Enslaved

Chapter 23

" You look lost Princess Laskaris. " A cool voice drew me out of my day dream.

" What? Oh! " I could feel my cheeks heating up, " Forgive me your Majesty. "

I looked down at my plate, a cool breeze blowing through the parlour window, making the flames of the fireplace flicker. I could feel his intense gaze boring in me, trying to read me.

" We spent the last twenty minutes eating in silence. Even though I appreciate it, this is not how I imagined it to be. " King Bryon leaned back on his chair, expressionlessly.

First day as the Queen and I was already messing it up. I had invited him to stay and now I was neglecting him as a host, quite disrespectful if you asked me.

" Forgive me, I.... I have been occupied with something. " Lifting my head, I met his eyes.

" So you have. " He regarded me for a second, " What I want to know is, with what? "

I stared at him silently, not knowing what to say. Frustration was blooming in me once again, for allowing Dorian to effect me. The fact he was still more than capable of ruffling my feathers despite all he had done, filled me with self loath. All I wanted was to forget him and move on, focus on my kingdom, my son and making Nick proud.

" My brother. " It was the truth, I was thinking about him, only, it wasn't the whole truth.

" You really loved him, didn't you? " King nodded.

" Still do. " My answer came out soft.

Shifting his eyes from me towards the scene outside the window, he agreed, " I've heard a lot about you two. There used to be rumours about how he wouldn't let any male wander near you, during the balls. "

I couldn't help but smile at the memory, " It was true. I always used to end up without a dance partner if I didn't count him as one and I never did. "

" What was it like? " Once again, his piercing gaze was trained on me. " To have a brother? "

To say that his question caught me unaware would be an understatement. When I had proposed for him to stay, I had imagined our talks to be filled with politics, trade, economy, history and a lot more. But I had never thought he would be interested in knowing about my relations with my brother.

Masking my surprise quickly, I looked at the cackling firewood, " He was someone who understood and knew me like a best friend but loved and protected me like a parent. "

I didn't know how else to describe what I and Nick had. 

" He was my mentor. " I added after a moment.

When it was only silence that I got in answer, I looked to where he was sitting on the opposite end of the supper table, delicately swirling the drink in his ornamental glass flute. His eyes were fixed on its rim and mouth set in a thin line. He looked upset, almost angry with his forehead creased like that. With a last swirl, he brought the flute to his lips and had a sip, flicking his eyes at me. They had turned a stormy grey, a storm that had tormented him for a long time.

King Byron Clemonte was an orphan, his family was killed in front of him when he was fifteen. The hunters had tortured him for days, forcing him to watch as they cleaved his father. Some whispers floating around also hushed the tail of them cutting out his unborn sibling from his mothers womb and raping her in front of his innocent and young eyes, the same ones which now held no emotions and only coldness in them.

" You are thinking about it. " His voice was cold, making me want to give into the shiver that wanted to run down my back but I didn't yield under the weight of his implications, instead, I merely tilted my head, playing his silent game.