Chapter 211: to help a friend

James Pov

"My lady, it really is being late, why not you visit marquess palace, I would show you the estate personally.'' I offered and she smiled shyly.

"Alright then, I would personally make a beautiful painting of the estate, my lord" she bd her head and I took a sigh of relief as we bid our final goodbyes.

"Where the hell were you all the time?" I just could not believe that Marianne left me with that lady all the time and she was ready to get married right away, only I knew how I had saved my innocence there!!

"I apologise, brother, father and my discussion turned a bit long and when I returned an old friend met me there, it was not like I had planned it" she apologised but there was no sincerity in it.

"Who was that lady who came to meet you?" I asked as I was sure she did not belong to this empire, at least not by birth.

"She is her majesty, the empress, brother" she whispered as if she was afraid that anyone would hear it though we both were the only ones in the carriage.

I would not say that I was not surprised! So she was really a queen! In fact, much more than that! I would have been surprised if she would not have been one!

"Brother, did you like Rebecca?" 

I shook my head as I did not even want to remember her.

"Mari, have the girls been this advanced these days?"

"Ah, telling what we will and speaking about what we desire is not being advanced, brother. This is the basic nature of humans. You can not expect us to always be silent just because we are women, do you?" she asked with humour but I knew she was mocking me and I sighed.

I never said that women did not have the right to speak or express their desires but getting too close to a man whom you met for the first time did not sit well with me.

"Do not worry, mother has found a long list for you, even a royal princess is on the list but I think she is a bit young for you."

"She is 19 right?" I asked as I had seen her last time she was just a kid.

"Yes, and you are 28" 

"I am, have I ever denied that, and don't forget you and your husband also have 7 years of difference."

"That is a mistake," she said with a bitter tone and I felt my heart clenched. From the start, I knew that it was a mistake but she did not listen, and now that she had come so far she was accepting defeat. Naive or fool only God knows! 

"Mari, what is in your mind, are you not happy there?" I asked though I was sure I had seen worry in that fool's eyes when he came running to see if his wife was ok, or else why had I let him go without sparring with him!

"I am... I do not know brother. It feels like I am constantly on a battleground when I am there. I feel tired" I rubbed her head as I felt bad for her.

I had felt that things had improved or was I wrong?!

"That man, with your husband, who was he?"

"Who?"

"The man who said that he is living as a guest there. He was looking like a foreigner too. His eyes were deep golden and so as his face was fairer and wider" 

"I wonder how did you ever see so much when the sun was already set and not to forget that you were sparring with me"

"Not everyone is blind like you"

"Why is everyone mocking me, not that you all are perfect?"

"Who else had the courage to mock you? Tell me and I would break all his bones"

"Ha! You did get a chance but you chose chess"

"Oh, so you want me to break the bones of your husband, well that is not difficult. I was just worried that you would be angry, but since you are the one who is asking I would gladly do that" 

"Like you would get another chance!" she said as she looked out of the window.

"Of course, I would, he would be here with that kid in a week" she looked at me surprised as if she was not expecting it at all, which made me wonder did she not have any confidence in the love she had poured on them of her relationship? Could she not see how uncomfortable they both were when she was leaving the palace! Love surely makes the people blind but so is wrath and lack of confidence.

"By the way, reaching the palace we are going to spar" 

"And why would that be"

"So that I can show you my new techniques,"

"And who said that I want to learn them?"

"My lord we have reached the palace."

I nodded as we both walked in.

"I will see you in training ground in half an hour"

"My lord, you have an invitation from the royal palace."

I nodded as I was expecting that, whenever any higher up return from the border they invite him for a meal as a thank you but in the end, all they wanted was to know the detail of the border and know the insides of the story as if there was not war but drama, but the marriage had ended the war too, I did know what else do they want.

"The messenger is waiting for your reply, my lord"

"Reply him affirmatively, it will be my honour to have dinner with his majesty."

"Thank you, my lord"

"Can I come with you brother?" said Marianne and I were surprised as I knew she hated political dinner.

"And why would that be?'' I asked, raising a brow as suddenly it felt that there were some changes in her that I was not aware of.

"To help more to a friend"

"..."