Once Upon A [Hidden] Time - [Stolen] Series IV

CHAPTER 49

EDWARD
29 JUNE 1415

"Nephew," Andrew smirked. "Our father was Audrey's half-brother—although a bastard, but my uncle made sure we were given our rights and titles."

"I see."

"As you know, our uncle did not have an heir." He looked around the hall. "So, it was quite a catch for anyone to claim his power."

"My subjects know that I earned this crown by healing him," Jasmine grumbled. I had not seen her lose her patience, but this man was pushing her to the edge.

"Your subjects also talk about the witchcraft you played on my uncle," Andrew objected.

"She is a doctor, you jerk," Myra shouted.

"You are crossing a line, brother-in-law." Jasmine's eyes were venomous. If looks could kill, Andrew would have been hanged, drawn, and quartered.

"Surely now that my brother managed to own what is rightfully his..." He gripped her hand tighter. She was trying to squirm out of his grip, but he did not let it happen. "I am sure you would lend me a title, as well." He gave a satanic grin which reminded me of my father's. "A dukedom, perhaps?"

"I will discuss it with my husband," she answered with displeasure. "Excuse me." She pulled away from Andrew, but did not intend to seek David.

"He lied to her!" Myra complained. "David intended to win the throne only." She placed a hand on her heart. "Poor woman!"

I felt sorry for Jasmine, too. She was tricked, but if she was powerful enough to read minds, then why did she fail to read David's intentions?

Myra flipped the page of the book, and we saw everyone seated at the royal table. The Queen sat in the seat where my father now sits. In the background, musicians played as courtiers entered, their divine music resonating off the stone walls. Everyone was busy talking to one another, but Jasmine's mind seemed to be at a loss. He deceived me. The thoughts kept churning in her mind. It was still remarkable that I was able to hear her thoughts, as if I were some writer narrating a story from her point of view. Was that how Myra felt when she read my book? When she claimed she knew me better than anyone because she dove and swam in my mind?

Myra was about to close the book when I held her hand. "What are you doing?"

"I don't want to know what happens next," she replied. "It is quite clear."

"But we do not know yet!" Why was I defending David? I did not know. "Let us hear what he has to say."

"But if I were her, I wouldn't ask him."

"Why not?

"Because if he had deceived me just to gain power and control over England, I would have him hanged for treason."

I gave her a soft smile. "Then I am glad you are not a queen."

"Though sometimes, I do wish to torture you." She returned me her charming smile, which always twisted my insides.

I glanced at the book. "Shall we?"

She complied and flipped the page.

The chambermaid was helping the Queen by undressing her, removing her skirt full of diamonds.

"It is a beautiful dress, Your Grace." The Queen smiled sadly at the maid's reflection through the mirror.

David entered the chamber without knocking and gazed at his wife through the looking glass. He stepped closer and asked the maidservant to leave.

"Allow me." He leaned in, moving her hair to one side, and kissed the nape of her neck.

"I can do it myself." She pursed her lips. Knowing his wife's temper, David paused whatever he was doing and gathered his brows together to look at her.

"Is something the matter?"

"You tell me," Jasmine answered. "Your relatives show up uninvited."

"Andrew," he grumbled. "If I had known, I would have stopped his entry into the palace."

Jasmine turned around, irritation staining her cheeks. "You did not bother telling me in all these days that you have a half-brother?"

"I thought that we love each other despite our darkness!" It was obvious that David was taken off-guard.

"Darkness, or one of your wretched plans to claim my throne?"

"What are you saying, Soredamors?" He placed his hands on her forearms, but she jerked away.

"I am not your Soredamors," she almost shouted. "Did you not come here to claim your throne?"

David's face paled. He was speechless. Averting his gaze from his wife, he turned around.

"Of course, you have nothing to say in your defence, do you?"

David took his time to speak.

"It is true that I came with a vendetta to claim my birthright from my late uncle, but..." He turned around, stepping forward to reach out for her, but she took a step back to maintain a safe distance. "But when I saw you in the forest, lost in your thoughts, everything faded around me." Jasmine stopped breathing at his words. "I knew not then that you were Queen Jasmine. All I knew was that I fell in love with a woman, and I knew she felt the same for me."

"I did," she whispered, a tear dropping from her eye.

"When I entered the Queen's Court to announce who I was, I saw you at the throne, and whatever I had in my mind vanished like a ghost." He stepped forward again, pulling her in his embrace. This time, she did not resist. "I forgot who I was and who you were, and all I wanted was you—not some Queen of England."

Jasmine gulped her tears.

"It is true that I came here to fight with the Queen—fight for my birthright—but when I saw you on the throne, it was not the power I wanted. It was you." He kissed her softly on her cheeks. "It was only you, Jasmine."

She bore her eyes into him, pondering if she made a mistake, but all she could see in him was sincerity.

"You claim to have the power to read minds." He entwined his fingers with hers. "I am an open book to you, my love." Pulling her closer, he demanded, "Read me." He licked his lips. "Tell me if you think I deceived you. I am ready for any kind of punishment."

Jasmine just stared. At this point, her thoughts were unreadable, or perhaps she was not thinking straight.

"Ouch!" Myra shrieked and removed her hand from the book. The window vanished in an instant, turning into a cloud of smoke. "My hand is burning." She shook her hand and blew on it. I saw a few blisters, too, but I still did not understand why her hand burned on Jasmine's book.

I closed the book. "That is enough for tonight," I announced.

"But we want to see if they made up," Myra argued.

"I am sure they did," I answered. "They had six children, remember?"

"Yes, but she could have conceived them when she slept with him on the night the first flower bloomed."

I stared at Myra—completely speechless. She had a valid point. Now I wanted to know, too. But thinking that we had come here after dinner, and that Emma was unattended, it was time to head back to the chamber.