Last Rank

Epilogue

The Queen andthe King

"Jake, Jake!" Elly stormed yelling into his office. The present advisors and servants gave her curious glances. Immediately she corrected herself. "My King."

Jake looked up from papers in his hands. He tilted his head with slim eyes. "What is it de –"

"If you have the servants prepare me for a wedding, at least have the curtesy to tell me about it beforehand!" Elly blurted.

"Oh," Jake said. "That. Must have slipped my mind." A teasing smile playing at his lips. The longer he looked at Elly, the wider it grew. He sunk to one knee in front of the girl. "Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Elly gasped for air. "No," she said then. "No!"

Jake sighed and stood up again. "See, and that is why I did not tell you."

"You cannot mean to be serious! I cannot be Queen!"

"You can and you will. And now do me the favour to let the servants finish you dressing before I might have to behead someone for seeing things that should be hidden beneath proper clothing."

Heat rushed to Elly's cheeks. She grabbed the robe around her tighter. "I will not marry you!"

"Yes, dear, now go," Jake said and grabbed her on the shoulders to push her outside the door where a nervous servant awaited and bowed deep with apologies.

"No!" Elly yelled again. "You cannot decide such things for me!" She stomped into the ground like a defiant child, to make the servant stop pulling her away.

"But I can," Jake said with a smirk. "And you cannot refuse. I am King."

"I – No! If you make me marry you, I will never talk a single word with you ever again!" Elly crossed the arms over her chest and rose her chin.

Jake rolled his eyes. Then he gestured the servant to step away for a moment of privacy.

"Do you love me?" he asked.

Elly blushed. The deep red spread over her cheeks up to her ears and down her neck. "I-I ... It doesn't matter. I am a maid, I cannot be Queen!"

"Do you love me?" Jake repeated. His voice was softer this time.

"No!" Elly said. Her eyes found his and her expression changed. "I don't know," she mumbled quietly. Paused and bit her lip. "I might." Then she eagerly shook her head. "It doesn't matter –"

"Good. I love you too. Let's get married." Jake signed the servant to take over again and turned back toward taking care of whatever business he had been attending to.

"After all, I don't have time to waste. You should enjoy me while you still can," he said over his shoulder with a wink.

***