Royale (Book #1 Royale Series) {Under Revision}

Chapter 48: Hell Hath No Fury

Juliana's POV

I fought to keep my trembling fingers in my lap as the hand on my shoulder softly squeezed. I let my eyes linger on the golden wedding band and clenched my teeth together, fighting to stay quiet.

"You don't have to worry about my testimony today, Princess. I have your back."

I pressed my lips together to keep from spitting back a smart remark, but failed.

"Well that's very reassuring, King Damien, considering how many times you've gotten a Clairborne woman on her back. I have complete faith in you." I angrily shrugged my shoulder away from his touch.

He rose his eyebrows at my sudden rush of rage, but he had no time to comment on it as the Isolian Council entered the Throne Room and took their respective seats. Damien walked over to his seat and wordlessly sat down.

My advisor, Mr. Peterson, turned to me suddenly from his place beside me.

"You should not have done that, Princess. What if you angered him?" He chastised me.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "So what if I did? He's not my king."

"No, Miss Clairborne, he may not be your king, but he is the king of the most economically prosperous country in the world! His testimony is going to have a hell of a lot of influence on the Council's decision. They would do just about anything not to lose King Damien as an ally."

I sighed. "Crap," I muttered.

"If you would be so kind, try to keep your outbursts at a minimum. We need to do some serious damage control after your father's testimony yesterday."

Mr. Peterson looked stressed beyond belief which only fueled my nervousness. He was supposed to be of the best advisors in Isola. Most people would have to jump through hoops full of fire to get him to represent them. 

He couldn't stop moving his hands. He slicked his hair back five times in ten seconds. Tiny beads of sweat trickled down his face.

"Mr. Peterson, are you all right?" I cautiously reached out my hand to lay on his shoulder. His jaw clenched slightly and I slowly retracted my hand.

"I've never lost a case. And this is the biggest one of my career. There's no way I'm letting Adams take this." He stated, referring to the examiner.

"If the Council has already made up their minds about me, then not even you can change it. Your superiors will understand that."

"It's not about my job, Princess. It's about war."

~*~

"King Damien, I imagine it was hard to escape your extremely busy schedule for this trial, was it not?" Kimberly started, not bothering to hide the condescension in her voice.

King Damien only looked bored.

"I make my own schedule, Miss Adams. Please, ask what you need to ask so I can kindly go about my day." He said, tapping a jeweled finger against the stand.

"You certainly don't waste any time. Very well, then. Recently you paid a visit to the Albionian court. Would you like to tell the Council about it?"

"I was there on business."

Kimberly chuckled. "I'm sure you were. Tell me about the nature of this 'business.'"

"It isn't relevant to the case."

Damien's answers were short and quick and I wasn't sure how he could keep so calm under Kimberly's penetrating stare.

"Answer the question, King Damien."