Unconditionally

Between Life and Death

For weeks the Irish Queen had been fighting for her life. Many believed that she was so close to death, her advisors already making preparations for the next person to take her throne. It wouldn't be a women of course, it would be her almost husband Prince Henri. Everyone seemed to have given up on the Queen besides Charles and Mary. Both taking turns staying by her bed, Charles always so hesitant to leave. But he had his duties as a husband to take care of, ones he didn't want to complete but he owed it to his wife. Though little did he know his seemingly innocent wife was the cause of all this pain and torture to the love of his life and the loss of his unborn child.
"I'm pregnant" was the last thing Madeleine had whispered to him before she passed out. The words rang in his ears over and over again. The thought of her having his child never leaving his mind. The life they could have had. Poor Henri had thought the child was his, apparently after the breakup between the two she had slept with his little brother. The only thought that had made his blood boil but didn't dwell on it since she was fighting for her life.
He looked down at his gorgeous queen, the loss of life evident but her beauty still shined. He prayed to anyone and everyone that could hear him. He prayed that they would save his young love. For if he were to lose her too he'd lose himself completely. When he wasn't with his wife or Madeleine, he was off trying to find who was responsible for harming the young queen. He worked closely with her advisors, making sure they found who did this and to make sure no one was placed on her throne till she was pronounced dead. Charles leaned down kissing her slightly cold hand, how could he have been so foolish to insult her, so foolish to say those hurtful words that made her call off the engagement. He regretted all of them the moment he had said them. For if he hadn't he would have been married to her, not her almost being married to his young but ambitious brother.
Charles was disturbed by another presence in the room. The presence of someone he did not expect, his wife, Amelie. He looked at her confusion present in his eyes, and her with concern but only for her husband. "How is she?" She spiked softly but with bitterness in her voice. That sound was something Charles couldn't understand, why was there so much hate in her voice for the queen that never wronged her. Of course they had an affair behind her back, but no one ever knew about it, they were so careful. He couldn't even look at her, at that moment he was so angry with her. "She's fine, she's a survivor. She will fight to stay alive." He stated bitterly.
Amelie was taken back by her husbands tone, it shouldn't have surprised her. He was always so quick to defend his childhood friend, forming her to dislike Madeleine so much. At this moment she didn't regret anything she had done. The bitch got what she deserved and even now she wished her dead. She looked at her with hate, a look Charles had caught. "Get out!" He shouted "and stay away until you can show her the respect she deserves!" That was enough to cause her to snap. "Are you sleeping with her Charles?! Is that where you disappear late at night after being with me?! Is that why some nights I'm not allowed into our chambers?! Why you are with her right now instead of me?! I am your wife! Not her me! And yet you are making a fool out of me! Are you sleeping with that whore?!" She shouts anger clear in every word. He just glares at her silently. "Answer me! Answer my damn question!" She slaps his chest over and over again crying. He shakes his head losing his temper now. Charles grabs both her hands tightly to stop her from hitting him. "What I do is none of your concern. You are my wife you get to know what I want you to know! And if you ever disrespect her again I will make your life a living hell! She is a queen! And I would never disgrace her in anyway! You even talking like that will have your head! Now go now before I show you how much power a husband truly has." His words were laced with poison. It has scared her half to death but yet she didn't leave. She just fell to her knees, crying in front of him. "I love you. I am your wife and I love you! Your cold, and distant. Never present in our love making. Ever since she has arrived at court. And I don't understand. We were happy, we were partners. In love so I thought. Do you hate me for loosing our child?" These words she was speaking really showed how much he has broken his wife. He never meant to, he didn't want to be like his father. But his heart belonged to Madeleine, the girl he grew up with, the girl he fell on love with. The girl he would risk everything for.
Charles could hardly look at Amelie, but he got on his knees pulling her close. "I'm sorry, so, so sorry. Amelie. I'll do better. I do love you, just not the way you deserve. I promise and no I could never blame you for our child. " Soon they were both crying but that was interrupted by the one who had caused so much pain in their marriage.
"Charles" she mumbled. Madeleine was awake, he quickly jumped up running over to her. "Madeleine! Oh I thought I lost you!" His words filled work relief.
And then he knew see her, breaking the promise he made to his wife once again. Amelie watched her husband kiss the queen's head in front of her own eyes. In that moment she knew she would never have her husbands love, not the way she wanted.