6.

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Henry

And so the days progressed. In spite of myself, the hour or so I spent with Elinora was what I would look forward to in the mornings and carry me through my loneliness in the night. We gained an understanding of one another. The way Elinora's brow would crease in the tiniest of fashions when she recalled an unpleasant memory. The fact that we shared a love for literature. How she disliked the colour maroon and her favourite flowers were roses (that last part I found particularly fitting).

Her laugh.

I remembered every detail of that morning. We were walking around the gardens after many days of heavy rain. I'd seen a lady beetle, and recalling a conversation where she'd declared her adoration for the bugs, I'd reached out to fetch it for Elinora. Before I could take ahold of the damned thing, it flew away and as I reached for it, I slipped on the wet slate and landed face first in a pile of mud and woodchips. As I slowly ambled up, Elinora took one look at my face, and cracked up with laughter. Her head was thrown back, exposing her swan neck, and the sound was not delicate like a courtesan, but rather, full and resonated like church bells.

That marked the first time I took pleasure in humiliation.

I enjoyed myself so much around Elinora that often times I had to remind myself that this was simply for show. That the only reason she was spending time with me was to prove to everyone that we did operate as partners, that the Queen was invested in the wellbeing of the Prince Consort, and hence he was not a weak link to the Crown.

There were moments, however, when both of us seemed to catch the other off guard and it was hard to imagine that it was all an act on her part. Times when Elinora would catch me staring for longer than what was deemed socially acceptable and the faintest blossom of a rose would form in her cheeks. Snapshots of which Elinora's lips would twitch, as if containing a smile, and I would do something silly and those berry-frosted lips would curl up in the most beautiful of ways. When the Queen made less of an appearance and we could just be Elinora and Henry.

The conversation between us had always steered clear of Court politics, but about three months after the wedding, Elinora came to the Gallery with a glum-looking expression. The Queen battled, trying to hide the emotion, but Elinora won out.

I cut to the chase. "Elinora, something is troubling you."

The Queen rose back up, chin tilted and nose in the air. "Certain matters of state, Henry. Nothing to warrant your concern."

I approached her cautiously, resting both hands on her shoulders. "And is it not part of my duty as Prince to help you shoulder your burdens as Queen?"

"I had no knowledge that you wished to uptake your duties as Prince." The Queen was in full force today.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to mask a wince. "Well that is hardly fair. If you never involve me in Court affairs, where am I supposed to begin?"

The Queen was silent, staring at the wall behind me.

Tentatively, I stroked her cheek. "Speak your troubles to me."

Elinora resurfaced, and she leant into my touch. "My policy of free emigration is not gaining much support." She laughed dryly. "As in, there have been riots from the people that the Queen is going to 'contaminate' the land."

"The people do not see the possible economic and social benefits."

Elinora sighed, metallic eyes a rusted iron, "No. They do not."

"Well...what if you opened their eyes?

Elinora's brows creased. "Of what do you mean?"

"What if, say, you incorporated this policy in one dukedom only, let the country witness the area thrive, and then..."

"Integrate it upon all of England."

"Yes."

Her eyes lightened back to that gorgeous amber. "And I shall begin with my own dukedom...two birds with one stone...it will develop in strength...and that offers leverage against others...and..."

I could not contain my smile. "I see you are onto something, my Queen."

Elinora beamed at me, and it was not a smile that promised world peace, but rather a smile that made the strongest men weak-kneed and caused kingdoms fall and was the definition of a perfect storm. "Thank you, so very much darling." And in her joy, Elinora leant up and plopped a kiss on my cheek, before exiting in a whirlwind.

My whole body feeling like rubber, I fell to the ground, clutching my cheek and lips stretching wide enough to split my face, whilst 'darling' repeated again and again in my mind.

A perfect storm indeed.    


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A.N I did a calculation, and this book will have a approximately 12 chapters and an epilogue :)

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