The King's Only True Love

Chapter 3: Bad Dream

"No mother, I didn't even catch sight of him," She said with all alacrity that her mother seemed to buy it.

"Alright then" Marian sighed in relief "You can go plant the flowers while I make lunch," her mother said as she went back to the kitchen.

She stared at her mother In guilt, her mother has brought her up to this age never to tell a lie but she just did. It was all for the best she thought as she went inside to change before going to plant the flowers.

*******

"The king is on his way to the castle!! The king is on his way to the castle!! A maid ran into the castle as she informed everyone. Everyone became alert as they all went back to their duty post. Since King Emerald had gone to Crystal town, they used the opportunity to gossip and lazy around.

All the knights in duty matched as they positioned themselves in their duty posts to avoid punishment from the king. The royal chefs started preparing meals for the king immediately, the maids in charge of cleaning went back to reclean where they had just cleaned before the king entered the castle.

"Your highness, the king is back" and prince Stephen got up from his chair immediately.

"Why today? I thought he would be back Tomorrow?" Prince Stephen is the late king's brother and the uncle of Emerald, just like everybody else, he too feared his nephew.

" That is what we all thought," Ruben his knight said

Stephen sighed " I thought everyone will be able to have a peaceful sleep without fear for just one night, but it seems my nephew has just made sure that will not happen by coming back tonight," he said and shook his head like he was really worried for everyone.

" Father, father" Lina called out as she walked into her father's chember.

" What is it this time?"Prince Stephen said to his daughter after dismissing his knight.

" I heard the king is back," she said with a mixed feeling. She was afraid and excited at the same time, excited with the fact that she would be able to carry out her 10th plan of getting into the king's bed. But afraid that her plan will backfire and she will end up being thrown Into the dungeon for the 5th time.

Lina has an average height, she is a young beautiful lady with dark hair and brown eyes, she was adopted by prince Stephen and his late wife when they saw they couldn't have children of their own. She has been doing all she can to get Emerald to like her but she hasn't been able to succeed. She has been thrown into the dungeon several times but kept on trying to get his attention.

"Yes so we have to go downstairs and welcome him back home"

"Yes of course father," she said

Prince Stephen looked at his daughter from head to toe and sighed in frustration. "This dress you are wearing is too short and revealing plus your makeup is too much," he said

She looked at her red how that stopped at kneel level and checked her makeup in the mirror on the wall of her father's office. She touched her red lips and smiled " It's just perfect father so let's go" she said as she went to hold her father's hand and both of them left his chember and went downstairs to welcome the king.

The castle's giant gate was opened and the king's carriage rode inside with series of horses with knights on top of each. The carriage stopped in front of the tall and mighty gold-colored castle.

Emerald came down from the carriage and looked at the whole place from left to right even if it was dark. Everywhere was silent, which was how he liked it. He rolled the hand of his black long sleeve before walking into the castle with Gideon behind him. Maids stood including knights at every corner with heads bowed.

" Welcome your Majesty" Prince Stephen and Lina greeted with heads bowed.

Emerald passed them by without saying a word to them or glancing at their side.

Stephen sighed in relief when his nephew went up to his chamber. His nephew should be the one to fear him but he is the one afraid instead. Stephen wasn't living in the castle for a long time and had only come back when his late brother died. He had thought he would be able to manipulate his nephew and make him afraid of him so he would abide by his commands but he was taken by surprise when he saw that his nephew was evil and unkind and had no weakness.

There was no way to manipulate him, he tried to look for his nephew's weakness and use it against him but he had none. He tried using his daughter to see if there was a way to get him but he has succeeded.

As a young king, he is the wish of every young girl in the Kingdom that is desperate. So as such, he is expecting his nephew to have a lot of mistresses but he doesn't have a single one. Now he is waiting patiently for an opportunity to bring his nephew down.

*******

Emerald soaked himself in the bath tube as he shut his eyes close and an image of Acacia popped up in his head, he saw her purple eyes that stared at him in fear and immediately opened his eyes. He came out from the bath tube and stared at his reflection on the mirror.

Emerald is tall and slim but is well built in the right places. He put on a shirt with long pants and walked out of the closet.

As he walked to the dining area of his chamber, he perceived a familiar scent that smelled like the one he perceived when passing by Lina downstairs. Knowing the maid serving the food was Lina, he brought out his knife and advanced slowly toward her.

Lina had changed into a maid dress and sneaked into his chamber with his food tray. She had collected the food tray from the maid that is supposed to serve it and had brought it into his chamber instead as she waited for him to come.

Tonight was the night she planned on getting into his bed. She had always virtualized the king naked and always thought about how big he might be down there. She always thought about making love with him and always touched herself subconsciously.

While she stood there dreaming with a blush on both sides of her cheeks, she was taken unawares when Emerald placed a dagger on her throat from the back.

Lina's eyes widened as her heart beat increased "You…Majesty…It's me Lina" she said hoping he will let her go.

"What are you doing in my chamber dressed like a maid?

"I came to serve your food," she said stammering

" Why would you do that when it's not your duty?"

" Actually….I wanted…to see you" she answered with a trembling voice

" And you were able to pass the guards?" He asked

" They didn't know it was me," she said

" Guards" Emerald called out and the guards rushed in immediately.

"Yes your Majesty" they said and were shocked to see lady Lina dressed as a maid with a dagger in her throat.

"How did she get in here without your notice?" He asked them

The guards bowed their heads immediately in apology "We are sorry your Majesty, we didn't know it was her we thought it was the maid who is supposed to serve your food"

Gideon walked in immediately after seeing the guards weren't on their duty post. "Your Majesty," he said as he awaited for his order.

Emerald released his hold on her and told her to the seat. Lina immediately sat on one of the chairs as her whole body trembled, she didn't know he would react like this, she thought he would give in to her since she already made her way to his chamber.

"Lock her and the maid who was supposed to serve this food in the dungeon for 24 hours to reflect on themselves," Emerald said and Lina knelt to plead for forgiveness but was immediately dragged by one of the guards.

"And the guards who were careless enough to let her in should receive 100 strokes in their back," Emerald said and the guards who didn't do their job well trembled in fear. They were all dragged out of the king's chamber to the torture room.

Emerald looked at the food on the table "Throw this all away I have lost my appetite" he said.

"Yes your Majesty" Gideon responded

Emerald walked out of the dining room and headed in another direction of his chamber. The king's chamber was very big, this wasn't the one his father had used, he had constructed this one himself. It had a very big walk-in closet, a big bathing room with a large bathtub that can occupy 3 persons and apart from that it had a large balcony with chairs and tables and beautiful flowers. Apart from the large king-sized bedroom, he had other rooms in the chamber that was still empty.

Emerald was gifted when it came to drawing, so he used one of the rooms as his drawing studio. The weird thing about his chamber was that everything was in black including the walls.

Emerald walked into his painting room which was dark in color but had candles lit at every corner. He sat down on a chair in the room facing a table and stared at a blank drawing sheet. He shot his eyes closed as the image of Acacia appeared in his mind, he picked up a pencil and started drawing her face on the empty drawing sheet.

***********

Acacia woke up in shock after having a bad dream, she was sweating all over her body. She cried out loud but covered her mouth immediately so her mother won't hear her crying from the other room. She sniffed as she wiped her tears plus the sweat on her body.

She thought about the dream she just had. She dreamt of being burnt on a stake by the king. She has had an overdose of fear and terror today.

She had met the king today, had stood close to him, and had looked him in the eye. Coupled with hearing from her mother about how the account Clark was burnt alive on the stake and none of them including his wife could cry for home. Her mother had told her during dinner that it felt like they were being burnt too, they only got themselves when the king left the town square.

She was so terrified after her mother was done talking. She couldn't finish her dinner and so she lied that she was full and wanted to retire early. Her mother had noticed her terrified look but concluded it might be because of what happened to the town Clark, not knowing that there was another reason behind it.

Before she slept, she had thought about the king coming back to find her and burning her alive on the torture stake. And now she woke up with sweat all over her body after having a dream about being burnt alive by him.

She got up from the bed and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She is going to make sure she never has an encounter with the king again.