Rather of being with the dreadful King she knows back at the palace, he was with a young, gorgeous guy at the time. Once the celebration drums died down, the audience still chattered excitedly, clearly anticipating the King and Queen’s game. A deck of cards was placed on the table a few minutes later. “Cards? “Ella yelled, “Yay!” with joy and excitement.
Even the drum had been played for a brief period of time.
“This is cheating! ”
This made Ella sulk.
“How does he always seem to choose the same card”
“It’s all in fun and games, Your Majesty. “The guy laughed as he stated that the King had been fortunate by picking the same card. That means he can’t have any alcohol?” When the guy shook his head negatively in response to Ella’s question, she became even more enraged.
In the end, it was all in good humor.
Shrugging, King Spenser said, “It’s not my fault, Ella,” his voice resonating with sarcasm that stung Ella’s feelings playfully.
“There’s still time to win, Alpha King. “She tucked her hair behind her ear and waited for the guy to declare his turn as she told him, “There are more possibilities you might fail.”
“Now it’s your time, Alpha King. ”
King Spenser smirked icily and turned a card over.
The few servant girls she saw in the little hallway treated her with such reverence and adoration that Ella could not help but respond in like.
As she made her way back to the King’s chambers, her face beamed with relief and joy. When she arrived at the door, the guards didn’t bother to alert King Spenser, instead letting her in.
The King was seated in his normal place, reading a book by the lantern’s light. He was accustomed to reading under less than ideal settings, after all.
When Ella went in, she felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of him.
Urgh! They’ve spent the entire evening together; why is she now so nervous?
When she was through, she said, “I’m done, Alpha King,” and she set the teacup down on the table next to him.
And with his attention firmly fixed on the page, Spenser nodded his assent. In a respectful gesture, Ella bowed and then walked away. She stopped short when she heard the King’s voice: “Stay back, Ella.”
She turned around to face the monarch and stood there, fidgeting impatiently. The guy she had been with in the marketplace no longer resembled King Spenser to him as much as he had before. Once they got back, he had already showered and changed into his pajamas, and Ella had done the same.
She decided to prepare him some tea to help him relax before bed, and while she did so, memories of their enjoyable day at the market brought tears to her eyes.
She stood with a bright grin on her face, waiting patiently for the King to finish his speech. However, the process was quite lengthy.
To top it all off, she felt woozy as well as inebriated. His eyes were still glued to the page when he blurted out,
“Some men could be so greedy, huh.” He continued,
This last line caught Ella’s attention, and she was curious to learn more. King Spenser bowed his head and put the book away, although she hadn’t been the one reading it. He then picked up the cup of tea off the table and gulped it down with much effort, while Ella stood there quietly watching him with a curious grin on her lips.
Maybe it was because she was recalling their experience in the market, she reasoned. Or maybe it was just because she liked to watch him sip her tea.
While still holding his half-empty tea cup, King Spenser took another drink and got up.
“Come with me, Ella,” he moved over to the bed and sat down, tea in hand.
She took a deep breath and walked over to the bed, where she sat down next him. She didn’t go too near, but yet didn’t stand too far away from the King.
Spenser drained his cup once more and set it down when he was done. … and for a very long time, quiet twirled around. However, Ella enjoyed herself when seated close to the King. The light from the tabletop lamp was insufficient to illuminate the bedroom. In addition, the bench they were sitting on was a little dim.
Aside from the gloomy lighting and chilly air, Ella was also appreciating the King’s aroma in an irrational way. It had the aroma of natural majesty and authority. By the way, why did he insist that she take a seat next him? “You know, tonight brought up a lot of memories. “The stillness was broken as Spenser drank from his cup again.
“it made me long for the guy I once was. A King who is cursed. ”
As her curiosity reached fever pitch, something touched Ella deeply. She whirled around to give him her whole, undivided attention.
Taking a break, King Spenser refilled his cup.
As the drape above him cast a shadow over his face, he added, “While my father was still King.”
“I was once a contented prince. Stayed out of my mother’s way and did what I had to do to earn her affection. There was no one else in the world I considered a friend but my mother, who I dubbed Queen Malia. In no way would I allow anybody, not even my stepmother, to harm her and get away with it. That’s why Jeremy and I always had such a rocky relationship. Every time his mom and my mom got into an argument, I was there to break it up so my mom wouldn’t get the short end of the stick. In short, nobody ever gets away with messing with her…. since she was my only mother figure growing up, My mother shaped me into the guy I am today. She has prepared me so well for the future, knowing I am the first son and my father’s successor. Always encouraging me to follow my dreams and become a king, I assured her that I would be much more successful if she was by my side. “Taking a breath, he sighed, and Ella knew immediately that this was going to be a sad tale.
“When there was nothing to do, Mom would read me books all day and night, telling me that there is always a lesson to be learned through reading. When my father was too busy to pay attention to me, and when I needed a friend, she was the only one I could turn to. They took advantage of my vulnerability and exploited her against me. “