Devoted Nobility

Chapter 50

Alexander

Later that morning, I decided to go see Sophia. I wasn’t sure how she was taking Elizabeth’s death, but I imagine it wasn’t well. When I knocked on her door, I got a small ‘Come in’, but nothing more. When I entered, I found Sophia sitting in a chair on her balcony looking out over the lake. I quietly walked outside and sat next to her. She looked at me for a moment before again placing her eyes on the lake.

“Are you all right?”

“No, I am not.” She answered simply. I nodded and wrapped my arms around her. We sat there for a few minutes before she pulled away, tears running down her face.

“I can’t marry you tomorrow.” She stated.

Pain hit me immediately. I wiped the fallen tears from her red cheeks before responding. “Yes, you can. I know what happened is hard, but my sister wouldn’t want this. She wouldn’t want the tears and the ache. She would want us to be happy.”

Sophia sniffled. “Yes, but what happened to her was my fault. They were after me. I can’t stay here and put your country at risk. I won’t do it.”

I was frantic on the inside but stayed calm on the outside. “If you hate Portugal, stay. You being here is a threat to them. Show them how much you love your country. I can’t promise my father will give them what they deserve, but I can promise that when I am King and you are by my side, we will show them no mercy. We will make them pay.”

She thought for a moment and then nodded her head in agreement.