The King's Only True Love

Chapter 5: Royal Decree

The following morning, Gideon rushed to report to his duties as the king's right hand man. When he got to the king's chamber he was told by the guards who guided the chamber that the king had already left his chamber. Gideon was surprised because it was still very early, if the king was not in his chamber then he would be in his office, but why this early? He wondered.

He left there immediately and headed to the king's office. Emeralds office was very large with two long black couches, a wall painted in white, photos of the late king and queen on the wall and some small artifacts at the side, and then his table and chair at the very end close to a window that overlooked the water fountain and large garden in the castle.

"Good morning your Majesty" Gideon said the moment he stepped into the king's office.

Emerald didn't look up at him nor did he respond to his morning greeting.

Gideon looked up at the king and saw that he was busy writing something on the royal scroll. Anything written on a royal scroll and bears the royal stab by the king is a decree, law, or command that whoever it is written to must obey. When the person or the people reject the decree, death would follow. So Gideon was wondering what he was written down and who it was meant for, but he stood as he waited for the king to be through.

After Emerald was done writing, he went through what he wrote before placing his royal seal on it.

"Call one of the royal knights," Emerald said and Gideon bowed his head before running along to call one of the royal knights.

Emerald got up from his chair and stared at the beautiful view from his wind. "It's about time," he said.

It didn't take long for Gideon to come back with one of the high-ranking royal knights.

"Your highness, he is here," Gideon said and Emerald turned to face both of them.

"I want you to take 5 other knights with some royal guards and one of the royal carriages to Crystal town," Emerald said

It was then Gideon who understood who the decree on the royal scroll is meant for. When the king had asked for her to be investigated, he knew the king was up to something. Now the question is "Why is he written a royal decree and what was contained in that royal decree? Thinking now about the way the king had tolerated her disobedience, it might just be that he had an interest in her " but in what way? He wondered as he decided to wait and see what will happen by the end of today because if they are sending a carriage, it means they are going to be bringing her to the castle after reading the decree.

"What is our assignment, your Majesty?" the knight asked.

" Pick up the royal scroll on the table," Emerald said and the knight immediately picked up the royal scroll. " And pick up that piece of paper on the table too, it contains the address of the household you are going to be reading that scroll aloud to," Emerald said.

The knight picked it up as he bowed his head " Okay your Majesty, is there any other thing"

" Make sure you go immediately and come back as soon as possible with the person whose name is written on the scroll," he said in a commanding tone that made the knight tremble. "If you fail to come with her, then you and the others should not return to this castle alive," he said

The knight trembled in fear and swallowed hard. He hasn't yet gone to carry out the assignment but he is already afraid of its outcome. "Yes your Majesty, I will do just as you have said," the knight said with a shaken voice.

"Now leave," Emerald said and the knight left immediately.

"Go call the royal event planner immediately, don't let me wait for you," Emerald said

"Right away your Majesty" Gideon responded as he left the office immediately. The royal event planner doesn't leave the castle, so he has to go all the way to the town. Why would the king want to see the event planner personally? It wasn't his birthday and the last time he checked the king doesn't celebrate his Birthday.

******

Lina lay in her bed with eyes wide open as a royal physician tended to her. The dungeon in this castle was like hell on earth, after just 24 hours in the dungeon only, she already had injuries and a series of insect bites.

"Your highness," the physician said and Lina looked up to see her father approaching her bed with a furious look on his face.

"Excuse us," he said and the royal physician bowed his head and left.

After there was nobody else in the room, prince Stephen approached her on the bed and grabbed hold of her hand furiously.

Lina winced in pain "Father you are hurting me"

"You are so dumb and stupid, didn't know why I had adopted a stupid child like you," he said in anger.

"I'm sorry father, just give me another chance," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Give you another chance? This was your 10th attempt at getting the king, but you failed as always and you say I should give you another chance" he said as glared at her.

"Please father," she said with a shaken voice, apart from the king another person she feared was her father. He wasn't a kind man like what he makes people believe nor was he a good father to her. He plans to use her to get to the king but she has been failing, although she was doing what her father wants of her, the truth was that she loved the king and wants to be by his side even if he has been heartless and wicked to her.

"Give me one reason why I should let you do this job which you have been failing to do ever since?" prince Stephen said as he tightened his grip on her

Lina winced in pain as she gathered her strength to speak " Because apart from your whole plan of getting to him, I love him which is why I will do my best to make sure I get through him on the day"

Prince Stephen loosened the grip he had on her and smirked "rest well then, after this we will think of our next plan" he said as he touched her hair softly before working off her.

The moment he stepped out of her room his knight approached him.

"Your highness," he said with heads bowed.

" What is it," prince Stephen asked as he kept on walking with his knights following behind him " I got information that the king handed a royal decree at one of the high-ranking knights and asked him to take 5 other knights with some guards along with a carriage to Crystal town"

Prine Stephen stopped walking and turned to face Ruben " Why would he write a decree and who is it meant for?" he pondered over this question and then came up with an idea "Have they gone yet?"

"No your highness, which is why I came to know what you plan to do next" his knights answered.

"Send two of our men to follow them behind closely and find out the reason why the king had to send them"

"Okay your highness, I will do just that. ''Ruben rushed immediately to do what he was asked to do.

"What are you planning, Emerald, what are you planning?" Prince Stephen murmured to himself.

**********

With her boots on and farming hat on, Acacia walked on the farm with her mother. They always put on boots to the farm to protect their feet, and they put on pants to allow them to walk easily on the farm, instead of wearing their gowns which will always end up getting dirty by the earth's soul. While the hat is to protect them from the scorchy sun In case it comes out.

Marian got tired and then decided to go rest on a tree close by, Acacia looked at her mother and smiled "You should rest, I will finish the rest"

"No no, I will just rest a little and then return to help you".

"Just rest while I finish it all," she said and her mother smiled

"No need to argue with you at all" Marian said and Acacia laughed.

Marian sat under the tree and drank some water while Acacia kept on working on the farm.

She looked at her daughter and smiled. She hopes that one day her daughter will meet a man she loves and would love her back dearly. Someone that can take care of his family, so that her daughter won't have to work like a man, just like she is doing just to support both of them.

Acacia hummed some music as she walked on the farm when suddenly she heard sounds of a horse and a carriage passing by and trembled in fear, she looked ahead and saw that it was just one of those local farm carriages used in carrying farm products. She sighed in relief as she went back to what she was doing.

She stopped walking after some time and thought about what made her afraid when she heard the sound of the horses. The face of the king appeared in her head all of a sudden. Since that day she had an encounter with the king and stared right through his eyes, she has not been able to get him out of her mind.

She was so frightened when he stood close to her and stared into her eyes like he was seeing her soul through them.

Her legs were shaking like she was going to collapse at any time. There was something about the way he looked at her and spoke to her that made her less afraid of him at that point.

But right now she is so scared and can not stop thinking that he might come for her and that this time around he is going to take her life.

She was completely in her thoughts and didn't realize that she was being called by her mother. She jerked out of her thoughts and turned to answer her mother as she faked a smile on her face. But she was surprised when she saw the person standing close to her mother with a smile on his face. Acacia got up and walked closer to them.

"What are you doing here Mathew?" She asked

"Hello Acacia" I came to check on my mother's farm and saw you guys here"

" And what is that you are hiding with you?" She said as she looked at the basket in his hand

Mathew scratched the back of his head as he stared at the basket in his hand. Marian looked at him and smiled, she knew he was using that as an excuse to come see her daughter. Out of all the suitors her daughter has had, Matthew has never given up on courting her daughter, he has known her for 2 years and has been courting her ever since then. She liked the young man and hoped her daughter would realize how wonderful he is, but she has still not grown any feelings for him apart from the friendship.

" Well the truth is that I bought this for both of you since you said you will be walking on the farm for longer hours"

"Oh, that is so thoughtful of you Mathew, but we brought our food and water" Acacia said

She didn't want to accept the thing he bought. Although Mathew was a handsome young man and had a decent job in town, she didn't have any feelings for him and wanted to avoid giving him false hope. He has been courting her for two years and she has tried to develop feelings for him, but just couldn't.