Royal Love

Chapter 24

   Two weeks and still no reply from Henry. He has stopped writing me and I wonder if that was because of the letter I had sent to him. I was sitting in the garden. The air crisp and cold. I heard we were due for rain and it looked like today we would be getting it.

   "Does he not want anything to do with us?" I asked in a quite voice as I set my hand on my belly. Still no one knew about the child other than myself and the nurse and Henry.

   I had to make excuses whenever my sisters ask me to do something. I think Elizabeth it getting suspicious. I sighed and stood up. I walked slowly through the flowers and bushes taking in the scents. I was almost to the door when it started to sprinkle. I ducked into the library and closed the door.

   I avoided the library when ever I could. It brought back memories of that hateful night so long ago. I walked swiftly through the rows of books until I came to a stop when I saw the sofa. I ran my hand over the back recalling the memories with Henry. I surveyed the room once more before turning and heading for the halls. It was almost time for supper. I walked slowly to the dinning hall. I was the last to arrive and once I was seated the food was brought out.

   Before anyone could touch the food however, my father stood up. "Before we began I have an announcement. Lady Weller and I engaged."

   "What!" I didn't even know I thought the words, before they came flying out of my mouth and I was standing up. "What about mother?"

   "Your mother is gone." He said calmly but his voice still cracked and his eyes told me to leave it be.

   "You leave her just like that?"

   "I thought you liked me Sarah." Lady Weller looked hurt at my words.

   "I do, but just because mother is gone can't mean you go to another woman!"

   "Just like Henry is gone?" He shot back.

   "He has nothing to do with this." I answered coldly.

   "Doesn't he? You know that in the spring you will have to marry the Duke of Sweden. Now that the Prince is gone you feel like you can't marry anyone else!"

   "I am not going to marry that man or any man you randomly chose," I hissed the words to prove my point.

"You will marry him. I don't really care if it will be against your will or not! I let that fool of a Prince court you and he left."

   I grabbed a scone and threw it at my father's head. "I will not marry a man I do not love!" The words rang around us even after they were said.

   My father, who had not been hit by the scone, walked around the table until he stood in front of me. "You will marry that man or you will not marry at all. For all I care I will throw you to the villagers."

   "I would love to see you try," I spat the words at him. This of course earned my a slap across the face.

   My head snapped to the right and I heard a chair fall over along with many gasps. "My lord!" Lady Weller's voice was loud around us but my father ignored it.

  "You are a love sick girl that is worthless. You are not my daughter. Your mother would be disgusted in you just as I am." His words brought tears to my eyes.

   I turned to face him and dropped my voice so it sounded cold and emotionless but also held a hint as if it was the voice of a Princess. "No," I said. "She would respect me and my choices. She would be happy I was in love. It wouldn't be me she would be disgusted in but you father, or as I will call you from now on King. She would be disgusted in your drinking that you do after you leave us every night after supper. She would be disgusted in your words. Most importantly she would be disgusted in the way you treat your children. The way you hit them and force them into marriages." I was no longer close to crying the tears had dried up as I began speaking. I could tell I had caught the King's attention as I continued. "She would be disgusted in her husband, in the man she once loved!"