Caspian

7- Facades

It's been weeks since the last time Amethyst saw her new husband. Weeks since they had fought and she ended up slapping him. Weeks since he called her a w***e. Weeks since he told Amethyst that knew all the rumours about her. Rumours that she's been w*****g around with the palace guards and that her father punished her for that. And to be honest, she was deeply hurt. The moment she came here, she thought maybe she can have a new start in this kingdom, a life that will be free from all the negative things about her. But then she was wrong. She was already judged even before she can even show herself. His prejudice that night cut her deep and Amethyst knows he hates her. 

Yes, he definitely desires me. But he hates me.

She saw it in his eyes when he confronted her during their wedding night. She sighed. 

I guess this is really what my life would be like. 

Uncared for and unloved.

She tried thinking back to see what had she done so bad for her to live this way. Then she thought about the rumours. Actually, she realized these past few days that she can’t blame Cronus if he looked at her that way since it wasn’t him who created those rumours. She was just so hurt with the words at that time and so she burst out and slapped him. Now, she felt sorry for that.

“Princess, you still hadn’t eaten anything.” Rosie commented, sounding concerned. “For the past weeks, you have barely touched your food and you’ve lost a lot of weight already.”

She smiled at her. Rosie is so much like Fera. All of them in this kingdom treats her well even if all she did was sulked in her room. They kept cheering her up and making her feel warm and welcomed. However, she can’t help but ask herself if they also knew about the rumours as well. Embarrassment filled her just by thinking about it. She hoped not.

“I heard that His Majesty will finally return tonight.” Rosie added and smiled excitedly, trying to cheer her up. “I still can’t get over how the both of you looked during your wedding. You two are like a perfect match from heaven.”

“Cronus is coming home?” Amethyst confirmed and Rosie nodded. Her heart automatically raced.

“Yes, princess. What dress would you like to wear?” Rosie excitedly asked.

“Nothing.” She replied and she shook her head.

“Ah. It can’t be nothing, princess. It will be the first time that you both will see each other after weeks, surely you have to look your best, my dear.” Rosie said as she clapped her hands. “No worries. I will take care of it. I know the dress which will absolutely be perfect for you.”

She just smiled hesitantly as Rosie started calling the other maidens to prepare her for her husband’s arrival.

***

They placed her hair on a bun and put a very light make-up on her which highlighted her hazel brown eyes. Then, they matched it with a beautiful emerald dress which emphasized her features and her body. The cut was simple but it looked absolutely elegant. After everything, Amethyst looked at herself in the mirror and was a bit surprised at how she looked like. She truly looked nice. And her make-up indeed made her hazel brown eyes stand out.

“You are unquestionably beautiful, princess.” Rosie exclaimed and she smiled at her.

“Thanks.” Amethyst answered.

“He’s already in the dining hall. I already informed him that you’ll be joining him there in a bit.” Rosie told her and she just nodded.

To be quite frank, Amethyst is a little bit nervous because of the last incident. Cronus might still be mad at her for what she did. And so she planned to apologize. She knew it was just Cronus right to have her checked before their marriage. So knowing about the rumours isn’t his fault. She’s been thinking for weeks now and she decided that she’ll no longer sulk and just try her best to be happy with all the simple things she has now. And if becoming Cronus’ wife is her destiny, then she’ll just make the most out of it. She inhaled deeply before following Rosie into the dining hall.

“Princess Amethyst is here now, your majesty.” Rosie said as she opened the door and Amethyst entered the dining hall.

Cronus automatically looked at her in awe but shifted his gaze immediately, acting like he didn’t care. He had to keep his pride intact. And that’s what Amethyst saw when she looked at him, which on her side, confirmed that he is still mad at her. She sighed but still managed to smile as she slowly curtsied.

“Welcome back, Cronus.” She said loud enough for Cronus to hear, however, he just looked at her for a bit before he continued eating.

Amethyst went to sit on the other edge of the long table as the servants started to serve her food. She thanked them graciously before they left making it just the two of them left in this big hall. Cronus just kept eating and Amethyst started her food as well. She didn’t understand why, but after her first spoonful of food, she suddenly had the appetite to eat. So she cheerfully munched on her food like she hasn’t eaten for days, which was somehow literally the case given the fact that she hasn’t been eating so well lately.

Cronus secretly watched her eating delightfully and that warmed him a little, forming a small smile in the corner of his lips.

“This is super good.” Amethyst said after a while and ate the last slice of her steak.

Cronus just didn’t say anything, but he is surely amused. He just got his napkin and wiped his lips after eating before he immediately stood up and walked out of the dining hall. Amethyst did the same thing and followed him immediately. She was almost running because the man she was following is absolutely big and tall, not to mention, very fast. So his long strides just made her feel like she’s running for her life. But even if she already ran, since he walked too fast, she still lost sight of him and didn’t know which of the rooms was the one he entered in that hall.

She sighed. But I just couldn’t give up, right?

So she then decided to just knock and open each door and see if she can find Cronus in there. When she opened the first door of her choice, her hand was automatically pulled inside before the door was slammed closed and she was placed against the wall.

“What do you want?” Cronus asked dangerously as he pinned her. His face is so close to her face. She can see his blazing red-eye and his white eye beneath his half-faced mask.

“I…” She started.

“What?!” Cronus demanded once again as his grip on her started to tighten.

“You’re hurting me.” Amethyst voiced out, almost in a whisper and he immediately backed off.

He was about to pull the door open again and leave when he felt a small hand in his arm.

“Wait…” Amethyst finally said, stopping him. 

So he turned around and looked at her intently.

“I’m sorry.” Amethyst finally uttered after finding her confidence and that made Cronus face crease. “Last time, I slapped you. That night. It was very wrong for me to do that. I wasn’t able to control my emotions. So I’m sorry.”

Cronus remained silent and just continued to look at her.

“Apology accepted.” He then said with a stoic face. “But please do me a favour. Stay out of my sight while I’m here. That will make me feel better.”

Then he stormed out of the room, leaving Amethyst flabbergasted. She bowed her head in resignation. She didn’t know why she’s so affected, but she did cry as his words cut through her deeply. She just suddenly felt so unwanted again. So she ran out of the room and made her way back to her room before she burst out crying. She cried out for feeling sorry for herself as she went to hug her pillow.

At that moment, she remembered him.

Caspian.

So she immediately grabbed out her pen and decided to start writing. It became a habit for her to let go of her feelings through writing. Then she took out a blank parchment and started writing another letter for that one person she treasured the most. She didn’t know why, but whenever she writes him a letter, her pain and burdens lighten up a bit.

Caspian.

He’s like a dream that never happened. But somehow, she still thanked him because he became a best friend she can address her letters to.

***

Cronus just kept punching the trees in front of him and one by one they all started falling because of the strong impact. When he saw Amethyst in the dining hall earlier, he thought his heart will explode. She was absolutely beautiful in her emerald dress. And he can’t help but admit that he missed her for those weeks that he didn’t see her.

But he was just so mad. So mad at her and himself that he couldn’t control his temper. When he pushed her against the wall earlier, his facades almost immediately melted down the moment he looked at her hazel brown eyes.

Those darn eyes.

He cursed under his breath and kept punching from tree to tree. One punch equates to one tree falling to the ground.

“You’ll end up balding the whole forest in that state.” Uri said loud enough to pull Cronus out of his thoughts.

He was panting when he turned and faced him.

“You don’t wanna end up cutting off all these poor trees with your punches.” Uri repeated.

His aura then turned dark and he made a deafening growl before his body started producing red flames. Then immediately he formed a ball of fire and threw it directly to Uri who easily budged and so the ball of fire went directly to the trees creating a huge fire. After bursting out his anger, Cronus cooled down and calmed down. Uri just sighed and shook his head before he then held out his hand directed at the fire. Water came out of it, it immediately drenched it, quenching the huge fire.

“So you planned to burn the forest then.” Uri teased as he walked towards Cronus and patted Cronus on his shoulder when he reached him. “Calm down. Will you?”

“Fine.” Cronus said and inhaled deeply. “I’m just so freaking mad.”

“Why?” Uri inquired but as smart as he is, he already knew the answer to it. “It is because of her, right?”

Cronus just fell silent as his jaw clenched.

“Your powers are getting stronger and not being able to control yourself and your emotions are surely catastrophic.” Uri said and sat down beside Cronus. “You’ve seen it yourself last week during training.”

Cronus just sat too and rubbed his face with his hands irritatingly.

“Why don’t you just tell her the truth?” Uri asked after a while.

“She doesn’t need to know. And I don’t want her to know.” Cronus answered immediately. “I hate her.”

“Then why agree to marry her?” Uri asked back. “If you hate her then you shouldn’t have brought her here.”

“You know very well that I have to take a partial land of that huge kingdom and expand it slowly. You know I needed to put a garrison in there.” Cronus replied earnestly. Then his red and white eye was filled with fury. “They have to pay for what they did.”

“Are you sure of that plan?” Uri inquired once more. “You will end up hurting your wife you know.”

“I don’t care.” He answered immediately. “She’s just part of the plan anyway. Marrying her was all part of it. And even if she gets hurt, I don’t care.”

“Stop with your facades, your majesty.” Uri commented. He closed his eyes as he laid down flatly on the ground and used his arms as a pillow. “We grew up together. You are definitely into her.”

“I am not.” Cronus answered firmly.

“Tell that to yourself, liar.” Uri teased. “But seriously though, the elders are watching your every move. I am not sure who’s the traitor yet, but the outlaws are also getting stronger.”

“I have a plan for those outlaws. We just need to train more and make sure we keep our alliances. No one attacks us with impunity, Uri.” Cronus replied dangerously.

“I know.” Uri answered then turned to Cronus again. “What is your real plan with her? She’s starting to become popular in the palace. They all like her.”

Cronus just raised his brow at Uri.

“She’s still King Alastor’s kin and blood daughter. I can use her when the right time comes.” Cronus replied once again.

“But as you have mentioned before, she’s innocent of her family’s crimes. Why use her?” Uri asked. “She seems unaware of everything, Cronus.”

“She’s not that innocent as she pretended to be. She’s as fake as her father.” Cronus spat disgustingly. “Besides, how about our loss? Those innocent lives they ambushed mercilessly?”

“I know.” Uri replied and clenched his fist.

“I promised to avenge them.” Cronus said firmly and gulped.

“Then don’t get affected too much.” Uri voiced out. “In the next 2 full moons, your power will be complete. And our plan begins.”

“I know.” Cronus answered.

***