The Predicament

There is a thick silence that hangs in the room as Alaric clears his throat and shrugs his shoulders, shifting his eyes between a surprised queen and a wide-eyed Maggie. Alaric barely has any words to spit out as he slowly takes a step back, avoiding any eye contact with the very-irritated looking queen.

"You never cease to rifle me up, Duke Alaric." the Queen said, clearing her throat and sitting straight on her throne. "You confidently sprout such nonsense through that slick mouth of yours."

"I-it is not nonsense." Alaric said, sniffling and clearing his throat again. "I attest the fact that it is true."

"I've known you to play with women like a fiddle, young one." The Queen said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "All of a sudden, you engage with men? Seriously? Who would believe such nonsense?"

"But it is true, Your Majesty!" Alaric cries out with such passion, understanding if he cannot convince the Queen, he is indeed screwed. "It has been a recent...situation, but I swear the only reason why I indulged in my affairs with Magia Maggie is to make sure my heart is sure!"

Alaric turns to Maggie, dropping to his knees as he holds his hands above his head, begging for mercy from the woman.

"Forgive me for what I have done." Alaric said, trying to summon tears in his dark brown eyes. "I have used you to only solidify my feelings for another, and it aches me to know the pain I have brought upon you, My Lady! I apologize for all that-."

"Feelings?" The Queen said, scoffing under her breath. "You-you have feelings for another that doesn't just equate to lust?"

Alaric swallows, hurriedly standing up, dusting his white trench coat off, and focusing his pitiful eyes on the Queen. 

"Your Majesty, this may be so sudden, but it is true!" Alaric said, clutching his chest like he was in pain. "I have fallen in love at first sight for him and my heart has been stolen by such a man-!"

"Oh really?" The Queen said, a small, amused smile on her lips and she cuffed her cheek in her palms. "Well, who is this man that has stolen the Playboy of Orin's heart? I must know-."

"Ah, right. That." Alaric said, staring deadpan at the Queen's face. "Oh! Yes hahaha, about that-see, I believe it is a one-sided affair, and that means-."

"You? One-sided? So you haven't confessed yet?" The Queen asked. "This isn't like the Alaric I've known since he was a small boy. You aren't a coward when dealing with feelings, hm?"

"W-well no-." Alaric starts. "S-see with women it is one matter, but with a man such esteemed as himself-."

"If you do not want to disclose who he is now, fine. I will be kind." The Queen said, causing Alaric to let out a sigh of relief. "However, as you are aware, I have a decision to make regarding your engagement between Magia Maggie and yourself."

"R-right." Alaric said, feeling his shoulders deflating. 

"However, I also wish not to be a wall between you and your own romantic...interest." The Queen said. "How about this? I'll let you pursue this man--surely he'll be good enough in stature and esteem for your family and myself to acknowledge--and if you win his heart, I will give you my blessing first."

"B-but Your Majesty-!" Maggie exclaims, but to only be cut off by the Queen's raised hand.

"I will, however, also keep my promise with Magia Maggie." The Queen said. "If what you said deems to be false, I will have you punished, nephew, or if your newest...relationship "fails," Magia Maggie will get her wish. So, I will discuss with your father about a marriage between yourself and the Tower mage, but I will wait until after you've situated your...affairs. Though, I do not want to prolong this too long, as I still have Ravi to deal with regarding his engagement."

The Queen twirls her hands, beckoning for her royal assistant to hurry to her side and pass her a long, very long row of parliament paper with writings drawn to the bottom corners of the loose scroll. The Queen quickly rolls her eyes down the list until she waves off the scroll away, casually leaning back on her big throne.

"You have six months to give me a final answer. Bring him here before me with a ring." The Queen said, waving off her guests, beckoning them to leave.

Alaric lets out a long sigh of relief before he stills, watching the Queen as she discusses some external royal affairs with her attendee. 

"Wait..." Alaric said, letting a large gulp of salvia slide down his throat. "H-how many months?"

...

Alaric despairingly hangs his head as he stands on the other side of the throne room doors, his eyes facing the familiar bustling hallways within the main parts of the castle. 

Alaric sighs, huffing as he begins to stride forward, but his eyes wander to his side, where the beautiful lady still stands, her stance unmoved with her hands in front of her waist; her shoulders hunched up and her posture is straighter than a ruler. Maybe it is the sophisticated stance and mature aura that rolls off the woman like tidal waves, but Alaric begins to remember the identity of the beautiful woman.

The rumors about must be true--the beautiful woman--Madam Bigod--is a cool and collected woman who never loses her cool and always acts with the highest of poise and respect. Alaric probably doesn't remember her all too well since it's always the retired General Tao Sao who often leads the Bigod's family networking affairs by attending balls and the alike; his wife will appear here and there, but similar to her youngest son, she isn't a fan of social events. 

Alaric watches Madam Bigod wait for the guards to open the first pair of doors, but he flinches, watching as Madam Bigod's bright green eyes slowly move to meet his brown orbs, and he almost stills, watching the woman look upon him with an unreadable expression through her thick lashes as she turns her head and strides away, her black cloak with her family heirloom tattooed on her back. 

Alaric gulps, turning away and letting out a frustrated sigh as he prepares himself for his next move.