As Luka marches angrily to my closet, I feel my heart sink. What had I gotten Marcus into? Luka was a monster, he would kill him without hesitation. I feel my body shiver at the thought of how brutally Luka was going to treat Marcus once he found him, and it was all my fault. Just before he opens my closet, I snap. I have to do something to at least distract him. Then I got a plan that would completely shatter my ego, but that is a small price to pay for Marcus' safety.
"Wait, please.... I beg you." I say falling to my knees, my voice a tremor. "Please spare him and punish me instead. The fault was mine, I provoked him. So I would understand if you didn't want to proceed with the engagement, but leave him be."
He walks slowly to me and with every step he takes towards me I feel like fleeing, and I'm resisting a very strong instinctive urge to jump out the window or get away from him, but I manage to keep my cool and lower my gaze so that he cannot see my fear.
He kneels to my level and raises me up.
"Look at me Anna," he says to me, more like requests of me and I do. My eyes meet his grey eyes and I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I almost fall for them AGAIN.
"Never ever bow to anyone, and never lower your gaze when talking to anyone, never kneel to anyone and never beg anyone. You're about to become my wife in God's eyes, and in mine you are already my wife. We are King and Queen of both Mayvna and Damaria, and we bow to no one except God. Anna one more thing, never be afraid of me, because I will love you till infinity. I would never hurt you, but it hurts me that you think I can. I understand it's because of earlier, but I can never tolerate anyone speaking ill of you, or touching you or doing anything that can hurt you. Those who do so will pay dearly for that. Anytime you want something from me never ask or beg me, command me. I'm yours just as you are mine, and I respect you just as much as you respect me. I love you more than you love me, and I know it sounds all so weird because we've known each other for literally a few hours, but I've never felt like that with anyone else. And besides, as weird as it may sound, I actually have been watching you for a while now. "
Wait, wait, wait.
What on God's good earth?
He was watching me? For how long? With whose permission is he allowed to watch me? I had so many questions and I was so confused. So apart from being a monster, and an obsessive psychopath he's also a stalker? I knew my father had to screw me up before he died. Thanks a lot father dearest wherever you are.
"I'm so sorry, I know it was completely inappropriate, but it was your father's idea. I came here about six months and I have been living here in Mayvna, I've seen how you treat your subjects, I've seen how you control your emotions, and I've seen how you play political power games, if anything, I should be afraid of you. I even asked you once to help me, and you did."
With that my mind immediately brought back a distant memory, one that I had thought I had forgotten. Six months ago I was taking a stroll in the kingdom as I normally do, our kingdom is not that big, so I go around disguised to see our people's problems first hand so that I help them.
On that occasion I met a man being chased by some traders and as soon as his eyes met mine, he stood frozen in place and the people perusing him got a a hold of him and pinned him to the ground.
"Hey, what is the fracas about?" I ask.
"This thief just stole a loaf of bread from my shop." He said wanting to slap him across the face, but I grab his hand.
"Is that whuly you want to hit him? How much is it?" I ask reaching into my coinpurse.
"10 coins." He replied greedily when he spotted the golden bracelet I had around my hand.
"Heeeeeyyy that's too much for one loaf, that's at least five loaves." I reply trying to negotiate.
"Ayy come on princess that shouldn't pinch you. And besides, it's to teach these thieves a lesson." He replies.
"Fine." I say giving him the coins. " Pray he forgives you so that he can be buying from you when he starts earning. But for that work on your greed." I say helping the man up.
"Thank you so much, I promise I will repay you completely." The man says.
"Hmmm.... Really?" I ask and he nodds. But I pull his ear and I winces a little.
"Never, ever, ever steal anything again, understood?" I tell him still pulling his ear.
"Yes yes yes yes yes yes I understand I shall never do so again." He says almost groaning in pain and I let go of his ear.
"I have some work I can get you, come with me." I say and pull him to walk with me.
We started a small conversation, but before we could know each other better, the crowd saw through my disguise and I had to get out of there before word reached my father and he'd come chasing after me.
"I have to go." I tell the guy, " John, please get him work at the palace security, we're short on guards." I tell another guard and get into my chariot that rides away. I wave to the man as he waved back. From then on I've never heard from him.
"Was that you?" I ask him, now noticing why I immediately liked him when I saw his eyes, it's because he gave me a feeling of familiarity. That's why I'm attracted to him somehow.
"Yes it was. I'm sorry I had to do such a thing and decieve you, and for that please forgive me. I hope you are not upset."
Upset?
The king of the biggest kingdom of the time, became a commoner, for six months just to stay around me and keep an eye on me? Upset was the last thing I felt. I was flattered.
"I understand. I am not upset with you. I'm rather impressed." I say and an unexpected smile forms on my lips.
"I can do anything for you. Always remember that." He says coming closer to me, this time I didn't step back. He gently grabs my cheek in his hand again and looked right into my soul. I found my face giving into his touch and I resisted strongly the urge to touch it.
"I will forgive that bastard who dared touch you. But just this once next time I shall look for him, find him, and have his head, skin and intestines on a pike for all to see okay? So please don't put his life in danger, hmm?" He said ever so casually. I nodd, he kissed my forehead and leaves.
Immediately he does I collapse on my bed as Marcus somes out of the closet.
"Thank heavens you're okay." I say standing up." I was so scared, are you okay?" I was relieved that he was saved from Luka's wrath, but he, on the other hand doesn't seem happy.
"Can I go now your Majesty?" He asks me gaze lowered. Now I'm confused.
"The moment you walk out that door don't come back." I say in anger. "You don't have the right to be angry withe after I sacrificed my pride for your life." I say clearly upset.
He looks at me and pulls me towards him, as he caresses my hair.
"I know I don't have the right, but tell that to my beating heart, because it won't listen to me. I know, he is going to be your husband soon, but what does that make me to you? Where does that leave me? I want to slit his throat open and take you and leave, but I can't do that. As jealous as he is I am too. As much as he loves you, I do too. And I am not willing to lose you to him. I'll make sure that you never have to beg for my life from him again, or beg anyone for that matter, because you are mine, and I might not be a king as he is, but I can't bear and see anyone snatch you from me, okay?" He says, kisses my forehead and leaves. Oh good Lord, what have I gotten myself into this time? As I collapse back ony bed, a get a burning feeling that someone is watching me. I chose to remain calm, so as not to alert the attacker. Just then someone pounces on me, but I tackle them to the bed. I notice that it is the same person that killed my father and brother, due to the outfit and of course the eyes. As we're struggling, the moonlight from my window sheds some light on the person and I see their face.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You?" I exclaim, shocked at the sight that lays before me.