The Guard

18

THE GUARD
• Third Person pov •

Palace Lockwood was quiet. Too quiet for Queen Arabella's liking. Her heels click against the floors of the palace, letting them echoe to make her presence known.

She stands tall with Josephine right behind, acting like the good courtier she is. Arabella takes lead to her husband's office, claiming her presence when the door opens and reveals Ugene and King Jaxson speaking amongst each other.

Jaxson's desk was filled with papers from the village and elsewhere. He looks up from his paperwork, eyeing his wife. Suddenly, all the stress flowed away when his eyes appeared on his beloved Arabella. A smile reaches both his ears, waving her further into the office.

Arabella's heart still flutters when she finds her husband's eyes. After almost a year of taking the crown, nothing has changed. Their love still burns so deeply, they were each other's diamond.

Jaxson stands from his desk, Ugene moves to stand on the side with his hands behind himself. His majesty rounds the desk, leaning against it when he beckons his wife closer.

"I would like to have a moment alone with my wife, please, Ugene," Jaxson is too kind to Ugene as he turns to share a smile with him. Ugene knew they had much to discuss, nodding his head to his King and leaving the room.

Josephine follows after, shutting the door. Ugene grows nervous- he's never felt those emotions before. He frowns at himself, making it seem to Josephine he was in a horrible mood. She distances herself from him just as he rubs the part of his chest that pains him.

They both stand on either side of the office door, neither speaking to each other. They are both tense, but comply and wait for their majesty's orders.

Inside the King's office, Jaxson Lockwood shifts two fingers, ordering his wife to come to him fully. Arabella shifts forward, landing into her husband's arms.

They both melt into each other. Jaxson wraps his arm around Arabella as she rounds her across his neck.

"I think we shall talk," she whispers.

Jaxson hums- in a trance by her beauty. "Not without a kiss first."

Arabella laughs under her breath, leaning forward to place her lips over his. It was short lived, but it lit them both up with sparks.

"Alright, speak." He coughs, nodding his head for her to begin.

She sighs, thinking of her sister. "I am worried for Serena."

"Why so?" Jaxson tilts his head.

"She gave me this look the other day before the ball. It was short, but I caught it. I cannot help but think she is unhappy," she explains her intuition that was screaming to her. A frown sits upon her face, and it does not sit well to Jaxson. He wishes to make her happy again, to see the smile she once spread to the world.

"I think you worry over your sister too much. She seemed well to me." He is tense, Arabella can tell. He knows something she doesn't.

She raises a brow, unraveling her arms around him, but he does not let her go. No, he tightens it so she cannot escape.

"Jaxson, what is it that you know that I do not?" She asks once. Only once before she runs to her sister's palace and asks what is the matter to Serena. "Do not lie to me. We do not do that."

"Your gut was right. Bridger and Serena..." He hesitates to say that they were together at some point. Confirming her suspicions of the two.

"I knew it." Arabella blows a breath. "Oh my- What does this mean?!"