I grew up with Disney Princesses. Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty were all movies and stories I enjoyed as a young girl. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin came out as I moved into adulthood and I continued to enjoy the movies as they have come out. I still haven’t seen Frozen (gasp), but I will eventually.
All that being said, I never dreamed of being a princess. I never saw myself living in a castle. I never dreamed a man would come and sweep me off my feet. Good thing, too, because I’ve only ever met frogs in my adult life.
But I digress.
I recently read another royalty book with two men and I adored it. It was very contemporary, though, and therefore quite realistic. Like it could actually happen. ‘Ever After’ isn’t grounded in the same reality because it is a fairy tale. There are sports cars but apparently no cell phones. There is media, but gossip is spread by word of mouth, not the Internet. There was something charmingly quaint about that. The focus of the story was the two men and how they were going to negotiate their way through their relationship.
Prince Merrick is the firstborn and is expected to ascend to the throne upon the death of his father. He has been raised in luxury but also taught the importance of service. He participates in events for charity and them partakes in diplomatic engagements. He does his duty but sneaks out to bath houses when he needs relief. And with a mother hell-bent on marrying him off to an eligible member of royalty or, in desperation, any lady of good repute, relief is needed. There is no one, to his knowledge, who knows his secret. Well, his sister Marjorie does, but they never speak of it.
Cassius is a servant who has worked his way up to footman, but a crisis in the royal household creates an opening for him to be promoted to Prince Merrick’s valet. Both men have preconceived notions of the other and I enjoyed how those perceptions were slowly but inexorably changed. Both men are honourable, taking duty to heart and living their lives for others – Merrick for the continuity of the royal family and Cassius to support his widowed mother and two younger sisters. There is, properly, a barrier between employer and employee, but valets are very intimately involved with their charges and it is not long before Cass and Merrick discover they both favour men.
There are other interests they share as well, including their personal passions. To find a soul who understands your passion is truly beautiful And whether attending the orphanage or riding horses, the two men find a way to bond.
Although they have a number of interludes, these moments are fleeting and there is always the danger of discovery. There is one night when they get to be themselves and, wow, I loved that scene.
Merrick: We will have one night in each other’s arms.
Cassius: Yes, my Prince…I would like to be on my knees for you, my Prince.
Merrick: You are beautiful, sweet Cassius.
Cassius: I shall smell you until your scent is engraved in my memory. Each time I smell eucalyptus, I will think of you.
Merrick: Your words slay me, Cassius…They are like a sword that cuts into me. Yet also the stitching that makes me whole.
Okay, I might have swooned. Because who doesn’t secretly wish for someone to love them that way? And, for the record, this is an equal opportunity relationship – both men give and take, treating each other as equals.
There is a moment of reckoning, of course, and I might have cried.
Okay, I cried. I wanted the two men to have their happy ending and I wanted the world to embrace them and accept their love. I live in the real world, though, and see every day how the LGBT community gets treated. Still, I had high hopes for this magical kingdom in the snow. As one of his sisters says to Cass, “do not allow Merrick to be your greatest regret,” after he tells her “he will do such great things in Ever Green.”
I am so glad I listened to this wonderful book, narrated by the brilliant Joel Leslie. Since Ever Green is a fairy tale land – minus the magic – there is no grounding or need to be accurate. Given that license, Joel was the perfect choice of performer, providing an accent that is indefinable but clearly present. Prince Merrick has an upper crust tenor while Cassius is more of a commoner and, as always, Joel’s portrayal of the women and children in the men’s lives are brilliant. For a man with such a deep voice, his ability to bring the lightness to the women is pitch-perfect and his orphanage matron’s voice had me laughing out loud. I could just envision the woman haranguing the children and I got my smile.
Riley and Christina have collaborated before, but not in a fairy tale. I hope that all little boys and girls get to hear about Prince Merrick and his Cassius. (The PG version, of course.) Maybe there might even be a children’s book…?