His Troubled Mind
King Alcott’s eyes widened. A crystal chandelier was the first thing he saw. The room he was in was not the one he always woke up in. The woman who slept peacefully next to him was not the same woman with whom he had slept every day for more than two years. The king closed his eyes, squeezing them tight. He was tired, and last night was exhausting, physically and mentally. With all his willpower, the king sat up and left the bed where he joined his new bride. Naked, he walked to the window and observed the beauty of the sunrise, but his mind did not share the same sentiment.
A heavy rock oppressed his heart, clouding his thoughts. The king sighed and bowed his head. In his many encounters with death, and after having conquered entire cities, the king had not been as afraid as he is today. The fear of what his beloved queen might tell him, or do, was killing him. Alcott, steeling himself, went in search of his clothes, which were scattered all over the place. After dressing to the best of his ability without the help of his servants, he headed for the door. But before leaving, he took one last look at the beautiful woman who was on the bed without moving.
Helplessly, he recalled the intense battle that lasted all night. This woman is a wild animal in bed. Alcott’s hand went to his other arm, then to his neck. The marks of passion were not only visible but felt. The king thought that if he continued at this pace, his queen would never receive him in her bed again. The horror of this revelation made his legs shake.
Closing his mind to this possibility, the king opened the door and practically ran out. The corridor was empty, save for two of his most loyal royal guards. Alcott didn’t bother to say anything but continued on his way until he reached his royal chambers, where his queen was waiting for him. He stopped in front of the door, head down. His fists were unclenching and clenching. The distraught guards could hear the sound of fingers snapping. The king did not dare to raise his hand to open the door. His limbs simply did not respond to him.
“Your majesty, your majesty.” And as if coming out of a trance, Alcott faced the guard who dared to interrupt his thoughts. “What,” he replied in a bad tone. The guard, seeing the angry look of the king, thought once more. But hesitating in his right judgment, he continued, “Your Majesty, forgive my intrusion, but the queen is not in the royal room.”
“WHAT?” Alcott, incredulous, and surprised, snapped back.
“The queen, last night......” But Alcott didn’t let him finish, as the strength he had lost in his arms a few moments ago returned in abundance. The door practically flew off, and within seconds, King Alcott was inside. “Amberjill,” the king yelled, frantically searching everywhere for his queen. Not finding her, he turned his wild gaze on his guards. They, seeing their king like this, trembled. Alcott took long, menacing strides toward them. The guard who had dared to speak a few minutes ago was his target. Grasping him tightly by the shoulders, the king demanded, “Where is my queen.” The king’s face was inches from the guard’s, intimidating him more than necessary.
“Your, your ma-j-jesty. The queen thought it would be better to give you space. She decided that another room for her would be the best option.” Hearing that, the king looked back into the room. In his fervour to see his queen, he didn’t notice that the room was half empty. The queen’s objects that share the space with his were gone. His heart is getting smaller, making his chest ache. Somewhat calmed down, the king said, “Where is the queen?”
“Our queen is in the last room of this corridor.” The other guard responded promptly. Alcott released the unfortunate guard’s shoulders and nodded his head. The king started to walk towards his queen’s room when a voice stopped him. “Your Majesty, I don’t think the queen will receive your image well under these conditions. The humble opinion of your servant is that you clean yourself first, and change your clothes.” The king, recognizing that voice, faced his spy, Shadow. After hearing the truth in his words, he nodded his head and entered his quarters.
“Prepare the royal bath. Immediately.” Shadow ordered. The guards, in a hurry, left to fulfil their obligation.
Shadow entered the royal room and saw the king watching through the window without moving. He sighed and moved closer to him. “We need to talk. Your prediction turned out to be true. An envoy from the queen left for the kingdom of Ruana. She left the castle today, very early in the morning.”
“Yes, just as I thought it would happen.” The king answered without turning around. “And if what I also thought about the queen is true, then….” Alcott couldn’t finish his sentence, as a lump in his throat prevented him from speaking. “Don’t get too far ahead, Your Majesty. You have to give the queen some credit. She could give her life for you. I’m sure her love will be bigger than this situation. Remember one fundamental thing about the king. You are allowed to have more than one wife. The kingdom of Ruana will not give you trouble. There are no grounds on which they justify an attack or the termination of political and commercial relations.”
The king smiled slightly, “you are very optimistic, Shadow, but I’m not concerned with what the king of Ruana does or doesn’t do. It’s my queen I’m worried about.” Alcott closed his eyes, remembering the day he had asked for Amberjill’s hand in marriage. “You are the most beautiful flower my eyes have ever seen. If you marry me, my body and heart will only belong to you. You will be the first, and the only one.”
