Devoted Nobility

Chapter 86

Alexander

Matthew kept true to his word. Less than five minutes after he left with Sophia all of the soldiers left as well. I could tell that we must have lost at least half of our guards just by walking down the halls. Fortunately, the rebels spared everyone else in the palace, gathering them all in the back corridors to be held. As soon as they knew it was safe, they came trickling out with looks of terror in their eyes. I wanted to check in with a few of my servants to make sure they were all right, but my father called me and a few of his closest advisors to his study.

“I am surprised you didn’t go racing after your bride.” My father quipped as we all sat in the chairs in the room’s center.

I clenched my jaw. “Knowing Matthew, he probably had horses waiting for them. They are long gone.” I hated the honesty in my own words. The idea of Matthew taking Sophia sent a sharp pain through my body.

He nodded. “Alright. Since you will be King of this country one day, I would like to hear your ideas. How do we proceed in this situation?”

I was suspicious. My father was never one to pass power over to anyone if he had a choice. In his mind, he knew what was right and everyone else was wrong. Despite that, I had to do whatever I could. “Well, we need to replenish our guards. We are vulnerable to another attack once word of this one spreads. A few of the companies from the local post should serve temporarily until new recruits can be trained.”

The King watched me carefully. “That sounds reasonable. I am impressed.”

“That is not my entire plan.” I disclosed. “We only need maybe four of the companies here. The other six should be sent to search for Sophia. I will lead one of the search teams and General Bradford can lead another. We must get started right away.”

He began laughing in a low, mocking tone. “It was a good plan until you opened your mouth again.”

“What about the second half is unreasonable?” I growled.

“We can’t waste so many men on a hopeless search.” An advisor answered before my father could even open his mouth.

I squinted my eyes. “A hopeless search? If you are suggesting that we forget that my brother just kidnapped my pregnant wife, then I believe you should quickly change your mind.”

The entire room became eerily silent. No one was looking me in the eye besides the King. He had no shame in his thoughts. “I know she means a lot to you, but she is likely dead. Why would we take such risks just to confirm that statement.”

My composure didn’t waver, but inside I was a mass of boiling anger. “Do you know who else she means  a lot to? Her family. Though her father was not very close with Sophia, he invested his country’s welfare in our marriage. I believe our nations relations may become tense. As strong as the rest of the world believes we are, England can be crumbled. All it would take is the loss of our most powerful ally, as we don’t have many. So you all shall hope she is alive for England’s sake.”

There was a shift in everyone’s faces as they took in what I said. It seemed most knew I was right. Our country was balancing on the tip of our allies. If one large piece of that structure was removed, we would topple to the bottom and be shattered. Every country in the world would fight to pick up the pieces.

“You are right, but there is something you left out of your description.” My father explained. “As far as I can tell, this entire attack was planned by your brother. He gave the Protestants and the Portuguese all they needed to break in. It also seems that the prize to gain was Sophia. As soon as he had her, they stopped fighting. They did their damage and moved on. He told you his terms clearly and you would have rejected if I hasn’t been there.”

I clenched my fist. “I am aware of what happened and I don’t regret it.”

“I’m sure you don’t, but you should. You were influenced by your heart. If you do that when you are King, you could lose England. If they had killed us, they could have taken the country. So we must move on. We will have news be spread to the villages. If they see Matthew or Sophia they are to report it to their local constables.”

I slammed my hand against my chair. “What good will that do? They have no idea what to look for. They have only ever set eyes on her portrait.”

My father stood up. “I am King and I decide. Good thing too. You are far from ready to lead this country and this situation proved it.”

I could do nothing. What the King said went. The soldiers had to follow his command and compared to his, my word meant nothing. But just because I could do nothing didn’t mean I wouldn’t find a way. I had to save Sophia and would do anything to make it happen.