Chp.44: Decision

"I mustn't involve myself in such things." He said as he picked her up in both his hands and placed her lightly on the bed.

"Um... uh.." She was mumbling in her sleep.

"What?" He asked her softly.

"It is to be..." she mumbled something gibberish.

Duncan just giggled at it and was amazed at himself. "She is cute." He thought but then shook off those thoughts.

"No." He warned himself and went and slept on the sofa.

He adjusted the pillow and tried making himself comfortable. But alas he was too tall to fit on that little peice of furniture.

"Damn, I never realised that this sofa was so tiny." He tossed and turned as he began to get annoyed.

"Damn." He was just a few away from cursing.

"Your majesty. Why don't you sleep on the bed." Regina got up and said.

"Huh?" He flinched a little.

"We are married. You can sleep here you know right?" She asked him with a sleepy tone.

He was himself confused why did he chose the option to sleep on the sofa.

Number of thoughts gushing inside his head and he unknowingly and nonchalantly picked up his pillow yet again and went to sleep on the bed.

Regina slumped inside her blankets without thinking much and moreover it was hardly even possible that she would remember it the next day. Sinc she would never even remember herself when she is in sleep.

But as for Duncan it was possible for him to retain everything that might happen. His heartbeats fast as he didn't knew what he should be doing and more importantly, everything was so random.

"So this is how it feels to share my bed chambers with someone." Duncan mumbled to himself as he decided to calm himself and looked at the ceiling.

Placed his hand on his forhead and decided to close his eyes. "She was here yesterday as well, but today it feels diffrent." He thought as he slept quitely.

A few moments passed and he had slept already -

"So maybe this way I can definitely approach you, closely." Regina thought as she peeked through her blanket and saw Duncan breath as he slept beside her calmly.

"There are far too many things involved with you Duncan and Desmond, I must find them out to complete my mission successfully." Regina thought as her heart ached.

"There was a time when once I thought that the place where you'll be, that will be my safe place. But guess among the many things I was wrong about, that was one too." She decided to sleep after all the next day was going to be important.

The dawn came very soon. With the rains, it was becoming difficult to keep track of the days that were passing by just in blink of an eye.

The marriage of the king and his new queen was done in a chapel that was suggested by the queen's side, the D'Azures. But the important national event still remains.

The one that marks the beginning of the reign of the queen - The Royal Ball.

Royal Balls, are the kind of social gatherings that mark a start of an era. New policies, end of the wars and everything in between is celebrated by the king himself along with the people of the kingdom. This is to show other kingdoms that the public support that the royal family has is beyond expectations.

Having public events and hosting balls, at the end of the day are nothing but just pure political moves.

The morning was fine, with Regina already gone from Duncan's chambers.

This time she left him a letter clearly informing that she will be moving back to her palace.

Duncan got up and picked up that letter, he skimmed his eyes over it and kept it aside. "Oh, so she returned to the Eastern palace." Were his only thoughts.

The walk from the bed chambers to his door was a bit long, especially when Duncan was half sleep walking first thing in the morning.

"Wait... she returned to Eastern palace?!" He flinched and was now wide awake. "I must see if the fire ruins and all is cleaned." Duncan rushed out of the room.

His hair a mess, and his clothes a chaos.

He swung opened the door- "Good morning your majesty." Hilton stood there with a stack of documents in his hands and a wide smile on his face.

"Yeah. Yes, I was searching for you only Hilton." Duncan said as fastly as he could. "Yes your majesty?" He asked knowing full well that a list of things were going to get dumped on his mind first thing in the morning. But Duncan was far more blind to see Hilton's smile that was filled with pain.

"Yeah. Did Oscar's people clean the palace. The Eastern palace and the fire ruins and all...." Duncan was clearly panicking.

"Yes you majesty everything was cleaned yesterday itself and all the maids are replaced as along with the servants. Only one maid is still there - Lara De Gonstroght. " Hilton informs Duncan with a happy tone thinking that now there won't be any hectic work for him since it's already done.

"That's great. Oscar's people really work faster than anyone I know." Duncan thought as an expression of relief reflected on his face.

"What about me your majesty?" Hilton's invisible tears were perhaps going to stay invisible forever.

"Then narrate me what we have to do today." Duncan and Hilton walked inside his bed chambers.

Hilton narrated a long list of things needed to be done and Duncan was also listening to it very well. He agreed to come in the office by 9 o clock and so Hilton walked towards the door to leave.

But he stopped there and turned around.

"Your majesty." He called for Duncan's attention.

His tone felt like he had a lot to talk about but he had only few words, few words to consise his thoughts, worries, opinions and everything he wanted Duncan to know.

"Your majesty, I've known you since childhood." He decided to began with it. "Do you think this little game you and the duke is playing is worth it?" He asked.

"Duke Desmond is a cunning man, and you've already lost a lot to his petty tricks. You are a king." Hilton said. "Is putting up you queen against this game a wise thing to do?" He looked in Duncan's eyes and asked.