by Maggie Lee
I take a slow pace through this maze of a building, hoping that they will catch up with me by the time I make it outside.
Luckily, I don’t wait long before I hear their footsteps approaching. “We’re going to eat, what do you two want?” Arden asks me from the other end of the hall.
“I want a burger, so a diner would be just fine,” June says once we’re outside. I watch her skeptically while she pulls her luscious curls back in a bun.
“Diner sounds fine, something quick. That way we can all go to bed early before the shit show starts back up tomorrow.” Arden’s runs a hand across my back, but pulls away as two cars approach.
“Mackenzie, ride with June to the diner. I need to talk to Kraus.” He gives June a quick peck on the cheek before coming back and kissing me as well.
I do as he asks and load in the car. We both ride in silence for a bit before either one of us speaks. I’m livid at him kissing her cheek, despite my knowledge of how badly we need to keep up appearances.
June cracks before I do, and starts the conversation, “Have a good night?”
“How do you want me to answer that,” I ask her seriously. I’m not sure I even know this June, she’s been a different person since she got back from school.
“While you and Arden had a shag in the coat closet, Kraus and I fought over what is right and wrong at this point.” Her tone is harsh and I have the urge to slap her. She needs to leave Kraus alone.
“June. If you hurt him any worse, God so help me. He’s a grown man and takes everything Father’s thrown at us in stride, the only thing that’s been wrong with him lately is you,” I scold her.
“I did this for you too! Arden and I have done all of this for you, Kraus, and our kingdom.” She throws her hands up.
“You may have, but we didn’t ask you to. So we found a way to save ourselves. I won't apologize for surviving, he shouldn’t have to either.” She snorts in reply, but we pause our conversation as the driver pulls up in front of the restaurant.
Arden opens our doors and helps us both out, but to my dismay he takes June’s arm to lead her inside. I curse all of the people standing around their cars for existing and being the reason I can’t walk with him. Kraus steps forward with a mirroring expression to mine, and we walk together, supporting each other.
“Don’t be too hard on her,” Kraus whispers.
“I’m not, I just don’t want her to treat you badly for what we’ve had to do.” I give his arm a squeeze.
“I know, and I’m mad, but I shouldn’t have doubted her. I don’t like that they kept us on the outside of this plan, whether it was for our benefit or not.” I wait to reply until we’re walking behind the waitress to our table and there's enough space she won’t hear me.
“What plan was that? Get married and become the leaders of our country while keeping us as mistresses?” I throw him a disgruntled gaze and take my seat next to him. Arden and June are across from us in the booth, and the sit cozily enough that I’m throwing daggers with my eyes. However, the more I look, the more I realize that they aren’t actually touching each other, it just looks like it.
A little bit of guilt hits me at assuming the worst of them. June is my sister after all. We’ve been inseparable our whole lives, but her six months away at college seem to have changed her and left me behind. Maybe it’s jealousy, it may not be her at all. However, after these last few weeks, I can’t tell.
“A round of waters for everyone to start please?” Kraus tells the teenage waiter who’s too busy gawking at us to take our order.
“Now, please.” Arden’s harsh tone snaps him out of his stupor.
“Gentle, he’s just clearly never seen us before. You’re going to have to learn to be nice to people if you’re going to be king.” June laughs at him and envy nearly splits me in half. Do they still plan on marrying each other and becoming the country’s leaders?
“I’ll work on it. Eventually. Are you all ready to talk about this weekend? Tomorrow we all need to attend the receiving ceremony for the other members of the Core Four.” I let out a little gasp, interrupting him.
“That’s a rebel term...” No one else at the table seems shocked by his easy usage of a word we essentially associate with traders.
“Sorry, we need to attend the ceremony for the other dignitaries and make sure to make good impressions. It’s better to start making allies now.” I let out a huff and how tired I am finally hits me.
Avoiding being a part of the conversation, my eyes roam around the small diner around us. Maybe fifteen tables of four can fit in this little metal building. Old memorabilia is up on the walls, pictures from before our country split off into its own territory. The pictures all stand out as the only color parts of the restaurant since everything is covered in a silver tin or aluminum. The building reminds me of the fifties diners I’ve seen in old classic movies.
“We need to do everything as a united four. Mackenzie is the next in line for throne, so we have to make sure to let her play front runner, but keep close so they know all of us,” June explains from behind her menu.
“What does it matter, I won't be next in line soon. Father wants me married and then ready to abdicate,” I answer truthfully, but the bitterness in my voice is evident. I don’t really care for being the queen, I just care that Father can wave his hand and change our fates with no effort at all.
“Fuck what Father wants. How about that?” She drops her menu and stairs at me.
I don't get a chance to answer as the bumbling waiter brings up our waters and then starts gawking again.
“We’ll take the specials, and milkshakes?” Arden asks the group.
We each answer a flavor and then the kid disappears back behind the counter again. Is service like this at every diner? I’ve never been to somewhere quite like this, but it’s mostly dead except for a few people throughout the room. The only servers I’ve seen is the lady who sat us and the kid who hasn’t even said a word to us.
I sip from my water and just watch everyone else. Arden and Kraus discuss the plans for the next day as June and I sit in silence. The longer I watch them decide our plans the more aggravated I get. How have June and I become so submissive in our lives? We are the future leaders of this country, one queen and one to sit on one of the Royal Boards. Father can play his games but one day he will have no say.
“No,” I say out loud to no one in particular.
“Huh? What Kenz?” Arden asks me.
“No. I don’t want to follow the king around like his perfect little daughter. He doesn’t want to see me anyways. I’m not going to do it. I refuse to attend his welcoming brunch, and I may not go to the festival either. He kicked me out of the ball last night, why should I show up to this stuff now?” The waiter returns with food, but everyone continues their blank stares at me.
“What do you mean no? We don’t have an option?” June asks, taking her food from the waiter and then shooing him away with her hands.
“First, that was rude. June! Don’t you see this? We are too busy running through hoops and fighting each other over boys, and a stupid crown that neither of us were supposed to wear in the first place to see what we are actually doing! No! Tomorrow I will not attend whatever stupid thing we are supposed to attend to show face. Let me know when we are signing bills or planning a war. I’ll come when it matters, but until then I won’t be kissing babies. This has taken over our lives and we aren’t even in the running if father says it so.” I’m shaking by the end, and it takes a moment for everyone to mull it over.
“Alright. So we don’t go,” Arden says. “The community already knows who we all are. The king and his council can welcome them, and then the festival is a large event. We don’t have to go.” Everyone considers what Arden has to say and like nothing happened at all, they turn their attention back to their food and start eating.
"So that's it, we don't go?" I ask. A little astounded at their ability to just be alright with whatever he says.
> "Yes. You don't want to go, so we won’t go. We can all use the time to pack anyways," Arden says around a bite of hamburger.
Maybe I’m over complicating it, but I didn't expect it to go that easy. I got what I wanted, but somehow, it doesn’t feel like a win. I take a bite of my oversized greasy burger and just sit, confused. Eventually the food is gone and regular conversation returns as they discuss our move. The apartments they’ve found and our plans for them.
Once we’re done eating, the waiter finally brings out our milkshakes. I'm too full to even fiddle with mine. I rest my head on the back of the booth and fall asleep to Arden and Kraus discussing the odds of getting a war room set up in one of the apartments. Soon, I'm being lifted from the bench seat and carried away. It wakes me enough to notice that I'm moving, but not enough for me to care.
I'm set in a seat and the smell warm musk and metal fills the cab as strong arms come around me. I snuggle in knowing its Arden and sleep until I'm lifted out of the vehicle.
My voice is groggy, but I manage to whisper, "I can walk."
I don't get a reply, but a kiss on the forehead instead. After a bright flash of lights, everything goes dark and another big movements stirs me. I'm laid in the softest sheets I've ever felt and everything smells of Arden, even when his warmth leaves me. I flip over and my hands search for him, but he's nowhere in the bed I've been laid in.
Chapter 23.
In a sleepy panic my eyes pop open and I try to look around for him. The room is pitch black and the only thing I can see is a line of light showing underneath a door. I slide off of the bed and as my hand touches the knob, quiet voices come through the door and it makes me pause to listen.
"You shouldn't have taken her from me in public like that. You both have made this whole thing about how you wanted to protect us and then you go and risk it all doing that." Kraus's voice brings back the sleepy memories from the ride home. He’s right, I didn't smell Arden until we were in the car.
"I didn't risk anything, anyways what does it matter. Do you think she’s going to go along with continuing this pretending until we figure out a plan? She won't. Here, you can have her ring back too, she won’t be needing it anymore." I almost reach for the door again, but wait when Kraus replies.
"You make it sound like you are including me now? I would have said no to this if I would have been brought in from the beginning. I don't think you fully understand what she’s been through, and then including you and her sister shacking up, I don't know how she’s still standing."
"You have the audacity to tell me I don't know what she has been through? I've been watching her from the moment we met. I see it. I know about the bruises, she winced when I touched her ribs earlier. I know how they got there." Arden's voice drops an octave and comes out almost as a growl.
"So even knowing what is happening, you spend time messing around with her sister? You let her think you gave up on her?" Kraus's voice rises and I feel the emotion coming from him all the way from the other room. I want to interrupt, but I don't want to admit to listening in.
"I didn't mess around with June. We are completely platonic or are you blind to the mess she has been because of you!"
Kraus lets out a frustrated sigh I've come to know and I feel the urge to defend him from Arden. This whole thing has been an impossible situation from day one. It’s my fault too, I didn’t hide the letters well enough and now I’ve cause this mess.
"I did what I thought was right, Arden, I had to help your girl, because she needed someone. I wasn't trying to steal her, but I will tell you if you aren't careful, you will lose her. She is sure you and June are sleeping together, and to be honest, I believed it too."
"Why on earth would she believe that?" Arden asks, but my heart is elated that this conversation seems to be pointing out that they haven't been together.
"Her maiden and a few other maidens gossip with each other. They have caught you sneaking out a few different mornings. After Mackenzie told me, I asked her maiden to keep it on the down-low. I didn't want anyone else to rub your relationship in her face." In that moment I realize just how close Kraus and I have become to each other. I truly hope he and June can work it out and I get to call him my brother one day. He deserves the title.
"Fuck, I didn't even think about that. I was with her—Mackenzie. I was with her those nights." My heart breaks in two. He's lying... "I stayed in her room with her, I didn't want her alone. And honestly, I just needed to spend some time with her."
This time, my hand hits the door knob and I swing the door open making an entrance. Both guys turn to watch me approach. I kick my dress with each step, too tired to walk like a lady.
"You stayed with me? Not her?" Arden looks me over and a warmth starts taking over my body.
"Kraus, I've got to get my girl out of that dress and ready for bed. Let's have breakfast. Be back here with June around nine please." Arden holds me with his gaze and I barely acknowledge Kraus with more than a whisper goodnight as the front door opens and shuts.
Without answering he stomps forward, throwing me gown and all, over his shoulder. We barely fit through the door frame with his large build and me ungracefully flailing about, but he maneuver us through. Gently, he sets me down before exiting the room through a different door. The squeak of knobs turning comes from what must be a bathroom before the spray of a shower starts.
Arden reappears shirtless and determined, carrying a few articles of his clothing in his hand. He bypasses me, but stops just to turn around and come sweep me up like a fireman and carry me into the bathroom. When my feet touch the floor, he backs up and challenges me with his eyes, I fight to not look down when I see him start undoing his pants in my peripheral. With his sly expression, he gives me excitement for the cat and mouse game he is starting. Continuing the tone he’s set, I retreat when he comes forward, but my back soon hits a wall and he cages me with his thickly muscular arms. I give him a defiant look, but lose all back bone when he gives me one of his seductive smirks. His lips are on mine in a flash and I familiar electricity between us comes back. His hands leave the wall and start to move across my body, sending little sparks across my skin. He jerks me against him, and suddenly my gown is pulled from my body. I gasp at the sudden loss of tight clothing around me and get a chuckle from Arden.
“Did you just tear my dress?” I ask.
“Yes, it was between us. I want you to know, that from now on, anything between us, I will destroy and remove. These games, your father’s wish, they mean nothing. As I said before, you’re mine.” His words flow directly to my heart and I initiate a deep soul soothing kiss.
When we pull away from each other, everything is right with the world. Arden leads me to a large walk-in shower with steam billowing out into the open. The shower is sort of like a conch shell, where you have to make a circle to get to the center where the showers heads are. My inner homemaker sprouts and is filled with delight at the view of the rain shower heads and design of the room. Someone put serious thought into this set up and I couldn't be more impressed. I could spend days in here easily.
Arden tugs my hand a little bit and I stumble into him and the water. Our lips meet and my arms wrap around him, holding us together like we always should have been. Hot water runs down our bodies as we meld them together. My hips wriggle against him with a mind of their own and I have to pace myself before this goes further than I’m ready for.
We move along in a slippery dance of our own until I'm so worked up I can't see straight. Arden's hands move down my back and cup my butt before breaking the kiss and pushing us under the falling water.
Arden reaches over and grabs a bar of soap, lathering his hands. Slowly he scrubs my body, pulling me closer until we’re both one sudsy mess. I return the favor, sudsing his body up and then pull him back under the spray with me.
“Kenz,” Arden whispers before pulling me closer and kissing along my neck. “I love you.”
His words set off fireworks inside of me
and goosebumps spread across my skin. I want so badly to say the words back, but I hold them down, too much is still unknown.
“Arden...” I break off, unsure what to say.
“You don’t have to say it back. Not yet. I know a great deal has happened and it feels like we’ve got lost along the way. I’ll wait.” His lips whisper the words against my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
“Thank you. It still feels like any moment, you could just leave me behind again. I still don’t know so much, everything still feels so unsure.”
“When you feel unsure, be sure of one thing. I love you, my future wife.”
“You’re still going to marry me?" My voice is so quiet, I'm sure he can barely hear my over the shower.
"I’ve wanted to marry you since I first laid eyes on you when you entered that horrible stuffy dining room. Then I was lucky enough that you were the princess I was suddenly engaged to. You looked so mad, but all I could think was how stupid your father was for giving you away like a prized steer. I was angry enough at him for you that I could have called the whole thing off in that moment, but I couldn't walk away without you. That’s why I’m still here, playing his games."
"But you did walk away without me... That’s the part of these games I don’t understand." His hands tighten in my hair at my comment, pulling me forward to give me a sweet and soft kiss.
"No, I never walked away. I’ll never walk away without you. I know you couldn't see it and there are things I still can't tell you yet, but everything that is happening and will happen, is for you and your country in the end. I don't want the stupid crown. That was the plan before I met you, but now you’re what I want. The only thing I want."
“Arden.” His name is a plea on my lips, one that he answers with a kiss that sends shocks all the way down to my toes.
The water starts to turn cold, so we both finish up our shower needs as the water starts turning cold. Arden slowly dresses us in matching white T-shirts and black boxers, in between sweet soft kisses on my drying skin. Our sweet kisses continue until we both finally succumb to exhaustion.
