She hates it at Court, it's as simple as that, Everleigh thinks as she sits on a stone bench in the garden, under the shade of a rather large tree. She has spent the last three months trying to fit in in a place where she doesn't belong and where the people make sure to remind her of it at every opportunity, either with actions or, sometimes, even with words.
Once the news broke that Everleigh was the King's bride, the first of the obstacles that she was waiting for appeared in the form of the King's Private Council. Everleigh knows the Lords in the Private Council don't like her, it is pretty clear by the way they treat her every time she is near them, looking at her with disdain and making veiled remarks about how unsuited she is to be the King's bride and their future Queen.
It didn't take long for Everleigh to find out why they dislike her so much, greatly in part thanks to her handmaidens. It seems that they wanted the King to marry someone else, a Lady of their choosing, so they could whisper in her ear and have her help them persuade the King towards what they wanted, when necessary. And it seems they already had someone in mind.
Because of all of this, Everleigh noticed that the people in Court had followed the Private Council's Lords lead and made sure to stay as far away from her as possible, as proven at the moment by the people in the garden that walk past her at a hasten pace, without acknowledging her presence or even sparing her a look, making for a very lonely stay in Court for her.
Everleigh has done her best to be as pleasant and as open as she possibly can, acutely aware that no one wants her there. But considering that she will eventually be their Queen, she has tried to be as polite and respectful of everyone as she can, but she will be the first one to admit that it hasn't been an easy task.
People in Court have been everything but welcoming to her and as much as she doesn't want to admit it, it's starting to get to her knowing that no one wants her there or as their future Queen, no one more than the King himself. And it hurts.
The only person who has actually made an effort to be her friend has been Mackenzie. From the day Everleigh arrived at Court, and especially after her meeting with the King, that Mackenzie has been there for her, helping her find her footing in Court and becoming a good friend that Everleigh feels like she can trust, even if she is the King's sister and Advisor.
On the opposite side of all of this is the King, who has kept his distance from her and remains as cold towards her as he was that first day when they met. Everleigh had thought that, with time, he would at least be receptive to properly talk to her, but that never happened.
Everleigh, by insistence and with some help from Mackenzie, has tried to spend some time with the King, by inviting him to private lunches or walks in the garden, but every time she does, the Private Council always makes sure that the King is too busy to join her, by holding various meetings that require the King's presence, just confirming what Everleigh already knew about their feelings about her.
She takes a deep breath, the perfume of the surrounding flowers filling her nose, thinking that no matter what people think of her, she has a duty she needs to perform, even if all she wants is to return home, where she was happy, despite all the hardships that come with being an unmarried woman trying to run an Estate.
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The King's Bride
FanfictionWhen Jensen is confronted with an unexpected marriage agreement forged by his father, he allows his anger to cloud his judgment. Everleigh didn't want this as much as he did, but when Jensen is being cold with her, how can she keep her end of the de...
