The True Queen- Book Two

Chapter Thirty: Cordelia

The king leaves for the city to tell the people of the death of Lord Jemson and his family as well as the future of farming production that he'd come up with. Cordelia looks for Kristoff and finds him under the stone gazebo in the gardens.

"Are you okay?" she asks softly. He turns and looks at her, a small smile on his face.

"I hate it when you and Amalie fight," he begins. "It's unladylike." Cordelia forces herself not to slap in and instead lets out a charming smile.

"Is that the only reason you don't like us fighting?" she presses. He stares into her eyes and his mouth opens and closes a few times before he looks away.

"I never thought a man like me would find love," he begins. "Not until Amalie came along..." he trails off and licks his lips. He turns from Cordelia and leans against the wall, overlooking the city. Cordelia grits her teeth and clenches her fist in frustration.

"You have me," she says, her voice small. He lets out a long sigh.

"I know, and I am lucky," he says. "But Amalie..." Cordelia reaches for his shoulder and turns him around. Her hand presses gently against the side of his face and she moves him so he can look into her eyes.

"Kristoff," she begins. "I understand how you feel. Your father raised you to be a monster. You grew up thinking that no one could ever love you after all the things you've done. Until Amalie came along and she could overlook all those things and make you feel something you thought you'd never get. I completely understand why you struggle to let her go," she says. "But you have to understand," she begins to lace her words with her compulsion, using both her beauty and her voice to gently sway Kristoff. "I am going to be your wife and queen," she tells him, her voice musical. "So whenever you let Amalie slap me and disobey orders, you're enabling her to do the same thing when we rule." He goes to interrupt but she presses her thumb to his lips. "I hate to tell you this, Kristoff," she begins, "but Amalie doesn't love you." He gulps and goes to argue again but Cordelia forces her compulsion on him. "Don't you see it?" she begins, "When Amalie challenges me or father in front of you, she's testing you to see what you'll let her get away with. She's using you because she thinks that when you're the king, she'll be able to manipulate you into pushing me aside so she can basically be the queen." He gulps and opens his mouth.

"But we have a child together," he tells her, his voice strained. Almost as though he's trying to push against her enchantments.

"Yes, but she'll use that child against you. She'll try and blackmail you with it so you can give her even more power. A king should not have illegitimate children," she tells him. He shakes his head bust she holds him tighter. "I love you, Kristoff," she says. "I have proven it over and over again. I am sacrificing my sisters so you can get to the throne. So that we can rule together. It hurts me so much that you still chose and defend that manipulator over me. Don't you see how much pain you're causing?" she says, her voice weakening as tears begin to spill down her cheeks.

"Cordelia," he begins with a sigh and reaches for her face. She shakes her head and steps back,  dabbing at her tears.

"No, Kristoff," she tells him. "I don't think I want to be around you at the moment," she says. "You've really hurt me." With that, she turns around, leaving Kristoff standing alone in the garden again staring after her in shock. As soon as she's out of his sight, her lips twist into a smile and all the tears stop flowing.

Cordelia knocks on the door to her grandfather's room.

"Who is it?" he grumbles from behind.