My Foreign Prince

Chapter 9

Knock knock knock

My eyes cracked open, my throat scratchy and dry as I groaned and sat up. The mirror in the corner of my new room captured my state perfectly... I was a mess.

After Shane had left me to get some rest, I had bursted into tears yet again. Though luckily I managed to keep my sobs contained; nobody wants to hear the cries of a powerless, pathetic queen...

Knock knock knock!

I sighed. "Come in..."

My god my voice sounded terrible.

The door opened to reveal a familiar redhead in the hallway. She showed me a small smile, holding a silver tray in her hands "Morning lass."

"Good morning, Lizza..." I showed her a small smile, before looking down at the tray "What do you have there?"

"Breakfast, for you." She stated as she walked over and placed the food down on my bedside table "The prince knew you probably wouldn't want to eat with him and his father after yesterday, so he requested for it to be brought up here. Luckily the king doesn't want to be 'plagued with your presence', so he had no issues obliging."

I sighed "Of course... Alexei must be pretty embarrassed of me right now."

"What? No of course not, Cindy." Lizza retorted, sitting at the edge of my bed and placing a hand on my shoulder "He feels terrible, he had no idea Albert would blow up to that extent. To be honest, I haven't seen him that upset in a long time."

"He seemed fine to me."

"Trust me if you've been with him as long as I have, you pick up on these things."

I pursed my lips together. I didn't want to imagine how long she had been here... how long she had to defend the prince. How long she had to endure the jabs and sexist comments from the king. How long she had to fight for her rights as a knight, and as a woman.

With all she's likely been through, I shouldn't be the one crying over one bad meet-up.

"Well, thank you for bringing me breakfast. And... for getting me out of there yesterday."

She smiled "I think all of us needed to get out of there. Even Al left almost immediately after we did and hit the training room, to relieve some built up frustration. I would have done the same, if my duty to keep him calm wasn't needed there."

"That's admirable, Lizza. You must care about him a lot." I murmured, which had him smiling sadly.

"Almost as if he were my own brother... that's why it hurts so much to see him carry so much of the burden his father has placed on him. It's too much for a kid like him, even for a prince it's unnecessary."

I placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. It felt like the right thing to do at the time, and she was grateful for it as she wrapped her arms around my back.

"He's lucky to have someone like you..."

"Thank you... I just wish I could do more... for both of you."

My arms tightened "Right now, just being here is enough."

Lizza buried her head in my shoulder, a shaky sigh leaving her lips as she fell silent. Sometimes silence was better... I placed a hand in her hair and looked up, my eyes falling on the meal she had brought for me.

"Hold on... err, Lizza?"

"Hmm?"

"I... don't mean to ruin this moment, but I think you grabbed the wrong tray."