Chapter 15 - Royal Wedding (5)

The wedding continued with Alexander's other wives put forth tasks, challenges, and performances to impress the prince but so far none of them succeeded. Francis helped when he was stuck and he did the rest.

"Now let's welcome one of the three favorite wives of the prince. Princess Sofia."

The princess went to the stage. She ordered the royal orchestra to play a song for her. "Today I shall dance with the prince," she said and got her servants in line. She directed them on how to dance the way that they had practiced. It was not allowed for princesses or queens to dance in public hence she didn't dance.

Francis watched the dance but got bored fence he diverted his attention to the young servant girl from earlier. He still had yet to figure her out, his gut told him that they had met and were familiar with one another but how was what bothered him. His eyes accidentally met with the queen's, the queen gave him silent applause and slightly bowed her head to him.

He recalled the conversation that they had in his room the previous day before princess Olivia interrupted them. He smiled back at the queen and bowed his head too out of respect. The performance ended and everyone looked at the prince to see whether or not he liked the performance.

"The dance was nice. I believe such a performance deserves a thousand gold coins from the royal treasury," announced Francis before Alexander could speak. His announcement sent the whole crowd into another shock. Even the prince's wives could not understand what they had heard. What Francis had just done was something that even Olivia had never dared to do in all her years of being the special Queen. "And as part of your reward you will be promoted to the prince's special wife," he added.

"I am sorry but you do not have the right to make such a decision. You are yet to marry the prince hence you still don't possess any authority here. Only the prince can give such a reward and no one else," said a furious Olivia who was fed up with Francis's behavior. She has had enough of the boy's demand and announcements. Francis glanced at the queen who nodded her head to him and smiled at Olivia.

"That is where you are wrong. I do have the right to announce this as I am in charge of the palace and the treasury is part of the palace. Sofia is also one of Alexander's wives who are under me, I can reward her if I see it fit," he said in a matter-of-fact tone that left no room for discussion.

He turned around and faced the prince, looking directly into his eyes. "Do you disagree with my decision?" he asked him. Alexander found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place as both Olivia and Francis stared at him. He looked away from both of them and glanced at the crowd and found that everyone was watching him. Waiting to see which of the two he would side with.

The flapping in his heart from before began again and Nayla got to her feet and moved close to the prince. She could feel Francis's soul trying to return to Francis. She couldn't let that happened as that would awaken the Eno nesohc in Francis and he will try to kill Alexander. She chanted a spell under her breath that put Francis's soul in form of a butterfly to sleep. She knew that the solution wasn't permanent and the stronger his soul grew the harder it will be to control it but it was all he could think of at the moment.

Alexander calmed down when the flapping in his heart stopped, he peeped at Francis but his eyes were directed somewhere else. He followed Francis's eyes to see what he was staring at to find him looking at that girl again. He frowned and cleared his throat to get the man's attention. Francis looked at him curiously.

"I think that as per my earlier announcement Francis has every right to make such decisions," he said. He couldn't kill the feeling in him that Francis was attracted to that maid and jealousy drove him to agree with Francis. He wanted that Francis looks at him like that and not some other girl. He would do anything for that to happen.

The queen smiled at what her son said and helped Olivia who was too shocked to react to be seated. She praised her victory, she was proud of her plan to save her son from the witch that sat next to her. Her heart was filled with warmth to see how it didn't take much at all for Francis to achieve something that she couldn't do for many years.

Princess Sofia's heart was filled with joy as her dream to become a special wife had come true. She was also to receive a thousand gold coins from the prince and she couldn't be happier.

"Next on stage is princess Olivia the special princess of Arimelar..."

"Stop," Francis screamed interrupting the guard. "I have yet to give princess Olivia this title so I would appreciate it if you don't call her a special princess. She is merely a princess and the prince's wife," he added.

"I had prepared a gift for the prince but I do not wish to participate anymore," she confessed.

"I insist that you show us this surprise princess. I would consider it an insult not just to myself but the prince if you refuse. And anyone who insults the prince will be punished accordingly," he stated and forces Olivia to get up and head to the stage.

"I prepared a game of archery for the prince. I don't know if he will be willing to pay or not," she said in tears. She bites her lower lip as the tears flowed from her eyes. "But I would be happy if he did," the prince on seeing Olivia in tears got up from his seat to go to her. Francis held his hand and stopped him.

"Stop," he said but Alexander didn't listen. Had yanked Francis's hand away and ran to Olivia's side. He took Olivia into his hand and comforted her, he felt guilty about what he had done.

"Have this written down that every right that I have given to Francis today shall be shared equally with Olivia.. Both shall bear the title of true prince and princess," he announced to the whole of Arimelari to make it up to Olivia.