The Kingdoms Arrangement [H.S]

XXVII

Artemis

I hear a faint knock and I feel pain in my eyes as I roll them. I cried so much last night that I probably strained them. "Go away!" I yell, but the person knocking doesn't listen and continues to knock. I struggle to get out of bed and finally make myself shuffle across the floor so I can open the door. When I open it I see the person I don't want to see the most, Harry. "What do you want, Harry?" I question him, looking him up and down. Wow, he almost looks as rough as me.

"Just a few minutes, please." Harry pleads with me, and I roll my eyes turning onto my heel back into the room.

"Come on," I whisper, walking to sit on the bed. Harry tries to sit next to me but I give him a glare that tells him to do otherwise, he sits down on the chair next to the bed. "Tea?" I question, stirring a spoon into my tea and Harry shakes his head.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you that our marriage was arranged, but what can I do to make you believe me that I had no clue until we were married?" Harry pleads with his question, and I don't know how to answer him. How can he? I don't trust anyone anymore. Not even the man I love the most.

"You can't Harry, that's what makes this so difficult. I can't trust anyone. Not even Louise and I used to be able to trust her with everything. Not even my father." I pause, feeling tears prickle in my eyes. "Not even my husband!" I whimper, trying to cover up my sadness with anger, and stand up to go toss my teacup into the sink.

"Baby," Harry walks over to me and puts a hand on my hip, "please believe me." His green eyes absorb mine and I see a hint of tears in his and I can't help but let out a few tears of my own.

"I can't Harry. Knowing this was an arrangement since I was in my mother's womb hurts enough." I turn away from him, shoving his hand off of me. "But knowing you knew hurts even more, did Kit know?" I turn to look at him with a hint of glare in my eyes. I bet he did, I bet they all did.

"Yes." Harry looks at me with a painful look, and that word makes me break completely.

"So I was just a prize for our kingdoms. So the war would be over, my parents used me to stop the war with your father." I sit back on the bed and put my hands over my face trying to understand everything happening.

"I don't know what I can do to help you understand that I-" I cut his words off as he begins to climb onto the bed and start walking over to my closet.

"Nothing Harry," I grab my cloak and put it on, "you can't do anything. That's the issue." I feel the tears I've been holding in trickle down my cheeks and I finally let them all out. "Don't come looking for me, I'll be out for a while." I walk out of the suite and close the door softly. I'm going to talk to the monster who made this whole arrangement happen.

"So my son's wife is coming to see me." Heinrich has a smirk on his lips as he speaks to me. "Why?" I feel a grimace come onto my face and I sigh trying to think of the words I should say.

"Tell me about the war, Heinrich, and  how you convinced my father to pawn me off to you." I glare at him with every word and he smirks at me.

"And what do I get out of this?" Heinrich sneers, chugging some alcohol I assume he bribed one of the guards to give him. Don't worry, you won't be drinking soon enough.

"What do you want?" I feel the words sting as they come out, this is not right. Why am I doing this? I see Heinrich's smirk widen and I can feel bile creep up my throat.

"Fuck me."  What did he just say? I feel my hand hit something hard and quickly realize I slapped him.

"How dare you!" I yell, and Heinrich chuckles falling back onto the floor.