Wait for the Signal: A Royalty Steve Rogers Story

Thirty-two

I ended up going back in as the sun rose the next morning. I put the horse back, going to our wing of the castle.

I walked into the bedroom. And the one night that I did not sleep in bed, Steve was fast asleep in ours. Laura was curled in her bassinet.

I went to my closet, going to put my nightgown on. Steve stirred.

"Finally decided to turn up?" Steve asked.

"Shut your sass of a mouth." I said quietly. He groaned, laying on his stomach.

"Where'd you go to hide?"

I looked at him. His eyes weren't even open. I felt tears in my own.

"Will you please just stop?" I asked. I felt my voice crack. I choked it down.

"Oh. So you can insult me but I cannot do the same to you? That's a shame darling. You know if it weren't for me, you would still be a maid, correct?" He asked. I watched him sit up, staring at me.

I felt a pit in my stomach.

He was not in love with me anymore. I knew this would happen. I had told him to wait. He would have moved on. I would stay a maid. He would marry.

I messed up his bloodline. I practically killed his father. His mother turned to a wreck.

I truly destroyed his family. His father was right.

I looked down at my shaky hands. "Then do not allow me to become queen. If I am not the fit for you, do not mess this up before it is too late. I will not destroy this kingdom more than I already have."

I said it with a strong voice, but everything inside of me was breaking.

Steve sighed. "So what, so you can add more stress into my life?"

"Steve..."

It was quiet. I felt my tears starting to fall. I glanced over, seeing Steve staring into the distance.

"I'm going to sleep in my old room."

"Wait. Ella."

"No. I do not want to hear it. If you regret me, please just tell me instead of slowly weening into it. I would rather just get it over with quickly."

I walked off, going to the room that Sarah and Joseph gave me as I started this fake life. I got into bed, sobbing to no end.

And I just cried. Until I could not cry anymore.

~~~

I woke up to Laura's cries. I sat up quickly, but realized I was not in my room.

Steve sat there, looking at me. Laura was in his arms.

"She won't shut up." He said. I got up, taking her. She calmed down rather quickly.

She knew his anger. It practically radiated off of him.

And in that moment that I looked at him, I saw his fathers stern eyes. I looked away, not wanting to see that image of a man.

I walked with my crying daughter. Eventually Steve got up, going to sit at the foot of the bed.

"It's practically afternoon. You slept most of the day."

"Did I?" I asked blatantly.

"Elenor."

"Hmm."

"Are you truthful about not wanting to become queen with me?"

"Correct. I do not want to if you have fallen out of love. This will never work. You seem to also bring up my past, so if you do not agree with it then find someone else. I will take Laura and raise her myself. And this will be over." I said.

"Who ever said I fell out of love with you?"

I gave him a sad stare. "You do not have to say it. I just feel it."

"You feel it..? You feel the fact that just yesterday I was worried sick with the fact that you were in the library. When you came in the washroom and helped me... I don't..."

I stayed quiet. There was no point in talking anymore.

"Elenor. You know I truly love you right?"

"Mm."

"Hey. Look at me."

I looked at him. He was sincere.

"If you ever think that I have fallen out of love with you...fuck."

"Well I've felt it for a while now."

"Why? Because I'm mad at you for one night? That happens. You've been upset with me."

"I cannot remember a time when I've been anywhere near that upset with you." I said softly. Laura was back to normal. I sat down, letting her sit on my lap. Steve just glanced at me as we sat across from each other. It felt as though so much anger just swarmed in the middle of us.

Steve nodded. "Well, I apologize for being so upset. It's over. We are moving on."

I nodded. "Fine then. I guess we just brush it under the rug and you go back to staying quiet and not seeing me."

"Do you need attention for some reason? I am running this castle. I do not have time as I used to."

He stared directly into my eyes again. Such anger. His fathers genes continued to step out.

"You look like your father when you look at me that way."

"Fuck you." He said as he left.

I held Laura in my arms. I was so upset with him. He did not care. This all started with the fact that I was only worried for him.

I stared up at the ceiling as I sat in the chair.

I got up, going to my room to get ready for the day. Laura was playing on the floor.

"Mama. Eat." I heard. She was hungry.

I got up, taking her out to the kitchen. But of course, Steve was out in the great hall.

"I am not fucking playing these games anymore. Maybe she's right, maybe I should not let her become queen. I'll have her and Laura in the woods as I planned. That way I'll still visit my daughter. And that's that."

I walked in. "So what, now you tell James of our situation? Throw me in the woods Steven. Lock me up. Hide me like you used to! All I've ever done is serve you. Almost my entire life has been you. And you want to throw that away? Then tell me to pack and leave. I beg of you. Tell me!"

"Elenor!" I heard. Sarah walked in. I wiped a tear that fell. Laura was crying in my arms. Sarah took my baby.

"You are out of control. Go."

"What? But he.."

"Steve. You are just as awful. You both need to go. Get away from each other or something. Enough of this. You both will learn to keep your tempers, or I will have to stay queen until I die."