30 Holding hands

"It is not as it looks like." it gushed out of Liz in a hurry.

While queen Diana obviously enjoyed the show, which her conspiratorial smile indicated, King Richard radiated a vibrant blue aura.

Unlike queen Diana, he was strongly opposed to the idea that Eleanor should nurse Ares.

He had pleaded for a maid to nurse him.

But he was afraid to receive queen Diana's wrath.

However, if he had known that Ares would take advantage of Eleanor with his situation then he would have accepted the beating of queen Diana, if it means to save his daughter from that lustful wolf.

Just when he was about to speak, queen Diana took over.

"Hoho it's good to be young. Don't be ashamed when I and your father were at your age we did the same thing or even worse. Then we will leave you two guys so you can have some quality time." the queen winked at her daughter.

She pulled the king and gave him a threatening look which signalled if he dare to interfere the two lovebirds she would reveal the shameless things which he had done to her.

Resigned, the king left the room with the queen.

In the end he was a henpecked husband.

A/N: A husband who never dared to contradict his wife.

It was foolish of him to believe he could challenge her.

Sometimes he wonders whether he was the husband in their relationship and whether his behaviour could endanger their marriage one day.

He could not exclude the possibility that his queen might leave him for a more manly man one day.

King Richard shook his head.

'I will prove her how much of a man I am tonight.' he thought.

Authors comment: King Richard is a shy man in the streets but a beast in the sheets.

Meanwhile at Liz's

Liz still had to process what just happened and when her brain started to work again, she almost died of shame.

Eleanor's parents and the maids totally misunderstood her!

It was unpleasant for her that her parents and the maids encouraged her to do something shameless to Ares.

But what did Eleanor's parents mean when they were at their age, that they had done something even more shameless?

She did not want to imagine it and tried to bury her curiosity.

Because she had the feeling that her curiosity might punish her regarding this topic.

"Don't leave me." Ares murmured weakly and held her wrist.

Liz: …

When the first rays of sunlight fell into the room in the morning, Ares slowly opened his eyelids and the image with which he was greeted was a sleeping Ethan who was holding his hand.

'Gross.' Ares thought and slapped his hand away.

Though his memories of last night were blurry, he was convinced that he was holding Eleanor's palm.

Flashback

Torn what Liz should do now, she bit her lower lip.

The idea of holding hands with Ares all night, standing by his side, made her stomach turn somersaults.

When she was about to surrender to her fate, the door of the bed chamber was torn wide open.

It was Ethan standing at the door and he did not seem very pleased with the scene he witnessed.

A still half unconscious Ares who obviously takes advantage of his sister!

With elephant steps he came towards the two.

"I will take over from here." Ethan hissed.

The slow-witted Eleanor/Liz did not understand that her brother was so moody just for her sake.

Instead, she interpreted that he was jealous of her.

'Perhaps he does not make a move to Lilly, because he has some feelings for Ares.' she concluded.

'Poor Ethan, the current society does not yet accept same-sex couples. It will take a long time before this view will be established.' Liz pitied him.

Even in her era same-sex couples were not fully accepted.

'But it would be interesting if this novel would be rewritten as a bl novel.' Liz openly conceded to herself.

Suddenly had an epiphany.

'Could it be that Ares did not want to bring Ethan and Lilly together at that time because he has feelings for Ethan, but his love is doomed to failure and therefore he had such a dejected expression?' Liz connected.

Unaware what was going on in his sister's mind, Ethan tried in vain to free Eleanor from Ares grip.

He clung as tightly as a cat to the leg of its owner.

After a while Ethan managed to free Eleanor from Ares grip.

Ares then reached around again and got hold of Ethan's hand which he mistook with Eleanor's hand.

At that moment Ethan knew that he had to sacrifice himself for his little sister.

"I will leave you guys alone then" Liz winked at Ethan and left the bed chamber.

Somehow Ethan had the feeling that his little sister just misunderstood him.

End of flashback

Ethan was now also awake and stared motionless at Ares.

"Don't think to high of yourself. I was not the one who clung to my hand like a monkey." Ethan scoffed and rubbed his hand.

When Ares wanted to rebuke him, Eleanor came in.

She brought in two tablets with breakfast and placed them next to the bedside table.

"Are we lacking maids or why are you doing this?" Ethan commented in an annoyed tone.

"It is the least I can do for you after you took over my responsibility. And I still have to nurse Ares according to mother." Liz replied courteously.

"He is obviously feeling better now. He is not a toddler after all." Ethan noticed dryly.

"So, you left me here alone with him?" Ares puzzled together and his eyes narrowed.

"Yes, why not? After all you seem to have a strong liking for my brother." Liz said in feigned innocence.

Ares eyebrows flinched in displeasure at Eleanor's reply.

He had the strong feeling, that in her words there was a hidden meaning.

But before Ares could defend himself, Ethan interfered.

"He sure has. I still feel sore and exhausted from yesterday, Ethan hinted wrong and did not realize how wrong his words sounded.

Afternoon in the kingdom of Margonia

Princess Eleanor held a tea party in the royal garden where many noble ladies were invited.

Liz did not feel comfortable with this, as such tea parties are meant for gossiping.

Furthermore, she does not want to be a burden to her parents, who did everything they could to prevent her memory loss from being exposed to the public.

She would arouse suspicion if she continues to refuse invitations zo banquets, tea parties etc..

So, the best way would be to organize a tea party yourself.

Bored by the clucking of the noble ladies, Liz looked around and noticed the presence of a little chubby figure in front of her.

The little chubby figure knelt down and offered her a rose.

"For you My Lady." said Tommy with a serious expression.

Little short story

Young crown prince Richard and his fiancée Diana

In a fancy carriage sat a young delicate noble lady with wavy red hair and bright red eyes.

She looked out of the window and sank into her thoughts.

Today was the day!

The day she will dissolve her engagement to crown prince Richard!

Now she only had to persuade him.

If she were to break off the engagement, this could be seen as an offense against the royal family, as long as she has no valid reason.

Her so-called valid reason would only be mocked.

If he broke off the engagement, this could possibly shame her family's reputation and she would be labelled as the abandoned crown princess by the society.

It's not as if this title means anything to her but her parents would be deeply hurt for their daughter.

But it would be a completely different story if both parties did not seek the engagement.

So, the young, determined Diana made her way to the palace.

Since Diana strived to a quiet, carefree life as a wealthy duchess daughter.

Who the hell would voluntarily give that up to become a royal breeding machine and for a playboy husband who has many concubines beside him.

Even if it is a custom no thanks, Diana thought.

When the carriage stopped and Diana was led by a butler to the crown prince, she was calmer than ever.

Everything had been played in her head.

A neat break up I'm coming, Diana thought.

Diana then sat opposite the crown prince in the audience room.

They were both on the same wavelength.

"I wonder what gives me the honor of my fiancée asking for an audience with me."

"I will come straight to the point. I want to dissolve the engagement. But I want it to appear in the public eye as a mutual break up. I hope you cooperate with me your Highness." Diana said in a business tone

Richard's mouth twitched.

"And what is the reason if I may ask?"

'Ughh why can't he play along?!'

For a brief moment Diana rolled her eyes but this did not scape the crown prince.

"Because I don't know his Highness and I don't want to be married to a stranger." Diana feigned in innocence.

That was the only plausible reason she could make up in such a short time.

She could not reveal her real reason.

Richard pulled himself out of the armchair and was about to dismiss the audience with his departure.

Before that he notified Diana:

"Then I will be looking forward to get to know Lady Diana better."

'What a jerk.'

And we all know how it ended up…