AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER 20
The fire in the enormous fireplace crackled in the library as I stood in front of it, staring into its flames like my father always used to.
“Her Majesty can take some rest. I will notify you if the rebels show tonight,” Wimfred said. He was sitting on one of the silk sofas close to the fire. Frida was next to him—sleeping. The shadows of the flames danced across her wrinkled and sunken-in face. She needed more rest at her age. This crown and its burdens were dragging the people I loved into its endless pit.
“Can you help Frida find her bed? She deserves a good night’s rest.”
Wimfred sighed. “I tried. She insists her place is here with you. She sees you like her own child, you do know that. And mothers don’t just run when their children are in pain. Quite the opposite.”
I never considered Frida’s love for me was so deep. And as comforting as it was, it added to the guilt that she’d have to share in my fate, whatever that turned out to be.
“Please, My Queen, you need rest yourself,” Wimfred insisted.
“I will be fine. Alrick will come for me soon, I know it.”
The whole rebel group, including Alrick, had left the ball before I did—which I envied with all my heart. As the queen, I had to stay to satisfy the dance requests of at least the kings and oldest princes. Thank God Algar hadn’t requested a dance, which I would have refused anyway.
“Has the doctor sent any news of Dieter yet?” I asked.
Wimfred sighed again. “My Queen worries about others too much. I’m more concerned with Her Majesty’s health and the immense pressure Her Majesty is under.”
His gaze dropped to my right hand, which I realized was trembling. Since my father had died, I had been in a constant state of worry and pain. But to see it surfacing physically was concerning, to say the least.
I clenched my fist and reopened it, relieved to see that the trembling had gone—for now.
“Dieter.” I put my hand behind my back. “You said there was word of his health?”
Winfred pinched his lips. His frustration with me was written all over his face. “I said no such thing. The last note I received was hours ago and I have already reported on that. He is stable but needs rest was all it said.”
A knock interrupted us.
“Come in,” I said. One of my guards stepped in and bowed.
“My Queen, Alrick von Wilbrandt requests to speak with you. He insists you will receive him.”
Finally!
I nodded. “That is quite right. Bring him in.”
The man bowed again and opened the door wider for Alrick. Alrick shut it behind himself.
“Alrick!” A relieved cry escaped my lungs as I ran over to him and threw myself into his arms. He held me tight. I pulled away, and without no concern over Wimfred and Frida, kissed him. Our kiss was hungry and passionate, only to calm to something deeper and more meaningful. A wonderful warmth filled me inside and out. The very heat I had been starving for. The fire I needed to replace that burnt candle inside my chest that was close to being extinguished.
“I tried to be as strong as I could, but I can barely breathe under the weight of this crown,” I said against his lips, fighting the sensation of tears. After all the things the men hungering for my throne had put me through, I had sworn to myself to never show weakness in front of a man again. But this was different. Alrick was not just any man. He was the rock that stopped even the mightiest of waves from crushing me. Without him, what did I have left?
Alrick pulled away a little and gently cupped my cheeks with both of his hands.
“You have been the image of a true queen.”
For a moment, I wasn’t sure if he was jesting. I felt like I had been always one step from falling off a cliff. One catastrophe after another. I was almost murdered today—again. But the serious look in Alrick’s eyes told me he was speaking the truth.
“Are the rebels still here?” I asked. Alrick nodded.
“They wanted to leave after we were freed from the Dome. Someone had trapped us in there just to release us again. At first, we thought the worst. But now that they have seen you alive, some of them fear your invitation was a trap and you were behind all of it.”
“A trap?”
“To kill them for your father’s death.”
