Make Your Move Katherine

What Did You Do

Anthony

“I'm sorry, Your Majesty?” Anthony stared at the King flabbergasted. He was about to finish his duty for the day when he had been summoned to their private room, the same one that the King told his wife he didn’t want her in- so the Royal Guard had expected a talk about politics. Battlefield even but not this.

He looked at the King waiting for him to say he was joking although in the time he had known the man, not once had he ever said those words. “Where- why- what?” Anthony shook his head, still staring at the King who was looking at him with an expectant look on his face.

“The Mage just said it,” the King’s tone was still soft. His royal robe was absent as he used it mostly in the throne room or when he had guests over. Now he was wearing a white shirt and navy-blue trousers with black dress shoes on his feet. Dark blue is a color the entire country is prohibited to wear, except law officials just as red could only be worn by the Royal Family only and protective services.

They considered themselves a very modern law-enforced nation that had granted guns and tasers to every person vested by the legislating state with that authority. Everyone that was sworn in; badged, and armable who can arrest, or refer such arrest for a criminal prosecution that is.

Anthony was thinking of legal weapons for he wanted to murder the Mage.

School security was granted tasers only- even that would do at the moment.

“Well, she’s lying.”

“Why would she?” The King tilted his head to the side but his tone did not change. His hands were now clasped behind his back and Anthony dropped his eyes to the king’s shoes, bending his head. He saw the man’s scarlet-colored socks and his eyes widened. Once when he was a teen, the King had worn bright yellow socks on his feet. Anthony had just been assigned to guard the prince and when he had asked the prince why he had worn the ugly color his reply had been, “I figure you should see a different color now and then as you always stare at my feet.”

Oscar had been twelve years old.

The young prince had smiled mischievously at him then. Of course, Anthony knew he meant that he, Anthony was constantly bowing his head whenever the prince had entered the room. Back then the prince had declared that he would grow up and ‘change the rules around here’ and that he would marry for love, not like his father or his ancestors before him.

That was a long way back since then and the King had fallen into the same pattern as those before him. His childish mind had been left behind as adulthood and responsibility had come his way. Plus, he doubted the King wore the socks just to make him smile now.

He looked away at the cupboard behind the King as he tried to think. Yes, the same cupboard the contract was kept in about the King and Queen’s secret deal.

Why indeed would the Mage lie? That’s it- she won’t. Which meant it was, “Castle gossip, Your Majesty,” he said looking up at his King.

“Yes, I know this Anthony, I just want to know why they are gossiping. What did you do?”

Oscar’s trust in him was so blind that even a priest could not say anything against him and the king would believe it.

Why would the servants and maids talk about the Queen like that? Or even him? Why would they say he was seen coming from her chamber at night? Why would they say he was seen ‘sneaking out’ as the King had just told him? It baffled him to be caught in such a scandal…and with the queen too.

Anthony bowed his head and answered honestly, “She was starving herself so I had to do something.”

“At midnight?”

“Well, it wasn’t actually. It was clear as day-”

“She pretended to starve for a few hours and you fell for her spoilt behavior? I thought you were smarter than that Anthony? We have a plan my friend…are you playing with our future?”

The Royal Guard’s eyes widened at the way the King spoke about the Queen. Spoilt? She had been anything but. The plan…He closed his eyes feeling disgusted with himself. “No, Your Majesty-”

“Anthony! We are alone,” the King roared and walked to the long table and took a seat. Not even at the head of the table but in one of the side chairs. He placed his elbows on the table and gave him a fixed stare.

“Oscar,” Anthony said, for he knew the King considered him a friend, although it was his job to keep him safe. “She was starving for days not hours.”

Seeing he had Oscar’s attention seriously when he saw a slight furrow between his eyebrows, Anthony explained, “The maids were scared for her health. If the Queen is-” he broke off and walked to the table, unbuttoning his jacket as he took a seat next to the chair on the left of which was directly opposite Oscar. “I was afraid. I assure you that she did not fake anything.”

He cleared his throat certain his next words would make Oscar lose his complete cool for he despised the Queen. Anthony loosened his tie and swallowed again, “She is depressed you see. Can you not allow her, her phone? She-” he bent his head as the King stared at him as if he had grown two heads.

“I don’t believe what I am hearing right now.”

“Oscar, I’m being serious. Her father, he has cancer-”

“Had! You yourself did the investigation! I paid the bill!” Oscar bellowed as he stood up with such a force that the chair fell over behind him.

“Yes, I am aware but-”

“But nothing! She will pay the price for what she did to my mother and sister, with her life!”

“But-”

“Do you fancy her Anthony? After all, we have been through? Your parents died! I lost my mother and my sister!”

Anthony clenched his jaw, furious with Oscar but still afraid for his friend is King. Oscar glared at him and Anthony saw his mouth snarling just as his eyes flamed red. The Royal Guard felt his blood pulsing through his veins just as it always did when the vampire decided to come out in his king. He was scared for this meant Oscar was beyond mad.

Oscar twisted his neck and closed his eyes trying to contain his anger. He reopened them a few seconds later and they were still ignited. Anthony backed away…literally, with his head bowed and his hands stretched out in front of him, opened palmed in front of his face as if surrendering.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong. She’s at fault,” he agreed with the vampire before him.

“Are you mocking me, right now?”

“No, you are a vampire right now and I can’t anger you,” Anthony answered calmly though he was anything but. He was frightened and beginning to cold-sweat and he knew that the king was smirking internally for he had told Anthony that blood excited him, no matter what mood he was in. He also never forgot the King had told him that he hears the blood flowing through their veins when he's hungry. Friend or not when an animal was hungry instinct kicked in.

Friend is not friend and family is not family. This is the only time when friend, family and foe had one thing in common- they were all food.

“I can control it now- a bit,” Oscar assured him but he still had the angry- almost lethal look on his face Anthony noticed when he raised his head back up but he dropped his hands to his side. The king retook his seat and muttered, “Send Nuwa to me.”

Anthony walked stiffly out of the room to fetch Nuwa. His cousin was the only person that the King trusted with his secret other than the few chosen guards for knighthood. Of course, the nation knew the truth but it was a truth that was better left unspoken about. They probably had figured the previous King had drunk from humans but most assumed animals were used. They probably were under the notion that blood bags were used too. It was a lie that the country was better of being blind about.

Anthony didn’t know what horrors Nuwa had to face and he didn’t want to know either. She had invested in a lot of scarves lately was all that her friends and family needed to know. It was for this purpose the king had Nuwa living here- his own personal blood bank because she was compatible with his venom.

To be in love with your food though.