The weight of the crown

Chapter 17

During the day I tried to evade as many people as possible in the palace. I wandered through the forest and shut myself in my room not to talk to anyone.

I didn't want to run into Thomas to ask me what was going on with me. I did not want to run into my father asking me why I hadn't been in the last few discussions and of course, I did not want to run into William.

As time passes, I realize how much he manages to confuse me.

One moment he seemed to care, he fought and was badly wounded because of me. And at other moments he seemed to be the same arrogant, cold prince I had met in the forest that he thought I was a spoiled princess who could not cope with the obstacles in front of her.

The next morning I walked toward the large room where the important discussions had taken place in the palace. I haven't bothered to invest in my dress, and I was almost certain that anyone who looked at me could see that I was tired, even though I washed my face when I woke up.

I walked cautiously into the room, feeling all the glances of me as the door closed behind me. My eyes scanned the people quickly when I found it hard to really focus on details because all I saw were pairs of eyes of different colors that focused on my character.

I never liked the audience. I didn't like to talk to people and I didn't like the attention, but in recent weeks I felt like it's inevitable from me, these are the job requirements, and I didn't have much choice but to get used to it.

I moved toward the chair closest to my father and sat on it, looking at all the maps and papers on the table.

I was afraid I was late for the meeting, but after I sat down, two other counselors came into the room and sat down as well.

I looked in my father's direction but he avoided looking at me, his blue eyes looking around, then he looked at one of the pages placed opposite him on the table.

"Last night one of the Scots soldiers managed to break into the palace and to kill one of our guards, he left behind a sword with a note on it," he said as everyone in the room looked at him and said nothing.

I knew they weren't just silent, everyone was stunned by what my father said, no one really knew what to say in such a situation.

"They want us to get ready, and we do not have much time," he continued seriously.

"Get ready for what?" Someone suddenly asked behind the room, I didn't recognize him, so I guessed that he was one of the advisers I hadn't yet encountered.

"Is it not clear?" Said another man suddenly. His hair was black, his eyes were almost black and he

looked about forty. He glanced at my father and then at the people sitting next to him, "They want war"

"Don't be ridiculous, they're not that stupid, they're just trying to scare us"

"They have military power, they have already taken over one of our borders with them, it's only a matter of time before they attack," said another consultant.

I knew he was right. I saw them, saw the number of tents in the area, they prepared to fight us, they knew our weaknesses, and there was nothing we could do to hurt them back.

"We have to attack them, we can't let them undermine us or hurt our soldiers," the French ambassador suddenly said. "We have to organize and prepare for war, prepare all the soldiers and attack them"

"It's not a good idea" Now Thomas got up from the chair.

"They know that we will attack, we do not have the element of surprise, they think we will try to defend ourselves in any way because they hit one of our soldiers," he continued.

After Thomas had finished talking, everyone kept on talking, each time another spoke, while my father interrupted them.

"Please stop!" I finally got up from my chair. Everyone stopped talking. My father looked at me in confusion, he did not expect me to burst into conversation.

"They want us to react like that, we cannot allow ourselves to lose more soldiers," I said as I looked at the different people until I looked at Thomas, who gestured encouragingly to keep talking.

"We have to wait for their next move, we will be on high alert and wait for their next action.

We will increase the guarding of the palace and warn the residents about the situation, but without frightening them too much so as not to cause panic, "I continued, breathing deeply in front of me as I looked at my father.

I knew that his strategy until now was to defend himself, and I don't think he would change that method now. He knows that if we attack we will lose, because despite the alliance with France and despite the number of soldiers we have, Scotland has a lot more strong ties.

The only question I really have now is why they have not attacked us yet, they have the ability to do it, so what are they waiting for our response.

Is it possible that everything is a game for them, or is there something much more than that?

"I have to say I agree with Alexandra," my father said slowly. I turned my head slowly toward him, I was shocked by his words, did he agree with me?

"But Your Excellency, if we don't act quickly-" the French ambassador began, but my father raised his hand to stop him from continuing. The ambassador sighed and sat down again in his chair.

"This is the decision that was made, and I expect all of you to honor it"

When the meeting was over my father stopped me from walking on, he got up from his chair and stood in front of me, his arms crossed.

"I guess everything that happened yesterday managed to change your way of thinking"

"What do you mean?"

"I saw William this morning, he was in the infirmary and he looked like he was badly injured in the stomach area." My father went on and I swallowed slowly.

He knows, he knows what happened, that I went alone to talk to the Prince of Scotland.

"No matter what he told you, it's not what you think," I said quickly.

"He told me that he went to wander in the forest and that Scottish soldiers tried to hit him, and that when you arrived you helped him escape and saved him"

"It wasn't like that, you don't understand-"

"I understand very well, and the way you expressed yourself in the discussion and spoke to everyone, you behaved like a real princess, I'm proud of you," he said, and I didn't believe he really said it.

"I want you to go to Ireland, the situation has become dangerous recently, and I'm afraid that war will soon erupt, and I don't want you to get hurt"

"I'm not going to leave because the situation is dangerous, I'm staying," I said stubbornly.

"This is not an issue that can be debated, Alexandra"

"I'm not going," I said, crossing my arms.

"This is an order, and I expect that by evening all your belongings will be packed," he announced and then left the room.

I sat on the bed reading one of my books. There was a knock on the door and I hurried to close the book when I saw that William had come into the room.

His black hair was messy and his brown eyes surveyed me quickly. He approached me slowly, his hand on his stomach.

"You're supposed to rest now, not take a walk," I pointed out. He grinned at me and sat on the edge of my bed.

"And you're supposed to be busy packing, but I don't see you doing that," he said, and then looked at the book that had been placed beside me.

"How do you get along with Portuguese?" He inquired curiously as he leafed through the book.

"Not so good," I muttered, taking the book from his hands and placing it on the table next to me.

"Would you like me to help you learn?"

"Do you know Portuguese?" I looked at him in surprise.

"Don't look so surprised, I know many languages"

"Why do you have to know so much?"

"As a future king, I can tell you that knowledge is power, and you need power when you have many enemies," he said seriously.

"I never thought about it that way," I mumbled as I looked at my hands.

"I know you're angry with me, but the last thing I wanted was to offend you"

"You have to understand something William," I said, breathing deeply before I went on talking,

"I'm sick of everyone treating me like a little girl, I'm not weak, maybe I couldn't beat the prince, but at least I tried," I said quietly.

"I don't think you're weak," he said honestly, and I raised my head slowly.

"Maybe at first I thought you were spoiled, but I never thought you were weak"

"Good to know" I grinned sheepishly.

"I mean that Alexandra," he said seriously.

"Thank you," I mumbled, "so how do you feel?"

"I'll live, if that's what you're asking," he said lightly.

"Why did you tell my father a different story than what happened, he thinks I saved you from Scottish soldiers?" I suddenly remembered talking to my father.

"That's really what happened," he said. "If you weren't there, I'd probably be dead"

"If I weren't there, you wouldn't have been injured in the first place," I corrected him.

"You always have to argue," he said when a smile appeared on his face.

"I need your help William," I said seriously.

"What happened?"

"My father wants me to go to Ireland; he thinks that's how I'll be protected"

"And that's a problem?" He asked in confusion.

"It's a problem because I think someone got the idea that if I stayed here I'd be in danger, I know my father, he never sent me to another country when there were wars or attacks on the palace." I hoped William understood what I meant.

"You think there's someone who doesn't want you to stay here," he said, looking at me intently.

"That's exactly what I think"

"So how can I help you?"

"I have to stay at the palace for at least a few more days to figure out what's going on and wait for the next Scots action, I need you to make sure no one knows I'm here," I said while he was looking at me worriedly, he didn't think it was a good idea.

"Please William, trust me," I said, holding both of his hands firmly.

"Okay, I trust you," he said finally.