(jaylor au) clandestine meetings in beautiful rooms

Baby Kiss It Better

I should have known that my mother would greet me with pure anger. I suppose I should have known that there would be consequences for my actions, for defending Austin. I should have realised that she wouldn't see the kindness in my actions.
"Mother," I say as I enter the room. Alexander follows behind me. My father walks into the room at the same time we do, and given that he's here, I know that I am going to be in trouble.
"Whatever it is," Alexander tries to defend me, tries to put off this conversation. But a conversation like this is something that I have been waiting to have with them. One where they might actually listen to what I have to say. "It can wait until another time. Taylor has a pounding headache, and I do not wish for her to get sick."
"This can not wait," My mother tells him. "It can't wait another moment."
"Well, what is it?" I ask, sitting down on the bed.
"Your actions over the past three days have been a disgrace to the kingdom." Her words are sharp, and they are supposed to threaten me. But I don't look away. I don't flinch. I've been hearing these words for years, and I wear them like armour, now.

"I am not a child, mother." I address her with a certain degree of anger that I've never shown her before. "I do not need to be managed by you or father. I am not someone who needs to be controlled, or kept on tight reins. I'm not the six year old girl that you think I am."
My mother is appalled with what I've just said. Alexander sits down beside me.
"Young lady-" She exclaims.
I will not back down in fear of her. Not when there's clearly so many people that live in fear of them, when the situation is desperate enough that they need to rebel. I will not let that happen. Rebellions, particularly those that are fought by the peasants, never end well. Too many people die, too many lives lost.
"No. I am married now. You're not in control of me. You might run the kingdom, but you no longer run me. I won't let you. I'm tired of it, mother. Tired of the games, the manipulation and the rules." My mother takes a couple of steps backwards, as if my words have physically hurt her. As if she has not spoken to me in such a way before. I cannot believe her, believe my father for always defending her. Surely he can see the way she is, surely he can feel the rage in her bones.
"Taylor," my father speaks, but I am not in the mood to listen.
"No. You've kept me prisoner behind these walls for my entire life, and I'm tired of it. I'm married to Alexander and-"
"You still don't get to leave this palace -" My mother's voice booms.
I'm about to open my mouth when Alexander takes my hand and squeezes it. Because he is aware that my anger is getting the better of me at this very moment. He is aware that I might slip up and tell her everything.
"Taylor, darling." Alexander murmurs, trying to get me to breathe. "You need to calm down."
I put my head in my hands as I take a deep breath, trying to cool the fire that burns inside of me.