The Queen's Revenge

Chapter 15

My mother's death had been avenged. I'd gotten the power and throne I was meant to have. I ordered that servants be treated with more respect, and I was surprised, but the kingdom prospered under my rule.

But something was missing, and there was one more job I still had to do.

Negotiate with Prince Arian. 

I'd been avoiding it on purpose, and it was taking away my nights of sleep,

I didn't know how I felt about Arian. Sure, he'd been a proud git, but I found myself treasuring hid mocking words, keeping each memory like a gem.

I refused to accept that I was in love with a git. This couldn't be love. Pity, maybe?

I couldn't lie to myself.

How had my mom put it?

Love can sometimes make someone blossom like the cherry trees nearby.

That was exactly what had happened here.

So I mounted Alosa, and rode to Jendes, like old times.

The proper way to do it would be informing the kingdom of my arrival using a messenger but I defied a lot of old traditions when I became queen.

I rode swiftly through the town square, where most people had already been awake.

They gaped at me, and some of them made haste to bow.

Well, your position in life does change the other people treat you, I suppose.

But it's more than that, it's the way you behave.

"People of Jendes!" I called. "I am here for negotiation!"

"You are surrendering?" a voice called out.

"What of the king?"

"Your Prince will no doubt explain everything to you. I must go meet him."

"He will be in the throne room." a smaller voice piped up.

I made my way to the palace, dismounted, and walked in.

A gong rang as I opened the majestic doors, and I spotted Prince Arian on the throne.

He was smiling, an actual smile, as he ate grapes from a bowl and watched me arrive.

"Princy."
How royal of me. Starting the conversation with my old nickname for him.

He pouted,  but a smirk was forming on the corners of his mouth. "Yes, darling?"

"It's Queen to you." I said, trying to make my voice as flat as possible.

"And it's King to you." he retorted.

I shrugged, which seemed to annoy him. "I'm here to negotiate."

"Really?" The smirk widened.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not surrendering."

He gave me a deep, piercing glance. "I never thought you would."

We lasped into companiable silence for a few moments.

"Why did you hate my father so much?" I asked suddenly. "You knew?"

"Of course." he said smoothly. "I never trusted your father, and truly, I was surprised that you didn't find out yourself."
Arian had a talent to deliver a compliment and make it hurt, and give an insult and make it feel like being truly seen.

"I was a little distracted."

"By my handsome looks?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows and smirking widely.

"More like your stench outside the palace walls."

"Darling, will you ever stop stabbing my heart with those words of yours?"
"Never." I said.

Oddly, he looked pleased by this answer.

"Why do you hate me?" He asked abruptdly.

"Oh," I laughed. "I have many, many reasons, pray you give me the time."

"Of course." he made an exaggerated flair of resting his chin on his knuckles, and looking aggravatingly gorgeous.

"One, you have a big fat ego, two, you are an absolute idiot, three-"

"Okay," he interupted, his eyes growing big and sad as a husky laugh escaped his lips.

"I should have asked what you like about me."

"Yeah, well, I'll have to think about that."

"Well, then, I'll save you thinking by telling you why I hate you."

Rather than a negotiation between the kingdoms, this was more of a negotiation between people, like what my mother had wanted.

Unity.

"Well, I hate you because you were annoyingly intelligent, almost, as intelligent as me.

I rolled my eyes, but I could feel heat creeping up my cheeks.

" I hated you because I thought you were on your father's side"

"Never." I growled.

"Yeah." He smirked a little. "I understood that when you killed him."

"Most of all I hate you because I think about you, often. It's foul and I can't stop."