Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Sometimes, the queen felt that her husband was too calm. Hearing that Flynn has summoned she and her husband for an emergency meeting, because of his whims, not like the kingdom was in danger or anything of sort, it was enough to make her teeth grate together in anger and it did not help that today was some of her days where she felt generally weak and frail.

"I cannot believe he summoned you in your castle and own kingdom to be around for a meeting and you are taking it like it is usual for something like this to happen." The queen paced before her husband.

"My love, remember that you are not too strong today, calm down and let me explain..." The king tried to interfare only for the queen to glare at him, sometimes he wondered how he survived with his two strong willed women. And to think that the queen usually complains about her daughter when she was just as bad as she was.

"There is no way in which you can explain that his actions are normal." The queen exclaimed.

"They are not normal but he can call us for a meeting when he invokes the seal of royalty, it is when a royal sees an injustice being done and he thinks the king and queen should look into the matter right way, he practically compels them to pay attention to what he saw." The king explained and finally, his wife stopped her pacing that helped his heart to calm down.

"So you can go to Corthin and invoke this right too?" The queen asked and when the king nodded, she finally walked to seat beside her husband.

"Our daughter can too. Jared also." The king stated as the queen nodded.

"I wonder what he had noticed and why he is late."

"As of what he had noticed, it has to be something which he knows he has the right to interfare with and as of why he is late... Even with the seal, he is not allowed to keep royalties waiting, especially a king and queen."

The queen started gearing up again to launch into another tirade about Prince Flynn abusing his ambassadorship when the door opened.

"I apologise for my lateness as I was held back by your son in-law and although it should be no excuse, I had to settle a discussion with him first before I hastened to make it for our meeting." Flynn said and the queen nodded.

"You did kept us waiting but no qualms, as long as your summons were needed." The queen stated

"They were your majesty." Flynn replied. "I asked for a meeting with you two..."

"More like compelled." The queen stated as the king sighed and placed his head in his hands. "Then again we are not keeping track so continue." The queen grinned at Flynn in a way to show that indeed the queen was keeping count.

"I came to you two about the issue of your daughter and her husband." Flynn stated and just like he knew would happen. The queen body tensed in surprise while the king eyes widened before he started fidgeting. Flynn turned to face the queen because he would not make that mistake again to think that the queen is the lesser evil to overcome.

"I am sure that you have better things to do than to concern yourself about issues of married couples." The queen responded and Flynn let loose a smirk at the reply which he was expecting from her.

"Well, now that you mentioned it. I do have better things to do but Alexa is a royal, my age and it would be unfair that when you and your husband are gone, she regrets her choice in husband. So I think it is better we stop the regret now before something else would prevent it." Flynn said

"I do not understand you, prince Flynn. I can assure you that my daughter knows her mind about something as serious as marriage, you do not have to invoke the royalty seal because my daughter is having a little spat." The king stated.

Flynn smiled. "I do not have to invoke it but it is more than that, this fight had been going on for days now and while everybody seemed lax about it. Alexa is unhappy. I invoked the seal to ensure you two step into the matter."

"What matter? You want to enter a couple spat?" The queen snorted.

"Not that matter." Flynn responded. "The matter I want you two to step into is changing her husband and looking for a suitable partner for her. One that you will decide on."

"I do not understand what you are insinuating." The king exploded.

"Jared is not the person she should be married to and as far as our laws are concerned, she can chose her husband as long as there is no child. I want that to be implemented in Alexa's case." Flynn added.

"That can only be implemented if there is a suitor..." The queen started but Flynn gave another ugly smile, just like the ones he has been giving since he came for the meeting.

"But my queen, you are looking at her other suitor." Flynn stated and when the king and queen did not say anything. Flynn sighed. "I know that I might have shocked you with my intentions but it has always been there and though I suspected that you knew, you still let the princess choice to prevail, now the princess choice failed, I believe it is time for someone else to make a decision for her." Flynn added. "My father will be please at the union too and I am sure the gifts for the wedding will help your kingdom in ten years to come and even more. Make the right choice."

With those words, Flynn turned and left Asteria leaders to their thoughts or rather, in the queen case. To her anger.

"What is your verdict on what the bastard just said?" The queen asked her husband

"That deal seems like an okay one..." The king started but when the queen glared at him, he rushed the other part out. "But he was wrong to offer it because Asteria certainly do not sell their Children."

"Good answer." The queen sighed. "It looked like my former talk with Alexa did not work. This time I will tell her everything and hopefully she would use her senses the way she ought to." The queen stormed from the room, banging the door behind her.

The king just prayed that maybe Jared should sire children who had his disposition or their maternal grandfather disposition because if any child of Alexa takes after her mother. The castle was not going to survive much longer.

*****

The queen requested for her. Alexa sighed, she had been trying to get her feelings in order before facing her husband but apparently she was taking too long and the queen was done taking her slowness.

Alexa walked into her mother's solar to see Jared standing with his back to her. As he was not aware of the fact that she was in the room, she took the time to study him. Although he still filled out his clothes, he was looking leaner and his clothes wrinkled. Alexa frowned at the thought, maybe it was time to get Jared a manservant to take care of his clothes and keep track of his activities. Jared was a simple man who did not want a servant for those things, he did some by himself and the ones which he could not do was done by Mona but of he was going to be here for the long run then he better get used to the idea of having someone always around him and the person would certainly not be a lady because although Alexa was sure that he would not cheat on her, she knew she had tendencies to act territorial over him. That was the only good thing that Arianna presence helped her with.

Jared turned to face the door only to see Alexa there, frowning and looking deep in thought. Knowing his wife, he knew that the frown was because she clearly did not expect to see him and the thinking was about how to push him out of the window he was staring at just a few moments ago. To be on the safe side, Jared stepped away from the window before be called Alexa.

"Alexa." Jared said softly, hoping that at least she would be care this time and also that she would not start crying. Each time when he came close to Alexa and tried to tell her the truth, she became teary and that hurt him more than her shouts but that was clearly and action she could not control. He did not like the fact that he was the cause of her unhappiness and that has been affecting his performance all rounds.

"Jared." Alexa returned as she stared at Jared.

"This greeting between the two of you is too cold. You are married for godsake." The queen complained, she wanted to see what the interaction would be between them without her interference and what she was seeing was not promising the slightest bit.

"Mother, is there a reason why you called us and started on this once again?" Alexa asked, facing her mother and chosing to ignore her husband. She still was not settled in her feelings to deal with him just yet and she would gladly postpone the moment until she knows the degree and how Jared was able to work his way into her heart, more to stop him from going further than to reciprocate but the intentions didn't really matter.

"Well yes there is a reason. Last time I saw you daughter, I distinctly told you about why Jared chose to be your husband and the last time I saw you Jared before this whole saga between you and my daughter started, I told you to get your wife pregnant." The queen stated as Alexa's eyes widened.

"What!" Alexa yelled.

The queen stared at her daughter coolly. "Why did you think he drank that day when he normally does not take what he can not handle. In a way, I am responsible for this strife between you two."

Alexa kept her gaze on her mother, feeling stupified at everything. Apparently she had no reason to be angry and Jared still allowed her to be.

"I do not think that Alexa needed to know that." Jared stated.

Alexa bristled at the words of Jared, she could not believe that in front of her, he was trying to exclude her. The gall he had! "The only person who decide what Alexa need to know is Alexa, please no one else should make that mistake."

"I just do not want you to feel pressured, I want you to work though everything at your pace." Jared responded silently as Alexa felt bad for raising her voice at him.

"If we keep waiting for her to do that, we would never get anything done." the queen answered.

"Other than siding with my husband again, is there any reason why you called us here?" Alexa asked her mother with a roll of her eyes. Just her mother usual routine of siding the other party as usual.

"Oh, you are aware that he is your husband. I am glad that you are now because he will not be for long if you do not stop this attitude of yours?" The queen stated as Alexa head whipped back to her mother, she was already eyeing the door with an hopeful look for a quick escape.

"I do not understand your majesty." Jared stated. "I am married to her and certainly not asking for a divorce..." Jared felt sad as he realized what it meant. It could only mean one thing. He turned to look at Alexa unable to hide his hurt feelings. "You requested for a divorce? Is being with me that bad?"

"No!" Alexa replied before turning to her mother.

"Seal of Royalty is the power for an external royal to force the royal of a kingdom to look at an issue. Prince Flynn brought up the issue of your marriage to Jared and the fights, then he offered for your hand in marriage and this he is within his rights to do because you are not pregnant or have a child from the union yet. You now understand why I said Alexa needs to be pregnant." The queen said as Alexa mouth opened look at Jared who gritted his teeth.

"There should be a clause to avoid this. Royals love their evading clause." Jared stated.

"There is. If there is no other offer for the royal in question then she or he can remain married but Flynn also offered for her hand in marriage and not only did he offer but he also presented an enticing wedding gift too." The queen stated.

"He cannot do that." Alexa growled.

"But he did and you allowed it because you chose to remind angry over a baseless reason that holds no weight." The queen responded and Alexa was left speechless.

Jared knew what Flynn was doing and also annoyingly, he seemed to be within his rights too. The only way to stop the results which none of them including Alexa did not want was to make Alexa face the issue that caused the whole thing.

It seemed like the queen was right, letting Alexa deal with things at her own pace will take the time they did not have.

Jared stood up and bowed to the queen. "Thank you for the information, your majesty. I promise that me and Alexa will sort ourselves out today, nothing more than. We will see ourselves out to start on that immediately." Jared stretched out his hand to Alexa who stared at his hand and then him.

"Who said anything about me going with you?" Alexa threw at Jared face.

Jared sighed. He wished that Alexa would take the easy way out but it seemed like she did not want that. Without another word, he lifted her above his head, resting her stomach on his shoulder with her upper part, hanging from his back while her legs kick aimlessly in the front.

"We will take our leave now my queen." Jared said and with a chin jerk to the queen he strode out of the queen room while the queen laughed at her daughter predicament.