Wilful Queen
"It is so nice to have you join me here. Ever since I grew up, we seldom had the chance to sit together. I thought I would never see you again after you went north, hehehe…"
Queen Sisi crossed her right leg over and placed a biscuit in front of the bishop next to her. He snapped the biscuit in two, startling the birds off. Conversely, Queen Sisi heard it as the song of victory.
Queen Sisi relished a nip of tea and continued, "This is a nice reunion, is it not? I thought I would see your head come back in Veirya's hands or it bouncing off a guillotine platform. That would be horrible. It would devour my conscience. It would break my heart if Ascillia lost her father."
"… Your Majesty, there is no need to harm Ascillia now that you have won, is there?"
"Of course not. I arranged for her to be escorted to the elven lands. I may not like elves, but the fresh air in their forest and their medical skills will provide the optimal recovery environment."
Queen Sisi, beaming, stretched out her hand. I scuttled over and bowed: "I am at your service, Your Majesty."
"You have my Little Doggy to thank. He may only be a dog to me, but he is your benefactor. When I was plotting to kill you, Angelina or Ascillia, he persuaded me to calm down, hence the perfect outcome." Queen Sisi leaned back in her chair. She pinched my chin and rubbed my cheeks. Smugly, she added, "Lulling the elves and dwarves. Stationing the military and having the businessmen, who travelled with them, sabotaging and monopolise your market, and sending Ascillia to Lucilia were all his plans. Rarely do I praise anyone. I now want to give him half a city. After all, the north that you occupied for sinful ends has grown a lot, has it not?"
I maintained a calm smile throughout. Sisi released me and folded her arms: "I shall take up Little Doggy's suggestion. I give you permission to have the fairest and most benevolent end. I will not execute you. Go and take care of your daughter in the elven lands. Before you pass away, neither of you are permitted back into my territory. All of the chapel's rights shall be transferred to me. You cannot disagree with those conditions, can you?"
The pope voiced, "Your Majesty, I do not consider that a deal."
"Because it is not one. It is blackmail."
Sisi didn't just possess the north; she had all of the chapel and the bishop's daughter's life in her grasp. It was checkmate.
"Understood, Your Majesty," the bishop weakly replied, downtrodden.
Sisi went to the window after I saw the bishop out. It was already winter in the north. Soon, the flowers in the imperial capital would all wither. For the meantime, nonetheless, the sun was still warm, and flowers were still in bloom, albeit past their prime. Her hair and the flowers danced to the breeze's choreography. "Beauty does transcend time," was a statement the scene proved true.
"Let's go, Little Doggy. Set that stuff down. The ladies-in-waiting will sort it out. There's a job only you can complete awaiting you."
Sisi grabbed my hand as I was clearing the table and dragged me downstairs before I could protest. The warmth around my hand blurred the walls and shock flitting across faces. Sisi laughed heartily and paid no heed to the fact she was barefoot or had little makeup on. She bolted into the field of flowers. When we crossed the same path in the past, she'd smile, but she'd never stop to admire the flowers. Perhaps the weight on her shoulders had been lifted.
The ladies-in-waiting came running over. I gestured for them not to worry. They couldn't believe Sisi was playing in the field of flowers as Leah would. She danced, laughed and sung. Never had they seen Sisi so out of character.
The head lady-in-waiting arrived on the scene. She turned to gesture and ordered, "Don't worry. Return to your stations. Her Majesty will find her way back when she is done. Stop watching and return to your stations."
For whatever reason, Sisi's joy infested me. There should've been a knight dancing with the burgundy-haired beauty, but I wasn't sure if that was me. Suddenly, her laughter stopped, and she folded sideways. Scared out of my wits, I sped toward her.
I ignored the leaves, soil and scent I hauled along. Suddenly, she sprung and pulled me down by my waist.
"Is this her scent or the flowers?" I wondered.
"You don't know how to read the mood, Little Doggy." Sisi, pinning my arms down from top mount and lifting the corner of her lips: "I can't be crazy alone. I was waiting for you to join my celebration. Do I have to invite you?"
Sisi licked her lips.
"If I joined you, who would prompt you to return?" My heart rate didn't pick up despite the distance between us.
"I'm a wilful monarch."
"Being wilful is cute, but you are still a monarch," I blurted without a moment of hesitation. The thoughtless comment had me thinking, "Why do we click so perfectly when we've barely had time to know each other?"
Sisi's lips stretched to her ears. She rubbed my cheeks vigorously and responded, "I'm green with envy, Little Doggy. How do you know me so well? How do you surprise me time and time again, make me happy time and time again? You're so dangerous that I want to execute you now. You're going to be my downfall at this rate. I should kill you now for this nation's sake before I lose my rationality."
"You just labelled yourself a wilful monarch, correct?"
"… Hahaha."
Sisi bent down and kissed my lips. That was my first kiss and my first passionate kiss. Sisi's kiss was the a declaration of ownership of my lips. By the time she let go and licked her lips, I was gasping for air.
"I am a wilful monarch," affirmed Sisi, grabbing my hands. "That's why your duty is to pull me back in line when I cross the line. Guide me when I am lost. Sooth me when I have lost my temper. Yes, I don't know your background. Yes, I'm privy the gap between our statuses is significant. Even so, you're right when you say I'm a wilful monarch. I want land, wealth and… my love by my side. Little Doggy, prepare yourself to serve a wilful monarch and a wilful… woman."
I had no choice. Only a wilful monarch imposes a conclusion on one instead of giving options… Yet, the corner of my lips rose…
"As you command, my Queen."