fair » stuart

iii.

...

isabelle sat at the table, alone as everyone danced and had their drinks at her ball.

the princess had no idea where her husband was, and she wondered why he wasn't by her side. this was his baby too. the baby could possibly be a future heir of scotland.

"not enjoying your ball, your grace?" a voice caught isabelle's attention. the princess looked up, seeing a man with striking blue eyes and beautiful features.

"it would be better if my husband were by my side." isabelle stated, looking up at the royal.
"i must agree. however, not a husband, but my wife. she is the one who pleaded for me to attend. now, i don't know where she is." the man said.

"james was the one to throw the ball and now he's not even present. if you don't mind me asking, who is your wife?" isabelle asked.

"her name is marlene. recently, she's just been disappearing. i haven't seen her much since we arrived to scottish court." the man responded.
"you're duke arthur? i met your wife two days ago." isabelle informed.

it did not take the princess long to put two and two together. not only was james missing from the ball, but marlene was too.

"excuse me, arthur. i'm feeling quite ill. morning sickness, you know." isabelle feigned ill.

she left the presence of the handsome duke as well as the room. the princess had no idea of where james and marlene could be. she just needed fresh air.

she didn't think that james could bed another, but she wasn't certain. isabelle walked out of the castle down to her gardens.

she looked towards it and stopped in her tracks. her eyes fell upon james, whom was walking with duchess marlene.

the two were laughing and smiling. james gave the royal a few glances. he walked closer to her, and belle couldn't believe what she was seeing.

her husband was lusting after another woman as they walked through the garden that he had made for her.

belle thought that she was overreacting. maybe james wasn't bedding duchess marlene after all.

then, the regent stopped walking, causing marlene to copy his actions. he looked at marlene and rested his hands upon her cheeks. marlene glanced up at james before he kissed her.

isabelle didn't notice that her cheeks were now wet with tears as she watched her husband kiss another woman.

that night, her heart broke into a million pieces.