The Queen's Wife (girlxgirl)

5. Cherry on top

🌾

⚠️violence ⚠️

Maud doesn't know how to answer.

It's not just the words getting stuck in her head, scrambling around and twisting and turning painfully. It's not the oddness of his tone, the clear mocking in the way he sounds so calm despite literally kidnapping her from her home and turning her life upside down. It's not that. It's not the hate that she feels for him in that moment, as she gazes into his deceiving eyes and finds nothing but cold heartedness. It's the utter realization of; wow, she has no idea how to talk to someone of this man's status.

He is above her in many ways. One could even say that, compared to her he is a god and she is a mere ant crawling on the ground. It's apparent in the way he looks at her, with an ice cold expression hidden by a manipulative half-smirk half-smile. It's also apparent in the way he dresses, with his black royal suit looking more expensive than her life, and a big silver emblem necklace over his clothed chest, showing off his status and power for everyone to see. Or maybe it's just the way he sits, leaned back like he owns the world, back against the most carefully embroidered and expensive couch that Maud has ever seen. The fact that he can so carelessly play around with his expression, do what he wants with his clothes without limits and lean against whatever expensive furniture that he wants, shows who he really is.

The king of the largest empire on the continent. A man that could swallow you whole, and gobble you up.

How could she, a wolf in sheep's clothing, or in this case a peasant in a royal's robes, ever talk to a man like him? And he makes that clear too, only confirming her doubts and nervousness, in the way that he speaks, the way that he sits, the way that he looks at her. It's chilling. There is no love in his gaze, no familiarity, no compassion or even interest in the slightest. But suddenly Maud finds herself remembering that key thing. The reason that there should be love in his gaze, interest and compassion, is because of the blood that they share. Because of course, they are siblings. She is his sister, he is her brother. The closer she looks the more she realizes how alike they are. And that's what grounds her.

He can act however he wants, but they are blood siblings and in her world, that makes them equals of soul. That's what makes her talk, with more confidence than she first expected.

"What do you want from me?"

Because Maud isn't dumb. She knows that there is a clear reason why she first now has been brought before the king. Yes, maybe it's because the king and queen are now both dead, and it no longer matters if the queen birthed a daughter or not. But something inside Maud is telling her that it must be something more. Men are men. If there is anything she has learned over time as a human being, it's that men, especially rich men and rich women too, always want something in return. Or, when they do something, they are expecting something from you that you might not even understand until it's way too late.

Her brother could easily have never told anyone about the princess, he could've left her at the farm and let her live a peasant's life forever. But he didn't. He chose to bring her back, right now, at this very sudden time. A time which appears to be a whole two years since the old king passed. And a whole four years since the queen herself passed. What made him do it now? What made Makai search her up now, and reveal the truth? It's not out of love, that's for sure, it's not out of respect and care for his family. That's clear by one single look at his face. No love can fit inside his cruel heart, Maud can see it in his eyes and expression. So there is only one option left. He has something to gain. Maud would very much like to know what that is, because she is the protagonist of his plans, and she knows it will end badly for her.