The weight of the crown

Chapter 14

I looked at the bottle in my hand with the transparent liquid in it. I was still in my room, trying to decide what to do. Every choice will have consequences, I cannot go back.

I don't want to hurt Charlotte, but I also don't want any of the people I care about hurt. The choice is almost impossible.

I looked through the window at the gray sky, occasionally seeing a few birds that despite the wind and cold, continued to fly along the same path.

I heard a knock on the door, and after a moment it opened. I was quick to hide the bottle behind a stack of books so it wouldn't be noticeable.

In front of me stood Thomas. Who looked very cheerful this morning. Since the wedding, he has been in a good mood almost always.

He closed the door and his smile fell as soon as he looked at me.

"What happened Ally?" He asked anxiously as he approached me and sat down opposite me.

I knew that if I lied he would immediately notice, he always knew if I was lying and I also was a bad liar.

"Rough Night" I summed up what had caused a storm in my heart, what am I going to do?

"You Couldn't you fall asleep?" he said as he studied me a little more carefully, "I know that this is a difficult time for you, but in the end, things get along," he said calmly.

I wanted to hug him, and on the other hand to cry in front of him and expose him to everything that happened last night, everything that happens in my mind, I felt like there was a sound or a buzzing in my head that drove me crazy and all I wanted to do was shut it down. I'd like to be as optimistic as Thomas.

"This is really not an easy time," I whispered while playing with my fingers. "I have to make decisions and I have no idea what to do" I kept saying quietly as I felt Thomas's gaze on me.

"You can consult me if you want to" he offered while a small encouraging smile appeared on his face. I saw in his blue eyes that he was telling the truth, he really wanted to help.

"Okay," I said after a few moments of thought, he might know what to do, he always knows what to do.

"If you had to choose between Charlotte and everyone you loved in the palace, what would you do?" I asked him and he looked at me uncertainly.

"What do you mean Ally?" He asked in confusion.

"It's just about one of the stories I read," I began, "a story about a mortal that the gods wanted her to choose between the people she loved and her lover"

"I don't understand why you're so upset about some story," he grinned, and he seemed to relax when he heard that it was just something I read.

"It doesn't matter, I'd like to know what you'd do," I insisted, and he just sighed and looked at his folded hands.

"I wouldn't have chosen any of the options," he said at last, and now I was the one who looked at him confused.

"Do you remember when we had a war with Scotland, that Dad and all the advisers were agitated and sure we'd lose the war?" He asked, and I remembered that a few years ago my father was very upset in those days.

He didn't want to attack, he did not want to risk having so few soldiers.

"I remember," I said quietly. Thomas nodded as well, "And you remember what happened next?"

"You proposed that we make an agreement with them, so we won't have to fight them, and they won't have to fight us, at least temporarily "

"And do you remember what Father said?" He asked, and I shook my head.

I was much more dreamy and unfocused at the time, the war didn't interest me and so did what happened in the palace, all I wanted was to escape from the palace, I wanted to get away from everything.

In no situation is there a third result, there is no middle " Thomas said as if he quoted the sentence from a book.

"How do you remember that at all?" I murmured in surprise.

"There are sentences that cannot be forgotten, that they are a kind of turning point for you, "he said seriously, and I looked at him intently.

"I knew that I didn't want to be just a king, to make decisions without thinking about all the options ... I understood that there is always a middle, there is always a third result" He said.

"And if there isn't, " I asked, " what if you have to choose?"

"It's not true," he said, and his smile grew a bit, "I know you, you have a strong intuition, and even if Mom and Dad say you have to think with the mind, don't listen to them.

You must not give up your feelings, It's your strength " he said as he put his hand on my shoulder to cheer me up.

I didn't know what to do, but I knew I didn't want to involve Thomas, I had to do it alone, I had to think of a solution alone.

***

I walked toward the living rooms of the royal family when my steps are hesitant.

I knocked on the door a little, and in a few seconds, it opened.

In front of me was Charlotte.

She looked as happy as Thomas, her curly hair was spread over her shoulders and her brown eyes glittered with joy.

"Hey Charlotte," I said sheepishly. So far I had spoken to her only in the presence of Thomas, or other people, I had never spoken to her alone.

Although I knew she was my brother's wife, it was still hard for me to get used to this fact that she was going to reign with Thomas, that she was going to be the queen.

"Alexandra, it's so good to see you," she said, hugging me warmly. When she was away from me, I had a chance to look at her and Thomas's room.

The tiles on the floor were light brown, the bed sheets were white, and the long curtains were pale yellow.

Next to the bed was a jug with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, I recognized it as the bouquet of flowers she had held in her hand at the wedding.

"I'm glad you've come, I've been looking for a chance to talk to you for a while," she said with a smile.

"I know, but I have to talk to you about something important, we do not have much time," I told her, and she looked at me in confusion.

"You worry me, are you okay?"

"You have to promise me that what I'm telling you stays between us," I said quietly, looking toward the door, as if afraid that at any moment someone would come in.

"I promise, you can count on me," she said, taking my hand, which trembled a little.

"Someone threatens me, someone wants to hurt people in the palace, And you. They brought me a liquid that I was supposed to give you to drink, and if I don't do it by evening, all the people in the palace will get hurt, "I said quickly, afraid that if I didn't say it fast enough, I would step back and not tell her anything.

"Who's threatening you, when did all this happen?" she asked.

I expected her to be frightened or scared, or maybe even think I was making up a crazy story, but she listened to me, she really believed me.

"Last night, someone Scottish, he managed to sneak into the palace and bring me the bottle, I don't know how, but all I know is that he was serious, they will not hesitate to hurt us, hurt you"

"Where's that bottle?" She asked quietly.

"No, you're not going to drink it, I will not let you endanger yourself like that," I said, expecting her answer, I expected you would not want anyone hurt.

"It's my duty as the future queen, I don't mean-"

"I know that, and I appreciate you for that Charlotte, but right now all I can ask you is to trust me, can you do that?"

"What are you planning to do?" She asked as she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone, not Thomas, William or especially my parents," I said seriously.

"I promise," she said, and she seemed still confused by everything I had told her so far.

"I plan to go to our border with the Scots, I know that they have already taken control of the area and the citizens in it, I intend to talk to them and offer them a compromise"

"Do you realize how crazy it sounds? You can't go directly to the enemy and think everything will be okay, they can take you as a hostage, or try to hurt you, or-"

"I think we should stop being afraid of them, my father does not do anything, my mother thinks my father knows exactly what is right for England and Thomas believes things will work out. I'm not going to sit and do what I'm told, I'm not like that, "I said, getting up.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Take a chance, and hope I'm doing the right thing"