Princess Amberjill has returned
“Welcome Princess.”
“It’s an honour to have you back.”
“Your Majesty, if you need anything, it will be my pleasure to provide.”
King Alcott and his wife Amberjill were welcomed by the castle servants, who lined up to see their princess again.
Amberijil did not stop for an instant the display of affection that the people of Ruana still had for her. Her smile was genuine because she returns home. She greeted her servants personally, all eager to remind the princess of brief moments in the castle as she grew up, as Amberjill knew each one of them. Their princess was magnificent in his eyes.
Rumours of her being dethroned were surely being shouted not only in Mahala or Ruana but in the surrounding kingdoms. However, her people cared little. Since they knew who she was and how she had always taken care of her subjects. She was in paradise.
But for King Alcott, it was like entering a Twilight Zone. The reception of the Ruana people never ceased to amaze him. Not only was their appearance entirely different from his race but the familiarity and way of behaving with their rulers.
Seeing the rows of servants piling up to get a glimpse of his beloved Amberjill, he at first thought it was protocol. But it wasn’t. The fervour in which people crowded together, making space between them so that they could have a brief glimpse of their princess, wasn’t forced. The king’s impression was that this display seemed more like a gigantic family than a ruler-and-ruled relationship.
King Alcott had a lot to learn, as his kingdom was not even close to what he is witnessing right now. Their power grew, but their society remained archaic, with useless practices.
King Alcott put his thoughts aside when he saw the length of the corridor they were walking. If Amberjill continued to wave each of her subjects hand to hand, they would reach their quarters by the end of the afternoon.
“Hush, Hush, folks, you’ll have a chance to chat with my daughter latter, since we’ll have her for a while. Meanwhile, let the couple settle. It’s been a long journey, and I’m surely freshening up is what they want most. And not hear old stories about who baked her first birthday cake, who taught her how to ride, or who gave her first pet.”
King Lucian rightly said, causing the discontent of his people. But they all knew that this was the truth and that their princess needed to rest. King Alcott agreed with this, silently thanking King Lucian for his good sense.
Without further delay, the king led the couple to their chambers, which they were going to occupy throughout their stay.
He personally opened the door, and let them in, but before Amberjill could say anything, he kissed her on the cheek and smiled at her. Saying nothing, he turned around, closing the door behind him.
Amberjill and Alcott were silent, in an unpleasant and annoying silence. And to avoid the awkwardness, she began to go around the place, feigning interest in the decoration, avoiding meeting her husband’s eyes. However, this didn’t last long, as Alcott grabbed her by the waist from behind, drawing an unexpected sigh from her.
The king’s face was immersed in his wife’s silver hair, breathing in her jasmine scent. Amberjill, for her part, stayed, motionless, not wanting to participate in anything her husband was thinking. Since they continue around this sick circle until she loses her sense of things and lets herself be carried away by the flow. King Alcott was capable of turning her most aggressive and determined thoughts into purée.
“My beloved Amberjill, do not be angry with me, your silence hurts me.” What she thought seconds ago, about his powers over her, was the truth. Anything coming out of her king’s mouth would be lethal to her conscience, reducing her to serving him unquestioningly regardless of his transgressions.
Alcott turned his wife by the shoulders, to face him. His beloved’s electric blue eyes were shining with who knows what kind of thoughts. The king considered at that moment that it was time to make things clear and to tell her in a measured way what was happening.
What he was going to do was quite difficult, since he didn’t know where to start, but on reflection, he had a perfect idea.
Alcott led his wife to the bed and the two of them sat down. The king took his wife’s hand, and making sure Amberjill had her full attention on him, the king said, “The child Lady Abba is carrying is not mine.”
His beloved’s face remained unchanged. Alcott thought she hadn’t heard him right, so he repeated, “That baby isn’t mine.” But it wasn’t that Amberjill hadn’t heard it, rather this information came like a tornado, hitting her senses, and stunning her.
“I have to confess something to you, my queen. Lady Abba has never been on my mind, let alone my heart. You are the only woman in my eyes who deserve the title of my wife, queen, and mother of my children.”
The king looked at his beloved with nervousness. The almost imperceptible throbbing nerve of one of her eyes was the only sign the king had of knowing that his wife had not turned to stone and that she was listening to him.
Alcott took her hand and kissed it, without taking his gaze from his wife’s for a single moment, he continued, “I never gave my seeds to her, they are only for you, my love. She was already with child. The nobles insisted on this marriage, in a forced way, and without giving me a chance to defend myself. If I had acted without thinking, guided by my desires, I would have put my leadership in the balance. Risking the crown itself. ”
Alcott wasn’t sure how Amberjill was processing it all, and he feared that the information she had so carefully kept secret was too much for her.
But finally, a tear falls from his beloved’s eye, giving rise to another, until her face is covered by a torrent of tears.
Amberjill flung herself into her lover’s chest, weeping uncontrollably for all she had believed and assumed. The king, despondent, held his queen tightly, crying internally along with her.
