CHAPTER THIRTEEN

*

''Wily boy?'' Theodore looks at him briefly. ''Willy boy?'' Theodore nudges him gently.

''Huh?''

''Pick up your mouth, you dropped it a while ago as your Princess was ushered in looking like an angel crafted beautifully by the gods themselves''

''Huh?''

''You mouth, pick it off the floor and do not embarrass your lineage!''

Williams, realizing that his mouth has been open out of surprise and shock quickly closes his mouth and then swallows. Then the anger returns when it dawned on him what Theodore says.

''You are a fool Theo, just because she is beautiful does not mean i would lose my head. And she is not my Princess you scalawag, she may be yours and that of Worcestershire but she is not mine, be careful before i pour my anger on you''

Theo chuckles ''For someone who seems to have his head, he lost it a second ago when she walked in regaled in royalty and sparkled like the stars. I put it to you Willy boy, before the day's end, you would fall for your Princess and thank De Beaumont, your father for thinking it wise to pair you with such divine beauty. I am already seeing how handsome your spawn would be. I only hope he doesn't take your cocky attitude. It can be annoying.

''Theodore, i will break your skull with the guard's weapon if you keep talking''

Theodore goes close to him ''See how beautiful her bosom looks in that royal robe. Ahh my Willy boy, you would die buried in there, suckling on them nipples and growing old within those thighs. I envy you, i wish i was you and you were me and i would gladly take your place and bed her five times on our wedding night and some more by the next. I would be a happy man.''

''You are insufferable Theo!''

Theodore laughs ''No, you are blind that is what. What is the worst that could happen?'' He leans into his friend.

''That i may become a bitter man when i seal this alliance and our home would be nothing but stale beans. I do not want this alliance and if my father and mother wouldn't listen to me and the royal family is hell bent on tying me to their princess, i only hope that she has the good sense to reject it. Beautiful or not, i will not be forced into this ridiculous alliance by a woman who i remember as a child was a devious rascal and has nothing like a lady trait within her.''

''A child then, a woman now. You are blind. But, tarry my good friend, you may love her. Maybe after a word with her today, you will see how silly your thoughts are''

''I highly doubt that''

''Ssssshh! you both be bickering like fools in the royal presence. You want them to think us manner less?'' Adrian steps closely to them to hush them up. ''The Princess is walking in, show your respect by being quiet till she takes her seat beside the King and the Queen, do not embarrass De Beaumont's family, and you Theo i know you have no concerns but..behave!''

''Aye, i was just telling him so but the fool be plotting a war within his home'' Theodore offers.

''Ssssshhhhhh!'' Adrian hisses.

''The Princess of Worcestershire would now take her seat within the royal court. She is accompanied by Sissie Veronese, from Baron and Baroness of Eastville, and her handmaidens and royal guards.'' The announcer states as Annalise is ushered to her seat, by the right-left side of her mother.

Donna reaches out and places her hands over Annalise, who manages a stiff smile. He turns away to stare at her friend Sissie, who is standing by the side with her handmaidens.

Sissie gives her a reassuring smile, Annalise nods her head.

''May we proceed then?'' The king says

''Aye my king'' The announcer states, he stares at them ''Will the De Beaumont's family step forward and declare their intentions to the Royal court in the presence of the Royal family and all they have in attendance?''

''Yes ..we will!'' Duke De Beaumonts steps forward ''We bring you nothing but great tidings to the royal family and we pray that today be nothing but happiness and joy. We the Beaumont's family have come, to seek for the hand of the Princess. A beautiful flower grown out of the most fertile ground, whose is the fairest of all maidens in the kingdom and all of the eight provinces of the kingdom put together. We have come to pluck from their garden, the princess so that she can beautify our home and then bless us with her shine. We, the Beaumont's family have come to ask of her hand, as we present these gifts befitting a Princess'' he opens his hands wide and beckons to the guards to step forward with the gifts they have brought.

The guards step forward with the gifts , the Royal guards then steps forward and takes them, moving towards the royal steps as they lined up, ten in number. One after the other they climb up the royal staircase and shows to the royal family the gifts brought. The king opens one box after the other, smiling and nodding, he waves them to the queen, she smiles and nods, when they get to Annalise, she waves them away without looking at them.

''The Princess does not like her gifts? They are of the finest silks of out land, gold seeked from the mines, jewels brought from the hinterlands, and everything a Princess would so desire...priceless, unique, rare . Gifts only you has in the entire kingdom and the eight provinces of our land my Princess''

''I do not desire to stare upon them my lord, infact i would insist that you take them ba-'' She states,

Her mother cuts her sharply ''What she intends to say De Beaumont is that she believes that your gifts are rare and of good quality and do not need to be looked at because she trusts your picks. Is that right my Princess?' Her mother looks at her lowering her voice ''Do not dare make a scene Annalise, this would top all the sins you have committed and infront of them with the King here? Do not be a fool. You may disrespect your family within the walls and where we may just be us, which is wrong and uncultured, but that can be controlled, but if you dare insult your father and undermine his authority infront of these people who he governs, i am not at liberty to tell what he might do in his anger. Be warned, be cautious, be an obedient daughter for once!''

''Whatever mother, you expect me to behave, yet, you are forcing me to take on what i do not plan'' she whispers back.

''Be quiet Annalise, now is not the time to be fancy''

Annalise scoffs ''Oh, i will be fancy all right and you wouldn't like the outcome'' She hisses back.

''Is there a problem my Lady? '' Duke Alan De Beaumonte asks, he and his wife exchanges looks ''Does the Princess desires other gifts? We can go back and bring more if that is the case''

''No, she is perfect with all that you have brought Duke De Beaumont'' the King says throwing Annalise a stiff look, his eyes telling her to behave, she turns away. ''Go on''.

''Aye My king. the gifts, do they please the Royal family?'

''No!'' Annalise says

''Yes it does please us immensely '' The king raises his voice above Annalise's.

''Yes Duke De Beaumont, they are lovely gifts'' Donna squeezes Annalise's hands tight.

''Oww Mama''

''Shhh!'' she lowers her voice.

*

''Is it just me or i see that something is going on there with the Princess?'' Theodore observes frowning abit. ''those movements and she saying something while they say another, do i say it is save to say that there is something wrong with the picture before us?''

''Aye, i see that too'' Williams says rubbing his clean chin.

''Shhhhh!!"' Adrian cautions ''She may be too excited about the gifts and maybe is telling her mama, the Queen to hurry up so they can seal the deal, you never know''

''Please!'' Williams rolls his eyes ''I would advise you to advise Papa to retrace his footsteps, reject this proposal and let us be gone from here else i would not be held responsible for my actions should they be expressed''

''You will behave, Williams, you are in the royal palace and in the presence of the royal family, do not be a fool. Do anything that is considered disrespectful to the royal family, you would be punished, and if you embarrass Papa, he would deal with you, you know how he hates to be embarrassed? You may do that within the walls of our home and see how he gets, much less doing it in the presence of the royal family and to the king, he considers a friend, he would be furious, livid to say the least and he would lash out, do not be stupid''

''Who says i would be doing anything to Papa or to the King'' Williams smiles wickedly.

''What does that mean?'' Adrian looks at his brother ''What does he mean Theo? You both are joined to the hip. I bet he doesn't speak Spanish, and if he had considered evil thoughts you would know''

''How would i know? I am not in his mind..he is a grown man to think up evil on his own'' Theodore smiles.

''Aye, so he is thinking up evil? Pray, do tell me who it is directed towards.''

''A man would do what he has to do to untie himself from a rope he is being bound to out of messed-up traditions and whatnot''

Adrian frowns, then he opens his eyes wide ''Do not tell me you are thinking to do evil to the Princess?''

Williams says nothing, instead, he bites his inner lips. His facial expression gave him away.

''Oh you dreadful little devil. You want to do something bad to the Princess? Your head would be on a spike before the day ends and nothing father or any of us can do if the King orders it if you hurt his daughter''

''Who says anything about hurting the Princess? I am just going to be a pain in her royal tush till she runs back home and begs them to untie us from the bound called marriage, if, which is the operative word if i do not succeed in making her severe this engagement about to happen before the days end and they marry us before we can blink''

''You intend to make this alliance an unalterable one?''

''Aye brother, because i have pleaded to Papa and he refused to listen and you have joined forces to hold me down and Mama is not even going to listen anymore to me and i have pleaded with the king who is hell-bent on having this alliance, what other way to do this if not to make her life a living hell. You will not stay in an oven cooking meat knowing it would burn. So yes Brother, i would make this alliance an unbearable one, someone would have to give, and i pray she goes home crying to her Papa and Mama and free me from this hell you lot desires me to be tied in. That is all Brother. I know this is not pleasing to the ear but i do not care. Since you lot have refused to think about me, i would do whatever it takes to severe this.''

''You are a fool!''

''Aye! I may be a fool but i choose rather to be a single fool allowed to do what the hell i want, away from stupid traditions and allowed to explore and chase my dreams and be the man i want to be than be a fool forced into marriage with a woman i do not know, like or would never love. Just because she is a Princess does not mean i would lose my head and be blinded to what i want of this life. Unlike the lot of you, i am not swayed by riches and the royal thrown, I am a simple man who wants the simple things of life''

''And what would that be?''

''My books, my intelligence to use my head to make ways for me, a beautiful woman who loves and respects me and who i would adore, a few seeds running around, a small house, a farm maybe, and a little civilization and a place to go and teach people that there is more to this lie other than serving kings and queens and be stuck behind the royal palace like a stooge''

''Ah, i forget, you are a dreamer!!'' Adrian nods

''No, a realist!'' Williams corrects.

''Well, this is your reality. You will have all that you desire but only on a larger scale not only little and you have a beautiful woman who i bet you would adore if you give yourself the chance to look and appreciate how the gods have created her beautifully.'

''Beautiful or not, she is not my type, and God forbid i stay in a loveless marriage''

''A fool i say, i already told you that it would grow, look at me and my Missus, i didn't want to before but, a happy man she has made me, you love your nieces''

''Aye, a happy man you are, it doesn't mean the same stroke for different folks dear brother. Yes, my nieces are angels, but allow me find my angel, is that too much for a man to ask?''

Adrian sighs ''Papa wants this, this is good for us and it would be good for you''

''Another word of that and i swear to God i would pluck out my eyes'' Williams groans

''What would you use i seeing your Princess bosom and heavenly thighs my lord?''

''You insignificant fellow, wait till i get a hold of your mouth'' Williams made for him but Adrian stops him, Theodore chuckles ''I would be your best man my lord, do not play with the face, it is my most favorite asset, aside from my well-endowed member and my nuts that is.'' he laughs.

''Sometimes i hate you!'' Williams says.

''And i love you always Willy boy, the ying to my yang'' He flutters his lashes at him and blows him dramatic kisses.

Adrian laughs, Williams shakes his head smiling at Theodore's stupidity ''Oh dear Lord, how did we become friends?'' He looks to the heavens.

''Oh the moment you set your eyes on a scalawag kid much like you and devious, you fell inlove and its been years and our friendship blossoms like a rose in the garden. Thick as thieves, like brothers we are, even more original than Duke Adrian, he is borrowed'' He laughs, now Williams joins in.

''Aye aye, make fun!'' Adrian says as the boys laugh. Duke De Beaumont turns to look at him.

Immediately all three of them keep straight faces, not even moving a muscle.

''Do the royal family accept our gifts?'' Their father asks turning away from them and back at the royal family.

''Aye, the royal family accepts. '' The king states with a broad smile. Finally, this would happen. His daughter would be married up, surely she would learn a thing or thing when married and even thank him for doing this. She was getting out of hand, marriage would be good for her.

Duchess Brianna claps her hands together, she, her husband and their relatives' exchanges pleasant smiles. ''Indeed, it brings joy to our hearts to hear you say that my King, shall we continue?'' she asks

''Yes you shall. '' Donna nods. ''Proceed''

''Very well, my royal family, be there be any questions you may desire to ask before we present to you our son ?'' Duke Alan De Beaumont asks,.

Surely, this is the happiest day of his life, getting such an alliance, his son marrying into royalty, a beautiful princess, what more can a father ask for. Now his sons are settled, and Williams would be the next generation to upload his lineage even after his death. Yes, this is a good alliance for the De Beaumont's family and also for the King, his daughter wouldn't be whisked far away but she can remain in the kingdom or if the couple desire, one of the provinces would be constructed into a semi palace but the kingdom would be where they would carry out their primary duties, and Williams can one day assume a royal position. Yes, he has settled his sons, he would die happy and a fulfilled man. He cannot wait for this alliance to be sealed, engagement finalized and then wedding plans made. It would be the talk of the entire kingdom and provinces in years to come. Him, his son a mere Duke to marry the princess..yes!. They would be the talk of the entire kingdom.

''No'' The royal family states.

''Yes'' Annalise cuts firmly high above her family's voice.

''My lady,?'' Alan De Beaumont is taken aback.

''I said Yes! ''