The Crimson Queen

11. Hurtful truth

Theodore didn't say anything as they went into her chambers and closed the doors.

Alice felt better, she felt like she'd gotten a sign that being, let alone speaking, with Theodore was right after all, even though Parcival had wished for it to be different.

"Where were you?" The young King hissed as he took off his helmet. He was annoyed that she wouldn't let him protect her. Something could have happened to her, he thought.

Alice's blood starting to cook as that was the least of what she wanted to talk to him about. "It doesn't matter, I don't need you to follow me everywhere." She furrowed her brows. Was he really going to come at her like this?

Theodore was about to argue.

"Why are you here in the first place?"

She was the one asking the questions.

Theodore drew his fingers through his hair.

"To protect you."

"To protect me? You think I'll believe that? You simply can't take the thought of me doing something alone, but I'm very capable of taking care of myself."

Theodore had long thought about telling Alice of the upcoming rebellion, but he came to the conclusion that not telling her was better. He didn't even know if the rumors were true and if Alice knew she'd probably try to find the leaders to 'talk them out of it'.

"I know that but I wanted to be sure."

"That's not true, your highness. You don't trust me, so you came with me to try and control me."

"Theodore." He almost shouted back.

Out of old habit she'd used his official title.
He struggled to lower his tone.
"I've told you before I owe you, and I'll try to make it up to you by working as your protector."

"Maybe you believe that, to soothe your guilt, but the truth is that you didn't trust me to come back to you." Her voice broke.

It was true. He was scared that she'd simply stay in Lyria. He avoided looking her in the eyes.

"You still don't trust me," it hurt Alice to say those words.

"I do! I was wrong about everything," Theodore argued. "But after what your brother said... I was scared." This was a horribly hard argument for him aswell, but he knew he had to be honest with her.

To Alice these words were new. He was scared? She'd never even heard a man like Theodore use this typ of word. It seemed so far off from everything she'd learned about him.

It angered her but it also made her heart skip a beat. She shook her head and tried to stay proud to what she'd said before.

"I know what Parcival said, but I'm still my own person with my own decision. I'm not letting you take my right to choose away from me."

Hurt flickered the young Kings eyes before his outer emotionless barrier hardened again.

Trying to look at anything but his little princess, he knew he had to say something.

"I'll try- fuck, - I mean, I'll respect your decision." He said before turning to leave. His head was pounding and the lack of sleep he'd been getting wasn't making it better.

Alice didn't know what to say. Was he lying to her or was he actually trying to be a better man? She didn't want him to leave but she wasn't going to stop him. He confused her.

"Alice?," Theodore said before he reached the door and came to a stand.

He didn't turn back to her as he asked, "Do you trust Emeric?"

She contemplated and he peeked over his shoulder to look at her. She nodded at him.

He didn't answer but he put on his helmet and left the chambers.

He felt sick to his stomach. Theodore and Emeric both looked at each other, suspiciously under their helmets, before Theodore turned to leave.

Turning the corner he had to lean against the castle wall and take off his helmet with his shaking hands. Why was his body so weak all of a sudden?

He heard Emeric knock on the door to the princesses chambers. What the fuck was he doing?

To Theodores surprise he asked the princess if she was alright and then shorty after the chamber door had shut. Had he gone inside. The mere thought of his Alice being alone with a that twat made him aggressiv.

But he heard shuffling in front of the door, indicating to Theodore that Emeric hadn't entered the chambers, but instead had only checked up on the princess.

Theodore was going to have to trust Alice on trusting Emeric. He had no choice right now, as he would have to leave the castle for a while.