''Some women fear the fire, some women simply become it.''
Evellíne embarks on a journey with her parents to England, as a request of Queen Judith and her son, King Alfred. They barely met and the connection between them is so strong that in a blin...
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''I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity, and her flaming self-respect. And it's these things I'd believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn't all she should be. I love her, and that's the beginning and the end of everything.''
F.Scott Fitzgerald, 1920
So much had happened in such a short amount of time... Such things so surreal that Eve often pinched herself to the full certainty that everything was only a dream; or a nightmare, depending on the point of view.
Since the last conversation with the Prince, the poor girl had been locked in her room, isolated for hours, stretched out in bed, all dismantled due to insomnia from the previous night. The fear of crossing with any member of the royal family by the corridors was so much that she could swear to herself that she would faint.
''Don't be stupid Eve" thought to herself. ''Maybe Aethelred was overreacting, maybe... Maybe he meant something else. Right! That's it! It was all a misunderstanding; after all your Majesty can't even stare into my eyes, imagine being so in love with me to the point of proposing such a thing... Oh, my God!'' laughed nervously. Misleading thoughts invaded her mind, leaving her in a state of almost psychosis. The anxiety was devouring her alive, and if there was one thing she hated, it was to feel that way, so uncertain, so vulnerable, so... Curious.
She rose from her bed, put on her best dress, combed her long black hair, and went straight to the door of the chambers, it had to be quick or all that courage would go away. With every step towards the main hall, she felt the heart fluttering rampant. Hands were sweating cold, legs trembling. But bravely kept walking with her head held high. She was so confident, that didn't realize the sound of steps behind her. She felt a hand gently touching her shoulder, and despite the delicacy, the fright was enormous.
'' I was just looking for you...'' Alfred opened a smile so wide and so warm, that the girl was staring at him without being able to say a measly word ''where are you going in such a hurry?''
''Your... Your Majesty... I... I...'' swallowed dry, took a deep breath and tried to concentrate, she did not want the King to realize how silly she could be on the verge of a nervous breakdown ''Forgive me. I was looking for your Highness. But I believe your Highness has found me before, no?'' smiled embarrassedly.
Alfred nodded, and with a sign, took her up to the palace terrace, both silently. But it wasn't an embarrassing silence.
Women always made Alfred nervous.
Clearly, the people closest to him had already realized that, but even though he was terrible at hiding his shyness around them, he tried his best not to look like a goof when he was next to Eve. He wanted more than anything in the world that she saw him as someone to admire, not as a powerful king, but rather that she could see beyond, to admire him as a good man, worthy and willing to do anything to make her happy.
