THE BLOOD ROYALS Book 2: Long Live The Queen!

Chapter Thirty Six: A Promise

Kerala, India
Renée's POV
"Will he like punish us?" I asked Reli.

Barlowe has an especially hard face tonight. We completely pulled a disappearing act. He must be pissed!

"I'll do all the talking. Just nod." He chuckled. We approached Barlowe. He has the powdered colors all over him. His expression doesn't help. He looks like an angry clown cue the red nose! "Dude, where have you been? We have been worried sick about you!" I burst out laughing at how Reli is pretending that we looked for Barlowe. "We ended up getting lost trying to find you. Are you okay?"

Barlowe gave in. The three of us laughed out loud. I personally am laughed until my eyes teared up.

"Just this once. If you pull this in Bali, I will cuff your wrists to mine!" Barlowe warned Reli.

He saluted Barlowe. "Yes sir!"

"There's your boat. Don't row to Timbuktu." He steadied it for us and only let go when we were inside.

I kissed Barlowe on the cheek. "Thank you for taking care of us and I'm sorry we ran away."

"You're welcome your highness." He smiled at me.

Reli rowed away. The fireworks have started exploding in the sky. It's so beautiful! I don't want this night to end.

"Barlowe just called 'your highness'! Did you hear?"

"It's more of your majesty, he's going to say that soon." Reli raised an eyebrow at me. He stopped rowing the boat somewhere close to the houseboat. I'm looking forward to a shower with my man to wash off all this color and possibly, some intense cuddling on the comfy bed. We look like two clowns with color stained faces and clothes. "We need to like really talk. We have been fooling around all day so... Can we have 5 minutes of seriousness?"

"Yes." I straightened my posture. "Serious Renée reporting for duty General!"

He started laughing. Who is the joker now?

"Barlowe called you that because he is intent on hammering it into my head that my father will not recover from his stroke. On the day I left Carperia, he called me 'your majesty' like the whole time even when I was trying to ignore him. It's a title meant for a king."

"And you will make a great king. Don't doubt yourself."

"I have been through conflicting opinions in my life. First, I was a passive prince. I mean life gave me this lot so I just took it. Then I was fed up and I wanted to abdicate. Then Thalia convinced me not to and I stayed on knowing I still have time to adjust and learn from my father. That is not the schedule life took. My father got a stroke. All of a sudden, I'm the SC, I'm being called your majesty and there's a lot of pressure to fill his shoes. I can't fill his shoes today or tomorrow. My dad has ruled CN for 28 years. I need like two decades at the least to be half the man he is. I haven't even officially started and I feel tired." He rubbed my shoulder.

"How can I help you Reli?"

"By being her majesty." He answered. "CN won't challenge my being king. It's a birth right. The problem is I will ground the monarchy more if their is continuity. A wife and an heir need to come along fast. You love me, right?"

I gripped the sides of the boat.

"Yes Reli, I love you."

"Do you think you can spend the rest of your life with me?"

For the second time today it felt like my heart stopped. The explosion of vibrant fireworks above us faded to the background. I looked into the eyes pleading me to comply. I told him that I want his heart. That was my condition. Is it possible from r him to love me with time?