Anything For Rachel

Calvin

           

I watched her carefully, trying not to look like I was watching her at all.

She leaned back in her chair and I could see the obvious discomfort in her face, but being the strong woman she is, she hid it well from everyone but me. I know her too well. I'd recognize the way she is holding her eyebrows just slightly higher than usual, and she is biting the inside of her cheek. It's what she does when she is putting up a front.

She glanced so slightly my way, and now her façade is falling apart. Her warm cheeks began to darken, and I could see the buildup of moisture beginning to form in her eyes. She took a shaky breath, giving away her ill ease, and I jolted in my seat, ready to go to her. To protect her from these awful people who want to watch her suffering. If they loved her as a true queen, they wouldn't torment her so, but they do. They like the idea of her, and the fieriness they are able to get from her. She amuses them. I want to rip out the eyes of every person in this room, but before I could do anything reckless Octavia gave me a warning look, keeping me in my seat, before she turned to Rachel herself, holding her gaze and keeping her centered.

I listened quietly as the meeting droned on and on, but finally I couldn't bear to listen to this anymore. They were ruining the plan I had so carefully crafted. I was supposed to have been protecting her, and protecting Rose, but I can't get anything right. I hadn't even considered that the council would decide to reinstate Rachel as queen. That obviously won't work, and neither will me taking Lexton as my wife. I already have a wife, and I will never take another. Until my last breath on my last day, Rachel will always be my queen. I just have to come up with something...anything.

"If we are done here, I have places to be." I snapped, gaining the council's attention. Reminding them that the person who put them in power is still in the room.

Marco dismissed me, but not before taking one last shot at Rachel's confidence.

"We will need to see the competition actually be a competition." He said. "Make it look good..." He was making sure to twist the knife on Rachel. Pointing out to us both that if we are lying, then he will make us as uncomfortable as possible, and even if we were telling the truth, Rachel was going to have to watch me date Lexton all over again. I turned slightly, ready to permanently shut Marco's oversized mouth once and for all, but then she stood.

Rachel slowly lifted from her seat, then she faced the room of tormentors and smiled. Her beautiful, perfect smile to everyone, making sure not a single person missed out. "Of course we will give them a good show." She said confidently.

I was torn nearly in half in my emotions of both being monstrously proud of her for not only taking the last word from Marco, which I know he hates, and for showing the whole room that she wasn't someone to rattle so easily, but also slightly struck with worry at her words. She couldn't possibly mean that she wants me and Lexton to be together? That isn't even a possibility. Lexton is still in Castrum de Petra, but I very rarely see her anymore. I haven't in years. She herself will likely be highly unhappy with this little arrangement. Although she did want me at one time, she has never, ever, wanted to be the queen here. She only chose to stay here because she simply had nothing to go back to. She had been in an orphanage when she was stolen, and now there was no one, not even a last name for her to take, so of course I had offered that she stay here, but I'd never imagined that something like this would come about.

I followed behind Rachel as she strode down the corridors like she owned them with Octavia close behind me with the group of guards. I tried to just be happy for a moment in the wake of Rachel's scent wafting around me, pulling me into its warm embrace, but I couldn't get over that Rachel had been the one to even suggest this dammed idea.