The Crazy Tyrant Wants To Kill Me(EDITING)

25 - Joe's Explanation

I grabbed a candlestick that was on a cart nearby and was about to hurl it at him-

"Your highness?"

Huh? 

The person switched on the light switch and the whole hallway lit up. I squinted and it took me a few moments before my eyes adjusted to the light. When I opened my eyes fully, the first thing I saw was Joe standing in front of me, looking confused. "Your highness, why did you scream?"

Oh. It was only Joe, not another creepy stalker.

I breathed out a sigh of relief and I allowed my stiff shoulders to relax. I placed the candlestick back on the cart. My hands were so sweaty that the candle had melted slowly in my hands.

I wiped my damp hands on my gown when all my hunger came crashing back to me. My stomach began throbbing and I scowled, clenching my stomach.

"Your highness, are you alright?!" Joe's face was filled with concern but I didn't care a bit. 

"This is all your fault!" I snapped at him. "I'm so hungry that my stomach is hurting! You never returned with any food! Were you leaving me to starve to death?!"

Joe's eyes widened slightly. "I didn't mean to make you wait so long," he said.

"What took you so long anyway?!" I crouched down onto the floor, clenching my stomach. Joe knelt down so we were on the same height.

"I went into the kitchen to get some food," Joe explained. "I was really hungry, so I decided to eat some food first-" 

"YOU ate FOOD without me!" I exclaimed. "Let me guess, you ate all the food in the kitchen and there is no more left for me! You ate and ate and ate, and that's what took you so long!"

Joe shook his head and his cheeks were flushed red. "Your highness, I didn't! I only ate a slice of bread!"

"Liar liar liar pants on fire!" I yelled, my cheeks flushed with anger. He can't take that long to eat only a slice of bread! He must be lying!

"I didn't lie!" Joe cried.

"Then you didn't care about me and nibbled the bread little by little until it was gone!" My cheeks grew even redder. My stomach pain increased but I was determined to win this argument.

"I ate that slice of bread really quickly!" Joe protested. 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," I scoffed.

"Please, just let me explain!" Joe cried.

I sighed and leaned back against the hallway wall. "Fine, but do it quickly."

"I ate that slice of bread and was about to return your bedroom with supper," Joe started.

I rolled my eyes but Joe didn't seem to notice.

"But then my stomach began hurting really bad," Joe continued. "I realized I must have eaten moldy bread! I quickly went to the bathroom and spent... well, lots of time there. That was why I didn't come after more than an hour."

Joe looked sorry and sincere. "I'm really sorry, your highness. The same mistake won't ever occur again!" He bowed his head to me.

My expression softened and I felt bad for yelling at him earlier. But he did eat something without me, and that was kind of mean. Whatever. I probably would have done the same thing. Probably.

"It's okay," I said and I brushed myself up, my stomach growling again and again. "Let's go to the kitchen and get some food now!" I said brightly.

Joe's expression suddenly froze and then he looked dead serious. He stood up and dusted off his outfit and looked up to face me. "Your highness, I'm afraid I can't allow that."

"What?!"

What did he mean by that?! Did he want me to starve to death?! Why can't I go into the kitchen?!

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" All traces of softness were all gone. 

"Please calm down first!"

I gritted my teeth. Then I inhaled, exhaled and repeated this three times. "Okay, now explain."

"Your highness, what I meant was that you couldn't go into the kitchen," Joe explained. "I didn't mean you couldn't eat."

"So your saying I can eat but I can't go into the kitchen?!" I was angry again. "Am I an outsider?! I don't even have the right of stepping foot into the kitchen?!"

I scoffed and folded my arms across my chest. "Yeah, I don't have the right to. I'm just a person that your emperor Cedric will kill someday!" I yelled and turned my back on him. But as I stomped away, I heard Joe shout, "I didn't mean that!"

"You didn't mean this, you didn't mean that, then what DO you mean?!" I spat, spinning around to face him. I had lost my patience.

Joe lowered his head. "I'll just tell you the truth. But please, don't tell anyone that I told you this, especially Cedric."

My expression softened. I wasn't the best person when I was hungry, and my temper would control me. 

Joe wiped some sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. "Cedric doesn't allow you to enter the kitchen at night," Joe explained.

"And why is that?"

"Because..." Joe lowered his voice and leaned forward to me, "Cedric's stepbrother, Theo, comes out from his room to the kitchen at night to eat."

Joe gulped and wiped more sweat off his forehead. "Cedric doesn't want you to meet Theo."

Then Joe quickly leaned away as my brain began possessing all the information.

Joe grabbed my arm. "Your highness, let's return to your room now," he said in his normal voice, but it was shaky.

Without waiting for me to reply, Joe dragged me down the hall and into Julia's chamber.