The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen

After preventing a second incident for the day, I manage to get Antonio out of the armour and Marius sitting in silence in a room far from the royal personnel.

I have many questions for Ignis, and I don't even know where to start. I'm not sure whether to interrogate him in front of my parents or ask to be alone.

I know nothing... for a change.

«Good evening,» I say while crossing the door to the dining room.

My eyes are swollen from crying, my lips red from biting.

I spent more time calming down my siblings than despairing, so I'm not as emotionally stable as I would be if I cried for the whole afternoon.

Father is sitting at his place, stubbornly refusing to let Ignis be there. Even if father is the master of the house, Ignis is still the King.

Mother is on the opposite side, and the seats have been changed to accommodate the new guests.

My seat is still on father's right side. Lucia in front of me.

However, there isn't Antonio next to me. There's Ignis. On his right, Tobin.

My brothers both sit in front of me. The last two places are used by two guards from the delegation.

I'm not even sure they're the Count's guards.

Oh, goodness. Ignis spent so much money and time organising this charade. He could just walk into my room and force me to sign under threats of hurting my family.

I would feel less stupid in that case. And I wouldn't have a single obstacle from hating him.

I wouldn't be an accomplice.

Ignis moves the chair for me, and I don't even glance at him the whole time. I don't thank him for the help either.

«I hope our humble cuisine won't offend your majesty's palate,» father comments.

For a moment, I believe in my brother's words about an army being assembled right now. It's just a moment, though. I am not that important, after all.

Who other than my family would fight for me?

«I already know how you eat, Duke. I spent a couple of months here. Do you remember?»

«How could I not? I hoped that staying here would leave good memories for your majesty. It seems it succeeded. Your memories must be so good that you decided to take a part of this place all to yourself.»

«I didn't decide alone, Duke. You're overestimating my influence.»

«If it wasn't you, who was it?» I inquire before giving time to these two to actually start fighting.

«The Council of Elders ordered me to get married by the end of the year. They gave me a list of names from which to choose.»

«And was I on that list?»

He sighs, coming to terms with the fact that I'll ask until getting enough answers.

«Did you add my name later? Or they already predicted I could be the right person?»

Then, I remember he's not just a swindler and the man that hurt me deeply. He's also the King.

«Your majesty,» I add.

«You don't need to do that,» he murmurs. «Just call me as you've always had.»

«Oh, how could I do that?»

«A Queen can allow herself to call her husband by name.»

«I am no Queen.»

«Not yet, my dear.»

«Your majesty seems so certain I will become one.»

«A Royal Marriage is an official act. It's a law. Divorce isn't possible.»

«No divorce?»

«No. An annulment is quite difficult to obtain.»

«Wait... You mean...» I murmur, almost whispering in embarrassment.

«There is a rule saying that the Queen can't be a divorced woman. It includes both before and after the coronation. As for annulments... A Royal Marriage in Alba isn't possible to annul. Once registered, it is forever.»

«What if I can't give you male heirs? What if we don't have children? Are there really no ways to resolve a marriage?»

«It's an alliance, Veronica. Not just a wedding. Even if the King has women on the side, the Queen can't be replaced.»

«Unless she dies,» I murmur.

«You won't die.»

He looks at me with his clear eyes. So clear, no matter how many lies he told. His eyes stayed clear, just like when he was a child.

No matter the lives he took, the curses he said... It's unfair. How can someone this wicked be so beautiful?

«I won't allow you to die.»

Does this sound romantic? Why is my heart racing now? It's more akin to a threat, for goodness! Am I nervous?

It would make sense. If only it wasn't for the warm thrills running through my spine or the tingling on my lips.

Oh, I'm such a perverse person. I get excited about the worst things.

Returning to us. If a Royal Marriage can't be annulled, then there was no need to consummate. What in the world...

I need us to be alone to ask this, though. A family dinner isn't the right place.

Talking about family dinners, why did he make up about the Falco family being his father and brother? He forced those two poor men to play along with his scheme.

I'm sure the Count felt a little compassionate with me. He knew I was being tricked, yet he couldn't say anything. As for Fernard, I suspect he was having fun with the clueless me.

He did say some weird things that now make sense.

«Why did you present two strangers as your family?» I inquire. «I thought they hated you so much that they erased all traces of you. Yet, it's normal they didn't have a portrait of yours. You're not from that house, after all?»

«They're not strangers. Fernard is one of my best friends. He is my brother, in some sense. As for the Count... I asked them to play along to have a chance to infiltrate the Royal Guards in our group. It would have been too suspicious if many people followed us. Yet, we needed protection.»

«What about Tobin?»

«He's the Captain of the Royal Guards.»

«The King's personal knight? The person following him everywhere?» I ask. Oh, I'll need to call him Sir Tobin from now on.

He's not a destitute guard.. Not anymore.