Page 23 of Learning to Rule

I look up at my prince. The satisfaction of knowing I’ve helped someone lifts my spirits.

* * *

“I think I might be jealous of you doing yoga with a younger man than me,” Dalton kisses my neck as we sit together on the couch in his living quarters.

I snuggle into his embrace, feeling happy and confident for the first time since I’ve arrived in Janastria. What I did for Freddie today has left me with a warm feeling inside.

“You’ll have to get used to it. I was wondering if it would be all right for me to go back and give him some more techniques, maybe even set up a yoga class there for the members.” I let out a moan of lust as Dalton kisses lower down my neck, toward my breasts.

“I think that will be a wonderful idea.”

“No, it is the worse idea I’ve ever heard.” The king’s booming voice fills the room. Dalton and I jump to our feet as his father strides in waving a handful of photos.

“Your Majesty,” Dalton steps forward to his father, who thrusts the set of photos into his hands. I look at them over Dalton’s shoulder. They are pictures of Freddie and me doing the breathing exercises together.

“These look fantastic. He’s really concentrating, Elodie.” Dalton hands one to me, and I can see the way Freddie’s chest is high up in the third stage of breathing.

“Have you lost your ever loving mind?” Dalton’s father shouts at him. “These don’t look fantastic. They are a disgrace and prove that this woman you proclaim to love will never be one of us. She’s a commoner with no ounce of decorum or propriety. She sat on the floor during a royal visit…shetook her shoes off!I can’t even begin to imagine what possessed you. It’s disgusting! I’ve had enough of the shame she’s bringing to this family. This dalliance ends now. If you must fuck each other, she can be your whore, but never your wife.” The king folds his arms across his chest, indicating he’ll not be swayed in his low opinion of me.

The room falls silent as both Dalton and I try to take in what has just been said. I look down at the picture in my hands. I see nothing bad, nothing disgraceful. All I see is a woman trying to help a boy who’s suffering because of a terrible situation in his past.

Something inside me breaks.

Dalton goes to speak, but I step in front of him.

“Your Majesty, I thank you for sharing your low opinion of me, but I think it is you who are mistaken about what constitutes a person of royal blood and a commoner.”

“Be quiet, girl.” The king shakes his head and tries to push past me to speak to Dalton, but I stand firm.

“No, I will not. I’ve completed every trial you’ve given me to the upmost of my ability. I’ve carefully listened and observed, and what I’ve seen has disgusted me. You don’t care at all for the people around you, not for those who help you or those who rely on you for inspiration. It is you who acts like a commoner. As a king, your first priority should be to your subjects. You treat them as though they are worthless dog shit on the soles of your expensive, ugly shoes.”

“I’m warning you, girl. Hush your mouth now or I will have you thrown out of this palace.”

The king tries to get in my face to intimidate me, but the short fuse I’ve been keeping in check for the last few days has finally been lit. I do not care for him or his opinions any longer. He needs to be told he’s destroying his country, and Dalton is a hundred times a better man than he’ll ever be.

“You can do whatever you want to me. I don’t care. I’m not one of your subjects. You disgust me. That boy today has suffered a great deal, but you only see me as lower class because I helped him. I pity you. You worry too much about your status, and you’re not given any affection as a result. Your wife is constantly drunk to avoid being with you, and your son detests you.”

“Elodie.” Dalton reaches out and touches me on the arm. “Please.”

He wants me to stop.

“No, Dalton, he needs to hear this. You’ve tried to mold your son to be like you, but it’ll never work because he’s far better than you’ll ever be. He has a heart and a soul, and I love him. You don’t get to dictate out lives and call me a whore. I will fight you on every bad word you say about me from now on—you are not worthy of my respect or appreciation. I’ve more dignity and class in my little finger than you have in your entire body. If royal blood means being an asshole like you, then I’m glad I’m a commoner.”

I don’t wait to hear the king’s response. I walk away from him, not even waiting to be dismissed from his presence.

* * *

“Elodie.” Dalton catches up with me when I reach the bedroom. The enormity of what I’ve just done hits me, and I slump down onto the bed.

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. Do you think your father will bring back executions? He’ll probably burn me at the stake.” My breathing quickens as the emotion of my outburst hits me. “Dalton, I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”

Dalton slides onto the bed, next to me.

“What do you mean?”

I sit up and look at him.

“It’s too hard, too intense. I need time to think.” Tears fill my eyes.

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