Without A Queen (POF Sequel)

40

No one

-the same afternoon-

"Nadia, are you sure you're okay?" Cecilia asked her roommate and best friend as she heard small sniffles at the other side of the room.

Cecilia was getting dressed to start her day off, in the west wing of the palace when she saw Nadia in her current state.

"I'm fine, Cecilia..." She heard Nadia muttered, her face in her pillows.

Cecilia pouted and walked over, sitting at the side of her friend's bed. "Nadia, what's wrong? You're not fine."
Nadia didn't reply.
"I'm not leaving until you tell me." Cecelia raised an eyebrow.

"Fine..." Nadia said and sighed.

She sat up and wiped her tear stained face. Cecelia's face softened.
"Now what's wrong?"

Nadia breathed in and exhaled a couple times. "Remember what I told you about me and..." She trailed off. Saying the Kings name made her uneasy.

Cecelia was confused. "You and..."

Nadia covered her face. "Jus-the King , I mean." She still had to be careful about calling him about his name. Even if her friend knew.

"Oh." Cecelia said nodding her head. "Are you and him still..."

"N-no, no of course not..." She said and sniffed. "What happened? Why were you crying?" Cecelia asked her.

"He-he hates me, Cecelia."
Cecelia furrowed her eyebrows. "How do you know?"

"I can just tell! The way he looks at me Cecelia...it's like-it's like he wants nothing to do with me. He can't even look at me normally. I don't blame him for regretting what we've done but...it hurts." Nadia said trying so hard to fight off her tears.

"Have you thought it's because his lover is back?" Cecelia asked her.

Nadia shook her head. "I know, I know...but even then, it hurts. It hurts because we were so-so close...and he told me so many things...you don't understand. He looks at me in disgust. After-after everything. You have no idea how much this pains me." Nadia choked out a sob.

Cecelia frowned and got on the bed, wrapping her arms around Nadia, consoling her.

"I'm sorry to say this but Nadia..., the King was surely using you."

Nadia's heart thudded against her chest. "N-no...he couldn't have. You weren't there Cecelia. You didn't s-" Nadia went on but Cecelia cut her. "Nadia come on. All of a suddenly the queen comes back and he treats you like the ground he walks on? That is a sign."

Nadia wiped her face as she felt her throat getting tighter.

"But he was so...he made me feel so special, Cecelia. He was so sweet and loving and...so hard to explain. He called me beautiful so many times." Nadia said feeling the tears roll again. She was so deep in her feelings for this man.

"Notice how you're using past tense, Nadia. And right now, he's treating you like how you said. That's not good. Whatever he said to you was most likely a lie. I don't mean to be harsh but, he probably did all that to get you to sleep with him." Cecelia bit her lip.