Chapter Eighteen: the voice in my head
Jamie walked behind Rosemund. Her new sister was doing that thing royalty does, when they intentionally keep their opinions to themselves while they judge tremendously in their mind.
Jamie didn't mind, really. The princess had midnight black hair just like Jamie except Jamie knew the princess's hair was natural unlike her. She was a slender girl with a wasp shaped waist and a shoulder that doesn't slouch when she walked. Her posture was upright and her neck was elevated in a princely manner.
Jamie figured she was in the perfect beauty range. The knights walked behind them with their hands on their swords in the case of a sudden attack.
Jamie found their presence bothersome and it made her walk a little less enjoyable. Jamie was lost in her thoughts and she almost plunged into the princess when Rosemund stop abruptly midway through their walk in the forest.
"You don't talk much, do you her Majesty?" Princess Rosemund asked the mute Queen.
"Not particularly, Her Royal Highness" Jamie wanted to be as blunt as possible. No one has ever accused her of being a great conversationalist. "I like the quietness of my mind. I can hold a conversation with myself if I deem myself bored"
"Isn't that what lunatics do? Talk to themselves, her Majesty?" Rosemund looked surprised. She thought that a girl with so many flaws would have the decency of keeping them to herself and pretend to give the appearance of decency but It seemed this Queen didn't bother to cover up her flaws. It was quite the opposite, it seems.
Rosemund really wanted to know Jamie's response to her, likening her to a lunatic.
"Aren't we all lunatics in more ways than one, her Royal Highness? Some just hide it better than most, that's all." Jamie figured the young princess would simply hid her offense at being called a lunatic and proceed to make an off remark about the weather to change the subject. Most noble ladies Jamie knew did. But Rosemund surprised her.
"I have surprised myself, Queen Janessa but I am pushed to agree with you." Rosemund answered.
"Really! That makes me happy, Princess Rosemund" Jamie beamed. She was someone Jamie wants to make an effort to know.
"Of course, it helps explain why my brother would take another Namura maid as a bride even when the last one didn't turn out so well"
Jamie was fast to assume that Rosemund wanted to be an ally but she may have spoken too soon.
"The last one's name is Arabella. She is the sweet sister, you see. She gave up her claim to the throne to be your Queen. It's unfortunate, she ran away but I am almost certain she had a good reason. And me, I am not just any maid. I am a princess of Namura. And your brother is honored to be my groom, ask him if you don't believe me, Her Royal Highness"
Jamie smiled even though she found the little princess's attitude overbearing and rude but Aradale was her home and she couldn't fault her for trying to protect her brother. Both young lady's resumed walking, in silence too.
Alexander was on his back in his chambers. He knew that by now, Queen Eileen of Koi would have gotten his apology, it was either she was relieved that he spared her head or enraged he turned down her marriage proposal. Alexander knew he would get his answer by dusk that day.
His mind hooped from one thing to the other. Mostly, he made a mental note to send the hand of one of the illegitimate sons of the king of Undrenah to the king as a show of seriousness.
The King of Undrenah had attracted Alexander's attention when he captured two of his on duty patrolling knights, two days ago. All of Alexander's effort to resolve everything peaceful went unanswered. Alexander ordered for the capture of the illegitimate son of the King two hours after the unlawful capturing of his men.
And to show, he didn't want war.... even though Alexander could have easily killed the king's son, he didn't. He wanted peace and so he simply cut off the boy's left ear and shipped the body part to Undrenah kingdom.
The message he attached says return my men unharmed and I will spare your son. Refuse and I will ship his body to Undrenah.
So far, king Alexander had yet to see his men. He may have to go to war with the most powerful kingdom in the northern hemisphere.
Help!
A voice crept up inside Alexander's mind, at first he thought it belonged to his wolf, Max. But the voice was too frightened and it seemed like....the owner was running.
Help me!!
Alexander stood upright, there might have been a possibility of imagining the first cry for help but the second was so clear and close, he could touch it.
"Did you hear that, Max?" Alexander asked.
"Yes. What is going on, his Highness?" Max was curious too. For as long as possible, he was the only one that could speak to Alexander's mind. They can have a fight, tell a joke or do countless things without uttering a word.
Help! Please, they are going to kill me!
"Where are you?" Max asked the voice.
Near the River by the king's forest....hurry, they are going to kill me!
Immediately, Alexander heard the voice mention the king's Forrest, he moved with such speed that even the table he knocked over had no chance at recovering. The sound thing was for the king of Aradale to mobilize his personal knights but he had no patience for that particular rule at the moment. His sister and his Queen, were currently in the king's Forest.
Alexander dashed out in a hurry, his lead knight was never far from him yet even as they both walked, Alexander barely had time to order him to send extra knights to the forest before he rode off on the Arabian horse. Leaving his lead knight torn between choosing to do his duty and following the king's order. It was an impossible choice.