Chapter 88: Eighty Eight: A Court Of Nine Kings And One Queen
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Chapter eighty eight: A court of nine Kings and one queen
Queen Eileen allowed herself to be readied by Rachael and her personal lady maid. The dress she choose was a ceremonial one, a pink rose dress with gold lace, pink and white stones with long wide sleeves that covered her hands and only left visibility to her long elegant fingertips.
As was the culture of her kingdom, her dress had a white belt made from real cords with tassels. her strawberry blonde hair was in a bun and her ceremonial crown perfectly fitted on it.
Eileen knew she had to wear the symbol of Koi. she picked up the moderately weighted mantle that had her symbol. It was going to be a long morning, trying to change the minds of nine kings or their representatives. It was time like this she wished she was in the same social circle as Queen Elise of Narva, the only other queen regnant in Derkal. Eileen had never even met the woman. Elise was a few years older but tales of how she takes knights and noblemen to her bed gave Eileen second thoughts about striking up a friendship.
She feared they wouldn't have anything to talk about.
"You look magnificent, your majesty"
Rachael couldn't hide her awe. Eileen was the most beautiful lady she had ever dressed before.
"Thank you, Rachael. You are excused"
Rachael bowed and headed for the door before she turned to Eileen to ask a question.
"Should I get a knight to walk Milady to the king's court?"
Rachael knew that if it was Queen Janessa, Alexander would walk her but with an unwed queen she was rather confused. It would be a shame if such a beautiful queen walked herself to the court without the company of a deserving man and it was against the rules of court.
"She is Queen regnant....she can walk herself if she wants to, the rules of your kingdom doesn't apply to Milady"
Tara was quick to defend her queen from the western maid that wouldn't mind her own business.
"Tara...be cordial. Thank you, Rachael but I can walk myself"
Rachael smiled briefly. Queen Eileen thanking her twice should have shook the very core of her being but being a lady's maid to someone as benevolent as Queen Janessa, a servant gets used to being thank. Rachael closed the door quietly as she returned to her quarters.
Eileen opened the door of her chambers and she froze momentarily. She couldn't make out his face but she could recognize that rigid back anywhere.
"Luther?" Her voice caressed his ears as he turned abruptly to face her.
Judd had never in his life seen such blinding beauty. The pink and white lace dress made her look like a formidable goddess.
Judd blinked. No matter how much he thought of it, he couldn't figure out why someone as beautiful as Eileen of Koi would want an affair with him, when she could have a husband.
With her delicate feature, one can proudly and correctly say she wasn't lacking suitors. And she was Queen regnant and there was endless possibilities for any lad she chooses to be her Queen's consort. Yet she just wanted an affair from him and worst, she had a list!
"Luther, what are you doing here?"
Eileen's voice brought him back from the edge of his chaotic mind.
"Milady, I came to offer you my arm. May I walk you to the king's court?" Judd asked without taking his eyes off of her.
"Thank you Luther, it's sweet and kind of you to offer but I..."
A footstep interrupted Eileen and Judd. Judd could feel his whole body tense up with unspoken words and his hand went to his sword instinctively.
"Sir Judd, it's odd that we meet here"
"Freddie, I had no idea you were in the West" Judd's voice had an edge to it. The blue eyed man that stood in front of him bore resemblance he was reluctant to acknowledge. They had the same distinctive Jaw line but where Judd's face was oval and he had no moustache, Fredrick's was almost roundish with a perfectly well trimmed moustache.
"Do you know each other?" Eileen was puzzled.
"Yes" Fredrick was quick to answer "We do know each other, don't we cousin?"
"Unfortunately" Judd muttered under his breath.
Fredrick turned to face Eileen. He had a twinkle filled eyes.
"Your majesty, permit me to say how beautiful you are" Fredrick grabbed her hand and kissed it.
Eileen didn't fail to notice the tension between the cousins. Fredrick seemed more relaxed but Luther looked like he was barely keeping it together. She had no idea they knew each other when Frederick offered to be her companion for the day.
"I need to get to the king's court" Eileen said instead to his compliment. She wanted to be away from the dense atmosphere and unspoken family trauma. It was one of the pecks of an affair instead of a relationship. She didn't need every intimate detail of anybody's life.
"Shall we, your Majesty?" Frederick offered her his arm.
Judd looked like he would tip over and break something.
"He is your companion?" His voice was a little too cold.
"Yes. We should go now, sir Fredrick. Goodbye, Sir Judd"
Eileen took Fredrick's hand and they walked away. She was beginning to regret not walking by herself like she had done a thousand times.
"What was that all about?" She couldn't stop herself from asking sir Fredrick.
"Oh, you shouldn't pay any attention to my cousin's weird behavior. He just has a hard time forgetting" Frederick gave in a way of an answer.
"What was that all about?" Eileen asked again. And her voice indicated she wanted a straight answer.
"My cousin has a hard time forgetting. We were eighteen, we played a game. I won and he lost. He is a sore loser" Fredrick looked smug and unapologetic.
But Eileen knew one thing for sure. Luther didn't look like someone to hold on to a grudge over a failed game for years and mostly importantly, he doesn't look like a sore loser.
Alexander stood by the balcony with his brows pulled together. Unconsciously, he tapped his finger on the stone railing and he let his eyes wander on his kingdom.
The council was still arguing on the punishment for the men who attacked his Queen, when all he wanted to do was take their heads one by one.
Alexander was interrupted by footsteps. He turned to see Judd. His face was even more stoic and distressed.
"Waiting makes me less approachable.... what's your excuse, Lead knight? You are looking like an injured animal" Alexander stared at him for a moment before he returned his gaze to his kingdom.
Judd moved closer to be on the same standing plane with the King.
"I take it the council is still debating?" He asked instead.
"Yes, it's frustrating. Are you going to ignore my question?"
Judd sincerely wanted to but he was King and they weren't used to be ignored. He reckoned he could lie but lying takes an awful amount of energy he couldn't spare. And so he went with the ugly truth.
"Freddie is in Aradale" he muttered like he couldn't get the stench of the name out of his tongue.
"Your cousin, Fredrick? That is bad, isn't it?"
"Like a bag of worm" Judd agreed with Alexander.
"You are lead knight" Alexander told him like Judd forgot about it temporarily.
"I know that, your highness"
"Sir Fredrick is a knight also and if you want him gone from Aradale, then order him to leave"
Judd grunted. Alexander just reminded him of the dark corner of his mind he was trying to stop himself from going.
"I know! But I can't abuse my power like that for personal gain. I just...wish he would disappear to the coldest part of the west like last time" Judd hit his hand on the stone railing. He hit it again when he realized he just lost his temper in front of the king.
"I always knew you were the better man, Luther because if it was within my power to punish the men that hurt my wife, I would abuse that power. I would rip them apart limb by limb until there was nothing left. And the last time wasn't a coincidence, I ordered the rotation knight to put Fredrick as far from Aradale as possible"
Judd turned abruptly to meet his gaze. He didn't even know the king did that for him.
"You did? But...but why?" Judd couldn't stop himself from asking.
"Why not, Judd? You spend your day jumping in front of arrows and blades to protect me, the least I could do was make you don't have to see Fredrick everyday"
If Judd was a man that wears his emotions, Alexander would have seen how his statement affected him.
"I am sorry if my personal life interfered with my Job and you had to take care..."
"Judd, I didn't do it because your job was affected...I did something nice for you, don't make it weird!" Alexander was getting uncomfortable with emotional involvement of the conversation.
"Yes, your highness" And as an afterthought he added "thank you"
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Chapter eighty eight: A court of nine Kings and one queen
Queen Eileen allowed herself to be readied by Rachael and her personal lady maid. The dress she choose was a ceremonial one, a pink rose dress with gold lace, pink and white stones with long wide sleeves that covered her hands and only left visibility to her long elegant fingertips.
As was the culture of her kingdom, her dress had a white belt made from real cords with tassels. her strawberry blonde hair was in a bun and her ceremonial crown perfectly fitted on it.
Eileen knew she had to wear the symbol of Koi. she picked up the moderately weighted mantle that had her symbol. It was going to be a long morning, trying to change the minds of nine kings or their representatives. It was time like this she wished she was in the same social circle as Queen Elise of Narva, the only other queen regnant in Derkal. Eileen had never even met the woman. Elise was a few years older but tales of how she takes knights and noblemen to her bed gave Eileen second thoughts about striking up a friendship.
She feared they wouldn't have anything to talk about.
"You look magnificent, your majesty"
Rachael couldn't hide her awe. Eileen was the most beautiful lady she had ever dressed before.
"Thank you, Rachael. You are excused"
Rachael bowed and headed for the door before she turned to Eileen to ask a question.
"Should I get a knight to walk Milady to the king's court?"
Rachael knew that if it was Queen Janessa, Alexander would walk her but with an unwed queen she was rather confused. It would be a shame if such a beautiful queen walked herself to the court without the company of a deserving man and it was against the rules of court.
"She is Queen regnant....she can walk herself if she wants to, the rules of your kingdom doesn't apply to Milady"
Tara was quick to defend her queen from the western maid that wouldn't mind her own business.
"Tara...be cordial. Thank you, Rachael but I can walk myself"
Rachael smiled briefly. Queen Eileen thanking her twice should have shook the very core of her being but being a lady's maid to someone as benevolent as Queen Janessa, a servant gets used to being thank. Rachael closed the door quietly as she returned to her quarters.
Eileen opened the door of her chambers and she froze momentarily. She couldn't make out his face but she could recognize that rigid back anywhere.
"Luther?" Her voice caressed his ears as he turned abruptly to face her.
Judd had never in his life seen such blinding beauty. The pink and white lace dress made her look like a formidable goddess.
Judd blinked. No matter how much he thought of it, he couldn't figure out why someone as beautiful as Eileen of Koi would want an affair with him, when she could have a husband.
With her delicate feature, one can proudly and correctly say she wasn't lacking suitors. And she was Queen regnant and there was endless possibilities for any lad she chooses to be her Queen's consort. Yet she just wanted an affair from him and worst, she had a list!
"Luther, what are you doing here?"
Eileen's voice brought him back from the edge of his chaotic mind.
"Milady, I came to offer you my arm. May I walk you to the king's court?" Judd asked without taking his eyes off of her.
"Thank you Luther, it's sweet and kind of you to offer but I..."
A footstep interrupted Eileen and Judd. Judd could feel his whole body tense up with unspoken words and his hand went to his sword instinctively.
"Sir Judd, it's odd that we meet here"
"Freddie, I had no idea you were in the West" Judd's voice had an edge to it. The blue eyed man that stood in front of him bore resemblance he was reluctant to acknowledge. They had the same distinctive Jaw line but where Judd's face was oval and he had no moustache, Fredrick's was almost roundish with a perfectly well trimmed moustache.
"Do you know each other?" Eileen was puzzled.
"Yes" Fredrick was quick to answer "We do know each other, don't we cousin?"
"Unfortunately" Judd muttered under his breath.
Fredrick turned to face Eileen. He had a twinkle filled eyes.
"Your majesty, permit me to say how beautiful you are" Fredrick grabbed her hand and kissed it.
Eileen didn't fail to notice the tension between the cousins. Fredrick seemed more relaxed but Luther looked like he was barely keeping it together. She had no idea they knew each other when Frederick offered to be her companion for the day.
"I need to get to the king's court" Eileen said instead to his compliment. She wanted to be away from the dense atmosphere and unspoken family trauma. It was one of the pecks of an affair instead of a relationship. She didn't need every intimate detail of anybody's life.
"Shall we, your Majesty?" Frederick offered her his arm.
Judd looked like he would tip over and break something.
"He is your companion?" His voice was a little too cold.
"Yes. We should go now, sir Fredrick. Goodbye, Sir Judd"
Eileen took Fredrick's hand and they walked away. She was beginning to regret not walking by herself like she had done a thousand times.
"What was that all about?" She couldn't stop herself from asking sir Fredrick.
"Oh, you shouldn't pay any attention to my cousin's weird behavior. He just has a hard time forgetting" Frederick gave in a way of an answer.
"What was that all about?" Eileen asked again. And her voice indicated she wanted a straight answer.
"My cousin has a hard time forgetting. We were eighteen, we played a game. I won and he lost. He is a sore loser" Fredrick looked smug and unapologetic.
But Eileen knew one thing for sure. Luther didn't look like someone to hold on to a grudge over a failed game for years and mostly importantly, he doesn't look like a sore loser.
Alexander stood by the balcony with his brows pulled together. Unconsciously, he tapped his finger on the stone railing and he let his eyes wander on his kingdom.
The council was still arguing on the punishment for the men who attacked his Queen, when all he wanted to do was take their heads one by one.
Alexander was interrupted by footsteps. He turned to see Judd. His face was even more stoic and distressed.
"Waiting makes me less approachable.... what's your excuse, Lead knight? You are looking like an injured animal" Alexander stared at him for a moment before he returned his gaze to his kingdom.
Judd moved closer to be on the same standing plane with the King.
"I take it the council is still debating?" He asked instead.
"Yes, it's frustrating. Are you going to ignore my question?"
Judd sincerely wanted to but he was King and they weren't used to be ignored. He reckoned he could lie but lying takes an awful amount of energy he couldn't spare. And so he went with the ugly truth.
"Freddie is in Aradale" he muttered like he couldn't get the stench of the name out of his tongue.
"Your cousin, Fredrick? That is bad, isn't it?"
"Like a bag of worm" Judd agreed with Alexander.
"You are lead knight" Alexander told him like Judd forgot about it temporarily.
"I know that, your highness"
"Sir Fredrick is a knight also and if you want him gone from Aradale, then order him to leave"
Judd grunted. Alexander just reminded him of the dark corner of his mind he was trying to stop himself from going.
"I know! But I can't abuse my power like that for personal gain. I just...wish he would disappear to the coldest part of the west like last time" Judd hit his hand on the stone railing. He hit it again when he realized he just lost his temper in front of the king.
"I always knew you were the better man, Luther because if it was within my power to punish the men that hurt my wife, I would abuse that power. I would rip them apart limb by limb until there was nothing left. And the last time wasn't a coincidence, I ordered the rotation knight to put Fredrick as far from Aradale as possible"
Judd turned abruptly to meet his gaze. He didn't even know the king did that for him.
"You did? But...but why?" Judd couldn't stop himself from asking.
"Why not, Judd? You spend your day jumping in front of arrows and blades to protect me, the least I could do was make you don't have to see Fredrick everyday"
If Judd was a man that wears his emotions, Alexander would have seen how his statement affected him.
"I am sorry if my personal life interfered with my Job and you had to take care..."
"Judd, I didn't do it because your job was affected...I did something nice for you, don't make it weird!" Alexander was getting uncomfortable with emotional involvement of the conversation.
"Yes, your highness" And as an afterthought he added "thank you"
Chapter eighty eight: A court of nine Kings and one queenQueen Eileen allowed herself to be readied by Rachael and her personal lady maid. The dress she choose was a ceremonial one, a pink rose dress with gold lace, pink and white stones with long wide sleeves that covered her hands and only left visibility to her long elegant fingertips.As was the culture of her kingdom, her dress had a white belt made from real cords with tassels. her strawberry blonde hair was in a bun and her ceremonial crown perfectly fitted on it.Eileen knew she had to wear the symbol of Koi. she picked up the moderately weighted mantle that had her symbol. It was going to be a long morning, trying to change the minds of nine kings or their representatives. It was time like this she wished she was in the same social circle as Queen Elise of Narva, the only other queen regnant in Derkal. Eileen had never even met the woman. Elise was a few years older but tales of how she takes knights and noblemen to her bed gave Eileen second thoughts about striking up a friendship.She feared they wouldn't have anything to talk about."You look magnificent, your majesty"Rachael couldn't hide her awe. Eileen was the most beautiful lady she had ever dressed before."Thank you, Rachael. You are excused"Rachael bowed and headed for the door before she turned to Eileen to ask a question."Should I get a knight to walk Milady to the king's court?"Rachael knew that if it was Queen Janessa, Alexander would walk her but with an unwed queen she was rather confused. It would be a shame if such a beautiful queen walked herself to the court without the company of a deserving man and it was against the rules of court."She is Queen regnant....she can walk herself if she wants to, the rules of your kingdom doesn't apply to Milady"Tara was quick to defend her queen from the western maid that wouldn't mind her own business."Tara...be cordial. Thank you, Rachael but I can walk myself"Rachael smiled briefly. Queen Eileen thanking her twice should have shook the very core of her being but being a lady's maid to someone as benevolent as Queen Janessa, a servant gets used to being thank. Rachael closed the door quietly as she returned to her quarters.Eileen opened the door of her chambers and she froze momentarily. She couldn't make out his face but she could recognize that rigid back anywhere."Luther?" Her voice caressed his ears as he turned abruptly to face her.Judd had never in his life seen such blinding beauty. The pink and white lace dress made her look like a formidable goddess.Judd blinked. No matter how much he thought of it, he couldn't figure out why someone as beautiful as Eileen of Koi would want an affair with him, when she could have a husband.With her delicate feature, one can proudly and correctly say she wasn't lacking suitors. And she was Queen regnant and there was endless possibilities for any lad she chooses to be her Queen's consort. Yet she just wanted an affair from him and worst, she had a list!"Luther, what are you doing here?"Eileen's voice brought him back from the edge of his chaotic mind."Milady, I came to offer you my arm. May I walk you to the king's court?" Judd asked without taking his eyes off of her."Thank you Luther, it's sweet and kind of you to offer but I..."A footstep interrupted Eileen and Judd. Judd could feel his whole body tense up with unspoken words and his hand went to his sword instinctively."Sir Judd, it's odd that we meet here""Freddie, I had no idea you were in the West" Judd's voice had an edge to it. The blue eyed man that stood in front of him bore resemblance he was reluctant to acknowledge. They had the same distinctive Jaw line but where Judd's face was oval and he had no moustache, Fredrick's was almost roundish with a perfectly well trimmed moustache."Do you know each other?" Eileen was puzzled."Yes" Fredrick was quick to answer "We do know each other, don't we cousin?""Unfortunately" Judd muttered under his breath.Fredrick turned to face Eileen. He had a twinkle filled eyes."Your majesty, permit me to say how beautiful you are" Fredrick grabbed her hand and kissed it.Eileen didn't fail to notice the tension between the cousins. Fredrick seemed more relaxed but Luther looked like he was barely keeping it together. She had no idea they knew each other when Frederick offered to be her companion for the day."I need to get to the king's court" Eileen said instead to his compliment. She wanted to be away from the dense atmosphere and unspoken family trauma. It was one of the pecks of an affair instead of a relationship. She didn't need every intimate detail of anybody's life."Shall we, your Majesty?" Frederick offered her his arm.Judd looked like he would tip over and break something."He is your companion?" His voice was a little too cold."Yes. We should go now, sir Fredrick. Goodbye, Sir Judd"Eileen took Fredrick's hand and they walked away. She was beginning to regret not walking by herself like she had done a thousand times."What was that all about?" She couldn't stop herself from asking sir Fredrick."Oh, you shouldn't pay anyattention to my cousin's weird behavior. He just has a hard time forgetting" Frederick gave in a way of an answer."What was that all about?" Eileen asked again. And her voice indicated she wanted a straight answer."My cousin has a hard time forgetting. We were eighteen, we played a game. I won and he lost. He is a sore loser" Fredrick looked smug and unapologetic.But Eileen knew one thing for sure. Luther didn't look like someone to hold on to a grudge over a failed game for years and mostly importantly, he doesn't look like a sore loser.Alexander stood by the balcony with his brows pulled together. Unconsciously, he tapped his finger on the stone railing and he let his eyes wander on his kingdom.The council was still arguing on the punishment for the men who attacked his Queen, when all he wanted to do was take their heads one by one.Alexander was interrupted by footsteps. He turned to see Judd. His face was even more stoic and distressed."Waiting makes me less approachable.... what's your excuse, Lead knight? You are looking like an injured animal" Alexander stared at him for a moment before he returned his gaze to his kingdom.Judd moved closer to be on the same standing plane with the King."I take it the council is still debating?" He asked instead."Yes, it's frustrating. Are you going to ignore my question?"Judd sincerely wanted to but he was King and they weren't used to be ignored. He reckoned he could lie but lying takes an awful amount of energy he couldn't spare. And so he went with the ugly truth."Freddie is in Aradale" he muttered like he couldn't get the stench of the name out of his tongue."Your cousin, Fredrick? That is bad, isn't it?""Like a bag of worm" Judd agreed with Alexander."You are lead knight" Alexander told him like Judd forgot about it temporarily."I know that, your highness""Sir Fredrick is a knight also and if you want him gone from Aradale, then order him to leave"Judd grunted. Alexander just reminded him of the dark corner of his mind he was trying to stop himself from going."I know! But I can't abuse my power like that for personal gain. I just...wish he would disappear to the coldest part of the west like last time" Judd hit his hand on the stone railing. He hit it again when he realized he just lost his temper in front of the king."I always knew you were the better man, Luther because if it was within my power to punish the men that hurt my wife, I would abuse that power. I would rip them apart limb by limb until there was nothing left. And the last time wasn't a coincidence, I ordered the rotation knight to put Fredrick as far from Aradale as possible"Judd turned abruptly to meet his gaze. He didn't even know the king did that for him."You did? But...but why?" Judd couldn't stop himself from asking."Why not, Judd? You spend your day jumping in front of arrows and blades to protectme, the least I could do was make you don't have to see Fredrick everyday"If Judd was a man that wears his emotions, Alexander would have seen how his statement affected him."I am sorry if my personal life interfered with my Job and you had to take care...""Judd, I didn't do it because your job was affected...I did something nice for you, don't make it weird!" Alexander was getting uncomfortable with emotional involvement of the conversation."Yes, your highness" And as an afterthought he added "thank you"
