64

Noah
“Move aside. ” I demanded, raising my shoulders to look at the guard who blocked my way from entering Rose’s room.
“Lady Eugene asked me not to allow you enter this room, my Prince,” he answered hastily, holding out his hand that bore a sword.
I let out an inaudible scoff as a sad smile swept across my face.
“I am the Prince of Midon and yet I have no power to tell you to move, ” I whispered, “But what might happen if I become King?”
I observed as the guard became tensed, his Adam apple bobbling out as I moved close to him.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“It’s Joseph, my Prince.” He stated while looking up. He tried so hard to avoid my gaze and I propped up my feet, looking at him intently.
“Joseph,” I uttered, my hands reaching her his arm, “Why don’t you move aside for just ten minutes and I would….”
I heard someone open the door slowly, propping his head outside to look at me. I let out a groan made of frustration as my eyes landed on Mathew.
“I should have known it was you, my Prince. ” Matthew bowed, stepping out of the room and bowing his head.
I let out a scoff and a low chuckle followed afterward as I placed both hands on my lips.
“What were you doing in there, Matthew?” I asked as he touched his jacket, closing the buttons.
“I was protecting Princess Rose.” his answer seemed curt but I had never known him to be polite towards me. It wasn’t because he was older than me, it was because I and him were never on good terms.
“From who?” I placed both hands behind my back, interlocking them.
“Lady Eugene demanded that you are not allowed to enter this room. You’re quite lucky that Joseph allowed you to stand so close.” Matthew patted his subordinate’s arm as he advanced toward me.
“And you sat in there all day?” I demanded, “Don’t you have anything else to do?”
“This is what I was ordered to do, my Prince,” Matthew responded, a faint smile appearing on the corner of his lips.
“Then I order you to let me pass, this instant. ” I demanded, gesticulating with my index finger.
“No, I can’t,” Matthew smiled again, “If I do that, I would be disobeying Lady Eugene’s orders. Maybe you could clarify with her, my Prince. ”
He then bowed.
“Why are you acting like you respect me? It’s hard for me to watch you do this, Matthew.” I answered with honesty reeling from my tongue.
“I respect you as the Prince of Midon and I do not understand why you think I would be capable of disrespecting you,” he responded.
I almost yelled. Why was he sprouting all manners of lies? I gritted my teeth and was about to walk past him and sneak my way in through the door when he grabbed my arm, his eyes pointing towards the rifle perfectly placed under his belt.
“You wouldn’t dare, Matthew. ” I told him once I realized what he was trying to decipher.
“I would if I was ordered to, my Prince.” He answered.
“You better let go of my arm before-” I almost yelled when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I whipped my head, noticing that Matthew had released his grip from my hand.
“Lady Eugene, I tried to warn him…. ”
My eyes remained fixated on hers while her face held a bemused expression on her face.
“That’s enough,” I heard her say before she focused on me, “Noah, why don’t you join me for tea?”
I hesitated in following her as I shot one last glare at Matthew who turned his eyes away from mine.
I swore that if I ever ascended the throne, he would be demoted to a regular guard in Edgemoor Cottage.
After all, that was where his dying loyalty was.
***
Eugene dropped the teacup, her eyes admiring her small garden which was incomparable to the number of gardens at the palace.
“How’s the tea?” she asked, watching me closely. I was a bit appalled by her extravagance in dressing when she obviously wasn’t headed anywhere.
“Bland,” I answered flatly.
“You never appreciate anything I do for you, Noah. It’s a toxic trait of yours that I don’t understand.” she continued, carrying the teacup to her lips.
“Why don’t we skip all this and you go straight to the point?” I asked. My legs shook slightly, remembering what she said about Ashley Board. My heart made tiny flips, noticing how Eugene was calm.
“I don’t want you seeing Rose. She’s not stable. ” Eugene stated.
“She’s my cousin and is she awake? Is that why you sent your loyal dog to guard her day and night?” I asked.
“She’s hardly awake but she would be fine under the physician’s care. All you have to do, Noah is stay away from my daughter. “Eugene demanded.
“Why? So you could brainwash her and her your little pet who would listen to you without being obstinate?” I asked.
“I think you’re getting the wrong idea. She’s my daughter and I am a mother.” Eugene answered.
“Do you even know why she ran away and threatened you, for two years?” I placed a couple of fingers under my chin while crossing my legs. I felt the harsh sun beat my face as I squinted my eyes.
“You influenced her to do it, ” Eugene accused, “Just like how you brought her back to Midon, did you actually think I wouldn’t know? I know you so well.”
Eugene removed her gloves slowly, letting a sigh escape from her lips.
“I guess you don’t know me so well. ” I placed the cup to my lips, knowing that the tea had gone cold along with its taste.
“I thought you were going to ask me about Ashley Boark. I could see the nervousness in your face.” she pointed at my face while I stiffened in my seat and swallowed a globe of saliva.
“How do you know that name?” I answered, trying to get straighten it all out.
“I think the question should be, what has the future heir of Midon been doing in lowly bakery and getting involved with people from the lower class?” Eugene stated, interlocking her fingers.
“Were you following me against my mother’s wishes? What were you trying to do?” I rubbed my chin.
“You still haven’t told me about Ashley Boark. ” Eugene taunted me with a smirk. My hands balled into a fist as I wondered why she kept going around in circles.
“Was your spy… ” I was about to ask about Nadia when I heard a familiar voice speak.
“What do we have here? It’s been a while since I have seen you here.” Eli greeted as he stretched forth a hand. I didn’t receive it and when he noticed, he retreated slowly.
I rose to my feet and made to leave when Eugene called after me, “I thought we were still discussing. ”
I whipped my head around, “Your husband is here. I don’t want things to get pretty ugly around here.”
“What is wrong with you, Noah?” Eli demanded, stepping in my way.
I let out a deep sigh, biting hard on my lower lip.
“How many women have you slept with, in the past four days?” I blurted out, watching as his facial expression darkened.
“I beg your pardon?” Eli yelled back, taken aback by my words. He tried to touch me by the shoulders but I yanked his arm away from mine with disgust written all over my face.
I didn’t wait for him to speak as I left in a hurry but I could hear him speak to Eugene while trying to hold back from lashing at me. I walked back to the castle with an unsettled mind.
What the hell was Eugene planning and why was she so calm and collected?
I was about to head towards my chambers when I sighted my sister, Ruby coming towards me.
“Hi,” she said. From what I heard from Daniel, Ruby spent her time painting the sky and the birds.
“Hi.” came my response as I felt the tension between us.
“Father requests for you, ” Ruby answered, “Right now!”
“Why?” I buried my hands into my black trouser pockets
“If I knew, I would have told you. ” Ruby answered, walking past me. I inhaled the sharp smell of her perfume, knowing that our brother-sister relationship was a bit broken.
I lifted up my neck, reminding myself of what she told me.
Why did my father request for me?
I hoped that it wasn’t because of Eugene, the merger, or my arranged marriage. I climbed the stairs with anxiety pricking hard at me. The walk towards my father’s chambers was quite far and as sweat bathed my brows, I hoped that his conversation with me would be worthwhile.
I greeted a few servants, watching as they carried beddings while some held grapes in a bowl. I flashed a smile at them and continued walking. Soon my father’s chambers were in plain sight and with quick strides, I found myself in front of the door with my heart racing.
I waited for the guards to open the door with my head lowered. I walked in with my hands behind my back and then I uttered,
“Father.”