--” Hector grabbed his own glass of ice water and tapped it against the Prince’s.

It was to Hector’s surprise, however, when David turned to the man sitting on the other side of him--his brother Meriwether--to toast with him as well.

Which meant that Hector suddenly felt an obligation to do the same with other person that he was sitting next to.

Lynn was already looking at him, holding her own glass, and waiting.

Dear god, why was this situation so immediately terrifying?

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