A king's desire

Chapter 6

Alexander

It was a few days later from returning from my trip. I had barely left my study to sleep. The meeting hadn't just gone bad, it had been the worst so far. The kingdom was in a state of unrest because of all that my father had left undone, and now it seems several nobles found time to want to rebel. As I was going over new orders, one caught my eye. I snatched it from my steward's hand. He flinched but didn't stop me.

"That's just a funding request from the foreman, your highness." I looked over the paper as he spoke. The request was for a tailor to have female knight uniforms made. I only knew of one after all and I smirked softly before I could help myself. An idea came to me suddenly. I leaned forward in my seat, placing my elbows on my desk and my chin in my hands.

"Approve it without question." The memory of that ill-fitting uniform on her body now that I knew what it looked like irked me. "Then put in a request to have a dress made to the same measurements." As my steward was picking up the paper from me, he stopped.

"Your majesty?" He wasn't questioning my decision more like questioning if he heard me right.

"A woman has not served at the palace in almost a hundred years. Yet this achievement has not been acknowledged. Have a dress made for the banquet for her. Let her debut as her reward. So that people know." Being able to debut in high society was a privilege for all nobles. Yet to a commoner, it was something far beyond their reach. Her name would be on the lips of many noble families after that. It was quite an honor.

"I will arrange her an escort." My steward said with a nod. The idea of that irked me slightly. Who would he even pick? Would they be worthy of such a beauty? I pushed those thoughts away as we continued to go over the paperwork. There was a knock on the study door and I sighed in frustration. I waved to my guard, who told the person they could come in. As the door opened, I saw a flash of silver. Then a woman dressed in an overly expensive gown entered. She looked as if she was dressed for a ball and not a simple meeting. I fought a scowl.

"You may go," I said to my steward who nodded before collecting the papers he needed to take care of. He was soon gone and I glared softly at the woman. "You may speak."

"Your majesty, I hear you have not picked your partner for the banquet." I felt the corner of my mouth twitch in anger.

"The only one a king should escort to such an event is his queen," I said coldly. It was quite true that, as a prince, I could escort whomever I pleased. As a king though, if I did, it would be seen almost as an announcement of marriage. The woman scowled deeply.

"Well, that doesn't seem to be such a bad thing. I could very well be your queen." She said in a seductive tone. For the first time, I gave her a look over. Brown hair pulled up and away from her face and dark green eyes. She wasn't unattractive, but nothing could truly compare to Cassandra's exotic beauty, so my standards had been raised. As I looked down at her dress though, I felt anger.

"Where did you get that dress?" I said, my tone having gone ice cold. She swallowed and looked away suddenly. I looked to my guard. "Is she staying in the willow wing?" He nodded to me and I glared harshly at the woman now. "You went through my grandmother's things?"

"The late queen had such good taste and it would be a waste to have it all collect dust." The woman blurted out suddenly. I felt the blood in my veins run cold. I stood from my chair suddenly and she backed away quickly.

"Take her back and make sure that is the only thing she took. I want everything searched. Then I want her thrown out and stripped of her title." I said to my guard, who nodded and approached the woman.

"Your majesty, please! You can't!" I scoffed loudly.

"Would you rather lose your title or your hands, thief?" I watched as the color drained from her face in fear. "Have the knight in the hall step in here until you return," I said almost flippantly as the woman was led back to the doors. I watched as he spoke to the person out in the hall before leading the woman away. I waited a few moments before Cassandra slid into my study. She closed the door and stood at the side of them with her gaze on the floor the whole time.

I sat back down and watched her as I sorted through my papers briefly. She barely even flinched or moved. Despite her head being bowed, her back was entirely straight and her hand rested on her sword pommel. Her hair was tied up once more. I had only seen it all the way down once from a distance. I wondered if her hair would frame her face up close.

"Your request for uniforms was approved." I spoke suddenly and she looked up in shock before returning her gaze to the floor as she bowed at the waist.

"Thank you, your majesty. I shall wear them with pride." I felt a small smile tug at the corner of my mouth. Yet watching her bow to me was still getting on my nerves. I was a king. I deserved to be bowed to and yet when this woman did it, I was angered. Why? I continued to sort through the papers as she stood silently, finally standing out of her full bow. Yet she still refused to look up at me. I sighed softly.

"Stand here." I pointed to the spot my personal guards usually stood in. It allowed them to stand slightly behind me and have a full view of the room. "If you don't want to look at me, at least guard me." With slight reluctance, she walked over to the spot I had pointed out. As she stood there she finally lifted her head to look out at the room as a whole. Seeing her there in the corner of my eye as I worked was rather appealing.

Just when I had begun to feel my mood start to lift, the doors to my study opened in a fury and my mother stormed in with pure frustration on her face. I sighed softly as I put my papers down. I waited for her to speak.

"Alex what is this I hear?! Did you really denounce the woman I sent to see you?!" I felt my jaw clench in anger before I could stop myself. I wasn't angry with my mother. I lifted a hand to my forehead in exhaustion.

"No, I rid us of a thief. She came to see me wearing one of grandmother's gowns." I watched the anger drain from my mother's face in an instant. Then it turned red in fury a moment later and she turned to leave. "It's already been dealt with mother." She stopped in her tracks and sighed.

"Tell me you at least took a finger." The anger in her words almost shook her whole body. It was her own mother's room that had been robbed, so it was understandable. I smirked softly.

"No, I took something far more precious to her. Her title. She'll be a commoner now." My mother turned back to me with wide eyes and then began laughing.

"You are a cruel man Alex! You remind me of mother so much." As she calmed down, she looked over the work on my desk. Then her eyes swept up and I watched as they widened. I saw the wonder on her face as she stared at the woman at my side. I watched as Cassandra bowed deeply to her out of the corner of my eye. "A woman?" Mother's eyes traveled back to me and I smiled softly. Gesturing to Cassandra to stand back up she hesitated only a moment.

"This is Cassandra Blaze. The first female knight in almost a hundred years to serve in the palace. She is standing in for my guard for the day while he deals with the pest." I saw the surprise in her eyes at her last name. She took in her unique features and walked over. She took a step around her and I watched as Cassandra flinched under the inspection.

"She's pretty under this poor excuse for a uniform." The daggers directed at me from her gaze were harsh.

"She's getting new uniforms made, mother." I knew she was worried about rumors if we showed such disfavor to someone who had achieved such an accomplishment. She nodded in approval and walked back towards the door.

"Well, then I shall be off." She looked back to Cassandra with a warm smile. "It was nice to meet you dear. Don't let these boys push you around. Women like us can be scary too." She gave her a soft wink and Cassandra bowed deeply to her again. Mother laughed softly and gave me a pointed look. 'Be good to her for our sake' the look said. It would greatly help our reputation to keep Cassandra close as a shining achievement of the royal family in this time of turmoil. I gave a short nod to her before she left.