Chapter 16: Chapter 16

The queen was in her solar when the news that today was Jared birthday and if only her daughter would organized something small, that it would be that amazing, she was going to make a woman out of Alexa in not distant future although she knew that it would never be a complete lady but at least the hope was there and what was even better was the fact that she had chosen someone who was going to be okay with Alexa no matter how unladylike she was and not only was he okay with that, he seemed to enjoy Alexa like that.

“My queen, you seem happy.” Her handmaid said looking at the queen face even as she exchanged the color of the thread which the queen used for embroidery, the maid was used to doing this favorite pastime of her mistress and after years of repeat performance, she could do it with her eyes closed.

“Why will I not be?” The queen smiled. “My daughter is calmer and less violent and even when she is violent, her husband can control her and he also does not want her to change, he is the perfect husband for her and I chose him. Now that everything is okay with my daughter, I need to find out about my grandchildren and when I will be having them.”

“Already?” The maid asked startled. It was still strange seeing Alexa in a gown sometimes and laughing with a man who called her wife but seeing Alexa with a child was going to be hard on a lot of people. Especially those who had already taken her as a man.

“Yes. I would have loved to give them time so that they can make their bond stronger but that is the last thing we have since Prince Flynn refused to go home and has decided to stay here. I do not trust that serpent in royalty format and I believe that he was going to argue about the marriage soon enough if no heir is being brought forward from Jared and Alexa union.” The queen sighed.

“Is Prince Jared aware of the fact that you want them to have children yet?” The maid asked and that made the queen to pause.

It could be possible that her daughter and Jared had already decided that they wanted to wait before having children.

“You could be right?” The queen tell her maid before smiling at her. “Jared is not aware of that fact but I do believe that it was time to correct it.” The queen stood up from her embroidery and moved towards the comfortable chairs to seat while without a word, her maid rang the bell and summoned another maid who came very quickly and after the maid had passed the order that the queen wanted to see Jared, she moved to serve her mistress tea and her mistress was still wearing a pleased smile on her face.

It was some minutes later that Jared entered the solar after a knock. When Jared saw the queen, he bowed to her before straightening. It was not often the queen asked to see him but whenever she does, it had to be in relation of her daughter and Jared was certain that that was what this meeting was about too.

“Welcome Jared, have a seat.” The queen offered and after Jared moved to a seat opposite her, she smiled. “How is Alexa?”

“Doing good, she was angry for a little while with me over an uncomplete conversation she heard of me and Arianna but that has been resolved and things are back to normal now between us.” Jared reported, one thing he hated about his marriage was that he was expected to report his marital details to his mother in-law but at least he was glad that she did not interfere because he was sure that was when he would have seriously hated it.

“I am glad that things are back to normal or you think so but I know my daughter, she is not fine with the fact that someone who knows you… intimately from your past is in her castle and rubbing it in her face, I believe Alexa would soon spark in anger and the repercussion would be severe. I think it would be better if someone informed Arianna that she has overstayed her welcome and then kindly show her the door.” The queen suggested and when Jared smiled she looked surprised.

“Well, it seems like we think alike your majesty. I have already given Arianna until this weekend to get out of this castle. I know that Alexa is not comfortable with it and before I made my vows to the kingdom, Alexa was first and she would always be first.”

“As it should be.” The queen nodded.

“Exactly so if a decision is best for Alexa and not for the kingdom, I will make the one best for my wife.” Jared informed and the queen paused in the process of returning her cup to her saucer before looking at him. Jared kept his expression passive and the queen dropped the cup in the saucer.

“It should be like that too but be mindful of some of the things that would seem best for Alexa but not really best for her because Alexa is Asteria.” The queen responded to Jared hidden threat of putting Alexa first.

“Of course.” Jared responded. “Although I do not see the need for keeping the real reason why I got married to Alexa away from her, all the secret is doing is preventing her from trusting me fully and I do not like that feeling.”

“This is one of those situations then, where we disagree to agree. Besides, you really do not have the right to tell her. When it is time for her to know, her father and I will discuss and we will inform her of the threat as for now, I believe that my daughter should be happy even though it is just for a little while more.” The queen stated and Jared gave a chin jerk once.

She was the queen and her words were the law not his and especially since he married to the family. “Was there any other reason why I was invited to join other than Arianna issue?’ Jared asked.

“Oh that is just on the way, of course there is an issue why I invited you here. As you know Prince Flynn is around and so he is certainly watching you and Alexa, he might be fooled by you guys actions but he will not be for long. I think it would be better if Alexa got pregnant.”

Jared head jerked to the queen face only for the queen to nod like she knew that he was asking himself if he had just heard her words correctly.

“My queen, you cannot be serious about this…” Jared protested.

“I am actually. Not only is Flynn watching but his kingdom and Asteria is too, I believe that the best way to subdue talks and doubts is to give them what they want and that is a child of the royal union.”

“Queen Mirabelle…” Jared stated.

“That is not really a hard request is it? I mean after all, you and your wife would just need to stop preventing the child from staying and I would admit that Alexa would fight you on this for a little while but she would eventually see reason and if she does not, you can make her. Imagine telling the world that Alexa was pregnant soon after marriage, it would be a very nice feeling.” The queen smiled before raising her head to look at Jared eyes too as Jared stood watching the queen, a little pale. “That will not be a problem from your side, will it?”

It took several tries before Jared could get the words out of his mouth. “Of course not.” Jared responded.

This was certainly going to be a big issue because not only has he not seduced his wife in that manner, he still has not consummated his marriage and he could no longer deceive himself with that fact that he was still wooing Alexa not when the queen just pointed out that the whole world was indeed looking at them and waiting to see Alexa pregnant.

***************

Jared was drinking in the kitchen by the time evening rolled by, he had looked at the whole situation from all angles and there was no way which he could escape the evict of the queen especially since royals can force their children to get children of their own if they want the crown to be passed to them.

How would he bring up the issue with Alexa?

No matter what way he brings it up, Alexa was going to clam up and for him to consummate his marriage, he would have to rape her and that thought made him sick. Moments like this was when he felt homesick, it was his turn to be comforted by his best friend and he was not around and although it was due to no fault of theirs, Jared still felt childish anger towards Ken for not being around and leaving him alone to deal with this dilemma.

Then again, maybe Ken would be the wrong choice for advice in this, after all to keep his wife Annabelle and it might be that his son was conceived due to the fact that he raped his wife because he had no choice.

“Your highness, are you okay?” A maid asked him and when Jared shook his head, she advance towards Jared and laid her hands on him, like she wanted to over comfort but Jared was not new to the game of seduction. This maid was a ballsy one.

“Get your filty hands off me.” He growled at her and when she yanked her hand back, Jared continued. “Imagine I tell Alexa of the fact that I was prepositioned under her roof by her people while I was drunk, your head will roll.” Jared was drunk yes but he could still discern emotions on people’s faces. The one which was worn by the maid was horror and fright.

“I apologize my prince, please forgive me I will never do something like tnat again, have mercy on me.” The maid begs and then kept quiet when the door opened and another maid entered the room.

“Is everything alright, my prince?” The new one asked.

“Fine. I just need to go to my room, I would cause less issue than here, at least there are not maids there, and maids cannot be trusted. Their loyalty can be brought with coin and fine dresses.” Jared said as he staggered out of his room and down the hall, making sure to avoid corridors which would contain large amount of movements. He was drunk and he did not want people to associate that with him.

When he finally got to his room, it was to see a shape on his bed.

“Who is that?” He asked and when the person snorted, he thought that it was Alexa after all, it was not the first time that Alexa retired before him, most of the time, she spent the night in his room rather than hers with was through the connecting door. “You did not have to make that sound, my eyes have not adjusted to the darkness here, why did you not leave some lamps turned on?’ Jared asked and when Alexa did not reply, he sighed. Apparently she was in a mood this evening and although he wondered what would have made her being in a mood, he had no answer to that and so without further questions, he stripped and then crawled to be beside her.

“Really? You are not going to make any comment about me smelling like a bottle of scotch?” Jared asked.

“You should have invited me.” Alexa’s voice said shakily and Jared smiled as he cuddled her. The tone and sound was different, a little husky but then again, Alexa’s voice usually changed in the morning.

“I am sorry about that.” Jared cuddled with Alexa before kissing her neck, when he felt her shiver, he could not help but think of his task given by the queen, maybe it will not be so hard to do it with Alexa after all she seemed compliant now.

When he moved to her mouth and deepened the kiss, the feeling that this was strange continued to ring in his head but this time at a much louder pitch than before. He still moved on top of her and continued the kiss, this time down her throat to the night gown she was wearing, something silky and as usual, well covered and still that did not prevent his hands from finding her nipples and pinching it. She gave a muffled cry as she continued to writhe against him and when his lips latched on one of her nipples while his hand massaged another and her legs fell open with ease, he knew that this woman in the bed was not his wife.

His wife would be more vocal than that and Alexa was a virgin which meant she would be nervous and not only would she be nervous, she would talk more then, the scent was all wrong, the lips felt too thin under his and the breasts were certainly smaller.

Jared raised his head as he pinned her hands to the bed, each hand beside her head as he glared at the figure underneath him. “Who are you because you certainly are not my wife?” He stated and when the lady froze underneath him and started struggling, without much stress, he pinned her two hands with one of his and placed his other hand around her neck, squeezing gently.

“I am not amused with that fact that I am being deceived.” Jared growled, slowly turning sober as he realized what he would have done, cheated on his wife while inebriated. He was furious of being put in this scenario.

The lady beneath him froze and that was when he really knew that this was not his wife. His wife would have fought him tooth and nails when he placed his hand on her neck, this lady under him was a typical lady, ready to surrender at the slightest threat.

“Who the fuck are you?” Jared roared in anger.

“Please, release your grip.” The lady cried and that was when Jared stumbled back, away from the lady and the bed in total, he knew the voice. That was Lady Arianna.

Jared was speechless as Arianna started crying loudly. “I am sorry, I did not really mean to deceive you or let it go as far as it did but when you thought I was her, I just wanted to spend one last time with you.” Arianna said, and she might have probably said a lot more but Jared was not listening. This was the total wrong person for something of this type of nightmare to happen with. Alexa was never going to believe that he was innocent.

“You entered my bed and pretended to be my wife. What kind of sickness do you have?” Jared yelled at her disgusted. “You purposely did that and you knew I was drunk, you would have taken advantage of me…”

“No, Jared please…” Arianna begged.

“Shut up and get the hell out of my sight before I kill you.” Jared growled and Arianna whimpered even as she wore her gown well and ran out of the room within a minute of his words.

Jared knew that he could not keep this from Alexa, he would have to tell her but how will he expect to do what the queen wanted of him when this will certainly lead to another fight between him and his wife.

Apparently, things just went from bad to worst. “Fuck!”