I sat on the opposite side of the table and looked at the king. He looked much older than he was when I met him more than a week ago.
'Why did you want to see me?'
A maid came by and dropped off a tea set and poured tea into two tea cups while the king looked sideways at the maid. It seems he wanted to wait until we were alone before we start our conversation.
The maid then bowed and left us alone in the garden once more. The king now looked at me with serious eyes, not a trace of the smile he greeted me with was present in his face.
'Elaine or should I call you Ellen? We never did discuss what I should call you by.'
'Elaine is fine. After all, I am technically her now.' I picked up the tea and took a sip.
'Elaine then. There is much that I need to discuss with you, I assume you have heard of the flood from the east?'
So this was what the king wanted to talk to me about. This is good then, I can tell the king that I want to help out with the flood and in turn he might have to owe me a favor.
'Of course, what about it?' I put down the cup of tea in my hand getting serious as well.
'What you don't know is that this was no natural disaster. Someone caused this flood using magic.'
Is he serious? A flood of this magnitude was done by someone using magic? Who would want to do such a thing and why? There are too many questions running in my head right now.
'I can see you are confused, let me explain. I sent out some soldiers to help bury the bodies of the dead, but in reality they were sent to examine the flood wreckage. Along with those soldiers I sent the court magician who concluded that the flood was not caused by natural causes, but a person had done great magic to cause said flood.
'Whoever caused it has great power, one comparable to my own. Whoever it was we don't know why they did it and what they will do next. The reason I wanted to talk to you today was to warn you. Whoever this person is seems to be targeting the kingdom and as the future queen you might also be in danger. I have told Alex about this matter as well. You must keep yourself safe, lady Elaine.'
This is concerning. I don't know if my life really is in danger, but I have to be more cautious with the people around me from now on, just to be safe.
'I understand. Thank you for the warning your majesty.'
He nodded at my thank you and turned to take a sip of his tea. For someone who had caused Elaine's death he certainly was kind enough to warn me of danger. I don't know if I should keep hating him for what he did to Elaine, but perhaps he really did feel guilty about Elaine's death.
I'm still not ready to forgive him, but I will hear him out. I also need to talk to him about Oliver helping out with the flood.
'Your majesty, I have something to tell you,' I then proceeded to tell him that Oliver would be more than happy to help rebuild the destroyed towns and homes. I also told him to send some of his soldiers and the Castelle's family servants to help rebuild the homes of the refugees.
'Looks like you are queen material after all,' he said while giving me a smile.
'I thought you didn't want to be queen.'
I was quiet at his words. It is true that I had once denied to help him rule this kingdom, after all what could a girl like me possibly do to benefit this kingdom. But I am just doing this in the hopes that the king will be grateful for our family's help that he will feel he owes me a favor that can be repaired at a later date.
I let out a small sigh.
'I am doing this for my benefit as well. In exchange for our family's help in this matter you will owe me a favor in the future, does that sound agreeable to you?'
The king then let out a small chuckle. It seems he already knew my intentions before I had said them.
'Yes that will be fine. With all the trouble I put you through, a favor will be the least I could do for you.'
That is true, he did owe me or Elaine in that matter.
Afterwards we finished the tea, the king put down his cup and turned his head to have a look at the garden around us.
'Beautiful isn't it?', what was he trying to do now? What is the importance of the beauty of a few flowers?
I stayed quiet. He got up from his seat and walked around with a cane in his hand. He then approached a purple flower on the ground.
'This is an iris, they are said to represent hope,' he then picked up the flower from the ground.
'But hope can easily be destroyed, don't you think?'
I don't know what he wants me to say at this point. As an orphan, I have not had much hope in my life. Everything I gained was through my own hard work none of them through luck.
'I place my hope in you that you can take care of this kingdom when I am gone,' he let go of the flower in his hand which fell to the ground softly as if it wasn't going to wilt in the next day.
'You Ellen, no Elaine. You are my last hope.'