The Courtier

37

THE COURTIER
♡ Josephine ♡

"Thank you for meeting with me." I give Rafe Velmont the sweetest smile as he mimics my actions. We walk outside of the palace, around others whom are lurking this way, wishing to hear the gossip of our affair. Our fake failed affair that Jaxson deceased.

"Anything for a friend, right?"

"I have never been friends with a gentleman before..."

"What about Ugene?" He retorts which has me frowning at the mention. "My apologies."

"No, it is alright. Yes, Ugene was a friend before everything, but you are a friend without all the..." I cough, not wishing to speak of such scandalous topics of what Ugene and I had done. Rafe nods, biting back a smile. "Anyways, thank you for not making this all weird after everything."

"It was indeed fun while it lasted, but I am relieved it is over so I do not have to look behind myself to see if Ugene will be around to slice my throat, leaving me for dead. He did wish to kill me." Rafe found that rather amusing, keeping his head up straight ahead as we walked along the path at the back of the palace.

Beth exits out of the palace with her newly haircut, and I send her a wave- one that she ignores and simply turns her back on me, hurrying back inside.

"Your sister..." Rafe coughs, earning my attention. "She is not kind to you. You try so hard to receive her attention, but all she does is push you away. Why must you do as she pleases in ending the affair from Ugene?"

"I love my family, my family is the key to my heart. All I ever wished for is a good relationship with my sister, but she does this to me and I do not understand why."

"Perhaps, it is the beauty and kindness that radiates off of you and she is jealous that everyone around sees that," he shares with a kind smile. He leans in. "And I mean that in the friendliest way possible."

I bump his shoulder with mine, giggling. "Thank you," I told him gratefully. "Can I ask a question?"

"Shoot."

"How come you have never married anyone?" He keeps his eyes ahead, looking up to the hill where the palace sits.

He sighs. "I just haven't met a special lady who wows me, that is all. I believe everyone has a time and place, and this is not my time to fall in love."

"Perhaps, you need help?" I shrug, causing him to chuckle. "I am serious, Rafe. What is your type of lady you wish to seek for?"

"Are we seriously doing this?" He is amused.

"Yes, so do share."

"I wish for a chase, nothing that is handed freely to me. I do not wish for a lady to flaunt towards me just because of my wealth. I do not care for her looks, but her character," he explains, eyeing the hill a bit before cutting his eyes back to me. He stops walking, and I follow his actions.

"Sounds like you have thought about that way too many times before?" I tilt my head at him, teasing.

He smirks. "A bit, yes, but who does not wish for a wild, maddening love?"

"That is true," I agree.

"What about you?" He bites back, I raise a brow. "Instead of helping me find a suitable lady for marriage, perhaps, you shall help your own self by being with the one you yearn for." He cuts his eyes again to the hill, and my eyes follow his line of sight, witnessing an all black suit standing tall above the hill with his hands behind his back, his stare hard and straight towards the two of us.