The three men stood in comfortable silence as Kenna took a moment to herself at the new headstone they'd laid for Leon. Jackson chuckled as Raydan's boisterous young son fought his father's restraint, yearning to play in the soft grass. Raydan granted him his freedom, and he squealed happily, content to stay close to his father's feet and stare up at his uncles, pulling up handfuls of grass and tossing them into the air.
"Will, have you always had that streak of silver just there?" Dom asked, his finger tracing in midair, indicating Jackson's hair. Raydan had the distinct sense that, lacking his presence, he would have brushed the hair back tenderly, rather than simply gesture.
"It comes with the job," Jackson told him, glancing sidelong at Raydan. "His Majesty is lucky he's not graying as well, between the queen and a little one in the castle now."
"The prince is every bit as fearless as his mother," Raydan agreed. "And twice as independent, when he's of a mind." He narrowed his eyes, taking in the proximity of the other two men to one another, their posture, and musing on the casual familiarity of Dominic's observation and address.
Jackson's expression softened as he watched the tiny prince crawl haltingly along the ground at their feet, and Dom placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I think they're all like that," Jackson said, with a grateful glance at the younger man. "My boy was just the same. No survival instinct, pure bull-headed determination, curious and fascinated by the world."
"Gabriel and Margaret always said I was the same way," Dominic offered.
Raydan smiled warmly. "Yes, I suppose we were all no different," he said. Of the three of them, two were orphaned quite young and the third had buried his wife and son, so parenting was something of an uneasy topic of conversation for the men in the Queen's life. "Does Kenna know?"
Jackson and Dominic exchanged a glance. "About my son?" Jackson asked, guarded. "I've mentioned him once or twice, I suppose she—"
"No," Raydan said, his voice soft so that it wouldn't carry over to where Kenna was. "I'm happy for you both, truly, but I think you should tell her before she finds out on her own. She trusts you both completely, and her heart would simply break if she thought you didn't trust her the same. Dominic, it's the least you owe her. I know you are her dearest friend, but you were also her first love."
Jackson's jaw dropped, and a denial was on the tip of his tongue when Dom nodded. "You're right, of course," he agreed. "I was hurt when I realized she'd fallen in love with someone else while I was stuck in the castle under Luther and Marco's rule, even though I had no right to be. We hadn't even seen each other in two years." Dom straightened, his mind made p. "You're the godfather to her son, Will, and I'm her oldest friend. We owe her the truth. We'll tell her this evening."
Raydan was pleased to note that the smile that stretched across Jackson's face was the largest and brightest he'd ever seen the man grin. "Very well then," Jackson agreed, looking down at his feet. "This evening, after dinner."
"At dinner," Raydan corrected gently. "We'll drink to your health."