“My lady,” Mary’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She was back to the very harsh reality. Although she was married to Rhode’s late brother, she always felt that as long as Rhode remained unmarried, she could bear not being with him. As long as no other woman got to have him, she was okay.
She was shattered by the news of her husband succumbing to his illness, she was a widow at 28 years. She was not going to be queen anymore and that was what her father cared about most in the world.
A grieving widow, she was surprised to be told to remain in the palace, afterall the throne was now empty and the next in line was Rhode. There was no way Rhode was going to marry her. He had already rejected her.
“You will marry his brother, Rhode.” Her father said to her on one of the many pa
“Right away my lady.” Lily rushed into the bathroom and Mirabel took a seat, waiting for her to prepare the bath.She took a deep sigh. Her father had basically abandoned her when Rhode told him to never speak of her marrying him again.She thought her father wanted nothing to do with her. She was now unimportant and although it hurt, Mirabel had peace for the first time in her life. She was a disappointment but she did not mind.Being summoned means she has a role to play in his cruel game again. She was going to be a pawn again and honestly, she was tired.“Your bath is ready, my…my lady.” Lily stuttered.Mirabel got up and took a quick bath. Since he
Mirabel approached the mansion, heart pounding in her chest. Children who grew up in a normal, functioning family would be glad to return home after so long but all Mirabel wanted to do was run away. Run away from the West if possible but she didn’t even have the strength to do so.The doorman opened the door and she entered the mansion, heading for the balcony where her parents always sat.She didn’t miss the lack of ceramic in the hallway. He must have broken them all. He would never change.She walked towards the balcony and as she entered she saw her mother and father. She had not seen them in months despite the fact that her father was a regular at the palace.“Mirabel, dear! How are you?” Her mother gleamed at her with that fake, plastic smi
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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