The Arrangement

Queen Kalli helped her daughter freshen up before the family met the brothers for breakfast, while King Nicos got Jason up to speed on what had happened with Henri.

"So will Maria just ascend the throne without a husband?" Jason asked his father.

The King looked over at his son who wore a concerned visage. He knew that if he told him his plan, that he would protest and try to get him to change his mind, and he was not going to let that happen.

He needed to ensure Greece's future and his daughter's happiness.

He clapped his hand onto his son's shoulder and gave him a tight smile before he finally replied, "All will be well my child, don't fret. I will make sure your sister is ready for her duties, as I always have done".

Jason could tell there was more meaning behind what his father told him, but before he could press the matter further, his mother spoke up, "It's time. We should join the other boys for breakfast".

Jason wondered if his mother knew what the King was planning.

The four of them walked together from the wine room across the hall to the dining room and Maria kept a tight grip on her mother's hand the whole way there.

The family had not discussed what they would say to the brothers from France, but Maria was sure that her father had a game plan that she would just go along with because at this point, she had no other choice.

He had made it clear that he was taking the reins now, and after all, he was her father, but he was also the King.

They entered the dining room and found the brothers sipping wine while conversing.

Maria noticed that Arthur had cleaned himself up, and he looked far more put together than he did even just an hour ago.

She found her gaze glued to him, and she wondered what he was thinking.

When the brothers heard the royal family enter the room, they both looked up, and Maria caught Arthur's eyes with hers.

He looked at her for just a moment before he turned to bow before the King and Queen.

"Ah, gentlemen! We have some important news to discuss, so why don't we sit," he said as he gestured towards the table before continuing, "George, tell the kitchen we are ready to eat".

George nodded his head and left his post, leaving just the Greek royals and the French royals in the room.

After everyone was seated and focused on the King, he cleared his throat before he started to speak again, "Unfortunately, that note that was delivered to Henri last night came with some bad news. His sister is ill and he had to leave immediately to go say his goodbyes as she is not expected to live past a few more days".

Maria felt her heart start to beat loudly, and she heard Julien suck in a fast breath.

He was the only one in the room that had not yet heard of Henri's departure, and he was still the only one who did not know about the heartbreaking discussion in which Henri told Maria that he did not love her or want to be with her.

"Obviously this is a gut-wrenching situation for Henri to be in as I'm sure he would have loved to stay and continue courting my daughter."

'Lies,' Maria thought while watching her father.

Obviously it would bring shame and ruin if more than half of her suitors had left on their own accord, so she knew why her father would leave out that information.

Of course, Arthur already knew about Henri and Maria's heated discussion as he had been in the room with just the bathroom door separating them, but there was no scenario in which Maria would have disclosed that information to the King.

"But with him being gone to be with his family and Rafael and Leonardo's departures, I think it would be best if we end all of this now," the King continued before he was interrupted by the kitchen staff entering with their meals.

Everyone at the table fell silent and glued their eyes to the King in anticipation for what he would say next, but he casually sat back and watched as each of their plates were put down before them.

Maria felt a sense of relief at his words, knowing her father was going to end the process of finding her a husband, and she loosened her shoulders knowing that soon she would be done entertaining these men, and could take time for herself to heal her heart.

Just when she thought she was about to be freed from the nightmare that this whole experience had been, her father continued on, "I apologize for ending things before you got your chance at a one-on-one date with my daughter, Arthur, but even so, I am confident that the opportunity for alone time will present itself again as I have decided that you two will be wed and join our great kingdoms".

Upon hearing that, Maria nearly choked on air and she looked up at her father with worry painted all over her face. Surely he was not being serious?

King Nicos's eyes were unrelenting when he looked back at her, and that's when she understood what he had meant by him taking care of the situation.

He had a country whose future he had to cement in, and this was the way he was going to do it.

Knowing she could not say anything to protest or question her father's decision, she looked across from her at Arthur to gauge his reaction to the news.

He was looking directly at her, and a little bit of the pain that had been in his eyes earlier that morning peeked through for just a moment when she met his gaze.

Arthur was smart, and Maria knew that he probably guessed that this marriage was not her idea since she had been crying over another man just hours ago.

Suddenly, the magnetic pull she felt for him came back, and she felt her heart ache for him.

Somehow, being forced to marry someone you love but whose heart you broke was worse than marrying someone you had no feelings for at all, she thought.

How Arthur must despise her for doing this to him.

Her forehead pinched and she felt tears start to form.

She could not believe how much torture she had put this poor man through in just a week.

She was determined to find a way to fix it, and decided that she would talk to her father after the meal. She had to at least try to change his mind, for Arthur's sake. He deserved happiness and Maria feared she could not give it to him after all that she had done.

Just then, something changed in Arthur's face, and he turned to the King with a smile and said, "I'd be honored to marry Maria, Your Majesty," while he bowed his head down out of respect.

"Wonderful, we will discuss the details of the arrangement after breakfast," the King said, "Now let's eat".

Maria's heart raced, and she had difficulty breathing, so it was a couple of minutes before she could even pick up her silverware.

When she finally did, her hands were shaky and her vision started to turn black on the sides.

As if he could sense her distress, Jason placed his hand on hers and whispered, "Breathe," just loud enough for her to hear. "I will help you get out of this, but we need to get through breakfast first".

Maria looked to her left at her brother, and nodded. She was not sure that she would have been able to use her voice at that moment.

Meanwhile, she looked up and saw that Arthur and her parents were having a discussion, while Julien was quiet and kept to himself.

It seemed as though the roles had reversed since usually Arthur did not speak during meals, so she looked again at Julien, and was able to notice the look of sadness on his face as he ate.

She recalled their conversation in the kitchen when they made baklava, in which he told her that he was used to coming in second to Arthur, and she knew that this marriage was yet another example of that happening.

Maria looked back down at her food, and she pushed it around her plate since she had no appetite.

Breakfast slowly came to an end, so the King announced, "Arthur-- come with me to my office. Everyone else-- we will celebrate the engagement later today with desserts!" He looked over his shoulder at his trusted guard before he said, "George, inform the kitchen that tonight, we celebrate!"