A Game of Chess 2

"Go get the chess board," he said calmly. His calmness only served to upset me, because I knew for sure, it was just a facade.

I brbroughthe chessboard and laid it out on the bare table between us, and took the seat opposite him.

He put his hand on a piece, a king precisely, and rolled in between his thumb and index fingers.

"Remember Nicole?" 

I felt my heart split all over again, and I instinctively closed my eyes, as if doing that would block the memories. It only made them more vivid, the images sharper, and I opened my eyes.

"It is still a bad dream for you, isn't it? Is that why?"

I felt the lump rise in my throat, but I managed to squeal out a "what?" 

He moved the piece in his hand. "You know, Nick. I wish I had some grand move to pull right now. I wish I could say some smart line about how chess relates to what I see you doing to me, but I don't."

"What do you mean?" I asked again.

Suddenly, he pushed away the chess board violently, and it swung through the air, then fell in some distance from us. The pieces were all trashed around us, and the table knocked out of it's place. 

"How dare you have feelings for Samantha? How dare you even dare to look at her like that? Do you have no regards for me because we are friends? Do you not feel a bit of respect for me because we are friends?"

I moved away. I didn't expect that he had noticed.

"Morgan."

"It's sire. It is your highness."

I looked at him, feeling a lot sobered up. 

"Your highness, I.."

He turned away from me and punched the nearest wall. Sending a huge crack though the cement bricks. I flinched. 

"How dare you, Nick? Even if not as a friend, I trusted you. I trusted you as an aide, I trusted you like a brother."

"I..I didn't do this.."

"I told you the other time, Nick. I do not care what feelings you have for her. As long as you do not make it obvious. As long as you do not take the next step towards it. Anything for her? Are you rendering me useless and incapable, then?"

"No. That is not what I meant. It was a mistake, I admit that.

"Liar. You're doing this because of what happened with Nicole. You're doing this because you want me to pay for it, but do not have the power to attack me. You're doing this intentionally, purposely! Because of Nicole! Because of her!"

I shook my head, my emotions tumbling out. I didn't mean to. "I didn't mean to do it. I didn't mean to say it. I didn't mean to want her that way. It all happened so unexpectedly. I couldn't control it. I thought I hated her at first, but then..then I saw her.."

I let my voice trail off. He had every right to be angry, but none of this was because of Nicole. None.