Trust Me

Chapter 4

My mother really wanted a daughter in law. She never got to have anymore children after me because of childbirth difficulties.

And both of them wanted grandchildren.

I wasn't upset about the news either. I had been travelling the world for the last two years so I guess it was time to find a wife and start a family. And to embrace the fact that I would be King soon. I shuddered. Me? A King? Gods....

I looked out of the window that overlooked Berk. My window had the perfect view of the kingdom that I would one day be ruling.

I could see fancy estate filled with fancy homes where fancy lords, ladies, dukes and duchesses lived. I saw men walking down the street with their wives clinging to their arms, looking quite happy to be in each others presence.

I wonder if Astrid and I could be like that. Holding hands while we walked and talked in the garden. Smiling just because we were together.

Then I saw the town home to regular Berkians. The towns people were not massively rich like the estate home owners but they lived comfortably with hardly any financial problems. I could see the children happily playing together as their mothers nattered about the newest scandals.

Children. Astrid and I would have some soon. I smiled at the thought. Children running around the palace as Astrid and I chased after them. Laughing with them as we snatched them up in our arms and tickled them.

I was snapped from my lovely daydream as I set eyes on the village.

The village was a sad little place. Families constantly working from the crack of dawn until the sun set beyond the horizon. Children from as young as seven were forced to work to help scrape enough money to pay the overpriced rent. I had been to the village once and these sights broke my heart. I had a soft spot for children and it hurt to see them labouring away at the dangerous machinery. It hurt to see the sight of a small family being told a member of their household had died at work. The loss of a husband, wife, sister, brother or even a child.

I promised myself I would do something to help the village once I was crowned King.

My eyes moved from the kingdom to a painting standing in my room. The painting was a portrait of my fiancée. It had been given to me once all of the contracts had been signed by my father and my future father-in-law.

I looked at Astrid and admired her beauty. She had hair as golden as the sun that looked like it had been plaited and then twisted into a low bun.

She had the biggest blue eyes that were the exact colour of deep blue gems. Gems contained no emotion, just like her. Matching her eyes, a string of dark blue diamond-like stone draped around her neck and laid against her chest.

Her small hands were gloved in pure white gloves that were holding a single lily. I made sure to make a mental note that she must like lilies.

She was the most beautiful girl my emerald orbs have ever laid eyes on, and I had seen many girls on my travels.

I just hoped she had a good personality as well. I hoped she was someone who could make me laugh and smile.

Someone who I could fall in love with.

I wondered how she felt about the engagement...

Astrids POV

"I REFUSE TO MARRY HIM!" I screeched.

"My child, please calm down" the king said calmly.

How is he so calm?!

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN YOU FILTHY, LYING PIG!" I screamed.