Levyndrion was sitting in his study room with a worried look.
"My lord, her highness the Queen is here" informed Afenel outside the closed doors, Levyndrion let out a sigh "Let her in" he uttered and soon the door was pushed open, Audrey walked in and bowed when she was standing before him, "You called for me sire" she said with a calmed tone and a bright smile, however what the man did next rendered her speechless. He got up from his seat and without a word he engulfed her into a tight hug, she gasped surprised by the sudden closeness 'and why was her heart beating so first? No! Why would he hug her?' she thought, Afenel excused himself his place is by the closed doors and not here.
Audrey felt jolts as he kept pulling her closer to him, 'Heh! Now what is this? Aargh! I can't breathe!' she couldn't fathom what was happening to her and this man here.
He pulled away and started to inspect her "Are you hurt anywhere? No! Are you okay Rey?" his worried face was visible how much he cared for her, she smiled shocking the man, "You! how could you smile after what happened to you?" his blank face surfaced, he is aware of her cousin being small witted at times but not at such serious matters too.
"Calm down Levy .... I mean I am standing before you" she eyed herself to ensure him, so the man took a step back from her, she clenched her dress longing for his warmth, he is actually distancing himself from her? she felt hurt. Seems like she was wrong to think that this man cared about her but not really, he only cared about their relationships and political wise and not her! 'What were you thinking dummy' she scolded herself within her, so thus is how it's going to be? This is how they are going to live indeed! she lowered her head down 'What were you expecting Rey?'.
"I am truly sorry for what happened to you, I'm glad that you are okay Rey, I'll look into it and punish whoever dared to attack you" his duty tone made her feel distant from him, 'This man here was just fulfilling his duties and so you should follow his steps! Stop day dreaming!'. Levy was standing by the official table, she smiled bitterly "Thank you your Majesty" even she wanted so bad to know who did so and if she wants to live longer within this massive Palace then she has to figure out and be wary of her veiled enemies, just like how her parents taught her .... she has to be careful.
"I would like you to meet someone" his words picked her interests pulling her from her train of thoughts, he then slid one of the walls behind his majestic chair, she watched every single movement of his "Come out" he ordered and a dress came out first before she could clearly step out.
Her heart skipped a beat, it's her! she screamed within her, wait a minute..... was this man going to introduce his concubine to her? she felt a tinge of pain on her throat that even swallowing was hard. Even if he doesn't love me, does he have to do this? Does he think i have a stone instead of a heart? she was whining within her non stop, this wasn't necessary at all. Haven't they met already at the grand halls! Huh!. she blinked her eyes quickly burying her hot tears not to ashame herself, she can't cry here! just not before her.
"This is Acine....." he paused holding her hand lovingly pulling her closer to him, 'Yeah! Yeah! your so called lover I know!' she bit the inside of her cheeks rolling her eyes in her imagination. However the man was hellbent to show off his woman to her, he continued "My woman" ... 'His ... what?' Audrey clenched her dress behind her dress but kept her cool , 'You are so cruel!' she yelled inside her mind cursing him with every bad word that she knows.
However her lips were plastered with a smile permanently at the moment, the next words made her smile flatter and her heart shattered, this was too much! "Acine.... this is the Queen of Ximpton and a sister to me" he blatantly state the words not even caring about her feelings at all, like hello I am still a woman too and I have a heart! I feel too!. "I hope you two to get along in the future" the woman was grinning widely beside him, while she was clenching her hands so much that she think would be shed blood anytime soon. 'I hope so too! and what a sister? Of all people ... his sister? for heaven sake who marries their sisters?' she roared and felt like running away from here, she was never insulted like thus before, never! . That woman's weird smile was making her even more disgusted and angered 'Control Rey! Control!' she has to calm down or else she would do the craziest unimaginable things.
"Of course! I would love to" liar! you would to strangle her maybe for giving you an attitude as if she owns a world instead of getting along with her, Audrey smiled. "Me too my Queen" Acine retorted returning that charming smile annoying her further becauseshe knew she knew she was putting an act too, and there was no need for it.
"Erm.... your Majesty I'll excuse myself now, it's been a long day"
It was an excuse to get away from all of these pain before her, how could he do this? .
"Oh ... you still need to rest Rey, you are excused" at his words, he didn't even spare a glance at her, his eyes were glued on his concubine. 'I ... I can't take this anymore!' she didn't even bother to bow and just dashed out if the room before her sanity could loose out. Her smile was gone and her hurt self took control, she halted once the doors was shut with the two of them inside.
"Are you happy now? See you are worried for nothing... how many times do I have to tell you that you own my heart?" she heard Levy's words, she clutched onto her chest huffing and almost fell down but someone was fastvto catch her. "Your highness! Are you Okay?" came a deep voice, she lifted her head to thank whoever it was, tears rolled down her cheeks as she kept blinking. Aaah.... another blank face? she said within her mind feeling even more angered, she got herself out of his hold and wiped her tears "I am fine!" she shouted and walked away with two guards behind her.
Afenel was thinking what was his fault in this?. He watched her back as it disappears on the corner of the dimly litted corridors and sighed. "This is just the beginning my Queen" he mumbled.
Audrey pushed the doors in anger and screamed her lungs out and her hairs slowly became red, she was angry. Annie was shocked to see her in such situation when she left very lively. "My lady! What happened to you? Why so much anger?" she was very worried and curious, Audrey's nostrils flared, "He told her I am her sister! how could he do that?" she fell down a floor in tears. "Wait a minute! you met her there? that's cruel!" she felt very sorry for her, Annie went down to her knees and pulled her for a hug, "I am so sorry Audrey" she said patting her red hairs, she just came from a life and death battle! she didn't even get to relax or tend to her aching body and went straight to the grand halls and now what? He was too evil to introduce his concubine to his wife really? Is he crazy! who does that? Annie was burning with anger as well.
"She .... she asked him to do it" she said her voice cracking with her sobs, Annie was now enraged by the new piece of information "Wow! just wow! that woman must be cunning after all! she wanted to show you her place to the King, how cunning!" she was very angry.
That woman was showing Audrey her place, even if she is the Queen of Ximpton ... she is the Queen of his heart, such a sly fox!. Audrey pulled away from the hug and wiped her tears, "I can't get swayed by her, I just can't! Annie I didn't come here for her, I didn't come here to have his heart either!" she said determined with her teary eyes. "Yes! Yes my Queen! you have more important things to do than staining yiur heart for that cunning woman!" she supported and it was the truth, she didn't come to Ximpton for them.
After several minutes of calming herself down Annie got up "Now... you should change , I prepared a warm bathe for you, thanks to this old woman called Maria, she is so kind" she bubbler her way helping her up too.
"Maria?" the name seems not new to her, Annie hummed taking her to the bathe chamber "She even said to look for her if I need anything" Audrey dipped her body I'm the tub feeling relaxed in the warm water, she closed her eyes relaxing her chaotic mind.
"However, I wonder if that stupid coachman would be able to relay the news to your father, he is useless" she was gently scrubbing her skin, they had a very long and tiring day. "He will stop worrying too much, my father would be enraged though" she said not opening her eyes. If her father get the wind of these news then .... he could do would do whatever it takes to catch them, and about the aftermath... they won't have an easy death for sure. She sent back the coachman so that her father could help her out with finding the perpetrators.
'Once you know your enemies, you'll get to know how to leave with them' ..... ' A sister and the Queen of Ximpton huh!? I'll be just that! watch me! .
She was here for a reason she can't be moved around by a mare concubines presence. When she first saw her ..... she was calm and and always smiling but there was a sly and cunning fox behind that beautiful Acine's face and she wasn't even hiding that from her.
Thanks to heaven that she heard Levy's words before she left back there, now she knows exactly how live with her.
As a custom the King has to sleep with his Queen tonight so they could consummate their first night.
But Audrey wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't show up, she can tell where he is right now and with who, she a her dinner and laid down on her wide bed, her red hairs had now turned back to their normal colour .... black, she closed her eyes.
Annietta blew out the candles before heading to her own room which was not too far from here.