WRONG #complete

Chapter Thirty Four

The nerves on this monster who stood before her! Not only had he tried to have her killed, but he was here to finish what he started!

Oh, how she desired so badly to walk down these stairs and smack him hard across the face for his deceit. 

“Eve, I know I asked you to leave but I need you to understand that my father was dying” He spoke, green eyes filling with tears. “I am so sorry”

She turned away, scolding herself for looking at him. He would manipulate her with his eyes, he would use the hold he knew very well he had on her heart, against her.

She sniffed, afraid her tears would fall down her face and everyone would notice. Her eyes caught the King's inquiring eyes. She shook her head and forced a smile before turning back to address Mark.

“Your Majesty, I decline your offer” She heard herself say.

“Eve” His hands shook by his side. He reached for his crown and took it off. Then, he pulled off his royal purple cape and stepped forward. “Remember how we met?” He took another step forward. “Greece, home of Julius, beautiful evening” He took another step, his gaze never leaving hers. “I had had enough of the party. I do not even know why I had attended.” He took the first step up the throne, a loud gasp from the crowd following his action.

She fought hard against her tears but was failing as she felt something warm touch her cheek.

“I made my way down that hallway. I had to get out.” He climbed up the next stairs. “Then I saw this slave girl with a turkey tray in her hands” He took the next stairs. “I thought I could help her” He laughed nervously. “Wrong move” He took the last stairs and came face to face with her. “Next thing I knew, I was knocked right off of my feet” He knelt down before her and reached forward, his fingers brushing against her tear stained face.

She could no longer breathe as she came face to face with the man she loved. The only man she would ever love. But in spite of it all, he had tricked her. What great act of betrayal for she was no longer sure she could ever trust his words. Mark was a good liar. She shook her head, as if to shake off his lies. She could not allow herself to fall for any of it any more. 

Reaching up, she placed her hand on his hand as it rested on her cheek.

“You should go, Mark” She stared at him.

His eyes searched hers for a while, as if unbelieving of what she had just said.

“Now”

Hurt, he nodded his head and rose to his feet. Turning to face Father who had been silent for too long, he placed the treaty by his feet and muttered something she did not quite hear before turning his back and walking out the door, leaving his crown behind.

****

“Father, I would request a break” She faced the king who just nodded to her words.

She rose to her feet and made her way to her bed chamber, bursting through the doors as she lost total control of her tears.

She threw her sobbing frame on her bed and buried her face in her pillow. How could he? How could he do this to her? Why did he come here? Her breathing was laboured as her body shook. The look on his face when she turned him away; hurt, sad, confused, betrayed. She could not understand, why did he look that way, why did he appear to be genuinely confused? Surely he must know by now that his plan to kill her had been uncovered. She sniffed as she sat upright on her bed, pillow on her lap as she brought her chin to rest on it.

Not sure she could go on with the proposal, she sat in bed, her mind plaguing her with images of the hurt man she had turned away.

****

King Augustine watched King Mark literally beg his daughter to marry him. In all his years, he had never seen a king stoop so low.

Did Mark really love Eve? There most likely was no doubt about that. It was plain as day in his green eyes and if that did not go to prove it, watching Mark mount the stairs of his throne, an abominable act that could have him killed, was proof enough.

But Eve had turned him away. Augustine did not know what to think of her rejection. Was she doing it because she wanted to please him?

“The soldiers of Graceland have been ordered to stand down. The war is over” Mark said as he placed the treaty at the feet of Augustine.

Even with Eve's rejection, the King was willing to broker peace? He did not know what to think of this young man as he watched him leave the throne room.

When Eve asked to be excused, he didn't hesitate to grant her permission; he also needed a break. He needed time to think of his decisions and his actions all of these years. He needed time to think of the young man that had risked everything to come here to try to win his daughter's heart.

And the peace treaty? He reached for the scroll that laid at it's feet. He stared at the words written there. In truth, the King of Graceland had signed it, the royal seal quite hard to miss.

“Consider the treaty for a moment, Augustine” He heard his wife's whisper.

“I have”

“And?”

And what? He didn't know the next step to take. It was too risky. Accepting the treaty would mean everything would change and he wasn't sure he was ready for that.