Fallen Angel of Promise

No Thank You?

The two guards open the heavy white doors to reveal Rowan seated behind his sleek white desk with Jarolt standing by his side. "Come." I do as ordered and enter the room. I hear the heavy doors close behind me with a soft thud.
Once closed Jarolt rushes from behind the desk to embrace me. "I'm so happy to see you up and about."
"I'm feeling much better after a few hot baths last night."
"Thank you for saving him," Jarolt whispers into my left ear. "I couldn't have asked you to handle that situation better."
"Jarolt," Rowan's booming voice forces Jarolt to quickly release me. He shoots me a quick smile before quickly ducking behind a wall. Maybe that's how they got in the room yesterday? "Stay," without looking up from his papers he's scribbling on. It's a few moments go by before Rowan finally stand up from his desk. He walks over without saying a word and stares down at me. "Open," his voice as cold as ever towards me.
"What?"
"I said," Rowan grabs my chin and lifts my head up towards himself. "Open." I slowly open my mouth but Rowan quickly forces a finger between my teeth to widen his view. I can feel his finger rubbing over my tongue and down the side of my cheeks. He leaves no part of my mouth unchecked. My face is burning up. I know he doesn't mean anything by it, harm or otherwise, but this position is quite embarrassing. I just try to avoid his gaze as he finishes off examining my lips. "You look much better." His hands leave me and I try to regain my composure.
"Yes," I breathe deeply and avoid his eyes. "Madam Wren said my body must have developed some sort of immunity to-" Rowan grabs my forearms and forces my gaze back upon him.
"Why would you do that?!" Rowan screams down at me suddenly.
"Wha-"
"Do you realize how badly you could've been hurt?! Do you realize how stupid a decision is to drink fucking poison?!"
"I was just supposed to let you drink it?!" I scream back defending myself.
"You could've died!"
"So could've you!" Rowan seems taken aback as he pauses, but i don't let up. "I did what I had to do to protect the kingdom, his majesty, YOU! You selfish prick!"
"Okay!" Jarolt quickly appears after hearing our confrontation. Rowan releases me and storms back behind his desk. "Perhaps we should continue with our scheduled advisory meeting today."
    "What?" I ask Jarolt.
    "Today is the scheduled day that was supposed to be me and my father picking out my future bride, but now you're my advisor."
    "I was talking to Jarolt." Rowan looks up furious.
    "Doesn't his majesty know it's rude to answer for people like that?"
    "So," Jarolt claps loudly. "The ladies huh?"
    "Yes," Rowan clears his throat before throwing papers across his desk at me. "Take a look."
    "What's this?" I shuffle through the papers full of graphs. "Wheat prices, demon attacks, trade stocks?"
    "The statistics of each ladies' kingdom against each other. I see no logical outlier that stands above the rest." Rowan turns to stare out the window. "I don't know who to choose still."
    "I think you're missing something pretty obvious."
    "What?" They both say shocked. "What is it?" Rowan takes the papers back to look through again frantically. "What am I missing?"
    "Well, which one do you want to be with?"
    "What?" Rowan's annoyed voice returns as he glares up at me from his seat.
    "Which lady do you like the best?"
    "That's not a factor." Rowan leans back in his chair defeated.
    "I think it is. You just said each kingdom offers something of similar value to the others, so time to expand the permitters."
    "She's got a point." Jarolt defends me but, Rowan just scoffs.
    "Come on you have to at least be attracted to one of those snobs."
    "Ridiculous notion," Rowan retorts.
    "Whose hand do you want to hold? Which one do you want to wake up in bed next to? Whose lips do you want to kiss?"
    "What are you saying?!" Rowan's face turns deep red and Jarolt sighs in exhaustion. "How dare you speak to me like this?!"
    "Oh, you can shove your fingers down my throat but I can't mention a simple peck on the cheek?"
     "Those are two entirely different subjects!"
     "I'm done with this!" I turn back towards the door.
     "Who dismissed you from my presence!?" Rowan stands to shout towards my back.
     "I did!" I yank the door open before I turn around to face his stupid red face. "By the way you're welcome you fucking arrogant prick!" I slam the door behind me before he can retort. I storm down the hallway with Gelvain by my side.
     "So," Gelvain starts. "Nice chat?"
     "Hardly." We quietly make it back to my room. I huff over to the vanity and begin pulling my jewelry off. "Has he always been such a bastard?"
    Gelvain looks at me in the mirror while standing behind me. "I wish I could fain innocence about what you mean, but alas I cannot if that answers your question."
     "I even had to get dressed up after drinking fucking poison," I yank my hair down. "For him to not even thank me for saving his life. Egotistical asshole."
     "He didn't even thank you?" Gelvain sounds mad now.
     "No. Then he got mad after asking me for my advise."
    "On what?"
     "The ladies of the court. I simply asked which one he himself found attractive, but he got all shy after he shoved his hand in my mouth."
     "Mmm sexy." What goes through this girl's mind?
     "I wish."
     "You wish?" Gelvain raises an eyebrow towards me. Exposing her devilish thoughts.
      "I meant it wasn't. Besides who could get turn on by that emotionless ass hat."
      "Emotionless ass hat you say?" Jarolt startles me as I now see him leaned against the wall behind us in the mirror's reflection.
     "How do you keep doing that?" I unclip my earring.
     "That's a secret." Jarolt pushes himself up off the wall and steps over to us. "You know he can't help it." Jarolt places a hand on my shoulder. "I know he should've thanked you and I've scolded him as much, but a nice life is not the one he was born into."
     "That's not for him to take out on me," I unclip my other earring and slam it on the table. "And I'll believe he's grateful when I hear the words leave his stupid mouth."