" Enough Edward", Duke Alfred said to the King calmly as he aimed to get off his knees but he was immediately pushed back to the ground by the guards.
"Alfred", Former Duchess Elizabeth yelled out on seeing this. She and Lorena had not been informed and they had only been passing by but it was enough to hear the King say he wanted Samaira's hand in marriage.
Elizabeth and Lorena stood by the door neither too close nor too near as they watched with horrid faces what was going on... how could the King do this to Alfred? What could he have done? thought Elizabeth.
" Your majesty" Niklaus stated a little bit shocked that the King actually wanted a younger lady's hand in marriage, definitely he must have heard wrong but the expression on all faces stated otherwise.
" But Father", Dino started only to be cut short by the King with a single look. " Not now Dino", King Edward stated softly before turning to face the others.
" I believe this conversation only holds Samaira and me as the main characters, you all are spectators and I only need to hear her voice", he said in a loud and clear voice which went through the ears of all present in the room whilst he stared intently at Sam.
Samaira, who had been in confusion with the theories in her head stared up at him with her light brown eyes, the look of shock visible on her face and in them.
" Is this some sort of joke?", she asked staring blankly at everybody present, a smile had started appearing on her face as she hoped she had figured it out.
" You all must be playing some game with me", she said staring between faces.. and with every face she met, it was either confusion, tiredness and shock that she saw.
Her eyes rested back on the King and the smile which had started to appear on her face slowly faded. " So it is not", she deadpanned in a low voice as if reality was now dawning on her.
" Why would you even consider my proposal to you a joke?", the King suddenly exclaimed in a calm voice not the least bit annoyed, causing her to subconsciously pay attention to him.
" I had spoken to your father like a real gentleman would and I had directly asked for your hand in marriage because I wanted to do it the right way", the King said, his voice slowly rising, sparing a glance at Alfred who turned to him and scoffed as well.
Refocusing his gaze on Sam, King Edward continued, " And not only did he blatantly refuse me, he yelled outrageously as well, as though we had suddenly become one in status", he angrily stated the last words truly hurt by Alfred's continuous indifference.
" You are a Ray of hope to me Al... Samaira... trust me", King Edward stated once more but Alfred words suddenly stopped him from going on.
" Stop feeding everyone lies because the truth is that you consider my Daughter to be Alicia...bitter truth Edward is that she is not" Alfred said with a hint of anger in his voice... it seemed as though he had suddenly grown immense hatred for the King.
" I do not consider Samaira to be Alicia", King Edward said in a half yelling manner, talking in regards to his former love, the one who made him the incomplete man he was today.
" I do not care who or what you consider me as", Sam suddenly voiced amidst the tension in the room... at this rate, everybody had truly become a spectator, wanting to know the entire truth about the matter.
Lynnette who had simply encouraged Sam to believe otherwise lastnight was staring at the King with both confusion and irritation.
How could he, who was twice Sam's age, claim to have suddenly fallen in love... it was more than shameful but irritable.
She watched her father and mother walk in honorably... more spectators... she saw her father's gaze reach hers but before he could communicate with her through his eyes to tell her to leave, she quickly turned away as though she had not seen him.
Taking in a deep breath, Sam closed and opened her eyes, coming in contact with the King's dull grey ones before letting the air out.
" I do not care who you consider me as because I do not even wish to marry... not to you... not to anyone else... ", she stated, raising her voice a little higher hoping to get her words across.
" To me, Samaira Roberts, it is nothing more but a waste of time, an investment in which women enter into and they are thereby forced to invest, invest and Invest with no gain whatsoever and I.... do not intend on wasting my time", she said once more, in a matter of fact tone.
" Sam...", Lorena called out hoping to get through to her but Sam quickly turned to her sending her a glare unintentionally.
" Do not Sam me Mama, I intend to get my point across", Sam replied with a little impatience, she truly felt the King needed to understand that no matter what he does, she would never accept his proposal and not just his... anyone who also feels like they should offer.
" The ambitions, the drive, the outspokenness, these are all the qualities I search for in a woman... otherwise I wouldn't have Six wives", the King began with a simple smile on his face.
Dino stared at his father wondering where he was going with this.
From the looks of things, Samaira had already decided that absolutely nothing would change her mind... she even gave her own definition of marriage, meaning it had long been decided so why was he going on?
He had never seen his father like this, this love sick, not even once and he was deeply concerned.
" I stopped looking when none could provide the qualities I searched for and that was many years ago, but now, you are the epitome of everything I need and.... considering how long I have had to wait, it will never be possible to watch you walk away", the King stated still with a small smile, but his mannerism were slightly overbearing causing Alfred to curl his fists in passive anger.
" I know you have dreams, you are unlike the others but believe me I can offer you the world on a silver platter, I am even ready to help you with your dreams and all you have to do is say yes, Yes", King Edward continued and Sam stared at him with a thoughtful look.
" Yes, you surely can give me the world, but my dreams is against people like you so how can you help me with my dreams, my answer remains No..... Your majesty", she stated almost emotionlessly before turning away from him.
She took in another deep breath, she was starting to feel drained and to think that all this could have been avoided if she had stayed home, she suddenly wished the rain had fallen heavier that day, then she would have stayed home no matter what.
" Children, falling into love, the decisions you would have to make all for the betterment of others....NO, I am not ready to go through all that.
If anything I wish to live a little longer, stand firmly on my own before I even think of such and I wish to stand in my own pace and not under the supervision of anybody", Sam stated in a low voice not bothering to stare at the King.
She raised her head only to see the half empty room from before had suddenly been occupied by half of the nobles in the castle.
" Then you have forced my hand.... Samaira, and believe me I did not wish to result to this method", the King began but his voice made Sam feel annoyed and irritated, what sort of persistence is this?
" Your father....", he continued drawing the attention of Sam who finally turned to him and then her father.
" Has committed a crime by speaking out of place to I, the King and has also blatantly refused a request of mine even before he could hear me out and for that i sentence him to jail, for three months and he will be relieved of his title as my Duke in the process", the King softly ended his statement while Sam stared wide eyed at him.
Gasps followed suit after King Edward had stated his thoughts. Lady Elizabeth and Duchess Lorena were at a lost for words, the King was actually going to punish Duke Alfred, his friend from childhood.
Sam stared at the King with a shocked expression, she hadn't expected him to actually punish her father, was he punishing him because of her refusal? Her papa, the man of the moment did not even bother or look scared in the least, he still remained tight-fisted with a blank face.
" Or... You can chose to accept my proposal and then I will let go of the charges I hold against him", he said calmly and Sam found herself feeling dizzy.