Survive As The Brute’s Wife - Chapter 105

[Princess Alexandra, huh? Do I want to be known by that name?]

“Long live, Princess Alexandra! Long Live Princess Alexandra!”

The chants of the soldiers reached the golden morning sky.

“Princess?” Alexandra raised her hand to get the soldiers to stop. But no one did. They were all jumping and shouting as if there is a competition to see who shouts the loudest.

“I’d rather be the Brute’s Wife,” she said in a loud voice.

Not many heard it, but the Knights of the Ivory Lion Crew who were standing guard around them heard it.

Elrick looked at her and with a knowing smile bowed his head. Alexandra nodded. Pricilla was standing behind Elrich and she parted her lips to ask her for a chat. She must have been very confused by her hot and cold behavior the past few weeks.

But before she could engage with Pricilla she turned to her right where she sensed an intense glare. Julius was looking at her. She met eyes with him and he bowed his head placing his hand on his chest.

For the first time, she could feel the sincerity in Julius’ bow.

“Flavia, I need to get dressed,” she called Flavia and Flavia joined her with a skip in her steps.

Flavia thanked Alexandra and silent most of the other time which was so uncharacteristic of her.

“Are you scared of me, Flavia?” she asked with her sadness apparent in her tone. She loved Flavia and didn’t want to lose her affection.  “I didn’t mean to frighten you…”

“No! No, Your Majesty,” Flavia shook her head. “I am very indebted to your-”

“Flavia,” Alexandra’s heart skipped a beat hearing the way Flavia addressed her but she kept her tone soft. “What did you call me?”

“I-” Flavia gulped. “I cannot be disrespectful of someone with great power like you,” she bowed.

Alexandra saw no fear or nervousness in Flavia’s face, but there was adoration. She was very familiar with this look on others. She used to not mind it. But now, she didn’t want to be adored. She just wanted to be loved as a fellow human being.

“What will take you to address me the same as always, Flavia?” She asked raising her brows and Flavia looked at her.

As she searched for words, Alexandra pointed at the top of the Holy Mountain.

“Up there, there is a flower that will grant any wish you want. Do you want that flower, Flavia?” she asked.

She is yet to meet someone who refused that flower.

[Yet to..? There was one human who refused that flower… Who was it..?]

A flash of memory passed through Alexandra’s mind but she decided to not think of it.

“No!” Flavia shook her head. “What use would I have with that flower?” Flavia chuckled. “I have my husband and he has me. All I want to see is Maximus being safe and happy. Now that you are by his side, I won’t have to worry about that either. I don’t want it. Maybe I will ask around and will find someone who might need it?”

Flavia looked at Alexandra and Alexandra ended up laughing and she hugged Flavia. As they were talking, Maximus entered the area.

“Flavia, your husband is waiting for you,” he pointed and Flavia excused herself.

“What is it?” Maximus asked seeing Alexandra staring at Flavia for long.

“Nothing… I was wondering how old Flavia might be…” she looked at him and he placed his hand on her back.

“She and Julius should be in their mid-forties… But why?” he was curious and led her by the river, upstream.

“I was just wondering why they don’t have children of their own…” Alexandra voiced her thoughts.

“They had one son, but he died in infancy. I don’t know much details but I never saw them looking for a doctor for treatment…” Maximus told her what he knew.

It was funny he never thought about it until now. But for her to ask about it.

“Did Flavia ask you anything?” he asked.

“No…” she turned and looked at him. She stared at his face and looked deeply into both of his eyes with a slight furrow between her eyebrows.

Maximus stopped as he figured she is contemplating some serious issue.

“Maybe she stopped eating pumpkin seeds,” she said, with no changes to her very serious expression. She even nodded a little agreeing to her statement.

Maximus tried to hold back his laughter, but he couldn’t.

«She is so vulnerable! This never changes!»

“Pfft!” he started laughing covering his mouth with both of his hands.

But then he couldn’t hold back his laughter and ended up laughing out loud. The rocky terrain echoed his laugh for everyone to hear. And still, he couldn’t stop laughing.

Alexandra, still with her lips pressed was looking keenly at Maximus’ every little movement. She watched his eyes getting reddened with tears of laughter and his mouth was wide open and he even accidentally swallowed an unsuspecting bug flying around. Holding his stomach, he kept on laughing.

“I should eat a lot of pumpkin seeds too,” she said in a smooth, aloof tone and folding her hands over her chest started walking.

“Yes, why not?” Maximus still couldn’t control his laughter and followed her. “Eat them seeds.”

“I shall!” Alexandra’s voice held its usual conviction. “In fact, that’s all I am going to do. Eating pumpkin seeds and falling asleep.”

“Uh-huh?” Maximus still wasn’t stopping his bout of laughter.

“Yes,” Alexandra continued. “You’ll be busy once you reach there and I shall be happy in my room, eating pumpkin seeds. Only that…”

“Maybe you should eat other food too for getting balanced nutrients,” Maximus’ laughter had now reduced as he figured that something was wrong. But he couldn’t pin it.

“Hmm…” Alexandra shrugged. “I shall eat pumpkin seeds and lock my room and say prayers to the Dragon King to send many storks and many babies. I won’t stop until I get ten babies delivered,” she stopped and turned to look at him.

“You,” she pointed her finger at him. “You will be a nuisance for my prayers, and so don’t you visit my room.”

She said, pressed her lips, turned, and walked up the rocky terrain showing him her back. And now, it was she who is holding her laughter.

Maximus felt like someone had locked his heart around an anchor and threw it in the deepest part of the ocean. His knees went weak and he felt everything around him is spinning.

«She’s going to pray and I am not allowed inside her room? What kind of-»

He looked up to see her shoulders shaking. Gathering his strength, he ran behind her and caught up with her.

“Are you jesting? Alexandra,” he grabbed her arm and stopped her from running away. “Tell me you are jesting!”

“Jesting?” Alexandra raised her brows. “What silliness would rule my mind to jest about a very serious issue as having a baby?”

Maximus’ hands started to tremble. “Alexandra, you see… that story… that’s…” he didn’t know what to say. He definitely is not going to sleep in another bed when he has his wife. And she is talking about having ten babies. How would she even have ten babies when he is not with her? He cannot stay away from her this lifetime too.

“That book!” he said as he remembered suddenly. “you remember that book, right? That book you tried to hide…?”

He gulped and tried to jog her memory. He thought he had made it clear that doing certain fun things is the only way to have a baby. He thought she had understood it. But now she does not.

“No! My very best friend told me that pumpkin seeds are the way-”

“No, he’s wrong!” Maximus interjected her.

«Why did I do such a stupid thing? I was a fool!»

“Wrong? He was the smartest-”

“No! He’s an utter nincompoop! He’s as smart as a dead skunk! How can you-” he paused seeing Alexandra covering her mouth. Her shoulders started to shake and gradually she couldn’t hold back her laughter and started to laugh.

“Your face, Tubby…” she laughed.  “It’s pale… as if you saw a ghost…” she laughed. “You are a fool!”

Maximus stood there and watched her laughing so hard, she couldn’t even keep her eyes open. Her entire face has blushed red and her laughter was sweet as the sound of scattering silver coins.

«She called m Tubby! She knows me! She knows who I am!»

He walked closer, scooped her up, and kissed her. This is the day he’s been waiting for all his life. Although this is the second time he is feeling the joy of getting recognized by her, he had a feeling that this happiness would last forever.

Alexandra returned his kiss and her heart started to pound as she lost herself in his embrace. His kisses started to intensify and he scrambled to find a place to rest her against to have his way with her.

He started kissing her neck as he pressed her back against a rock. They were in a higher elevation and from there, she could see Maximus’ men packing and loading for travel.

“We are not leaving?” she asked clutching the back of his head for dear life. His kisses were the most magical thing she has experienced.

“Yes… I asked them to leave… We are going to… I know a place up in the mountain…” he said pressing his forehead on hers.

Closing his eyes, he took in deep breaths to calm himself down. He wants to take her and this is not the place for that.

“Ithildin!” he commanded and the flying horse appeared. Both of them hopped on it.

“They are not coming with us?” Flavia asked seeing the white Pegasus flying towards the mountain.

“No, he asked us to start traveling and that he’d be there when we reach there…” Julius turned and walked towards his horse.

Flavia smiled. Those children want to have some fun, it seems. And they are entitled to it.

But that mansion… Can he handle it?