The Royal Deal

Chapter 190

“I’m already married to you, idiot,” mumbled Amethyst, “So I’m not the one. I’m… sleepy.”

“No, don’t sleep yet!” Alexcent grabbed her shoulders and shook her awake. Amethyst’s eyes drooped.

“It’s my sister,” she mumbled, “Merril… Lohikin.”

“Ash?” called Alexcent. Her arms around his waist loosened and she stumbled. Alexcent lifted her in his arms.

“Alec… I’m sleepy…”

“It’s okay. Sleep.”

“Hmm. Alright.” Alexcent carried her out of the training ground. “Everyone is on probation for a week,” he declared as a warning.

“Yes, my lord,” said Hill, accepting it humbly. It was the lightest punishment that Alexcent could give.

“Everyone, leave.”

“Yes, my lord,” they intoned.

Alexcent carried Amethyst to her bedroom, laid her down on the bed. He dismissed the maids. He looked at her sleeping form. So, it was Merril? He had blamed her for no reason at all. He hated himself.

He stroked her cheeks. Amethyst mumbled and smiled in her sleep. He didn’t know wat he was feeling anymore. He had been so hurt and angry and now he felt like he had the whole world for his own.

Not everything. She wasn’t his. The one he wanted the most.

“Mmm, Alec…” mumbled Amethyst.

I want you whole, Ash, thought Alexcent. I want to make you mine.

Alexcent laid down with her and pulled her close to him. He hugged her tightly never wanting to let her go again.

***

Amethyst opened her eyes. The splitting headache reminded her of yesterday. What did I do?

“Looks like you are awake,” said someone.

She turned at the voice, but she didn’t see Roman or Lunia there. He was there already neatly dressed. “Alec?” she said, surprised. How long has he been there? Oh no, he is going to nag at me again for drinking.

It wasn’t just the drinking. It was also what she did after getting drunk. Blood rushed to her cheeks in embarrassment. She couldn’t get out of bed either. Alexcent walked to her and sat on the edge of her bed. He put a hand on her forehead. “How’s the headache?’

“It’s…” Her head hurt from the hangover but if she said it hurt, he would yell at her.  “Just a little… it…”

Alexcent sighed. He lifted her up and sat her on his lap near the table where medicine, food and water were laid out.

“Drink,” he said.

“What?”

“You said it hurt right?” he said.

“This…” she remembered the bitterness of the medicine. “It doesn’t taste good.”

“Drink it anyway,” he said, “It will help.”

He lifted the bowl of medicine to her lips as though he was going to make her drink it one way or another. “Alright, I will drink it.” She took the bowl from his hand and stared at the dark, bitter liquid.

“Ash…”

She put the bowl to her lips and gulped the medicine down. She gagged.

“Here,” he said and put a small piece of chocolate in her mouth. It was sweet.

He stirred the soup and lifted a spoonful to her lips. “Here,” he said. “You drank too much, and your stomach is empty.”

“I will eat it myself.”

“No.”

Amethyst was perplexed. She opened her mouth and ate the food. She had expected him to be furious today but somehow, he looked happy. The happiest she had seen him in these few days. He looked very pleased as she ate her food.

“How is it?” he asked.

“Mm…. it’s delicious.”

“Here, take more.”

“Alec aren’t you uncomfortable?” asked Amethyst. She had been sitting on his lap for a while now.

“No. Are you?”

“No, but… your legs might get numb…”

“It’s alright. You’re not that heavy. Keep eating.”

Is today a special day?  Amethyst wondered. Is he buttering me up to scold me later? He fed her and she ate but she was still suspicious of all this.

“You are forbidden from going to the training ground for a while.”

“What? Why?”

“Why?” he said. “You tell me.  You still want to go to the training ground after what happened yesterday?”

“Hmm…. No.”

She remembered all the embarrassing things that happened yesterday. She didn’t think that she could face any of the knights, especially Barden.

“Right…,” she said, “I don’t think I can go there for a while.”

“Good.” He seemed pleased.

But what would she do all day? She will get very bored. There was a hunting tournament too! She will have to practice shooting to be perfect in it.

“Looks like I won’t be able to go to the training ground anyway. I have shooting practice.” Alexcent turned stiff at Amethyst’s words.

“What?”

“It’s hunting tournament soon. So, I have to prepare myself.” Amethyst expected him to swear in anger.

“Do you… really have to go?”

“If you don’t want me to, then I—”

“But you want to.”

“Yes.”

“Fine. I’ll have Gen make the arrangements.”

“Really?” asked Amethyst, shocked.

“Yes.”

Her heart beat fast. Was it because f the medicine or the hangover? Was it because Alexcent was much happier today? He seemed a completely different person. Was it because he let her join the hunting tournament which he always opposed so vehemently? S

he couldn’t really figure him out. Being with him was always like this, it wasn’t good for her heart. She was scared he might find out how her heart raced whenever she was with him, so she kept a little distance when they embraced.