Chapter 65: The Crown (2)

Ernest realized something serious for the first time. He began to reject the very existence of women due to being oppressed by his vicious sisters. Ernest never experienced sexual desire.

It was a rather miserable situation like a man.

At balls, despite his responsibility to assure a line of succession, he could not bring himself to choose a woman. They were beautifully dressed, pressing their bosom against him in a bit for his attention, staring at him trying to be both alluring and demure,

'What kind of woman do you like, my Prince?'

'If you choose me, our house will surely be of help to you, your Highness.'

'You know, I have been talking about you for a long time, your Highness…' (Zuben: What the fuck have you been talking about?)

But he saw right through them.

One young lady liked to look down on others.

Another was pompous though she tried to hide it

Another lady looked graceful and magnanimous but in truth was a spiteful woman. (Zuben: All these could be one woman)

To be Queen, the ladies simpered and clung to Ernest. It was all in vain. Because of the lessons, he learned from his vicious sisters, he found it easy to deduce their true nature. (Zuben: Villainess radar)

In the end, balls became a nightmare for Ernest.

Every time, he went to one and the perfumed mob gathered he fought rising nausea and his growing aversion to women.

Eventually, the senior vassals gave up on the idea of Ernest every marrying. Ernest himself realized that he may never react sexually to a woman, ever.

One evening, during the fall of his twenty-eight year, Ernest was trying to fight nausea that was growing from seeing his friend's wife crying – in public.

'Matthias…!' she cried.

'Oh, I just…Amber introduced me to her beau, Damian…but then, we had a nice time chatting and…and Amber began to glare at me.' she recounted between sobs

The Countess of Reinfeldt, Matthias' wife, looked up at him with doe-like eyes, like a little fragile animal. Large clear tears fell from her big green eyes.

The gentlemen around her were taken with the display.

They stared at her in adoration.

Ernest could not understand theirs or Matthias' taste. What could he have been thinking when he fell for this kind of woman?

What did Countess Reinfeldt think she was playing at? This was not their home; it was a royal ball. You should not be crying so unabashedly in public, at a royal ball, even if you were scorned, insulted or bitten by someone.

Did she not think about the reputation of the woman she was talking about?

'Why is Amber doing such terrible things? I…I love Amber…' (Zuben: Why are you doing terrible things to Amber?)

'Yes, yes Letty.'

'Why doesn't she understand?' she asked tearfully.

Oh, this woman Amber was Leticia's sister; the second daughter of the Reinfeldt house: A supposedly awful woman.

But Leticia was no better; she did not seem to be conscious of the power of her tears. She used the tears unconsciously showing her weakness in public. Ernest thought that her behavior was worse than his sisters.

'Matthias, I will leave you to it.' He said.

He had reached his limit.

He left the ballroom without waiting for Matthias' reply, headed straight for his hidden room that was protected by a bookshelf in his library.

Once inside, he headed straight for the window and opened it to let air in. He stood in the darkness taking in the fresh air trying to clear nausea and disgust that had built up. It had been rather intense;

he hadn't had an attack in a long while.

He took deep breaths to inhale the fresh air.

Soon he settled.

'

-I hate you, Leticia!' A sorrowful cry cut through the cool autumn night to Ernest's tympanic membrane.