Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Chapter 0

Inorder to avoid spending more of his time talking to a Lord of a small farm and landowners far away from Maldonia, Artemis had a lot of things to do and attending to Petrus Octavianus wasn’t one of them. Hence he dismissed him and bursted inside his sister’s chambers.

Aeryn and Misenda were sitting on the bed pretending to be folding the dresses, meanwhile they have been paying attention to every word between Artemis and Petrus.

“How are you doing sister?” Artemis started the conversation.

“Brother...” replied Aeryn and stood up. Then she curtised before Artemis.

Misenda stood up without being asked to and walked outside, Lancet followed her. Artemis went on to open the curtains, sunlight entered inside that room suddenly it almost blinded him. The room was huge and beautiful fit for a princess, apart from the beautiful white with black flowers sheet which was spread out on the bed. There was also a lamp, numerous candles on the table but since it was daylight they weren’t lit.

Flowers of various genres, but the Princess’s favorite were the orchids. The curtains were brown in color just like Artemis’s and Aeryn loved her sleep so much that’s why she wanted brown curtains which obscured the sunlight rays from entering inside and disrupt her sleep.

Aeryn cried “I like them closed” when Artemis opened the curtains up.

.....

“You need light sister. It’s too dark”

“I like it dark” she objected. “Please, do I have to beg you? Or am I not allowed to speak against the king?”

Artemis sighed “That’s not how our relationship will be sister. I am still your brother”

“I doubt it Artemis. You are the king of all Maldonia now. Things are out to change” she said and sat down on her bed with a somber look.

Artemis decided to close the curtains again because he didn’t want to disappoint his sister or making her sad. She was way more precious to him than his ego. He slowly pulled out a chair and sat close to the window.

Then he paid attention to Aeryn “Who was that man outside of your chambers?”

“I don’t know... he came to ask me for a dance”

“Ask you for a dance?”

“Yes”

Artemis exhaled, there was a moment of silence between him and Aeryn. “You do know he’s penniless, right?” he asked.

Aeryn felt like she was being interviewed while she knew nothing about Petrus Octavianus nor did she see him anywhere before. He was a guest like other guests who were invited to attend Artemis’s coronation ceremony. Hence she went straight to the point and asked “Why are you here brother? What can I do for you? You don’t usually come to my chambers, father forbade it”

“I want you to find some dresses for Lady Kholin. She will be attending my ball tonight” Artemis finally spoke after he seemed to struggle whether to tell his sister or not.

Two years ago Aeryn found out about his brother and Aurora’s secret relationship when she caught them making out at the top of the palace so late in the night. At first she didn’t think it was anything because Artemis like many princes in their prime years like to taste and experience before marriage.

What’s worse is that King Arteides was the one who motivated his son to “taste before marriage” hence Artemis dated a few girls before he finally landed on Aurora. Things suddenly became serious and even though Artemis didn’t want them to go beyond what’s normal, he found himself falling in love with Aurora.

As days went by, the relationship became more and more serious. However Aeryn wasn’t aware that Artemis intended to continue with the relationship especially after he was crowned king of Maldonia. What she recently spoke with Mesinda and how she feared for her brother’s act as king was finally coming true.

“Lady Kholin?” asked Aeryn. “Artemis, tell me you haven’t crown her as a lady”

“Not yet, but she will be a lady soon”

“Have you lost your mind?” Aeryn suddenly hoped up to her feet. Then she started spinning around the room like a mad woman. “What happened to King Taelin of Prophis and his daughter?”

“You knew about them?”

Aeryn sighed “I still live inside the palace brother and it’s so happens that I am not deaf or blind. I hear rumors, and I hear people talking. Did you turn him down?”

Now the tables seemed to have turn. Even though Artemis didn’t care at all nor think about the circumstances of what he did declining Taelin’s invitation to wed his daughter, somehow his sister’s reaction had him on the edge.

“Why do you care so much about these Prophisians?Why does everyone care about them, as if they are gods” he said and stood up angrily.

“Prophis is the most powerful kingdom in the world. They have an army no kingdom can defeat, what if they come after us?”

“Why would they come after us huh? Because I refused to fuck his daughter?” Artemis shouted.

“Because you are unwise and ignorant. Your marriage with Princess Thelma would have united our kingdoms, make us stronger by blood, instead -” Aeryn paused to catch her breath.

There was never a day when Artemis thought he would see his sister angry, but today he had a front row seat to it and it wasn’t good. Aeryn talked and she expressed her opinions on why it was a grave mistake for Artemis to refuse King Taelin’s proposal to his daughter. She called it “Asking for a war” while they couldn’t handle another war after suffering one with the elves two years ago. The war was the end of their father and hence she feared for another war and the aftermath of it.

“I do not care how much all of you criticize my decisions. I made them, and I shall be the one to suffer the consequences” said Artemis.

“That’s stupid of you brother... it’s never just you. It’s all of us, your advisers, your soldiers, your citizens. It’s everyone you are putting at risk. Maldonia cannot handle another war!”

Artemis had enough of it “What do you know about wars? A petty princess always spending her time tucked inside her chambers with her curtains closed because she doesn’t want to to go out nor does she like the sun. Don’t talk to me about wars, I know wars. I have fought in wars, all my life all I ever did was fight in wars. And every single time I emerge victorious even in the worst impossible situations sister, I always emerge victorious” he finished shouting at Aeryn.

These two have always been like this, a cat and a mouse type of relationship. They would get along in two days and not speak for the rest of other days, or sometimes even five months without seeing each other especially with Artemis traveling a lot accompanying his father. The bond was there, the love also but that deep bonding feeling isn’t usually there.

After he was done speaking his heart out Artemis barged outside of the chambers and bang the door. When he was outside he stood for a second and released a long deep breath he didn’t even know that he was holding. Lancet heard each and everything but he chose to act deaf. He followed Artemis when he took off angrily without knowing where he was going.

Things were going south, Artemis even though he was so confident in himself and his decisions still he was pissed off that his sister didn’t trust him. She told him he should marry a princess of a powerful kingdom and keep Aurora as a mistress, many kings during that time did exactly what Aurora advised him to. But what sort of pleasure will he have making Aurora a mistress, while marrying a woman he didn’t love. To Artemis love meant everything to him and it’s wasn’t just some idea or myth as people thought love was, to Artemis love was everything and he was ready to risk everything including putting the country at war if he has to. He didn’t want to no longer stay in the palace hence he walked outside to the gardens which most of the times were empty but because of the celebrations and guests, they were fully occupied here and there.

Outside at the beautiful gardens Artemis met with the guests, royal princesses and princes. They talked about the beauty of Maldonia and especially the weather, and they all explained their excitement towards tonight’s ball. Artemis promised them nothing but the best in the ball.

“I apologise for asking Your Grace, but have you found who will be your Queen yet?” Princess Sansa of Nemphis asked Artemis, she was accompanied with her husband Lord Balon both from Nemphis.

Lord Balon added “Especially since we’ve heard you have turned the proposal from King Taelin of Prophis”

Damn he thought, news do travel fast. It hadn’t even been a day and yet everyone inside the palace was aware of what happened.