Midnight Reign
He was sunshine, I was...
Part 3
“You asked to see me, Your Majesty?” The royal advisor stood at attention in the doorway, one eyebrow raised. Marcus slumped further in his chair.
“Spare me.” He muttered.
Inez closed the door.
“What’s the matter? It went as poorly as I told you it would?” She assumed the position she usually did at the opposite end of the table, her expression as pinched with distaste as it had been prior.
“She doesn’t understand.” He murmured. He couldn’t look her in the eye, instead focused on the little box before him on the table.
“Yes, I imagine she does not understand, given the fact that you have not been entirely honest with her.” She had her hands folded behind her back, her words as biting as ever.
“You don’t know that I haven’t been honest.” Marcus protested.
Inez was unconvinced.
“So you told her everything, then?” He didn’t respond. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and twisted the box between his fingers.
“As I suspected.”
Marcus frowned.
“I can’t tell her everything. Then everything would change.” He said, his voice much quieter. Inez sighed.
“Oh, Marcus.” She murmured. And she moved around the side of the table to be closer.
“Everything is already changing. You can’t stop that now.” She stopped at his side and reached for his crown, adjusting it where it had slid a fraction too far to the left.
Marcus glanced up at her slowly, his eyes glistening.
“She believes that I would use her. That I would strip her of her title for my own selfish needs.” She hadn’t seen him so miserable in quite some time.
That did not make her feel particularly inclined to go easy on him.
“Would you not?” He furrowed his brow as he peered at her, unable to understand.
“You can not enter into a partnership of this sort with such secrets and expect it to flourish. Lies of omission are not truths.” Inez drew her hands behind her back once more.
“It’s selfish to share partial truths with her and suggest a union under those terms.” She was particularly displeased to watch as he absorbed her words and they only seemed to harden his expression.
“Then maybe I just need to be a little selfish.” Inez’s eyes narrowed.
There was a knock at the door before she could give him hell for such a comment.
“Yes?” Marcus peered at the door as it opened. A guard poked his head into the room.
“Apologies for the intrusion, Your Majesty.” Marcus waved the apology off.
“The Captain is inquiring as to whether or not His Majesty will be taking his usual stroll around the garden at this time.” The guard delivered his message.
Marcus sat up in his chair, eyes wide.
“She’s waiting for me?” The guard gave a curt nod.
“As always.” Marcus scrambled out of his seat.
“Yes. Yes, I’ll be right there.” He hurried around the table, hesitating at the door to straighten his crown.
“Marcus.” He reluctantly glanced back at her.
“Inez.”
“Tell her everything.” He studied her for a moment. And he wished that he possessed the strength that she seemed to believe him capable of.
But as he wordlessly left the room, there was only one thought ricocheting around in his head.
I can’t.