“What should I do?”
“Excuse me?” She asked.
“What should I do to make it up to her?”
“I don’t know, Your Majesty. I’m just a simple doctor. I can’t help you with that.”
“You may go.” He replied.
Alessandro spent the entire morning wondering what to do to earn Abril’s forgiveness, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing came to his mind.
Cassian stormed into his office, looking very upset and said, “What have you done to the princess?”
“I don’t know what you’re referring to,”Alessandro replied.
“She says she wants to leave and she’s cursing you. She tried to go back to the house she was living in, but I managed to stop her. What did you do to her?”
“We just… consummated our marriage. It was painful, and she got upset because I told her it wouldn’t be.”
“What?!” Cassian exclaimed angrily.
“It’s true that I lied, but it’s unlike her to get so furious. I didn’t mean to lie to her.”
At that moment, Cassian felt as if the ground was falling away beneath his feet. He had known this would happen sooner or later, but he never imagined it would be so painful when it did. Clenching his hands into fists, he tried to control himself. Then, without another word about what his brother had just told him, he turned and left the way he had come.
Alessandro returned to his room and tried to talk to Abril, but she still refused to speak to him and once again kicked him out. Alessandro returned to his office, feeling like the worst kind of scoundrel.
The butler entered the king’s office to bring him his tea, as he always did. As he crossed the doorway, the king asked, “My wife is furious. What can I do to make it up to her?”
“What?” the startled butler responded.
“Apologize.” He suggested.
“I already tried that, but she wouldn’t listen.”
“Bring her flowers.”
“I haven’t tried that. Order our room to be filled with flowers. But no roses. She doesn’t like those, and none with thorns.”
“As you command, Your Majesty,” the butler replied.
The maids entered the room with an endless array of flowers. Abril wondered what this was all about. The room was filled with flowers of all types and colors, though there were no roses. As she watched, Abril asked, “What is all this?”
“His Majesty ordered us to bring these flowers for the princess,” one of the maids replied.
“I don’t want them, take them away.”
“We can’t do that, princess. His Majesty would be angry with us if we disobey his orders.”
“I don’t want them.”
“Please, princess, accept the flowers. They are not to blame for anything.”
The maids pleaded with the princess for several hours until, in the end, she accepted the flowers. After the maids left, Abril stared at the flowers, a sweet aroma filling the room. It was a beautiful gesture from the king, but she couldn’t forgive him for lying to her. She knew she was being stubborn, but she hated being lied to and, above all, she hated the pain.
Someone knocked on the door. Shortly after, Alessandro peeked into the room and asked, “May I come in?”
“No.”
Alessandro entered the room, ignoring Abril’s wishes. He sat on the edge of the bed and tried to take her hand, but she didn’t allow it.
“I know you are upset, but I am apologizing.”
Abril turned her face away, she didn’t want to listen to the king. She covered her ears with her hands and said, “I don’t want to hear from Your Majesty.”
Alessandro took Abril’s hands and forced her to look at him. “What do you want me to do to earn your forgiveness?”
“Nothing, I no longer believe in Your Majesty’s words.”
“I know I lied to you, and I apologize for that. I couldn’t control myself, and I hurt you.”
“It hurt a lot, it still hurts.”
Alessandro stole a kiss from Abril and said, “I’m sorry.”
Abril tried to push him away, but she couldn’t. He continued kissing her, repeating over and over between kisses, “I’m sorry.”
When Abril stopped struggling, Alessandro said, “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again. I’ll be gentler next time.”
“There won’t be a next time, I don’t want to feel pain again.”
Alessandro caressed her face, her hair, gave her a soft kiss on the cheeks, on the lips, and said, “Forgive me, I’ll do whatever you ask, but forgive me, let me redeem myself.”
“I no longer believe in Your Majesty’s words, they are lies. I hate being lied to. I can endure being ignored or mistreated, but I hate being lied to, and even more, I hate the pain.”
“Now that I know, it won’t happen again.”
“Really? Do you promise?”
“I can’t promise there won’t be pain in the future since you are still inexperienced, but once you get used to it, there won’t be pain.”
“This time it’s not a lie?”
“Of course.”
“It’s not a lie.”
Alessandro continued to cover her face with small kisses until she agreed to forgive him, though she still refused a second time. Alessandro knew there were times when it was better to yield, so he didn’t insist further. He would wait for her to calm down, lower her guard, and forget what had happened the previous night.
*****
Cassian had returned to the training field. That day, he practiced with his sword all afternoon. He wanted to vent, to release all the pain and suffering he carried inside.
The fact that Alessandro and Abril had consummated their marriage meant only one thing: they had become a real couple and there was no longer a place for him between them.
Cassian continued practicing until his hands were raw and bleeding, the pain becoming quite bothersome. If he went to see the princess even for a moment, he knew his wounds could heal easily, but he refused to see her because he couldn’t control his emotions at that moment and didn’t want to say or do something he would regret in the future.
Cassian visited Abril the next day. The room was filled with flowers, their fragrance permeating the entire space. The doors leading to the balcony were open, and a gentle breeze stirred the curtains. Abril was looking outside as if she wanted to leave the bed she was lying in to enjoy the beautiful summer day. He asked, “What’s all this? Are you trying to turn your room into a garden?”
“His Majesty sent them yesterday. I think it was to ask for my forgiveness.”
Cassian couldn’t believe what he was hearing or seeing: his brother sending a gift and asking for forgiveness from a woman? That was something he never thought would happen. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m better.”
“Are you still upset with my brother, or have you forgiven him?”
“No, we made peace yesterday.”
Deep down, Cassian had hoped that Abril hadn’t forgiven him, that the two had grown distant.
“I see.”
Abril continued looking outside. Cassian asked, “Do you want to go outside?”
“The truth is, yes. I don’t like being cooped up all day. I hate it.”
“Then let’s take a walk in the garden.”
Abril was feeling better, but Alessandro had been very clear that morning before leaving. “Don’t leave your room. Stay in bed and rest for a couple of days. The inspection trip will be soon, but if you’re not well, you won’t go.”
Although Abril longed to go outside, to walk among the flowers under the blazing sun, to feel the soft, cool breeze caressing her skin, she also deeply wished to know what lay beyond the castle walls, to travel and discover a new world. So, she decided to be obedient and stay in bed, even though she didn’t like it very much. She shook her head and replied, “His Majesty said I should stay in my room and rest; otherwise, I won’t be able to accompany him on his trip to inspect the kingdom.”
“Do you really want to go out that much?”
“Yes, I want to see what’s out there, though I would like to have a book to make my time in this room pass faster.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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