"You will not tell me - the King of Lower North Heaven - what to do," the King said word by word.
The silence spread in the Royal court like a cold night.
The queen touched her cheek with trembling fingers - not believing what just happened. It was not the first time her husband raised his hand on her but it had been a while since the last time he got this angry.
The king saw the pale and flabbergasted appearance of his wife and sighed before gently touching his Queen's cheek. Her eyes were moist and red as she looked at him with fear and anger when he rested his hand on her hand. He smiled with a twisted satisfaction. "Forgive me, I should have not hit you," he said looking in his wife's terror-filled eyes and pulled her into his arms. "It mst have hurt you. I did not mean to do it. Looks like I am quite exhausted."