Til The Day I Part

I tried not to think about it.

I was weak when it came to this, days had past since our last conversation and the thought of producing a heir was all that was on my mind.

Should I?

And the thought of producing a heir mixed with the bloodline that single-handedly invaded my kingdom a decade ago made me sick. Many of the fallen from Ophela were soldiers who fought to their deaths and my father was no exception.

It shook me to my core, and I hated even considering the manner. But if I left no heir, what if I was murdered or died naturally? He would rule and that is the last option. He can't be trusted!

"Everything has been arranged to you liking for the ball, your highness" my advisor, Thea says shooting me out of my dazed head.

"The cooks?" I ask her

"Finishing up" she responds

"Good china?" I question

"All laid out, your majesty" she answers pointing to the tables lined with the porcelain plates and a thin line of gold on the trim. "I do think that it is quite irritating the King hasn't shown to be dressed. He is running awfully behind" she admits as I bite my tongue and look towards her.

"He hasn't?" I ask as she nods her head in agreement. "Where is he?" I angrily ask Thea

"In the field, training with the men" she continues as I sigh and rush to retrieve him.

*****************

"For a Narvyian your swordsmanship is trash!" Knight Connor tells me as I block his sword using my own. His gray hair and beard showing his years on the battlefield.

"If yours is much better why are we still fighting?" I respond as he angrily tries to disarm me.

"MEN!" I hear as I look to my left and there is the Queen. My wife but refuses to go by that simple term. "Cease this match, I demand you!" She orders as I disobey and keep fighting, my sword clashing against Sir Connors.

"Your majesty!" I hear as she stands in the middle. My weapon almost sheathing her as she moves as fast as water and I withdraw my weapon.

"Must you be so negligent of your simple duties?!" She berates me as I scoff at her persistent attitude.

"Why must it be the only few time we converse you are hateful?" I ask her as she cocks her eyebrows at my words.

"I wouldn't be nearly as hateful if you would listen to my request" she answers me. "The ball is tonight and must you be late tonight, of all nights?" Her line of questioning burning me.

"Must I adhere to every single command of yours like a dog?" I ask her as the knights listen in, there ears perking up at our conversation.

"Yes, you must. Because I am your Queen" she replies as Sir Connor withdraws his sword once again.

"Disobeying your Queen, Gabriel?" He ask as he gets closer to Evania.

His sword nearing me as she shields me. "Put the sword down" she asks Connors as he chuckles.

"Will he obey?" He ask as she nods.

His sword to my neck as Evania blocks it with her shoulder from my face.

"I am his Queen, he must" she confesses as he chuckles and withdraws his sword. "This is a command" she turns and says to me as she storms off from the field.

And I retreat, I let her win. Walking back to my chambers and let the woman make last minute alterations to my black suit.

"The suit should be white! The queen will be appalled" the seamstress worries as I smirk.

"Don't worry, I requested black" I admit as I look into the mirror. There I was, freshly shaven, bathed and my hair finely styled. The black, dapper suit defining my muscles. "I'm grieving right now" I respond as she ends the conversation with a simple nod of her head.

But truthfully the hate I felt was loathing. Looking through the crowds of people waltzing and carelessly conversing I knew if they knew who I was a uproar would start.

Standing beside the Queen as she smiles onto her people and the music stops.

"This celebration is to honour all that is lost" she says as she picks up her glass, looking to crowd. "To the late King Randal, my uncle and a hero to many. May Ophela honor his dreams while finally is able to rest" she toast as people nod their heads and the music continue as she sits.

"Didn't know the Queen concerned herself with such company" my sarcastic tone causing no reaction in her face.

"Trust me, I would rather be conversing with the council of privileged men who think they know better than even the people and god" she bites back as she sips her wine.

"Then maybe this will help" I say as I stand up and hold out my hand to hers. "Will you allow me this dance, my Queen?" I ask her as I observe her dig her fingernail into her arms as she sighs and nods her head, yes to my invitation. Taking her hand and leading my wife away from our table and into the crowd of dancing people. My hand wrapping around her waist and my hand interlocking with hers.

"Black?" She ask me, "Is it because you are grieving?" She continues her line of questions for me.

"How did yo-" I try to finish my sentence as she forces my words to stop.

Spinning around and her back against me she looks to me. Her brown eyes tempting my own, "I know all that is said in my castle." She admits loosening herself from me. "What are you grieving?" She ask me as I scoff at her intruding question.

"My freedom" I quickly reply as she smirks at me.

"I gave you a choice, a better choice you had given me before you tried to take my own life" she bites back as I roll my eyes at her angelic disguise. "I would have have died, so I spared you like you spared me. But with a condition."

"I left you with no conditions" I tell her as her eyebrows raise in my response.

"You did" her voice breaks through, "I now have to live with the fact that you infiltrated my castle in my reign. I'm now seen a weaker, weaker than I already am as purely a women. But that is hardly anything to you, because I know you could never return to Narvyia, unless it was dead." She smiles looking up to me as I pause and the dance ends.

Looking to her all I see is a smirk in her face as she nods to me in a small manner as my teeth grit in anger.