The king

32

THE KING
~Arabella's pov ~

The moment I woke, I got dressed without the help of Celeste and Ella. I was not in the mood to be pampered and pressed with a bunch of makeup that was not needed. I placed myself in one of my dresses that I would normally wear from the village- not caring if I looked out of place from the others.

Exiting my room, the palace beams silence. Jaxson and I have not spoken since last night, and I cried myself to slumber that night.

Walking through the halls of the palace, I am met with wonderful paintings scattered across the walls. Hushed voices are heard in a nearby room, and I find myself becoming a nosy lady and stand by the wall to over hear.

"She is beautiful, yes, Jaxson, but is she from royalty? What can she give you?" Princess Alexander's voice is heard speaking to her son to what I am guessing is his office.

"What about what I can give her, mother? Because right now, she is angry with me over your behavior," he bickers.

They were fighting over me. Of course, they were.

"I do not agree with this marriage," she states. I close my eyes, my palm hits my forehead of how maddening I looked to her last night. "You cannot and shall not marry her without my blessing."

"Who says I cannot? The king, perhaps?" Sarcasm is written in his voice and if they were not speaking terms of myself, I would find myself laughing. "Well Mother, you are looking at your king."

"Why her?" Her voice is filled with distaste. "Out of all the women I have chosen for you, you settle for a village lady?"

"Because that is what my heart has chosen," he replies.

I loved him so, so much that I left my life behind to marry him and get sunked into a world of the unknown.

"You are making a fool out of yourself." His mother laughs. "What will the village say about this? What will the country? They will not stand for you marrying a village girl, they will not."

"I am their king, they shall respect me and my queen."

"Your queen?" Laughter fills the room once again. "Your queen, Jaxson, has never seen an ounce of royalty. Your queen could be after your power, your riches, anything she can get her hands on to take back to her village."

"She is not like that, do not speak of such ways of her," he defends my name and my heart warms.

"Then do not do this, do not ruin your image, son," she pleads and a frown replaces the soft smile on my face. "I forbid you."

"You no longer have control over me, mother..." I can tell his anger is rising by the moment. "I am your king! You shall listen to me." He shouts and the walls of the castle shake from his anger.

"Jaxson, do not walk away from me..." She calls for him and I hear his footsteps approaching, and just as I lean off the wall, I am face to face with Jaxson who is in shock.

"Arabella..." He starts, looking back into the room to his mother. I straighten my posture, turning my back on him, walking away from him with his footsteps following. "Bella, I am dreadfully sorry that you had to hear that."