Queen Era: The Monster I Love - Chapter 108

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CHAPTER 108

“You just could not do what?”

“Yes, I just couldn’t ask her out. I tried you know. I really did try but the words, it was impossible to come out.”

Louis let out a sigh. His eyes were half-closed, half-open as he tilted his head to the side.

Why was his king disappointing him like this?

“Your grace,” he called out after some seconds of silence.

“Yes?”

“I…” he pursed his lips back a bit, yawning as though he just woke up. Why?”

All this while Vidor had been expecting something solid, like an advice of some sort but when Louis spoke, all he had to say was that.

“What do you mean by why? Why what?”

“I mean why couldn’t you. It was such an easy task.”

“Easy?” Okay, he was taken aback by his definition of easy.

“How is asking the woman I married and have never been with, the one I ordered the annihilation of her family and people, the one with whom locked everyone out, especially me… How can you call asking this lady out, easy, Louis?”

“Like you said your majesty, it was you who did all of those things to her. How can you wed your wife but never bedded her? Is she what, some pole to you or…”

For a moment there, Louis completely forgot who he was speaking to and was yelling at him. It was not until Vidor cast a cold glance his way that he remembered it wasn’t his apprentice or nurse but his king.

“Umm,” he cleared his throat. “I am sorry, your majesty. I didn’t mean to.”

‘I know,” Vidor sighed. His chest rose and fell with each and every breath he took. This was hard on his person, why wouldn’t Louis see that?

“I know, Louis. I know it is my fault but right from the first day we were together after our wedding, she hated me and called me a monster. I would never forget the look of defiance in her eyes.”

“Your majest…”

Raising his right hand, Vidor silenced him. Regardless he did not look at him but ignored him completely. “Not now, Louis. Not now. Do not patronize me.”

“Yes, your majesty. I won’t.”

“Good. Although then, I never wanted to have her really. She was the only female I was ever attracted to. I still do not know why I married her, honestly.”

“Perhaps because you felt something when you saw her?”

“I do not know. Her beauty was magnifying but above that, I felt at ease seeing her. There was no dread and somehow, I felt like I should trust my father. Yes, I was mad that he didn’t let me in on the marriage when he was still alive but I reasoned, he might have believed Elrad would handle it.”

“True, your majesty.”

“Regardless, even on his death bed, how can such an important tale escape his mind.”

“You were young back then and might not have understood his reasons.”

“Then prep a letter and keep for me. I was shocked when I found out but seeing her, I felt he saw into the future when he made that deal with her family.”

He let out another sigh and smiled to himself.

Neither Vidor nor Louis spoke. The latter watched as the king battled with his own thoughts and waited before he said what could be considered as a grave sin.

“But then that family, you killed them.” He waited, thinking that Vidor may react and wished he didn’t and when he saw he made no move nor was anger sure on his face, Louis continued.

“It must have hurt so much for her. You took her whole world from her.”

“Her world?” he snapped his head to the side to face Louis. “I am her world!” Vidor hollered, causing Louis to nod in agreement with him.

To Vidor it felt that way but to Louis, he was more frightened than agreeing with Vidor. The way the King had thundered at him, caused his face to redden from it.

“I am her world, Louis. Her world!” He thundered still, causing Louis to grip the handle of the chair close by.

“Y–yes… Yesss your grace. Her world.” His lips quivered from fright. Never had he hoped to ever be in the wrong book of his king but now, he might as well just drawn and prepared his own death book.

“I am her world, Louis,” Vidor voiced out softly, turning his gaze away. “At least, that is what I am supposed to be. Her world.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“So why then did she choose to betray me like that?”

“I…” he was tempted to say something again but recalling how his last statement almost ended badly for him, he chose to remain mute.

“I know I was cold to her but, I was finding it difficult to understand the reason behind my sudden noticing of her and I also knew she hated me. So was I wrong when I found out about the treason ploy and acted? Was I?”

There was no response from his listener and that further frustrated Vidor. “Come on, Louis. I need your advice.”

Inhaling deeply, his royal physician fumbled with his fingers and slightly allowed his eyelids to drop for some seconds before reopening them and answering Vidor. “It was your duty as king to not jump to conclusions blindly and reevaluate a situation. Might I ask this, your majesty?”

“Yes, please do.”

“Okay, do you blindly go to war with your opponent without first evaluating their  strength and weakness as well as yours?”

“No. Only a fool would charge into battle like that.”

“Good. So what does that make you? You killed a kingdom that should be your ally. You killed your in-laws without first authenticating the truth and severity of the claims. You never investigated but gave your word. It wasn’t the soldiers who killed her people and ruined her world it was you because they acted on your orders.”

“Louis, if you were in my shoes.”

“I cannot be in your shoes, your majesty and more importantly, these are lives we are talking about. It is called thinking, planning before you act.”

At this point, Louis could no longer care if he was speaking to his king or a patient as he was already mad with rage.

How could Vidor have done such a thing? Everyone knew he was the conqueror but even at that, it did not matter. Yes, there were betrayals in the castle but this was his wife. He should have known better.

“I was on the verge of being killed,” Vidor tried to defend himself and all he got was a wise old Louis shaking his head at him.

“It wasn’t easy still. If it was so, then it would mean you have traitors amongst your court and not just her people. No excuse can counter what you have done. The mistake had been made and a grave one at that, my king. You failed your queen.”

“No Louis, I…” he let out a deep breath. “I want to make it right.”

“It wasn’t my words your majesty but yours. You were the fool who ran head-on into battle with hopes of winning and ended up on the losing end. How do you hope to ever get her love back?”

GAGHAN!

It felt like a heavy drum was hut close to his ears as realization dawned on him. “So I should give up?”

“Never! You made one mistake do not multiply it, your majesty. You cannot leave her now. If you feel remorse about not giving her people a chance, her family an opportunity to prove their innocence, then ensure you give the opportunity now to her. Fight for her. There are those who hate her obviously.”

“But Era is… Louis we do not know if they were innocent.”

“Then prove it. Dig deep. Find out the truth and set things right. If after digging in and you find them as traitors, then at least you have a clear conscience but what if you find out you were wrong?”

“Then I would live with my fate.”

“No. Ask for her forgiveness but for now, do not let these feelings go to waste, my king. Try again. I know she is hurt, perhaps you are what she needs to close that wound.”

“No.” He stood up and began pacing. “From our little conversation just now, it was just wishful thinking trying to ask her out. Era would never agree to have me. I lost the battle already.”

“No. King Vidor I know never gives up and there is no battle you have not won.”

“What are you saying?” he asked turning to look at Louis.

“I am sorry, your majesty. I spoke out of turn and it was because I somehow felt bad and that wasn’t my place to do so. But one thing is sure. I wanted you to see reason.. For you to know you did a wrong thing.”