Robyn: Princess of Thieves ⏸

Wedding Plans

Quickly rushed the proofreading for this chap! sorry if there's some mistakes!

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Charles

1 month passed since our time in the kingdom of Ephoria. Ella helped my mother with the plans for the upcoming "wedding". We had finally decided on a date: 5 months from now, on the eve of Christmas. Dressmakers and caters came to the castle to show us their craft, while rabbis and bishops came to the chapel to bless our matrimonies for the upcoming date.

Even though we knew of the plan, we both played our roles perfectly.  A part of me wanted the wedding to be an authentic union. It was strange, but I could see my happily ever after with Ella.

We both finish our cake tasting and retreat to the royal wings. As I pull her into a corner to embrace, my father interrupts us.

"Oh! Ella, there you are." he chimes joyfully; did I see a smile on his face?

"Your majesty" she bows ingenuously; she would stab him if she could.

"I would like to talk to her alone if that's alright with you son?" he looks at me for permission. Ella inspects my face, wondering why the king would want to speak to her....alone? Reluctantly, I oblige and push her towards him.

"Sure father" I caress her arm softly to reassure her, "make him hate you." I whisper into her lips and seal them with a kiss. If my father did not give his blessing, there would be no wedding. She gently nods her head and took his arm to retreat to his study.

I sigh defiantly and watch her depart. No matter how much I wanted the wedding to go through, I had to remember that it was fake and only part of a plan. 

Robyn

The king walks me through the palace in silence until we finally come into his secret room.

"Ahh my faithful study room; here, I seek peace and refuge when the stresses of the kingdom become too harsh"

Too harsh? You mean taxing innocent lives?" I ask bluntly. He would certainly hate me today.

"Pardon?" he asks, somewhat taken aback.

"Im sorry your majesty" I sighed ingenuinely, "Charles has told me about the issues plaguing your kingdom; I suppose I have become too involved."

"You know Ella, I have never seen my son so happy; you must have really changed him"

"Do not place all the praise onto me; I am just a simple nobody" I shrug.

"Humble too?" he beams.

"Your majesty, if you dont mind me asking, why have you brought me here?"

"Well El,la... I am at a crossroad; your face...you remind me of someone I once knew?"

"Really? Perhaps in another life?" I tease, shifting nervously.

"Where did you say you were from again?"

"A region...down in...east Africa , its a small little province" I lie.

"surely your parents—"

"My parents are dead!" I snapped remembering the outcome of his actions. He was taken aback by my outburst but quickly understood.

"They were killed by an incompetent king" I bodly proclaimed.

"Calling another king incompent in the face of another king?"