The King's Court

XIV

"This makes everything complicated, Leon," I muttered as I stared at Leon. He was standing by the window. He has replaced Roylan from being paranoid and stood watch by the window. Although I figured Leon was busy observing the architecture rather than being paranoid of what possible dangers would come.

My brother looked at me. From the look on his face, I could already tell what he was thinking.

"Maybe you should tell your beloved Evelyn about that instead of me," he said. I knew he would say that.

"This was too much for me to take in."

His brow raised. "Heavens," he muttered. "You're frightened." The sound of his voice was enough to tell that he was moments away from his usual mockery.

"There is no harm in admitting that," I said. "I am sincerely frightened of all this. This new world is...unexpected. My  rational mind tells me this might be a dream."

"It isn't. And no, you're not just afraid of this whole new world. You're afraid of the possibility it brings." He faced me. The mockery I was expecting did not come.

One thing I hate about Leon is his ability to read me. It was annoying but offered some sort of relief, on the other hand.

"It might have been easier if Evelyn..." I trailed.

"If Evelyn was someone from our world. And not someone from an entirely different universe where the chances of you two ending up together is one of the myriad of impossibilities."

I went silent. The moment Leon voiced it out, it seemed more than just a thought but a reality. A bitter one.

"I am King. It is easy for me to remove her charges in Visaris. I can do that easily. But this...how the hell am I going to go through this? She is from another world. She has parents, she has friends. She has a life here, Leon. It would be downright selfish if I ask her to stay here with me. To—"

"To be your Queen," he added. Then he clicked his tongue. "Seems like that woman will get closer to the throne than I ever will."

I gave him blank stare and he just smiled coyly.

"Or, you could give the throne to your good little brother and you go live with her here. I can get the throne. You can be with the woman you love."

Thinking about the suggestion was absurd. It was even more absurd when I even considered it.

"You make it sound like you're just making me choose between two kinds of shirt."

Leon stared at me a beat longer before he sighed. "One thing I can say is, I am relieved I am not you, brother."

"And you want to be King? You're better in the stables with your horse, Peanut Butter."

He gave me an offended look. "Peanut Butter and I can laugh together at your infinitely miserable life."

"At least, I'm King."

"At least I didn't fall in love with a woman from another universe."

I groaned and rolled my eyes.

He chuckled and chugged from the bottle of milk he found in Evelyn's cooling machine. I believe it was called a fridge.

The thought still lingered in my head. I know I should tell her about it. About my doubts. About my worries. But she already has enough on her plate. She has done more than enough, risking her life not just once but twice by coming back here.

I rested my head on the seat and stared at the shelf on the right side of my chamber.

We have returned in Visaris hours ago. Evelyn is resting in her chamber next to mine. I could just go into her chamber through the secret door behind my shelf. Every ounce of my self-control is on the brink of snapping but I willed myseld not to walk over the wall.