A king with a bad attitude must change for his subjects or else face the rebellion. He thinks power can stop it all, little does he know power can become the reason for his fall.
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Book 1 | R...
Ed was the very definition of stubborn among many other things. A blend of black and white - good for some and bad for the rest. For me, he was neither. An assortment of the finest shades of gray was more like it. Sometimes naive yet caring. Rugged yet gentle. Dominating yet not controlling. Bellicose and brave. Honest and charming. Conceited yet surrendered for the ones he loved. Above everything, he was mine with all his flaws. One of his flaws was his stubbornness. On occasions, it was endearing but I feared us getting in trouble because of the trait.
Early in the morning, he dragged me toward the royal's private gardens. I put my foot down right in the middle of the corridor, scared out of my mind about anyone recognizing me. Despite wearing a floral gown, I was dreading the outcome if the word were to spread. A hidden truth does not need time to take the shape of rumors.
Ed was not a quitter, so no matter how much I protested and refused to budge, he put me over his shoulder in the end. What was I, a sack of potatoes? Maybe. My lover had begun to call me a bed potato these days. When I grilled him about the definition of the term, he told me that it refers to someone who spends most of their time in bed reading, sleeping, or taking a nap without doing any productive work. The argument he gave me was - "You have become quite lazy since you started to spend your nights with me." That was incorrect. It was he who spoiled me.
Edward let me down once we reached his desired destination. The lush green grass called out to me and I slipped off my footwear to return the greeting. The grass beneath my feet was soft. Offering me his hand to hold, Ed asked me very politely to join him on the walk. I did not shy away from voicing my concerns out loud. My worries diminished when he informed me that he had restricted entry of anyone in the gardens until further notice and his guards were stationed at the perimeter with their back facing us. A kiss was the reward for his thoughtfulness.
For a while, we walked around hand in hand aimlessly, appreciating the beauty of the various flowers and their vibrant colors. The remaining day we spent lying on the grass side by side, looking at the cerulean sky and exchanging words of romance in hushed whispers. The atmosphere was serene.
As the day was near its end, Edward grabbed my hand with right hand and cupped my cheek with his other one. While staring deep into my eyes, he said - “I have a surprise for you.”
“I have grown a fondness for your surprises but am I going to cry again? Who am I fooling here? Of course, I will be weeping willow in no time. You tend to leave me very emotional these days.” Edward said nothing, simply bringing a key out of his pocket and presenting it to me. "Which door does this key unlock? Do not tell me it is the key to your heart." The pair giggled at the ridiculousness of the phrase."
"You own my heart, so no this is not the key. Do you recall a door right next to the library? Behind that door is a reading room where a pile of books selected by me is awaiting you."
"What kind of books?"
"They range from fiction to non-fiction including rarely spoken topics from mythology."
"Why?"
"Because you were deprived of experiencing childhood which is the stage we learn about the world and ourselves the most. You were poured into a mold created by your father. I cannot turn back the time but I can help in my own ways. These books are tales of humans and Gods. Maybe you will find some answers in there."
"You do so much for me. How can I show my gratitude to you?"
"Do not insult me. If I could, I would do everything in my power to find others who are suffering like you, dying each night due to the pain of not knowing who they are. And then getting up the next morning because their body didn't give up as their souls did. Some days accepting and choosing the identity the world sees them with. On other days struggling because the world is delusional about figuring them out. Them - those who are still in search of themselves. I wish I could give you the world, my darling. I wish I could save you from the frustration. I wish many things for you. All good, I promise. And I also promise to be there by your side on your journey. I want you to know yourself. Because what I have come to know about you, you are beautiful. Inside and outside. Jupiter is Utopian. There is so much more-"
"Enough. This is enough for me. You are enough for me."
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