The Crown

Chapter Thirty Six

Tobias grabbed her wrist, removing her fingers from his skin. She gasped, startled. He flung her hand away from him, standing up and slipping into his coat. 

"Goodbye, Lauren," he told her before walking away.

Lauren scrunched her features in fury, clenching her fist. "You will regret this, Tobias Eaton."

Tobias pushed open the doors leading into the castle. He needed time to think. To think over a plan to dismiss her marriage request. To escape her and escape this life.

Beatrice made him believe in a world of choices. Yet, with her gone, he was slipping right back into the prison he lived through before he met her.

His mother walked in the hall, pausing at the sight of her son. They locked eyes and stared at one another, unsure of what to say. Perhaps they would have continued their separate ways had Marcus not entered the hall as well, trapped between their stare. 

Tobias glanced to his mother before marching toward his father. Determined to prevent her son from turning out as corruptly evil as his father, Evelyn rushed toward her own husband in an attempt to calm her son down.

"How dare you invite Princess Lauren?" Tobias asked, glaring at his father. 

"I did not see either of you planning for the service," Marcus countered, crossing his arms. "I had one of the servants draft a guest list with the help of previous ones."

"This was not a social gathering," Tobias clenched his fist. "This was Beatrice's funeral!"

Marcus opened his mouth to respond, but kept it closed instead. He would not reveal he had purposefully invited the princess in hopes of their reunion to get their marriage back on track. Yet, with the look on his son's face, he grew to think that perhaps they had indeed met again.

"You look exhausted, my son," Evelyn said softly, reaching out to caress her son's face with the back of her hand. "Have you not slept?"

Indeed, Tobias looked as disheveled as could be. The bags under his eyes were more prominent today, but nothing short of a consequence of not sleeping for the past twelve days. He laid awake every night with thoughts of Beatrice, tossing and turning until he passed out. 

"You need rest," she spoke again, attempting to distract him from his fury. "Please, Tobias. Sleep."

Tobias groaned and pressed his hand against his forehead, his persistent headache knocking against him furiously. He sighed and turned away from his parents, giving in to his desire to sleep.

Tobias opened the door to his bedroom and closed it behind him. He wasted no time in collapsing against his mattress, burying his head into his pillow. He groaned against the fabric, slipping into sleep.

And, like every time he closed his eyes, his mind was filled with the haunting memories of the love of his life.

Back in the lobby, Evelyn turned to her husband. "Did you invite her on purpose?"

He looked at her. "Of course I did."

She shook her head. "You are despicable."

They would have parted ways had their titles not been called. They turned toward a King walking their way. The King of a vastly smaller kingdom, but with riches to satisfy any.

Princess Lauren's father.

"King Marcus," he called out with a grin. "I arrived to retrieve my daughter and, instead, was met with the happiest of news."

The couple looked at one another, confused.

The King laughed and stepped to the side, motioning for his daughter to come forth. Lauren smiled and curtseyed to what she hoped would be her future in-laws.