I hope you love this chapter as much as I do! Things are picking up speed ; ).
Rhode got up quickly, knocking up the table in front of him along with the documents. “What do you mean by the queen is here?” Rhode asked, slightly pissed and Brian for lying to him. “She is sitting right on the patio, your majesty.” Brian said uninterestedly. Rhode left the room hurriedly, not minding that he was wearing just a loose tunic and pants with leather boots, Brian decided not to mention his choice of clothing to go see his bride to be. Rhode left his room and walked down the hallway to the patio, he was met with Megan sitting on one of the chairs. Brian wasn’t joking. “My queen,” he said as he bowed to Megan. Her eyes lit up when she took notice of his presence. She gave him a warm smile. “Please, there is hardly any need to bow to me, considering I will be one of your subjects soon.” Megan said, getting up to stand with him. Rhode smiled, “my wife is not my subject but my equal. I bow to you because you are my queen." Megan blushed. He always said the most absurd t
Megan’s heart palpitated in her chest. She was not supposed to be here, she was still married to Richardson and even if she was not, a woman was not to see a man unchaperoned. It was sure to result in a great scandal. Megan wanted to keep a low profile until the divorce. If she was caught, she had no reason for why she was there.Why was Rhode so calm in the situation? He shrugged and said, “You can wait in my bedroom.” and got up. Brian came and said, “this way, Luna” directing her with an outstretched arm. Megan looked up at her ladies and followed Brian. Rosetta and Brianna being there would not raise suspicion because they went everywhere on the castle grounds.Megan followed Brian down the hallway passing a door left slightly ajar. It looked like an office. The queen had never been in the guest quarters before. Brian stopped in front of a big, antique door and put in the key, turning the door knob.“You can wait here.” He said and handed her the key, “lock yourself in if you wan
Rhode closed the drawer and turned to face Megan, “can I sit?” he asked her, referring to the space beside her. “Oh, of course.” She said, slightly flushed that he asked. It was his bed after all. “Thank you.” He said as he sat down beside her, “he wanted to speak about our standing as nations, our diplomatic relationship.” Rhode said. “That is strange. Our relationship is fine right?” Megan asked, confused. “You mean the relationship between the East and the West. It’s not quite ‘our’ anymore.” He said and it struck Megan. In less than 72 hours she technically will not be a citizen of the Eastern Kingdom, though once their loved and revered queen. It did not quite sting as before. She was glad. “You’re right." She adjusted, "I just do not think that there is any reason for Richardson to seek you out. What did he say in particular?” “Well, he actually apologized.” Rhode started. Megan furrowed her eyebrows, “why? What for?” Rhode looked at his future wife interestingly, women ba
“I have not the slightest idea as to whatever it is you speak of.” Brian said, finally looking at Rhode.Rhode laughed and said, “do you really not? Because I remember leaving you two together as the lady wanted to use the loo whilst the other lady waited in your room,”Brian shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Rhode laughed some more, “seriously, man, what happened? The lady looked uncomfortable. Did something happen? It could not have been that bad, you two should have been gone for max five minutes.” Brian got up from the chair and arranged the sheets of paper he was writing or doodling on. He cleared his throat and said, “nothing of importance happened, Rhode, it was just an extreme air of awkwardness.” Brian started, “and… words unsaid.”His choice of words sent Rhode laughing hysterically, “man… since when are you a poet? Jokes aside, Brian, both ladies are coming with the queen back home with us, so if anything that could jeopardize their comfortability happened, it would do
Megan and her ladies had thankfully, seamlessly left the guest quarters and were now walking back to the main building.“That was the most adrenaline rush I’ve had in years!” Rosetta said as the group of servants who walked past them were out of hearing distance.“You’ve really always been a junkie.” Brianna said, responding to Rosetta.Megan laughed, it truly made her heart happy that she did not have to leave her ladies behind.“Oh, you’re finally speaking Brianna. I thought I would have to tickle it out of you. What happened when you went to powder your nose?” Rosetta asked Brianna, ignoring her comment about her being an adrenaline junkie.“Nothing of importance.
Megan’s heartbeat picked up speed immediately. Who was there? Why were they at her door barely six in the morning?“Who is it?” Megan asked, getting up from her bed and approaching her door slowly. There ought to be guards outside her door so whoever was there was either someone the guards answered to or some burglar who somehow bested the castle security. She quickly dismissed the latter thought, there had been no break ins in the castle since she became queen. It was one of the many problems that riddled the Eastern then empire after the death of their former ruler, Richard Jared. Megan took her role as queen very seriously and successfully eradicated any major security issues and risks. There were still petty crimes here and there but nothing that the local police could not handle.Her thoughts were cut short when she heard the knock again. She grabbed a hand mirror from her vanity just in case and undid the bolt of her door. The handle was moved downwards and the door opened to r
Megan walked slowly, one foot in front of the other. One of the many differences between this day and her wedding day five years ago was that she was walking down by herself. Her dad was in the audience, looking at her with sad eyes, very different from the love-filled eyes he looked at her with five years ago. Another major difference was she was wearing black, not white.She kept her head up high, refusing to look dejected or sad in any way. She was going to be remembered as the queen who did not show any emotion on the day of her divorce. She was going to keep her ‘heartless queen’ role until she dropped the crown officially.Megan got to the foot of the small flight of stairs where, on top was Richardson and the Priest who looked as though he could pass on any moment. That was how old the priest was.
Everyone’s mouth was moving and Megan could barely make out one coherent sentence. She would be lying if she said she did not feel overwhelmed. All her life she had acted and done as she was tole, she was never the recipient of the majority’s displeasure.She found her mother’s eyes in the ruckus and they held eye contact. She knew in that moment that her mother understood and that was all she cared about in that moment, nothing else.Rhode squeezed her hand as though to get attention. She had forgotten that he was right beside her and holding her hand.“Do we leave now?” A disinterested Rhode asked Megan. Noticing how bored he looked she giggled, “I would need to sign the divorce papers. I will be with you shortly.”She turned b
“It’s delicious.” Megan said as she took her first bite out of the deliciously roasted venison.“It’s lamb.” Rhode said as he took a bite out of it.The two enjoyed a quiet lunch. Apparently, it was a rule that the king could not eat alone under any circumstance. There needed to be servers with a physician present in case there is a risk of food poisoning.Another thing that was very different from the East.After dinner, the couple walked back to Megan’s chambers. She didn’t show it but she was very glad that she didn’t have to continue with her little charade of being unemotional.She did it for years in the East but the thought of doing it again stressed her. She was grateful that she could be herself, whatever that meant and wasn’t quite ready to take on the role of the stoic queen.She didn’t show it but she was glad Rhode didn’t leave her to her thoughts and assumptions though he was late and she had already jumped into a million and one conclusions.When they entered her room,
Megan froze as he walked towards her, pulling her towards him. His hand rested gently above her waist and his other hand, supporting her neck. She was frozen in shock, at a loss for words. “I’m sorry.” Megan could not ignore the pounding of her heart. It felt like anyone within hearing distance could hear, she was sure Rhode heard it. She stuttered, and she never stuttered, “I don’t understand…, my king.” That did it. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Megan. Don’t do that with me, not you. I’m not my king to you.” Rhode paused. “I’m Rhode. Just Rhode.” Rhode held her eyes, his deep purple eyes boring a hole into her eyes. She had never been in a stare down before but she was clearly losing. Megan kept quiet, unsure of what to say in response. She was not upset at him for anything he did or did not do but she did have a resolve until just now. And Megan never broke her resolve but a deep purple pair of eyes staring into her soul was making her reconsider her decisions. “Is it somethin
“Never, my lady…”“We would never think of such a thing.” Mary said to Mirabel, eyes filled with worry.Where was this suddenly coming from?Mirabel smiled, “I see. Let us go.”Mary and Lily both looked at themselves before following behind Mirabel. She was acting strangely but they knew to not ask questions. It was not their place to.In her room, Megan was actually surprised at the fact that she shed no tears despite the fact that she felt her heart physically shatter.Perhaps she cried out all her tears in the East.‘I did cry a lot.’ She thought to herself.
Mirabel? Who was this woman? Was he not going to introduce Megan? She stood beside Rhode while he and this unknown woman who looked very known to Rhode engaged in a staring competition with Rhode and he with her.Was this tension she felt?“My king.” The unknown woman curtsied and walked past her and Rhode.“Let us go.” Rhode said to her. Megan was greatly confused but masked her emotions. Was he not going to tell her who the lady was? Mirable, was it? She thought she heard him call her that.He continued pointing out different places to her but if she was being honest with herself, she heard nothing that he said.In fact, she was beginning to get pretty upset. She wasn’t asking for his entire history, she just wished he would tell her about people she would eventually see.Like that girl back at the inn and now this, Mirabel.She didn’t look like a nobody. She was dressed like a lady and had ladies with her.Did she live in the palace? She must since she was in the west quarters.M
Megan turned a very bright shade of red, “what?” She blurted out, flushed. He was flirting way more than usual lately.Rhode chuckled. He admitted to himself that he did things intentionally so he could see Megan turn a bright shade of pink. He loved watching the stoic Megan Brighton getting all flustered.“You always tease me.” She said, plopping down on her bed, pouting.“I’m not teasing, my queen. I did miss you.” Rhode said, taking a seat at her vanity, where he had sat earlier.“I know I’ve asked this before but, how are you? Do you like it here? Do you like your room?” He paused, “Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?”Megan smiled. He really was mindful of her.“You don’t have to worry so much about me, Rhode.” “I am very comfortable.” Megan paused, “Although, I can’t determine how things will be after the wedding.”“That is true. Nonetheless, I’m sure they would love you.” Rhode said, very sure.“They?” Megan asked, unsure of who he was referring to.“Your
Rhode never opened the letter because he had no plans on ever getting married and thought that the letter would be filled with advice he was never going to have any use for. However, after he decided on his mission to the East all those months ago, he started to think that maybe he would have use for the letter after all.His plan did involve wooing Megan Brighton but a part of him did not believe he would be able to pull it off. She was married to her mate after all.Who would have thought?He broke the seal and opened the letter, met face to face with his brother’s nostalgic handwriting.He had often gone back to reread the other letters, which were helpful tips on how to be king, not that he took most of the advice. He and Michael had different ways of doing everything. It was the thought that Michael put into writing them, despite how ill he must have been that warmed his heart.Michael knew that Rhode would find the box.I’m writing this last because knowing you, you would probab
Brianna did her best to hide the surprise she was sure was evident on her face, “sir Brian.” “Hello my lady, do you have a moment?” Brian asked her. She looked into the room to see Rosetta raising two thumbs to her, giving her the go ahead. “Okay.” Brianna breathed, closing the door behind her. The two walked down the hall and took a left turn down to the palace grounds. “I wanted to see you,” Brian started, “It troubled me that it seemed like we left on a bad foot earlier today.” “Oh.” Brianna said softly. She did not think he noticed. “Yes, I meant it when I said I would like us to be friends. I hate having misunderstandings.” Friends. That was the only word that rang in Brianna’s ears. Were they friends? “I understand Sir Brian. I did feel someway seeing you flinch at me but I now realize that you probably do not like it when people touch you. I should have asked before reaching for you.” Brianna said simply. For some reason she felt really flushed despite the fact that th
Richardson got up quickly from the floor which had been his bed since the day of the divorce. He unlocked the door and rushed outside. He was met face to face with Lord Anthony, his chief advisor.He thought there would at least be a few people at the door but it was just Lord Anthony. The one person he really did not want to see.“Your majesty…” Lord Anthony began. He always wore such a stern and strict look on his face. Richardson could swear that he had never seen him crack a smile. Voluntarily or involuntarily.“Good… day, Lord Anthony.” He said, unsure of what time it was.“I cannot believe I had to lie that something is wrong with the mother of your child to get you to leave your chambers, my king. It has been two d
The sound of Megan screaming was almost deafening. Rhode shut his eyes immediately, “I apologize!” He said, taking a step, then another backwards until he was out of the room. As he shut the door, he said “I promise, I did not see anything.”Inside the room, Megan was flushed. Truth was, she wasn’t undressed or improperly dressed. She was standing in front of her new vanity and taught to decorate her hair with what was left of the flowers. She had just started to realize how ridiculous it looked and was about to take them out when the door flew open.She looked at herself in the mirror, cupping her face, “did he really not see anything?”She sighed and reached for the first flower petal sticking out and laughed at herself. She never thought to do anything this silly when she