Royal Entanglement

This Means War

Prince Xander's lips slightly parted, and Lady Sophia let out a small smirk, her finger tracing the curve of the cup's handle slowly.

"Alexander. What did you say?" King Owen asked, straightening a little.

Prince Xander swallowed, trying hard to not look at Charlotte who was still standing, the mess at her feet, shards of glasses scattered around.

Nobody else seemed to care about it either, and he swallowed.

"Father...she...Lady Sophia and I...we well..."

"Your Majesty...I did want to tell you. I and His Highness have the most uncanny relationship. We have a...."

"An amorous relationship!" Prince Xander said, cutting in. "She and I. We have an amorous relationship and I want to make her my Queen."

King Owen's brows furrowed, then slowly turned to Lady Sophia behind him. "You have never told me anything about this, Alexander. And why are you dressed like that?"

Prince Xander looked down at himself, then blinked rapidly. He looked back up, then swallowed. "I apologize, Father. I believed you were happy with the choice of Lady Lisette as my royal bride..."

"And you chose to be unhappy instead, away from the woman you love?" King Owen asked, his brows raising.

Lady Sophia smiled, then turned too, her eyes fixed on Charlotte who was now on her knees, picking up the shards of bare glass with her fingers.

"He would be very unhappy, Your Majesty. I came here today because my heart could not bear it."

Prince Xander turned to her, his gaze turning ice cold. He had the gaze of steel, and Lady Sophia felt a small shiver run down her back.

"I will be. But it will not be just me. Angry people often spread it around, especially to those closest to them."

Lady Sophia gave a sweet smile instead, then returned her gaze to her cup.

King Owen sighed, straightening. "It could have been a mess, Alexander, had she not been brave enough to come here. Tis rare, her courage and certainly befitting of a queen to be." He smiled, then turned to Lady Sophia who immediately went on her knees, dropping the teacup beside her.

King Owen was pleased, and he stretched his heavily ringed hand to her hair, then patted it slowly, his smile growing. "Bless you."

Lady Sophia smiled. "You are so gracious, Your Majesty. I am profoundly grateful."

Prince Xander bit down on his lips, and he turned to Charlotte. She was holding a piece of glass, her eyes fixed on him, her lips moist with her own tears.

He said nothing, his heart finding solace in the fact that he may have sacrificed his own happiness for her freedom.

Charlotte held the glass in her hands, her grip in it tightening hard, till her blood pooled out on it, staining it. Prince Xander sucked in a sharp breath as he saw the blood, then slowly turned away. He would not be able to take much more.

Lady Sophia smiled and lifted herself back onto the smaller seat she had been offered on coming into the King's presence.

He had been quite easy to please, and once she had told him to take chamomile tea to calm his nerves as he had seemed angry, he immediately softened towards her.

She smiled up at Prince Xander, and he swallowed.

"But father...Lady Sophia does not belong to Fermich. She is from a small kingdom far away and I am not sure how the royal court will receive this proposal."

King Owen smiled, then nodded. "Their response does not quite matter, Alexander. Your marriage might be an issue of state, but in that matter, you will take precedence. Lady Lisette was never a suitable candidate and now that we have a suitable one, we should do what is right."

Lady Sophia nodded. "I believe so. Your graciousness is vast, Your Majesty."

King Owen smiled and nodded as Lady Sophia looked up to Charlotte.

"By the way, Your Majesty...that servant..."

King Owen turned to the door, his brows furrowing. "What have you done?"

Charlotte swallowed, tearing her gaze away from Prince Xander. "I apologize, Your Majesty. I was going to bring you a few snacks to have with tea, but I made a grave mistake."

King Owen started to say something when Prince Xander stepped up instead, his fists clenched. "I will take care of it, Your Majesty. You can discuss with Lady Sophia more."

Lady Sophia smiled, but said nothing, her eyes fixed on Charlotte. The servant was crying almost hysterically now, yet silently. It did not make her feel warm, but Prince Xander's apparent distress did.

And if, for a small moment, she had to be a villain to Charlotte, to get vengeance for her sister's death, then she would do it.

Prince Xander slowly turned to Charlotte. Without waiting, she picked up the remaining shards of glass and ran down the long halls.

He took in a deep breath, and with a small bow, excused himself, wrapping the coat around him to cover his body.

He closed the door to his chambers once he was behind it, and he leaned on the cold door. His eyes closed, his breaths short and shaky.

He has been distressed with regards to Lady Sophia, but now, with every smile she had given him, knowing she had won before he had even had a chance to fight, he hated it.

He hated how weak he had let himself be, and how he had chosen the path of nobility when he should have been cruel. His fists clenched till his knuckles went white, and before he knew it, he swept away the table he had been reading on, the rows of books, the candle stand along with the burning candle, the incense and the small bowl of hard boiled sweets.

They all came tumbling down on the floor, the candle catching the edge of the large rug. It started to rapidly burn, a lot like its owner.

Prince Xander took in a deep breath, his hand pushing his hair back. The rug caught on fire rapidly, followed by the lace on the edge of the royal bed.

"Your Highness!" A servant yelled, then immediately ran, bringing back three others and bowls of water to quench the fire.

Prince Xander did not flinch as the fire was quenched, and a servant went to inform King Owen.

"Alexander. What has happened? Why was your chamber ablaze?" King Owen asked as soon as he emerged, his eyes wide.

Following closely behind him was Lady Sophia, her eyes thin as she turned to Xander.

But he was already looking at her. She tilted her head to the side, her brow raising. He would rather burn the chamber than share it with her. The message was clear. At least, to both of them.

She broke into a small smile, her eyes meeting his again.

This means war.