A Little More About Him

"The king, my cousin Rainier, never had a relationship with any women before you. It was all just--physical for him. Until you came along, Madam Gwen. You must be the only woman that mattered for him. He chose you, and he made you his queen. There are things that I know about him, but it's very personal, and I hope that he'll be willing to share it with you himself. Perhaps he needs more time for that."

"He tells me nothing," she replied, choking with her own emotion. "What I know about him comes from books. He never spoke about himself, or why he brought me here."

"Please wait a little bit more, Ma'am. Maybe he will tell you more about himself soon."

Gwen was not convinced. She was sure Samantha was just unwilling to share more about the king.

"I feel so alone," Gwen confessed, her eyes were brimming with tears. "I can barely talk to him, or anyone here. Would you--would you mind if we--"

It was an embarrassing moment for her. She wanted to ask the duchess to be her friend.

"I'll accompany you as much as I could, Ma'am. I promise I will see you at least twice a week. Besides that, I must work, as you know, I'm the Chief Medical Officer in the Mental Hospital that I run."

"Twice a week sounds good."

"If you don't mind, I think we better cut this now, Ma'am. You drained a lot of your energy to speak to me today."

"The anti-depressants--?"

Samantha was quiet for a moment, thinking hard.

"I apologize. Let me write the prescription."

Without telling Gwen, Samantha prescribed some anti-depressants that would be safe for women who were trying to conceive or was already pregnant.

After giving her the paper, she bowed, gave her her name card, then wished her better health.

*************************************************

Samantha was ordered to share the recorded consultation. No matter what, Rainier was still the king. She couldn't deny him, even if she wanted to.

He was confused to see his cousin. She looked shaken. Well, he knew she would be. Gwen's story was a shocking one.

"So, what's your diagnosis, Sam?"

"It's not wise to form an opinion after just one consultation, but it's clear to me that she's suffering from severe anxiety and depression. Didn't expect that," she said, sitting down.

The word "suffering" sounded so loud in Rainier's ears.

"Share the audio with me," he ordered.

"Are you sure? You might hate to hear it."

"Just send it to me."

Samantha obeyed. She sent him the recorded audio.

Then she stood up and began pacing.

"My years of expertise tell me that she's also suffering from delusions. But, it's not true, isn't it?"

"What is it?"

She took a deep breath, and faced him.

"Your Majesty. Cousin. Ray. There's a possibility that my body might float at the Oriel Sea tomorrow morning, but.....if it's not me, who else will speak to you?"

Rainier stared at his cousin.

"Ray, the magic staff that could open the path to different worlds is just a myth, right?"

He's good at masking his expression and saying nothing.

"You didn't kidnap, rape, and lock the queen in this palace, right?"

His expression remained stoic, and Samantha walked forward, nearing his desk, to see his eyes clearer.

She stared at him. Emotion made her eyes water.

"Tell me you didn't, Ray."

And he still refused to say anything.

"The queen is not in a good place mentally. Push her more, and based on my experience, someone in her condition would be suicidal."

Samantha heard his shocked intake of breath.

"Her story was horrible, but as a human, I feel what she said was real. It's not a delusion, because I've heard about the magic staff, the mythical key that could open the door to different worlds. We're cousins, Ray. We had the same grandparents, we heard the same fairy tales. I've never seen it, but what she said was not entirely baseless. How many times did Grandpa tell us the story?"

"If what she said was true, I've witnessed her strength. Someone under such pressure, but is still wise enough to seek clinical counsel."

"And I have concluded, she's the right queen for this kingdom. The problem is, do you deserve her, Ray???"

Rainier tightened his jaw. "Sam, that's enough."

"Everyone will die in the end, Ray. Including me. If my death would be by your order, then so be it. But we have the same blood. We are family. I have the right to speak up my mind, I'm second in line to the throne, anyway. Treat her better. That's one request from me."

"When I got my first degree, I offered to give you treatment for PTSD. But you refused. I've offered many times since then, but you keep refusing. And I gave up too easily. Maybe that's my sin. The queen doesn't know it, but I am ashamed of myself. I had the ability to prevent your behavior to her, but I gave up. And now it's too late. Besides myself, I am also ashamed of you, Ray. I am utterly, completely disappointed in you. The only remedy is if you're willing to treat her better."

"Do me a favor. If you want to get rid of me, kill me in a way that wouldn't ruin my face or figure. I want to look great even in my coffin."

For the first time in their adult life, Samantha left him without bowing.

********************

Rainier stared at the audio file for some time, before finally clicking it. Samantha was right. He hated it. He hated hearing Gwen sound devastated, stressed, and horribly hurt, knowing he was the cause.

He realized his palms turned clammy, and it was harder to breathe as he continued hearing it.

Then he heard the part where Gwen said she missed him when she couldn't see him. She's falling but she also hated him.

He stopped breathing for a few seconds.

Gwen? Falling? For me?

The feeling was like having an orgasm and being stabbed in the chest at the same time. It felt like heaven and hell, combined. He's deliriously happy, but he also knew he had caused her tremendous pain, and felt he didn't deserve it.

Desperate for fresh air, he opened a window and inhaled gulps of oxygen.

I have hurt her so much, but she says she's falling for me.

Although his focus and emotion was entirely elsewhere, Rainier forced himself to finish the rest of his schedule for the day.

He craved to be by her side, but he's a king, and he got a lot of things to do.

But later that night, he'd go to her.