By Order of the King

Chapter 10

Malcolm's jaw dropped open.

What he had just heard was not at all the answer he expected.

He fell to pieces. All his hopes had just vanished.

Why should the King oppose him? What did he care who a girl he hardly knew would marry?

"But my king, I don't understand why…" he began to say, trying to change the king's mind. It was unthinkable for him to leave the castle idle.

He wanted to finally get rid of Skye, if possible, on the same day, at the exact moment.

The King raised his hand abruptly, and Malcolm stopped talking.

"You can go in peace, Malcolm. I'll see to it that a groom is found for Skye. You will hear from me soon, very soon."

Malcolm's eyes twinkled. "Oh, Your Highness!" he exclaimed. "You have no idea how much joy your words will give to Skye."

"Yes, yes, I can imagine. Skye will especially be delighted," said the King, raising his eyebrows as he spat out his words ironically.

"Yes, of course" Malcolm nodded his head. A big smile was plastered on his face.

The more the king saw this, the more irritated he became.

"Okay, now that everything is settled, you can return to your castle," the King urged.

"Yes my king, and thank you so much" Malcolm gurgled and bowed.

When Malcolm was out of the throne room and closed the door behind him, sure now that no one was watching him, he rubbed his hands together and smiled spitefully. "Finally, I'll get rid of her," he muttered. "Fiona will be so happy when I tell her."

He met his men at the stables and, without wasting time, began the long journey back.

The King remained seated on his throne, thoughtfully tapping his fingertips rhythmically on the arm of the gilded throne.

He thought it over, and after a while, leaving the room, he asked to have his clerk called to his office, where he would be waiting for him.

A little later, Glenn was standing before him. "You asked for me, Your Highness."

"Yes, Glenn. I wanted to ask you how many days are left until the event."

"In twenty days, Your Highness," Glenn replied.

"I want it to happen sooner. Is it possible?"

Glenn thought about it for a moment. "If we hurry and if we are pressed with preparations, we can do it in ten days. But Prince Hector should be here too. Will he be back by then?"

The King looked at him and stroked his beard. "I had forgotten that."

He got up from his throne and started pacing up and down.

Glenn coughed to clear his throat. "Your Majesty, is it so important to hold the event earlier?"

The King stopped and turned his gaze toward him. "Yes, Glenn, it is essential, but without Hector being here, it will be of no value."

"So what do you suggest?" Glenn asked again.

"Make everything to be ready in fifteen days and not in ten days."

Glenn shook his head. "Very well. But I will need help to write the decrees that should be delivered sooner, and also more people will be needed to deliver them so that there is no delay."

"Okay, I will arrange it," the King agreed.

"Very well, I will take care of everything. When can I have this help?"

"In an hour you will have the people to help you write the decrees, and by the time they are ready you will have the right men to deliver them as fast as possible."

"Excellent, Your Highness. So, can I continue my work now?" he asked, and the King nodded.

When Glenn was gone and the King was alone, he strolled to his throne and sat down.

"Wherever you are, Hector, come quickly. Skye needs you, she needs to get out of that castle full of snakes as soon as possible. But until then, I will have to ensure her safety somehow, though. I have reassured Malcolm, yet I do not trust him."

He smiled at the thought of the rebellious girl doing everything to avoid being led to church with a man by her side.

But suddenly, his eyes widened as a terrible thought entered his mind.

He immediately called Glenn, and the king confessed his phobia when he appeared before him.

"Is there any chance of her doing something like that? And where can she go? I'm sure she's well aware that it's dangerous to be alone in the woods, especially for a woman." Glenn stated.

"Skye is a woman of grit. She is capable of everything. That's why I tell you that we must prevent it before it happens. Listen carefully to what you are going to do. You will go personally to Lord Malcolm because you're the only one I fully trust to get it right. You will give him the decree and tell him it is relevant to what I promised him, but not to reveal anything to Skye. They'll just bring her along just to have fun. That's what they'll tell her, and only that. And make it clear to him that it is my order and my term for his wish to come true."