Yours truly, Anto

Chapter 12- The departure

After helping out at the modiste I was escorted back to the castle by Wilson. It was a gloomy day as I looked out the carriage window.

"Wilson." I started.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"What happened with the King?"

"Your father?"

"No, Hamish I mean."

"He is perfectly fine ma'am, did you want to meet with him?"

"No of course not, I just heard things."

He looked up at me with a concerned look on his face.

"What did you hear?"

"It is more what I saw." I said as the carriage rumbled.

"Victoria." He whispered. "What did you see."

"I saw a dead body." I said

"There was blood, and there was Hamish standing over it."

He sat back in his seat with both hands up to his head. He let out a sigh.

"Listen to me." he said sitting back up.

"You must keep this a secret, you can not have your father find out by any means. It would mean damage to this alliance and the safety of this kingdom."

"But why?"

"The King is unwell. Keep this hushed." He whispered.

The carriage came to a stop as he stepped out helping me out as well. It had started to rain. 

"The King also hosted a last minute gathering for his majesties departure the next evening." He said walking up the steps with me.

Another dinner, let me guess there would be another ball as well. 

I went into the drawing room where my family was and sat down. They were all conversing on how grand the wedding would be. My mother was squealing over flowers and music while my other sisters sat with jealous looks on their faces.

If they only knew how much I hated this alliance they would beg to be in their position again. I could not stay there for another minute without feeling the need to immediately leave. My chest started feeling heavy as the rain outside the big window trickled down. I put my hand up to my heart feeling it wanting to beat out of my chest. 

"Victoria? Are you alright?" Said my father.

"She is perfectly fine, she is being silly and ungrateful." Said my mother sneering.

I got up and quickly left the room. 

My mother got up and followed me. She grabbed me by my arm and pulled me around.

"You have been an ungrateful little scamp since the moment the King arrived to the castle. Do you realize what honor you posses?" She said. 

"I do not find a trap an honor."

"A trap? You truly are rotten. You get to live your life as a queen, surrounded by luxuries for the rest of your miserable life and you have the daring to complain?"

"Luxuries? Jewels? Am I you? I never wanted any of these things. I want my life back, I want a life that I truly deserve."

Without warning she struck me across the face.

"You will go right now to the King and apologize and beg for his forgiveness. You will dote on him until he is satisfied so you get a taste of what your reality will be." She said letting go of my arm.

I stared at her blankly.

"Go!" She yelled. 

I started walking away and up the stairs. Each step I took my chest got tighter and tighter as I tried to stop myself from crying, with no effort. 

I found the King's room and knocked. There was no answer. I knocked again.

Antonio opened the door all confused. I was confused.

"What?" I said looking around.

"What a surprise." He said leaning on the doorframe.

"I thought this was the Kings chambers?"

He looked inside and back out.

"No King in here." He said which made me laugh.

"Since you are here however would you like to come in?"

I hesitated. 

"Just for a brief moment." He said. 

And so, I walked in. His room was dark and only lit by a single candle on his desk and the moonlight. There were books, maps, and papers on the desk scattered everywhere as well as boxes used for packing. 

"You are leaving soon?" I said.

"Tomorrow." He replied. 

I tried to hide the disapointment and anguish on my face as I looked through his maps. There was red dots in certain areas.

"What are the dots for?"

"Places I have been to." He said coming behind me.

There were many red dots scattered all over the map, I thought how lucky he was to be seeing all these places when the most I got to see was my village and in the future Scotland. 

"I wish I could come with you." I whispered.

"You can."

"Please do not act like a child. You know I am to be married."

"Well, what if we made a plan." He said grabbing my hand.

"A plan? For what?"

"To be together."

I started moving away from him.

"There is no possibility of me and you being together." I said.

He started following me.

"There was no possibility of us meeting in the forest yet we did, there was no possibility of us meeting again but we did, there was no possibility in our many nights shared together under the stars and there was certainly no possibility of us kissing that night."

"We were drunk." I said with a shocked expression.

"Where you drunk this morning?" He said crossing his arms.

I gasped.

"Get out." I said.

He started chuckling. 

"Perhaps I can remind you that you are in my chambers?" He said as he slowly walked towards me.

My legs froze.

"You are the one that knocked on my door." He whispered.

"I did not know it was you here." I said.

"You came for more once you sighed out my name this morning didn't you?" He said pulling me by the waist.

"No." I said quietly.

"I was looking for the King."

"Do you still want to find the King?" He said breathing in my ear.

"No." I said.

He then grabbed me forcefully and pulled me to his desk papers flying on the floor.