46

Noah
“Save me. ” That word kept echoing in my mind for the rest of that morning. Matilda was carried to the royal physician while I maintained a distance from that wing of the palace.
Holding a bottle of water, I sighted Ruby coming toward me.
“What happened? I saw Matilda being checked by the physician.” she crossed her arms above her chest.
“A horse startled her,” I said, crossing my legs, “And we never even got to go on our horse-riding date. ”
“And you don’t have anything to do with that, either?” Ruby asked.
I scoffed and nodded my head afterward.
“Why don’t you come out clean and ask me directly without all these questions?”
She settled down on the bench beside me and tilted her body to face me.
“Rose came back and now this, ” she said, “Is it just a mere coincidence?”
I bent, interlocking my fingers and letting my lips curve into a witty smile while staring at her.
“A coincidence that is working in my favor is exactly what I need.” I shrugged.
“Stop with all the tantrums and everything you’re trying to do. You know it won’t work. The moment you try to destroy it, you are not the one who will get affected, it would be Father and King James, remember?” she yelled at me.
I simply mashed my lips together, biting hard on the bottom fleshy part.
“And what about you? If you are so invested in that alliance, why don’t you go marry one of Matilda’s brothers, huh?” I shouted back, my hands gripping the rear end of the bench.
“What on earth has gotten into you, Noah?” Ruby abruptly rose to her feet, her piercing glare signifying her annoyance.
“I can wrap myself around the fact that Father and Mother do not care about what I feel,” I then paused, biting my lower lip again, “But you are my older sister and you should understand me. ”
“Understand what? Have you ever gone on a single royal engagement? You have your identity hidden, Noah. You can walk around Midon and nobody would recognize you or criticize you but you have done nothing for this family but cause trouble. ” Ruby’s voice was thick and firm, her eyes crystal clear as water.
I looked at my watch and chuckled.
“This conversation is over,” I said, rising from the bench and placing my hands into my pants.
I was about to walk past Ruby when she grabbed my arm.
“Didn’t you get the message? I said this-”
“Do you know why I’m still betrothed?” Ruby asked and I looked away, “It’s because of this family. It’s because I know what would happen if I threw a tantrum like you. I did what I have to do. ”
“You did it because you didn’t want to speak up, Ruby,” I empathized, yanking her hold off me, “Why would you forfeit your happiness for a family who doesn’t care about yours? For what, Ruby? For a couple of lands across the border or was it an alliance too?”
“You won’t understand.” Ruby’s eyes turned glossy.
“Make me understand. Tell me why you are going to marry a man you don’t love. ” I asked her again.
“Marry Matilda, think of Midon at large and what is at stake. Your throne is at stake, the moment you do not marry her.” Ruby voiced out, slowly.
“The throne? Anyone can have it.” I shrugged, nonchalantly.
“Would you approve if Uncle Eli sat on it? Stop acting stupid and think. Do what is right for this family and Midon. You know that famine will soon sink into this land so start acting like a future King. ” she finalized, stepping out of the garden.
I looked at her retreating figure as tears threatened to fall out. I reminisced on the moments as kids when I would fall out of favor with Father and she would pet, sing me a song, or urge me to play hide and seek around the palace.
I was afraid that I was slowly losing my sister and what was worse, I was scared that my biggest nightmare might be coming to pass.
Which was marrying Duchess Matilda.
***
Time moved quite slowly. I had a quick lunch with Queen Sophia in the chambers prepared for her while she discussed with me over a bowl of grapes. I was still numb over my conversation with Ruby that I kept nodding and giving her quick replies to any questions she dished out to me.
Afterward, I stood in the hallways where the portraits of my grandfather and my great grandfather and everyone knows the rest, the historic portraits of Kings who fought battles and ended wars so the generation to come could have a better life.
I heard someone clear his throat beside me and I was a bit appalled to see King James beside me. I bowed and continued staring at the portraits.
“I have seen those eyes before.” I heard him say, quietly.
“What eyes, your majesty?” I asked with a lifted brow.
“Yours,” he answered, “Yesterday, I saw a man whose eyes looked so much like my eldest son. He rarely talks but his eyes are dangerous just like yours.”
“Your majesty, I have no idea what you are referring to. ” I looked at him, giving him a deceitful smile to assure him.
“Do you know why I’m giving you my daughter to you?” He said, stroking his beard, “It’s not because you are going to be King. It’s because of the future it would bring for both Midon and Arendelle. Two kingdoms merging to be one. My people and yours as brothers and sisters.”
“I understand, your majesty. ” I turned to face him squarely, disgusted by the words that came out of his lips. He had no interest in his daughter but in his benefits.
“So you, treat my daughter with respect like a man would. She can be stubborn and a bit crazy in the head but tame her, ” he continued, “-Especially her tongue.”
I had no idea why he was telling me a bunch of information I didn’t want to hear.
“And stop glaring at people and talk more at the table, ” he shot a besumed smile at me which caught me off track, “I would be traveling back to Arendelle with my wife but Matilda will stay for a couple of days to know a bit about the palace and I’m sure you will like her company. ”
“Of course, your majesty.” I bowed again.
“Your grandfather would have looked better with a beard,” he remarked before patting me on the shoulders and then walking away slowly.
I let out an inaudible groan as I watched him descend the stairs.
“What a rude king, ” I looked at my grandfather’s portrait, “Who is he to talk about your beardless face? You decided not to have one.”
I sighed again for the umpteenth time while looking at my watch.
***
The evening was dull with the maids or servants in groups probably chatting away about Eli or the Arendelles. They had left quietly after we all saw them off from the entrance of the palace, wearing big smiles on our faces. Father seemed a bit tired and worn out so he decided to stay back in his chambers.
I still wondered why Rose was still cooped up in her room when a woman dressed in a black frock stepped in front of me, holding out a blue set of shoes.
“Could you please give this to my lady?”
“Your what?” I lifted a brow in confusion.
“Duchess Matilda. ” she bowed again, not meeting my eyes.
“Why do I-” I was about to ask when I noticed the peering eyes looking at me from every angle of the hallway. I mashed my lips and stretched out my hands.
“I will deliver your lady’s shoes. ” I answered with a smile hanging at the corner of my lips as she hurriedly gave it to me and walked away as quickly as she could.
I walked towards where Matilda’s chambers were, asking a few questions from the guards to know if I was headed in the right direction.
When I reached the door, I knocked and waited. I looked at the shoes in my hands and snorted at the small size.
For a crazy woman, her feet were quite small.
I didn’t hear any response so I knocked yet again and when I didn’t hear anything. I opened the door, slowly and walked into the chambers
I noticed her bare back rise up from the king-sized bed, quickly trying to cover herself up but my eyes were quick to catch the large scars on her back.
“Why didn’t you knock?” She tightened the light blue robe around her waist.
I swallowed a globe of saliva as I tried to speak.
“I did. You didn’t respond. ” I slumped into an antique chair, admiring the room that seemed a bit like mine.
“And shouldn’t you have waited?” She poured fresh liquor into a glass, shaking it while she advanced toward me.
“I am sorry.” A frown flickered across my lips.
“An apology from the Prince of Midon? Unexpected and remarkable. “she winked.
“I came to drop your shoes. Apparently I don’t know why your servant asked me to bring it here,” I uttered, “I would be leaving.”
“Shouldn’t we be getting to know each other over a glass of liquor? Who knows, we might get to know each other a lot more than you expect.” Matilda chuckled while gulping down her glass of liquor.
“I have no interest in knowing you, neither does my heart want you.” I shrugged, putting my hands into my pants.
“Do I have a competition?”I heard her ask, observing her body movements as she grabbed onto the poles of the bed.
“Huh?” I asked, perplexed by her statement.
“Only a man who is in love would say that so I ask again, do I have a competition?” Matilda laughed.
“And why are you suddenly interested in that?” I tilted my head.
“Shouldn’t I destroy any competition viling for my future husband?” she asked, lifting a brow, “Who knows, she might come bringing a baby that could ruin the monarchy for good.”
“So you want to kill any woman that might habit feelings for me?” My eyes widened in shock at the way she spoke.
“Why would I waste my time doing that? I destroy the competition by being the competition.” Matilda shrugged, laughing like a maniac.
“No matter what you do, my heart will never stir to yours,” I told her.
I then watched as she groaned and turned, throwing the glass at the wall, letting the remaining content in the glass smear itself on the wall
She then turned to look at me, rubbing her lips with the back of her palm.
“I like a good competition. When I set my mind to something, I do it,” she muttered.
I watched her, noticing her fingers twitch.
“What did you mean by save me? You asked me to save you?”
“Nothing.” came her response as he flopped down on the bed.
I rubbed my hands on my forehead, letting out a deep exhalation.
“And the scars on your back?” I asked.
“You saw that?” she did not attempt to rise from the bed, “It’s nothing important.”
I mashed my lips and then lifted my buttocks from the antique chair, making to leave the room. As I took a step, I heard her say;
“Do you pity me? Or do you want to hear how I got those scars?”
“I don’t,” I turned to look at her, sprawled out on the bed and obviously drunk.
“Too bad, my Prince. ” I heard her respond as she turned away, pushing herself under the white sheets.
I wrapped my hands around the door handle, stepping out of the room and taking a button out of my shirt.
Why did she ask me to save her?
Did she do that to get pity from me?