Chapter 80
Queen Eleanor
Huticah
“Your Highness, the king is on his way here. The maidservant rushed into the tent to alert her mistress.
“What? What is he doing here?”
“Apparently, he wishes to spend the night with you.”
”Never.” Eleanor folded the letter she was writing to her mother and shoved it under the mattress then positioned herself on the mattress, picking up a book to pretend she was reading.
“Greetings, Your Majesty!” The servants welcomed him from outside and shuffling followed before the curtain at the entrance was pushed aside, letting him in.
Eleanor held her breath, readying herself to wage war against him so as to have him back down from her.
“Good evening, Your Majesty.” She rose from where she sat and went on her knees. “What can I do for you?”
“I have come to sleep here tonight,” King Chang’an notified her. “We have to consummate our marriage.”
“His Majesty has chosen the wrong date, I am experiencing my womanly cycle.”
"Are you?"
"Sadly so, forgive me."
“But I don’t mind, we will still consummate today.” He proceeded to sit on the mattress. “I will wait for you as you bathe and then we will start.”
“Your Majesty, this could be considered dirty and inauspicious per our culture.”
“I was raised in Nevoria, this is just a superstition held by Huticah men who are wimps and fear blood. Go prepare yourself.” He lifted her book and went through it. “Reading on the history of Huticah? My queen is worthy.”
“Then I shall go prepare.” She curtseyed and stepped out of the tent. Her legs were weak and barely held her up.
On this day, the king had made up his mind. It seemed there was no way he would leave without accomplishing what he had come for.
“What shall we do my queen? Should we go on and prepare for your bath?” Her maid asked, knowing full well that she had just lied to the king to be on her menstrual cycle.
“We have to go on with it, otherwise if I don’t smell of roses as much, he would know I lied, but we shall take our time. Let us see for how long he shall wait.”
She went on to bathe for almost two hours. The king was kept busy with work all day and probably very tired, she was sure he probably went back to his tent and gave up on waiting.
Never would she consummate with him and validate their marriage because if she kept it like that, her country would have a bargaining hand when reclaiming her. A marriage not consumed was considered invalid in Furia.
Besides, she left Furia with the hopes of marrying the man she loved, Crown Prince Hu-go, not this imposter who had taken over the country.
She hated Feng Chang An the most. He killed the man she loved and now he was forcing her to be his queen. Surely, her mother would have mercy on her and come rescue her from this unfairness. She could not bear to imagine living with a man who married her out of convenience.
Unlike Hu-go who wanted her for love. He had confessed his undying love for her and won her heart while the king was said to have been in love with some spoilt princess of Nevoria.
Why should she be with a man who was already used goods?
He wanted to satisfy himself and use her for it. For sure, when they sleep together, he would be thinking of his previous lover and just using her as a doll to help draw out his fantasy.
When they returned, she was surprised to hear loud music coming from her tent. Who was the person who could be so scandalous to use her tent for brothel music?
“What is going on here?” she yelled as she entered.
Women danced in the centre of her tent and waved their sultry clothes. On her bed was still the king who watched in pleasure with a bottle of alcohol. More women lay themselves wanton around him, whispering things she did not think she would like to hear.
“Look at that. The queen is finally here, you will have to excuse me my ladies.”
They whined as his guards lifted them off him and helped them depart. The instrumental music even stopped as the musicians also packed.
The king looked at her and smirked. “You are not angry at me my queen, are you? I thought of entertaining myself as I waited for your revered service.”
He was really a bastard. Hu-go would not have done this.
“Why… Why would I be angry? My king is majesty and can do whatever he desires.”
“Right. Rightly said,” he grinned. “You look entrancing, why don’t you come here?”
She hesitated. “I have developed cramps, why don’t we try this tomorrow, instead?”
His head cocked as he held a smile of disbelief. The tone of his voice then dropped and took on a form of seriousness. “I am not a fool, Eleanor. Cut the act.”
“I will never be your wife."
“You are my wife.” He stood from the mattress and harshly grabbed her wrist. “Stop it. You are a spoiled ungrateful princess, used to getting her way. It has to stop.”
“Let me go,” she whimpered.
“I have cast out all the women of the harem and left you as my one and only, conferred you as queen, given you the best of the best, made sure you are comfortable and happy, yet you still choose to throw tantrums?”
“You are not the man I love, therefore I will never accept you!”
“The relationship between us could be the hard way, I don’t mind it.” From under his waist belt, he pulled out the letter she had written to her mother and hid. “Mother, come and save me?” He held up the letter, imitating her voice. “No one will save you, so you better sit tight and learn to be my wife.” With vehemence, he tore the letter right in front of her eyes. “Now undress. Tonight we will consummate this marriage and you will abandon your silly fantasies and wishful ways.”
S.V