A Lesson

NOWEL

"Alexander!"

I pushed the doors open and stormed into his room with my jaw clenched and nose flaring.

"What?"

My jaws went slack at the arousing sight of his exposed chest. All the anger I carried with me all day about his unreasonable decisions in court today disappeared the moment our eyes met. My eyes quickly wandered off anywhere from his exposed chest, drawing short grunting sounds at the back of my throat.

"Ops, sorry. I s-should have knocked or announced my arrival." I rumbled, pinching the sides of my dress.

I should have knocked. Eye-god, why am I acting like this? We are married! Well, according to him we are not. Which is still confusing and demands a reasonable explanation as to why he thinks we are not.

I peeked and faced him once more when he had something on and began with why I barged in the first place.

"Alexan-"

"Don't ever call me that!"

I swallowed. Okay, I won't.

"Michael, please tell me why you agreed to teach those peasants a lesson. You can't just execute a bunch of people for not paying their taxes! What kind of a leader would do that?!"

He folded his arms across his chest, answering my question.

This kind of leader.

I bit my lower lips at the absurdity of all this. He won't hear me out if I should compete with his ego and stubbornness. I should try pleading. Maybe he would listen. "Please, don't do this to them. It does not solve the problem."

"Oh, it doesn't? Tell me what I should do to make a set of lawless, mindless minorities pay their task?"

I took in a deep breath at the temerity to insult my people. They are not mindless and they are being lawless for a reason. The damned court is being unjust to them.

"And what made you think I would listen to you?" He asked.

A very good question.

Hmm...Maybe because I am your wife and you do not know what you're doing.

I was so tempted to say that to him, but the consequences would be worse.

There is only one way out of this to prevent the certain doom Michael has passed on to those innocent villagers.

I would have to humble myself to the least point and seek his sympathy.

So, I went on my two knees and begged. My heart began to beat faster as he moved closer with confusion written on his face.

"That won't work either. I have made my decision."

Calm down Nowel, calm down. Take in deep breaths. He is doing this because he has no idea what he is doing.

I gulped. Yes, no idea what he is doing. He is about to be pushed by the members of the royal court to commit a very, great sin. A sin which the eye-god himself won't overlook and there would be severe consequences and the bone-chilling wrath of the eye-god- wait, am I overthinking this?

"Please," I emphasized, and he scoffed.

The nerve of this demon sometimes.

"I...beg you in the name of the eye God-"

"Now don't drag religion into this." He warned.

Fine.

What else would soften that cold heart of yours?

"Just...leave the room for me...you are making me feel uncomfortable."

An idea crept into my mind causing a smile to form on my face.

I rose to my feet. "I make you feel uncomfortable?"

"Every time." He rolled his eyes.

"Why...don't we make a little deal about that?"

He sighed. "Princess-"

"Don't ever call me that. I am a queen now."

He shifted a little as I cut him short, but relaxed by giving me one of his best signature glares.

"I don't care. And I do not make deals."

"Then don't see it as a deal. See it as you doing a favor for a favor." I smiled.

He gave me a look that made me feel dumb. A favor for a favor still feels like a deal. "Just hear me out, would you?" I begged.

He hesitated but later gave up and, "Fine. What is it?"

"I will promise to keep my distance and ease you of my...discomforting presence if you promise to reconsider the sentence you passed on those innocent rebel villagers."

He was quiet as he processed what I said. Then he came closer by a step.

"You know," He began, "I was thinking of ways to save those protesters, but when you interfered with those..." He traced a finger down to my lips and placed it there. Blood flooded my cheeks and I did not understand why my body acted like that with his touch. "sharp lips of yours and I changed my mind."

"You really shouldn't interfere in matters, Your Highness. As some may find it appreciating...others find it repulsing."

He removed his fingers from my lips and I watched as he cleaned that same finger with his clothes.

That was...

"Annoying. It's very annoying. You should stop, and this should teach you a lesson."

He said and walked past me and out of the room.

What was that?