Reign

13. The contract

 This is the most important chapter of the whole story! I know the chapter is long and demanding, but you should read more carefully than any other time. 

                                         13. Thorns

"How terrible and brief was my desire of you"

The song of despair, Pablo Neruda

"I'm going to Monte Carlo for the weekend," Alexander announced coldly, as he was trimming his beard in front of the mirror of his own bathroom. 

His fiancé almost dropped her hair brush. A trip to Monaco a week before the coronation! There were a thousand responsibilities on their shoulders and he was making insignificant plans to travel for leisure. Individually. And no invitation for her. Of course, no invitation.

Roselyn smiled bitterly as she was trying to stabilize her hair in a braid. After two more attempts, she abandoned the effort letting them loose. Then, she started getting dressed with nervous movements. Alexander came to the main bedroom after a few minutes, when she was almost ready. Each day they followed the same routine. After the usual morning preparation, they were following a strict program full of meetings with ministers and delegates.

"Simon bought a yacht and invited me to the inauguration," he simply announced and started buttoning his light blue linen shirt. "I'll leave on Saturday morning and I'll be back on Sunday night. Have you seen my cuff links somewhere?"

"No," she pouted.  

"Don't worry; I will have the list with my extra guests ready tomorrow. I'll handle it to Hudson."

The princess stood in front of the mirror and put on a pair of gold earrings. Her deafening silence caused Alexander to lift his head to glance at her seriously. Actually, he was scowling at her. Since the engagement, there was an unspecified and tacit tension between them, which worsened after the night he returned drunk to her bedroom. Alexander was nervous and looked busy all the time, while Roselyn, who was always quite and sedate, was sinking deeper and deeper in silence.

"Zip me up," she simply said and turned her back to him, who was now fastening his belt. He immediately complied and slowly lifted the zipper of her coral spring dress, which fitted her perfectly.

  "I can always undo it," he said quietly, but his voice was hoarse and sounded more like a threat.  His one arm immobilized her waist while the other traveled slowly down her hip. He inhaled her flowery perfume and pulled her closer. Although the air between them was hostile, their love life had reached a whole new level of intimacy. Alexander was kissing her and making love to her like his life was depending on it, and Roselyn was responding passionately.

"We are already late," she murmured abruptly, cutting him off, as she was in no mood to surrender to his ... increasing intentions. "The coronation committee is waiting for us."

"They can wait an hour more.  I want you," he whispered and his chiseled chin started tracing her neck, while his fingers pressured her ribs.

"That's not polite. You know that."

"I don't care," he retorted arrogantly and raised his eyebrows. "Half an hour then. Twenty minutes?"

"No," she protested and flinched away trying to straighten her dress.

Her negative reaction ignited the air between them. He lifted his hands in despair and started shouting, while Roselyn immediately stiffened and cringed.