The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride-Chapter 21: My way (2)

Lionel grabbed hold of Tyrion’s arms so he wouldn’t fall over the edge. Why was he the only one being threatened when there was another man he was speaking with?

"There are no plans, Prince Tyrion. This will all be done fairly," Lionel promised.

"You are certain?" Tyrion asked, pushing Lionel back a little further.

Lionel frantically nodded his head. "I will personally make sure of it. You have my word."

Tyrion pulled Lionel forward for his feet to touch the ground. He straightened out Lionel’s once again messy shirt. "Good. I’ll be keeping an eye on you. We should have no reason for me to hold you over anywhere like this again."

"You’re a messy man," Tyrion said, patting Lionel’s shoulder. "Try to keep your appearance tidy so your wife doesn’t throw a fit when you return home."

"I will," Lionel said, stepping away from Tyrion.

Tyrion looked at the man standing beside Lionel. "I expect you will also help keep this all fair. After all, I would hate to see both of you lose your place in the court."

Samuel, the man standing beside Lionel, said, "Our seats cannot easily be made empty. If you came around the court more often, you would see how important we are. Besides, the ways to change around the court are lengthy."

"Not if you just die," Tyrion replied. "I like my way better."

Tyrion looked at where his father once stood with other members of the court. The king was no longer there, which meant Tyrion was late for dinner.

Samuel didn’t know how to respond to Tyrion. He had never witnessed the crown prince threatening someone from the court.

A few of the men in court had been looking forward to Tyrion’s time as king since they believed he would be easier to control than Tobias, who already despised the court. They were wrong and needed to change their plans.

"Prince Tyrion-"

"Bother me with what you need to say in the morning. I am late for dinner," Tyrion said, placing his hands in his pockets as he walked off.

Tyrion didn’t have time to listen to their advice or how they could not be pushed out of the court. He was focused on what happened with Penelope.

It bothered Tyrion that he could not go to the Collins estate to speak with Penelope and would need to wait until more news reached the palace.

"Tyrion," Tobias called out to his distracted son. "I had hoped it wasn’t you that I saw holding someone over a wall. I hope that isn’t the theme of today."

"You say that you believe Penelope did as others are saying," Tyrion replied.

"Of course not. I was surprised when the news came to me a moment ago. I knew Penelope from when she was a baby. I left the palace just to see her myself. If you tell me that she pushed her brother, I would believe it. Not that she pushed someone else," said Tobias.

Tobias didn’t want to lose sight of what he approached Tyrion for. "Still, you shouldn’t hold a member of the court like that. I had my share of snapping on those fools to know sometimes it isn’t worth it."

"They understood my order not to be out to ruin someone because they hate Duke Collins. Respectfully father, you can do it your way, and I shall do it my way. If you don’t like it, let Teo take my place as future king," Tyrion said, speaking of his little brother.

"I am only offering you advice, Tyrion. It feels like just yesterday I was in your position. I had to either kill or remove most of my court. I learned the more you get rid of, the more you keep coming back," said Tobias.

"You haven’t made them fear you enough," Tyrion said, seeing a big difference between himself and his father. "I won’t make the mistake of letting them take me for a fool."

"You shouldn’t," Tobias said, not minding that Tyrion would be better than him. "I let the pressure of the king cost me a few things that I loved. People whom I would have loved. I am only saying don’t let violence be the only answer. You are the crown prince."

"I have not forgotten that I am the crown prince. Each step that I take, someone is bowing their heads or curtsying, followed by a reminder of my title. You don’t need to worry father," Tyrion said, going around Tobias.

"Many have started to notice you play favourites when it comes to Penelope. Your feelings are no longer hidden now that you are of age to marry," said Tobias.

It was dangerous since many would target Penelope to get her out of the running for the next queen.

Tobias assumed this was why someone came up with the foolish story that she pushed someone.

Tobias caught up to Tyrion and said, "I am close to Edgar, so I give him special treatment sometimes, though he doesn’t need it."

"I want others to know that I am playing favourites with her. They should be well aware that she has my interest, so should they trouble her, I will come for them. Thank you for the advice, but I will protect those I care for how I see fit," said Tyrion.

"I understand why you and Edgar don’t get along," Tobias mumbled. "If you are going to do all of this, why not propose to her already? Her name would be better protected from gossip and tricks as a Castro."

"She’ll also be a target of the court. It’s either I make the palace safe, or I don’t bring her here at all. You should hope it doesn’t come to the latter," Tyrion said, leaving his father to dwell on what he said.

"You’ll leave the palace if you can’t have her here?" Tobias asked, but did not receive an answer.

Tobias also recalled a time when he was in Tyrion’s shoes when he did not want to be the future king. He had given into his duties as the crown prince and so far, Tyrion was doing the same. Still, Tobias wasn’t certain who would be the next king.

"Tyrion-"

"I would also like to ask that you not invite women to the palace for me to meet with. I don’t care if it is your doing or the courts. Stop it since I will not entertain it. Duke Collins is your friend, so you may play around, but he’s the father of the woman I am courting. Do not spoil this for me," Tyrion said, hoping his father would be more serious.