Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 85

Sophia gave Nicholas a nudge.

Nicholas narrowed his eyes.

“Sophia, allow me to introduce you to her majesty, Queen Vivienne and his majesty, King Carter,” he declared.

Clarisse was seated beside Oliver, looking squirmish and uncomfortable.

It seemed like it’d be an interesting night for all the royals, as though the room had a ticking time bomb that was to explode at any given moment.

“Your Majesties, it’s… an absolute pleasure to meet you,” Sophia said to the two monarchs.

Queen Vivienne studied her closely, whilst King Carter took her by the hand.

“You must be Duchess Sophia,” King Carter said warmly.

Taken aback by the king’s kindness, Sophia took a while before she answered.

“I am,” she smiled, trying to gently pull away her hand from Carter’s.

She’d never done well with kings in the first place.

Sophia wanted to tell Nicholas, ‘You didn’t tell me your parents were going to be here,’ but it was far too late for that.

‘I didn’t know my parents were going to be here,’ Nicholas admitted, his eyes doing the talking for him as he kept looking guiltily at Sophia.

‘We’ll get through this,’ he promised her.

‘We better,’ Sophia shot Nicholas a playful smile.

She hadn’t touched her plate, neither had he.

She then focused her attention on Clarisse.

Her eyes darted from Queen Vivienne back to Clarisse.

‘Think they know?’ She asked Clarisse.

Clarisse bit her inner cheeks.

‘Doubt so,’ she admitted.

Sophia sighed in relief.

She then noticed everyone staring right at her.

“I’m just so glad to have made it here just in time,” she said, explaining herself.

The royals then got to eating and chatting, which was more awkward than it sounded.

Louis stayed silent throughout dinner, taking a bite out of his entree every once in a while.

Queen Vivienne and King Carter didn’t treat Clarisse half as kindly as they did Sophia, what with their kingdoms being at war and all.

Now was a night of exception, but if it went wrongly, it’d end in utter catastrophe.

All the conversations Clarisse and Oliver had, as well as those Clarisse shared with his parents were extremely unpleasant to watch.

Vivienne nodded at what Clarisse said, seemingly getting along with the countess far better than expected.

Yet, when it came to the king, he couldn’t look at her.

Unlike his wife, he couldn’t put his differences aside for one night. He was trying not to smite her and kill her on the spot since that’d only worsen matters, and he was a king. It wasn’t royal-like behaviour.

He couldn’t simply forget that simply because his son would marry a countess from the kingdom that’d cause the losses his people faced.

So, he decided to turn his attention to Sophia.

He was still under the impression Nicholas was using her for their gain and nothing more, but his thought on the matter gradually changed as he watched them interact with each other, all lovey-dovey and sweet.

It was two things, one or the other.

One, his son was playing his part perfectly and leading her on.

Or, the second option, which entailed him not putting up an act, meaning everything he was seeing was real.

How his gaze lingered on her when she wasn’t looking, how he looked whenever she was talking to him, how his eyes bore into hers.

Nicholas noticed his father gazing at him.

He looked his father in the eye.

“May I borrow you for a moment outside?” Carter asked – which was highly unlike him.

Nicholas saw right through his father. He was never this kind, he was merely putting up an act.

“Of course, your majesty,” he agreed.

Carter didn’t bother to correct his son.

Nicholas didn’t have any reason to deem Carter as his father. He’d done nothing to deserve it, and Nicholas was done making up excuses as to why the king acted the way he did.

He and his father headed outside.

“What is it?” Nicholas asked impatiently.

“Did you really need to bring me out here?” He asked.

“Afraid to show the other royals your true colours?” Nicholas taunted.

“You have no right to speak to me that way,” Carter glared at Nicholas.

He yelled, “I am your father!”

“I’m the sole reason you’re alive!”

“You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for–”

Nicholas cut Carter off.

“You’re not.”

“You’ve never been my father.”

“You’ll never be my father.”

“And frankly, showing up now won’t make up for decades worth of absence and negligence.”

“The only reason you act half as decently as you do is because, you think I’m using her,” Nicholas spat.

“And are you?” Carter asked point-blank.

Nicholas wished to pull a Sophia and do the exact same thing she’d done to Oliver to Carter.

He answered dryly, “I’m not.”

“Unlike you, I’m actually capable of caring for someone else,” he snapped.

“So stick to caring about your other children’s affairs, I’m doing perfectly fine,” he said.

“You’ve never been a father to me before, so why start now?” He asked as he made his way back to the dining room, ignoring whatever reactions his father had to his sudden outburst. He had a scrumptious entree to return to.

“Hope you didn’t miss me too much,” he said to Sophia.

Sophia asked curiously, “What’s up with the sudden burst of confidence?”

Nicholas looked between Sophia and Carter – who’d just returned to the dining room – back and forth.

Sophia nodded. So that was why.

“What’d I miss?” Nicholas asked.

Sophia answered truthfully, “Nothing much.”

“Just dinner conversation, ‘is all,” Sophia added.

“Duchess Sophia,” she heard Carter call.

She turned to face the king.

“Yes, your majesty?” She asked.

“What is your relationship with Nicholas?” He asked her.

“What’s to make me believe you’re not using him?” He asked next.

Nicholas stiffened.

He wasn’t going to do this. He wouldn’t allow it. He wouldn’t take his anger out on Sophia for what he’d told him.

“Carter,” he warned.

Carter corrected sharply, “It’s your majesty to you, boy!”

Sophia placed a hand on Nicholas’.

“Calm down,” she whispered.

“How are you staying so calm?” Nicholas whispered to her.

Sophia was known to have a short fuse; she was usually set off by the littlest things, it was a surprise she hadn’t been upset by then.

‘Because you’re not the only one who grew up with absent parents who were far too busy ruling to ever look over and spend time with their own children,’ Sophia said in a hushed voice.

‘And also because it’s just one dinner,’ Sophia reasoned.

And if she was being completely honest, it was because she partially wanted to impress the king and queen.

As she’d said before, she never grew up with parents.

She’d never felt accepted by the two people she desired to be accepted by – her parents.

Now was too late for her to do so, not that she’d ever regretted it.

“Right, back to your question,” Sophia reminded.

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

“What’s my relationship with Nicholas,” she wondered aloud.

She declared, “Nicholas and I are courting.”

Louis spat out water out his mouth.

Fortunately, no one sat across from him.

Clarisse snorted up water up her nostril.

The two of them stared at Sophia.

Nicholas was staring at her, wide-eyed.

They hadn’t touched on that yet. They hadn’t even got to thinking about that.

‘What?’ She asked, her eyes darting between Clarisse, Louis and Nicholas.

‘We’ll talk later,’ she mouthed to Nicholas.

“Courting?” Carter asked.

“The two of you are courting?” He asked.

Sophia nodded enthusiastically, “Yes.”

Queen Vivienne was intrigued. Her son, courting. Interesting, very interesting.

“Congratulations,” she wished.

Carter wasn’t buying it.

“And is there any solid evidence the two of you are courting, other than you telling me?” He asked.

Sophia wondered if he wanted her to have Nicholas’ name tattooed on her. Any solid evidence? Was he joking with her?

He didn’t seem to be the type to joke around.

‘Assistance, please?’ She mouthed.

Nicholas blinked.

“Lying to your father now, boy?” Carter asked Nicholas.

Sophia inhaled.

He was a king, and also happened to be Nicholas’ biological father.

Queen Vivienne placed a hand on Carter’s.

“Carter, you can’t jump to conclusions too quickly, we aren’t at home, we’re in Beldovia,” she warned.

Clarisse focused on Sophia.

Clarisse had her time under the spotlight. Now, it was Sophia’s turn.

Nicholas answered, his voice raised, “It’s not a lie, it’s the cold, hard truth. There’s no need for me to prove it if there’s no reason to.”

It was rare for Nicholas to raise his voice, he was usually quiet, but he wouldn’t allow it this time round. They weren’t at Sanguis. It wasn’t their territory. It wasn’t his. It was Sophia’s.

Carter ruining his image of him after grilling Sophia for his doings, that was enough.

“You just can’t accept it, can you?” He heard Sophia quip.

He looked at her.

“Why can’t you accept whatever Nicholas decides to do with his life?”

She corrected herself, asking Carter the question, “Who are you to decide whatever Nicholas chooses to do with his life?”