Chapter 40 - Mordecai

The coronation had begun in the palace. Everyone was present at the throne room where the prince and his wives would be crowned. The royal orchestra played music for the guest as they waited for the arrival of the prince and his wives.

Alexander dressed in white from head to toe came to the throne room and stops in waiting for Olivia and Francis. Olivia was next to arrive and she too was wearing a beautiful ball gown.

"Where is your so-called love. Is he upset about our kiss?" she poked at Alexander.

"He will be here."

"He should know better than to keep the prince and a pregnant woman waiting for him for no reason," she commented.

"I am here," Francis said to take a place by Alexander's side. He stared forward sparing no attention to either of them.

"Announcing the arrival of prince Alexander, prince Francis, and princess Olivia," the guard announced and opened the door.

The music played, the three of them made their way into the room with harmonious steps. They got to the front of the room and each knelt before the crown.

The queen came down from her throne and stood in front of them. She waved her pointer the crowns were brought to her. She stared down at her son and Francis and couldn't help but smile.

"With the power vested in me as the queen of Arimelari, I hereby crown you king of Arimelari," she announced placing the crown on top of Francis and Alexander's head.

"All hail the kings," she said.

"All hail the kings," the crowd chanted in unison.

She moved to stand in front of Olivia, she took the crown and placed it on her head without saying anything.

"All hail the queen."

"All hail the queen," the people said.

Alexander rose and went ahead to sit on his throne, Olivia and Francis followed his lead and took their respective seats by each side of Alexander.

"Let the festival begin," Alexander announced and everyone present in the room who was standing took their seats. The food was served and the entertainers made their way into the room. A large table was brought to the king and their food was kept well in front of them.

"Shall we eat?" Alex asked facing Francis.

"Yes," he replied not feeling in the mood to talk much.

The maids served their food and drinks. And the feast began after Alexander took his first bite of the food. They ate in silence with the dancers dancing to entertain them.

Francis looked at the guest sitting in the hall, he smiled at his mother and sister and waved at them. His smile dropped when his eyes met with his eyes. He glanced down recalling the talk they had earlier that day.

*Flashback*

Francis ran away from the courtyard in a hurry he rushed back into the palace. He was feeling suffocated in the palace and wanted to anywhere else but there. A hand pulled him away from the corridors into one of the rooms.

He wiped his tears and looked up. "What are you doing?" he asked the man holding him.

"Helping you with a shoulder to lean on," he said with a bright smile.

"What does that mean?"

"I am here if you need help with anything. Just let me know what it is you need and I will help you get it," he offered.

"And why would you do that?"

"Consider it a favor. You can repay it later," he said and let him go. "If you want we can start with that woman from the courtyard," he added to him.

"I d..don't need your help," he said and walked to the door. He thought about Olivia's words and Alexander. The way things were going, he was standing on the losing end of everything. He turned his head to face Mordecai. "How do you intend to help me?" he asked.

"Just tell me what you want and I will help you get it done," he said confidently.

"I want Olivia far away from my husband," he said and walked out. He went to his room and let the servants help him get ready for the coronation.

*End of flashback*

He glanced back at the man, Mordecai had his eyes on him too and didn't look away. He wondered what the man wanted from him to have made such a deal with him. What he wondered most was how he was going to do what he had asked of him. And whether or not he was capable of that which he asked for.

Mordecai stood up from his seat and took slow steps towards him. Francis's breath hitched and he became nervous as to why the man was coming to him right before everyone. He swallowed nervously and looked down.

"Greetings my king," Mordecai greeted causing Alexander to look up from his food. He smiled with surprise on seeing the one who greeted him.

'I am doomed,' Francis screamed internally.

"Brother," Alexander said to Mordecai. Francis looked up from the table shocked at what he had just heard.

The queen got up from his seat and ran down to her son and hugged him. The hug lasted for a couple of minutes before she broke it. She took the prince by the ears and pulled him.

"How dare you miss your father's funeral?" she asked not minding their surrounding.

"What do you mean. I was there," he said and whispered something to her.

"Oh, that is nice. Now come here and eat with your mother," she said and ordered for a chair to be brought for him. His chair was kept next to the Queen's chair. The queen personally served him his food and fed him. "You've grown so thin," she stated.

"Brother, it is good that you have come. I have a lot to tell you," Alexander said to him and helped pass his mother more food to feed to him.

"Sure, but please stop with that," Mordecai said warning him against giving more food to their mother. Alexander ignored him and gave more food to the queen.

Francis watched the scene with awe, he had never seen the two acting like that before, they were always so serious at the dining table and spoke less with each other but with the prince, they were being so warm and friendly.

"Alexander," Olivia called out. "Won't you announce the good news to your subjects?" she asked referring to the news of her pregnancy. Alexander nodded and stood up to speak.

"Brother, I have come home after so long. How dare you ignore me after only five minutes," the prince complained to him. Alexander closed his mouth and sat down, he asked for his chair to be moved next to the prince forcing Olivia to move next to Francis.

"I am all your brother. Tell me how can I be of service to the prince?" he asked.

"Start by telling me all that I missed while I was gone," he said. He looked over to Francis and winked at him before turning back to his brother.

The party went on for the rest of the night with all of Alexander's attention paid to his brother. The queen's mother and the king babied the prince the whole night treating him with much care as though he was a fragile glass that would break if they let him be on his own.

Olivia frowned the whole night, she cursed the return of the prince as he stole the spotlight from her making himself the center of attention. She had planned that after her pregnancy was announced then the guest would congratulate her and even she would become the Queen mother like her mother in law and hence have more power but thanks to the prince making an appearance her dream was shattered.

"We should think of getting the prince married, don't you think so my king," Olivia suggested getting Alexander's attention.

"If you think so then," he said and paused. Olivia smiled that she would get a way to keep the prince away from the king for a while. "Then it's definitely what we shouldn't do," Alexander added.

"I have just returned my queen, why do you wish to get rid of me so quickly?" Mordecai asked frowning. His mood went from happy to sad hearing what she had to say. His words pricked Alexander and the queen's mother's heart. They both glared at Olivia.

"Alexander, if you can't control your wife then at least make sure she doesn't talk around people at all," the Queen's mother said.

Alexander looked at Olivia, his icy gaze sending shivers down her spine. She bit her tongue and kept quiet, she scolded herself for saying anything. She had learned from past incidents that Alex can't stand his brother being anything but happy and anyone who ruins his mood was punished. In the past, she dared speak because she had Alex's favor but that protective shield was gone now and she had to watch her tongue around him.

"I think that you have forgotten your limits.. As the king, I order you to stay far away from me for the next 100 days," he said to her.