Nadine

53. Friends

I wake up the next morning to Mary fixing my water. "Good morning Mary."

"Good morning princess. You feel better today?"

"Yes I do." I stretch a bit. "I have to see Frode this morning after breakfast."

"Ok let's do formal for now then. We can change you later if you want. He seems the formal type."

"Yes he does."

"So you going to tell me about Dipak?"

"Nothing to tell Mary. I did apologize to him about running though. He told me he was never mad. I thought he was. I thought he hated me."

"That boy was in heaven with you in his office. He was so happy... Concerned for your health, but also happy..." She gives me a funny look. "Weird combination really, but he pulled it off somehow."

"Probably happy I finally apologized. It's ok at least we can move forward now. Maybe we can get to being friends again. But he'll probably never trust me not to run."

"Give him a chance, little miss. He might surprise you."

I shrug my shoulders. "I need to concentrate on Frode for now. Will you go with me?"

"Of course little miss."

After breakfast we go to Frode's office together. As soon as we get on the floor the guards announce me. "Princess Hypatia Nadine on the level." Way to warn them all assholes.

Frode's office is all the way at the end. We have to go by everyone's. Every single one of them is sitting at their desks writing. Dipak winks at me when I walk by. This really seems like a boring job. The rest don't even acknowledge me.

I get down to Frode's office and knock on the open door.

"Hello princess, Come in and have a seat at the conference table. Here you can read over the agreement now. I will join you in about 30 minutes. I will answer any questions you have."

"Thank you advisor."

"My pleasure princess. I would stay but something came up. I do apologize for having to leave for half an hour."

"No problem advisor. It will probably take me that long to read it anyway."

He smiles and hands me the papers.

Me and Mary read through it.

"There is a lot here little miss."

"Yea, but mostly it seems to be about Tre and not me. He got all kinds of privileges by signing this."

"Yes he did princess. I don't think he will ever let you out of it."

"I'm not really trying to get out Mary. I mean it would be nice to find a way if I have to."

"You don't want out of it?"

"15 years is a long time. Who knows what will happen. I believe Tre would be a good king. I believe he's a good advisor. I don't like that he has so much control over my life."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, by this contract. I always have to sit by him at dinner. At every event the castle hosts, I have to stand by him like a mate. He has control of my healthcare. I mean he didn't even think to get the doctor. Gunner did it. I hate having to pretend we're together. We're strangers now. If one day we take the potion, then we will be mates. But not now. Does that make sense?"

"I think so little miss." She puts her arm around me and squeezes. "Maybe you can get them to change parts of it."

My eyebrows fly up. "Maybe, I could at least ask. Let's start writing down stuff I should change. Maybe I should ask him if he wants out of it. I should probably at least ask. I'll be right back Mary."

I go to Tre's office and knock on the door.

"Come in princess. What can I do for you?"

"Do you want out of the contract Tre?"

"No, but I'll agree to break it if you want to. I won't make you stay with someone you hate."

"I don't hate you Tre." I get teary eyed and stare out the window for a minute. "We're strangers now."

"Do you want to break it princess?"

I shake my head no. "But there are parts I would like to change."

He nods at me.

"You will make a good king, Tre. I won't agree to let you out of the contract. The people deserve a good and strong king. You would be that, I know you would."

He smiles at me. "Yea, I haven't been very good in the mate area. But I do care about you princess."

"I care about you too. I needed to say that I think. I think that's all I wanted." I'm shocked for some reason.

"Write down what you want changed. And I will back off a bit. We can be friends for awhile. We can leave the mate stuff alone ok?" He moves to in front of me and leans on his desk. "But I don't want to see you with anyone else. It hurts me. Please keep all that private. I really do care about you, princess. I'm just not the greatest at showing it."

I stand up crying and give him a big hug. "You're still young too Tre. Maybe it will get better the older we get. But thank you and I do mean what I said, you will make an amazing king. I couldn't possibly choose a better one."

He hugs me back. "Let's work on getting to be friends again princess. Please? I don't like this stranger zone we're in."

I nod at him. I try to leave and trip.

"Where you going princess?"

"Frode's office."

"I'll take you there."

"Thank you Tre. Seriously thank you so much." I throw my arms around him again.

He takes me back to Frode's office. Dipak, Frode, and Mary are all in it. I'm a complete mess and he's helping me walk. It probably doesn't look good. But they all stare. I can't even stand up on my own. I keep ahold of him.

"Are you ok little miss?"

I start sobbing.

Dipak comes over. "What did you do to her?"

"I don't know." He hands me over to Dipak. "It's ok princess. Everything will be ok." He wipes some tears off my cheeks and smiles at me.

I throw my arms around his neck. "Thank you Tre."

"You're welcome princess. Now go. You deal with this and I'll go finish the paperwork."

I start laughing a little bit.

He tilts my chin so I'm looking at his face. "You'll be fine. You're stronger than you think. I'll be right down the hall if you want to ask more questions ok? But I'm going to let you do this on your own."

I nod.

He winks at me with a little smile on his face and leaves.

Mary grabs my shoulders and looks at me right when he leaves. "Did you get out of the bonding contract?"

I say "No." through sobs.

Frode stands up. "Advisor Dipak please shut the door on your way out."

Dipak gives me a hug and kisses me on the head. "I'll be down the hall too."

He helps me back to the table, then leaves me and Mary there with Frode.

"I don't understand this emotion, little miss. Are we happy or sad?"

"Both."

She hugs me. "Let's work on these changes ok?"

"Yea."