The king insisted that Kleopatra could wander to the garden, only if she was accompanied by a guard. She had written a letter to Charles informing him that she would love to see him at noon. Walking through the beautiful garden her mind is occupied with last night's scenes.
[LEAVES RUSTLING]
"Kleo!" Charles called out to her from behind.
"Oh! Charles is that you...You scared me." she said.
"My apologies! You wrote to me and I do not know if your tone was sober or hurting." He said.
[SIGHS] "Oh yes, I did write to you, I was weighty when I wrote to you." She said sadly.
"Why? What load are you carrying? Share it with me." She looked up at him before a tear slipped through her eyes. He pulled her close to him, rubbing her puff sleeves slowly.
"Zosar is married!" She wept.
"Married...I do not understand...uh." He said opening his mouth and then closing it when words couldn't come.
"To Harriet! She bears his child..." She whispered.
"What child? Calm down Kleo... Now speak slowly so I can understand."
"[INHALES] Zosar is married to Harriet and she carries his first child... [SNIFFS] I heard them talk last night about the deal. [PAUSES] he talked about his intentions when he marries me." She sniffed.
"[SIGHS] Intentions? What did he say?"
"[SNIFFS] He would divorce me after he gets his share from our marriage and uses the money to build a house for his family."
[SILENCE]
"Why would he marry you, then divorce you years later, it's going to be a shame in your path. Married in your early years and divorced after, truly is uncultured." Charles spat out.
"I do not care about the divorce nor the shame that will be brought upon me but he will be a terrible husband and father to leave his young wife and child yet to be born, dragging for riches." Kleopatra looked at Charles with so many emotions riding through her eyes.
[SIGHS]"I am truly sorry Kleo, I thought you were worried about your position as a princess and the shame that will tag to you if he had divorced you."
She nodded, backing away from him. "You thought wrong!" She walked away from him, needing space to think about it. She had called for his help in this situation not to add more pain and thoughts to her head. He gave her space for a while, sitting by a tree while she walked deep into the forest.
Kleopatra sat on the soft green grass as she anticipated her future. Not paying attention to her surrounding, a wolf wandered into the forest, spotting her by the lake on the grass. It walked further towards Kleopatra. She was so engrossed with her thoughts that she didn't know the wolf was five steps away from her, positioned to pounce on her after its aim.
[STREAM PURLING]
[WOODS CRACKLES] She turned quickly when she heard the sound of woods crackling behind her. She froze in a spot when she saw the wolf, her past crept back to her at the memory of when she was five in the woods and the attack of a big wolf grabbed her. The wolf before her was nothing as big as the one she had seen when she was five, this one looked rather a medium size but dangerous. It licked its teeth and makes a chattering sound, she knew if she didn't leave this forest the wolf will greedily feed on her. Both stared at themselves not making a move. She wished that she never walked out of Charles a second ago, will she ever apologize before her death called to her, truly death was before her and she won't escape like she had done when she was little.
[SHIVERING] She prayed a silent prayer for the goddess to accept her soul and deeds when she dies.
[WOLF HOWLS]
"Kleo!" Charles called out from a distance.
[SILENCE]
"Kleo! Where are you?" Charles said. Walking through the forest, he walks past the stream, he sees Kleo standing stiff not moving, and he wondered why. So he took a few steps closer. His heart beat rapidly when he saw a wolf before Kleopatra, the wolf looked hungry and if Kleopatra was to move it would pounce on her. He picked up a stone and tore out a piece from his leather boots to make a slingshot. Aiming for the wolf's head, he hit his target at once but missed. As soon as the wolf spots Charles it runs into the woods leaving Charles and kleo threatened.
Kleo ran into Charles's arms for safety, tears spilling out her eyes panicking. She whispered into his chest.
"I am sorry, Charles...[COUGHS] I am sorry I walked out from you, I should never have left..."
"It's alright Kleo, thank goodness you are alive and I came to save you at once." He said, combing her hair with his fingers.
"Let's head back to the patio, away from danger." He said holding her from her back.
*******************************************
"I was five...[SNIFFS]" Kleo said.
"It's ok if you do not want to talk about it." He voiced.
"No! NO! I am ok, I was five when this similar incident appeared to me... [PAUSE] It was fall at that time and I was very little and mysterious. [CHARLES CHUCKLED] I ran out to the woods when my father hosted a banquet, filled with men of high positions, dukes, discounts, Kings and queens all came to the banquet. So just like every other child in the feast, I wandered off to play, running to the woods, I got bullied by some certain boys, the sons of the emperor in china. They kept picking on me but stopped and ran away from me, I didn't know the reason for their immediate flee but when I sat on the floor in tears, I was grabbed deep into the woods. A wolf as big as the pillars in the palace, rugged his claws into my skin... " She showed Charles the mark of the wolf's claws that had left a scar that will always be visible. His face fell when he noticed what she had gone through as a little girl.
"How did your parents find you?" He asked.
"[CHUCKLES] Well, the children had cried to their parents of a big wolf in the woods, so I guessed as much my father was terrified when he hadn't seen me by his side. He ran into the woods with some guards...[PAUSE] I was spotted by a stream with my back bleeding, I was nigh to death but I thank God one of the duchesses was a nurse, I was treated quickly." She smiled.
"Was that the reason for the rules and homestay?" He asked.
"Yeah, ever since the wolf had preyed on me, I would never leave the palace gates without my guards." She said.
"Your childhood was a bit strange and messed up in a way but I am so happy I met you." Charles complimented.
[BOTH CHUCKLES]
"Uh... what about you. .." she said.
"What about me? " He asked.
"[SIGHS] Your story, you know, you never talked about your father, just your dear mother... Tell me." She said.
"[SCOFFS] The is nothing to know about me but just my handsome face." He teased.
"Charles, come on! Tell me, please..." She pleaded.
"[SIGHS] Ok! Fine."
[BELLS RING]
"Oh! I got to go, it's lunchtime." Kleo stood up, straightening her wrinkled gown.
"Do you mind if I walk you?" He asked, standing from his seat.
"Sure! I would have thought of you less of a gentleman if you hadn't walked me to the palace." She giggled.
"So I am a gentleman?" He chuckled.
"Maybe!" Kleo laughed.
[BOTH LAUGHING]
YOU ARE READING
THE CROWNED SHE
Historical Fiction"ONCE UPON A TIME!" Every princess story starts with a lie but mine starts with RULES! I break the rules and I try not to be caught breaking them... DEAR DIARY! Princess Sultan writes... Kleopatra Sultan was the princess of King Horus Sultan...
