This Game
1200 Words
Alexandra
He is here. The thought is surprising, maybe I was secretly hoping he wouldn't come.
This is his room, Alexandra, I remind myself. Of course, he would be here.
I stand straighter, not sure what to do. I don’t know why he released me and why I was brought here.
I am not even dressed as a bad slave. Instead, I am wearing one of the dresses I got when I was in town with Lave.
All my nervousness and running in circles in my head and doesn’t even look at me as he comes in.
Nathaniel is dressed in the usual dark clothes. When he sees me look at him he lifts an eyebrow.
“I just… I thought you were supposed to be dressed differently.” I say stupidly hoping he won’t think too much about why I am looking at him.
“Different how?” he asks.
Like a king, my mind provides but I don’t say it. When I don’t respond he continues casually.
“Some of my clothes were missing so I guess I had no choice…”
I stiffen.
“I am sorry I took your shirt.” I am acting like a small child caught stealing sweets from the kitchens. What is wrong with me?!
So I lift my chin and continue more confidently. “But I couldn’t really go out naked, could I?”
“Why not,” he asks, “you are a bed slave, right?”
I squint my eyes at him.
“What are you playing at?” He sits heavily and leans in the richly decorated armchair.
“A king.” He says and I clench my teeth. “It’s my favourite game, what do you think about it?”
He has an answer to everything and that drives me insane.
“I don’t know, “ I hiss, “I am no longer a princess after all. “
“All because of me, right?” he asks. “You must hate me. “
I stand where I am and cross my arms. I won’t fall for his game, not me. He may be able to deceive the others but I am not that stupid.
“I don't trust you.”
I admit and he eyes me.
“Few people do.”
I remember what Sirius said about him. That he is so ambitious that he… he killed his brother. I am looking at Nathaniel and a strange feeling blossoms inside me.
The need to know more about him. Did he do it? Or did he send someone to do it? How did it happen?
I have to pinch myself. I have no reason to think any of those things.
You are so transparent, Alexandra… I tell myself and take a step away from him. My tights bump the table placed by the window and I remain where I am. As if putting distance between us would make me think of him less somehow.
I keep my voice steady when I speak
“Why did you tell them to bring me here when apparently you don’t …”
Nathaniel is waiting for me to continue. He is going to make me say it.
“I don't what?”
“Take lovers…”
I push the words out.
Because everyone hates him and he thinks they will kill him maybe, you stupid woman, I remind myself. Again.
I don’t have a wolf but my right mind is still somewhere with me, thankfully.
“Who told you I don’t take lovers?”
He pronounces the word lovers so slowly I shift nervously.
“Everyone says that.”
“Have you been asking about me, then?”
Nathaniel is mocking me. I hate him. I almost forgot why but here we are. He folds his arms mirroring my position. And why did I trust everyone saying this? Was I secretly hoping that it would be true?
“Maybe there is something.” He says, bringing me back to reality and saving me from the misery of my thoughts. I listen carefully. “There is a reason why I did it. You owe me.”
“I didn’t kill her,”
I say stupidly and he grins.
“No one cares about the truth when you have a lamb to sacrifice anyway. I could easily leave you to be the lamb. “
“Because I didn’t do it!”
“I just told you this doesn’t matter. The crowd wants a spectacle, that’s all. Someone to blame. It doesn’t matter what the reality is. “
“You are a monster,” I hissed at him, “everything is a game to you, isn’t it? Is this whole thing about bringing me here another game of yours?”
“Do you really want to hear the answer to this question?”
He asks and I want to throw something at him. I close my eyes and make myself breathe.
“What do you want?”
I ask. “For getting me out of there?”
I don’t even want to pronounce the word prison…. It sounds final. I never thought I would ever be locked in a dungeon. Me. The daughter of Demetri. But life is not what we were hoping it would be.
“By the way… What … What happened to her?...” I hear myself say and Nathaniel shrugs.
“It’s not something that concerns you.”
I look at him, with wide eyes.
“It has everything to do with me!”
“It’s been dealt with.”
Nathaniel says shortly with the assurance of someone who has said this a hundred times before. My heart speeds up as the idea starts creeping in. Nathaniel has something to do with her death.
No… no…
I glance towards the door and my mind starts working too fast. Can I try to run? How far would I go? Will he kill me like he killed her? And his brother?
Nathaniel recognises my reaction and tilts his head. Watching me. He looks like a wolf ready to devour his prey. And he doesn’t even have to get up or do anything to look like this.
My heart speeds even more, he no doubt hears it.
“Don’t worry,” he says, “I won’t do anything to you.”
I instantly grab the nearest glass and threaten to throw it at him. But before I know it he is standing before me, holding my hand.
“I wouldn’t advise you to break anything,” he says, his breath dancing on my face “It causes too much trouble for the servants who have to clean after.”
His face is only an inch away from mine. My chest is rising and I can’t swallow the lump in my throat.
He squeezes my hand very lightly and I drop the glass on the floor. It shatters when my eyes meet his. My mind goes blank with the proximity of his body and his scent.
Then Nathaniel leans slightly in, his lips almost touching mine.
“You really want me to kiss you, don’t you?” he asks and my eyes flutter closed.
- Writer
