The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen

I bend over to take a look at Tobin. He's eating in silence, and his table manners are impeccable.

Why didn't I notice earlier that he's too competent to be just a random guy?

«Are you the Captain of the Royal Guard, Sir Tobin?» I inquire.

«Yes, my Lady, I am.»

Ignis is lucky his first knight is as silent as this one, or he might have given away more clues. Even though I wouldn't have suspected anything even in that case.

How could I miss so much? Was I too distracted by Ignis?

«And the guards Count Falco sent are also Royal Guards?»

«Yes, my Lady.»

Ignis scoffs, annoyed that I'm checking his words.

Not that Tobin would say anything against him, by the way. It's just useless and annoying.

«So,» I sigh, returning my focus to Ignis. «You ordered the Falco family to pose as your parent and brother. I didn't know you were this manipulative.»

«Now you know,» he replies. He won't try defending himself in front of my parents, and he knows what he's done isn't very sane.

If it was anyone else, I would have already tried assassination to get rid of this marriage. But it's Ignis. I want to find out how much of what he's told me is fake before deciding how to proceed.

For every single lie told, I can think of another moment that couldn't have been faked. For example, when he stayed by my side while I performed an enchantment. That total absence of fear can't be a pretence.

He treated me like I was normal, human.

Is a single gesture enough to make me forget about the whole situation? For real?

Oh, it's not a single moment, unfortunately. It's a mass of small things that make me realise he's not as bad as he looks right now.

«Let's start from the beginning,» I sigh. «When did you decide to marry me, exactly?»

«At first, I got the list with a few names on it. Yours was there too, but not as a front runner. You were there because your father is a Duke, and he's generally neutral regarding the capital's power struggles. When I was crowned, the situation was unstable, and the Council was set on making me marry by the end of the year.»

He leans back on the chair and leaves the fork on the table.

«I couldn't marry someone from the faction opposing me, for it would have weakened my position instead of enforcing it. At the same time, it would have been a waste to choose a girl from a family traditionally allied to the royal family. Among the neutral nobles, Duke Bursio is for certain the most powerful.»

«So, you were after my father,» I point out.

Mother is still giggling from the side while my siblings eat and pretend not to be interested. Father is getting angry, judging from the way he clenches the knife.

«I was not, Veronica. The Council was.»

«Well, you chose me, then.»

«Yes, I did. I wrote a letter to your father explaining the situation and asking for your hand.»

I chuckle, wondering if this is another one of those lies.

«I never heard of such a letter.»

Father clears his throat while mother fails at hiding an amused chuckle.

«You didn't because your father burnt it,» she explains. «After tearing it in a thousand pieces.»

Oh, so this is it. Ignis didn't just sign the decree without asking for my opinion.

«Did anyone write a reply?» I inquire.

«No one did.»

Oh, damn it. I can't even say my will was neglected because no one expressed the refusal.

I sigh, dejected. Now it's late to write a big no on a paper and send it to the capital.

«What happened after you didn't receive a reply?» I ask Ignis.

«I sent another letter. And then again. The third time I didn't receive an answer, I informed the Council you weren't interested.»

«And then?» Something must have happened if I ended up like this.

«Then, I couldn't choose another name on that list. All I could think was that I wanted to see you again. To talk with you. After a month of silence, the Council wrote the decree and brought it to me. I signed, thinking I stood a chance to convince you if we talked face to face.»

«Then, what happens next is history. You convinced me, and here we are...»

«I asked your father to sign the permission, but he refused. The only way to collect all the signatures was through you. I went to your room to talk, but you didn't recognise me. You thought I was a guard.»

«You were wearing a guard's clothes!»

«Just normal clothes. I still can't work with the Royal garments, Veronica. Ah, you'll understand soon what it means when your clothes weigh more than your worries...»

«Don't change the topic.»

«Oh, sure... Since you didn't recognise me, I couldn't help but tease you about eloping with me. I was surprised when you accepted.»

«You make it sound as if you lost control of the situation.»

«At first, I planned to reveal everything as soon as possible. But then, the political situation became more complicated. The night we escaped, some nobles were trying to kill me in my lodgings. The assassins were sent by them.»

«When did you organise the visit to the Falco residence?»

«I sent a few missives from the inn where we slept the first night. I changed my mind again and decided to play the part of the poor husband for a few days more. I wanted you to meet Fernard, too. And to spend time together for a few days, just you and me.»

«There were so many occasions when you could tell me.»

«And I almost did. But I am such a coward, Veronica. I kept silent to stay close to you for a few hours more.»

A King shouldn't say such things.. He should be the righteous one, even when tricking people or killing his subjects. Why is he admitting it? Why is he acting as if he felt guilty?