The Baron's Deceitful Wife

<p>"Are you set about this, Nicholas?" The voice of the golden haired, bearded man in front of him, thundered all over the high ceiling court. Even though he was the only man inside the court in the interim, it didn't hold back the King from his booming tirade.<br/><br/><br/>"Yes, Your Highness," Was all he could utter as the Head of the land, His Highness Arthur Mcvon, a pure royal blood that runs the whole continent of Clevon, keeps a lengthy silence. The golden haired King was deep in his thoughts.<br/><br/><br/>"How long has it been, Nicholas?" He queries after a deafening silence.<br/><br/><br/>"It has been six long years, Your Highness," He was resolute to keep his eyes on the smooth ceramic tiles. The longer he stared at it, the more he realized how hazardous it is. He wondered how many slipping accidents happened on these tiles due to its excessive smoothness.<br/><br/><br/>A pair of leather shoes appeared in his sight, he would look up to quench his curiosity, but the knowledge that he was alone with the King only meant one thing, it's the King himself.<br/><br/><br/>A strong hand patted his shoulder, "Stand up, Nicholas. I could not talk to you with your eyes down the floor, one would think I had such a horrid face," It was apparent that the Highness was jesting. However, he could not do it without the King's order. It is a huge offense for a commoner to look at his Master eye to eye. No, he is not a commoner anymore but it is a difficult habit to break.<br/><br/><br/>"My apologies, Your Highness, but I would rather stare at the floor," He remained his eyes on the shiny tiles. The mosaic pattern looks pleasing to the eyes, it adds to the magnificence of the whole golden room.<br/><br/><br/>"This lad," His Highness shakes his head with the stubbornness displayed in front of him. "Look up, you fool. That's an order if you're doubting," he said tsk-ing. <br/><br/><br/>"I could never make you do something willingly," The King adds in afterthought. <br/><br/><br/>Nicholas couldn't help but smirk at the golden King's words, though he was careful to keep it away from the King's gaze. He would definitely receive a reprimanding. With how the King treats his subjects, one would think he's dealing with a bunch of kids, himself included.<br/><br/><br/>The King slowly took steps back to the huge cushion throne in the middle of the court. The same as everything else in the room, it was also decorated with gold. One would say King Arthur definitely belongs in this room with his golden hair. It's his den, his lair.<br/><br/><br/>Once the King was seated, he looked at Nicholas again, a prominent frown marring his forehead. His blue eyes were always seeking for answers. It would make anyone uncomfortable and act out of their wits.<br/><br/><br/>"What does Beale have to say about this?" The King ceased his perusing gaze and sighed in defeat. It would be useless to talk him out of the decision he had made that took five years of his time to think about.<br/><br/><br/>"The Archduke gave me his blessing, Your Highness," Nicholas didn't want to go through all the necessary steps he had taken to present the idea. Someone would suffer from the plan, but he found out he does not give a damn about it anymore. That person put him through a vast amount of insult and humiliation through the last years. The Archduke understands all of it.<br/><br/><br/>"That old Beale did? He was the most adamant one to keep you," The King, amused by the thought, chuckles in delight.<br/><br/><br/>Don't misunderstand, the King and the Archduke weren't in rivalry at all. They're the weirdest royals he has seen in his poor existence, but at the same time the kindest. They're good friends but would laugh at each other's misfortune. It's a weird dynamic between royal families, the two were cousins after all.<br/><br/><br/>"Well, His Highness, the Archduke gave me the nod, Your Highness. Now, stamp it," Nicholas suggested at the paper the King was holding all this time. It was a legal document that would only need the royal seal to realize the content. The Church would have no say if the King stamps it with the royal seal.<br/><br/><br/>"I should have made you a Duke instead of a Baron. Would you like to be a Duke, Nicholas?" The King offered, taking the royal seal from somewhere behind his royal seat. The offer went past his head as his focus zeroed on the King's movements. Once the paper was duly approved by the King, he could do with less pressure from the ton.<br/><br/><br/>"You are generous, Your Highness, but you should not hand titles like a chocolate coated candy," Nicholas answered, somewhat vexed with how the King's movements were slowing down. The King already has the seal in his hands. A little lower and it would touch the document, he is taking forever just to do it.<br/><br/><br/>"Ho, how dare you lecture your King, Nicholas," The King's words pulled his gaze away from the King's action, and turned to his face.<br/><br/><br/>"What?" He asked, a little lost.<br/><br/><br/>The King was giving him the narrowed eyes, and that does not bode well. There was also mischief in his eyes and the ever present sly tilt on his mouth. It would only mean one thing.<br/><br/><br/>Nicholas' eyes went back to the King's hands and he almost shouted in frustration when the golden ruler tucked the seal away, leaving the document hanging in his hands. Nicholas knows he looks ridiculous with his eyes wide in apprehension, but the King's action looks like he just tucked his future away behind his seat instead of the royal seal. <br/><br/><br/>Betrayal evident in his eyes, he looked at the King gruffly. The King cleared his throat, but he could see the cogs working in the leader's brain. The King is hatching a plan inside that golden head of his.<br/><br/><br/>"You shouldn't have lectured your King, Nicholas. You know better than that," he said, puffing his chest out a little, eyes darting all over the room just to avoid his accusing gaze. The King waved the document in his hands and it flew away from his grasp. Nicholas watched in disbelief as the document he worked damn hard to put together floated in the air. Nicholas' jaws unhinged.<br/><br/><br/>"Ho? Don't give me that look, you insolent child," The King stood up from his seat as Nicholas glared at him. The King backed away, grabbing the royal seal from behind his chair. He is afraid Nicholas would steal it and stamp the errant document himself.<br/><br/><br/>"Stamp it now, Your Highness," Nicholas said in his coldest voice, taking steps in the King's direction. The King backed away a little more.<br/><br/><br/>"This is ridiculous, lad. Halt! Halt I said," he said, tucking the fist-sized royal seal behind his back, like a kid afraid of his candy being stolen. Nicholas said it before, these royals are weird.<br/><br/><br/>He kept advancing and the King's wide eyes understood his plan. He knows Nicholas won't stop until he gets the document sealed. <br/><br/><br/>You see, the court has small fountains with basins scattered all around the room. It would quench the thirst of King's subjects everytime there is a meeting or the King presides over the problems happening in his land. It is a clean, spring water, routed from the huge spring behind the castle. <br/><br/><br/>The King pointed in the fountain's direction behind Nicholas. "The document!" King shouted and he whirled around, tense. The royal seal is useless without the document. His eyes landed on the sheet of paper innocently lying on the smooth tiles. Several yards away from said fountain.<br/><br/><br/>"Cunning old man," Nicholas gritted and turned back to the King, but all he saw was the King's retreating back, running to the hidden exit behind the royal seat. <br/><br/><br/>After the King disappeared in his own exit door, a royal knight burst forth from it. To be precise, it's the General of the Royal Knights, Duke Geoffrey McKenna. He is clad in his royal crimson uniform, of course, with his long sword hanging on his side.<br/><br/><br/>The General marched in his direction, and halted a meter away from him. "His Majesty told me to deliver this message. Your document is pending for the time being," he said.<br/><br/><br/>The General was the serious sort and Nicholas could tell he wouldn't be able to chase after the King with the head of the Knights standing in his way. Expletives under his breath, Nicholas sighed in defeat.<br/><br/><br/>"Give me the document, Baron Krona," The General said and Nicholas pointed at the document on the floor. Geoffrey looked at it and back at him with his eyebrow curled up in a silent question.<br/><br/><br/>"I don't know what the King is planning this time," He sighed as the General crouched down to retrieve the errant document. It is frown upon to read someone else's document but it didn't stop the General from doing so anyway. His eyes snapped to Nicholas after he gave the document a once over.<br/><br/><br/>"Divorce?" Nicholas was certain the General didn't mean to say the question out loud. He is an uptight sort.<br/><br/><br/>"Yes, Geoffrey, divorce," He blandly said and stalked towards the wide paneled, double-doors of the court. All the way to the door, he could feel the disbelief oozing from the General. His trip today was for naught. Nicholas clenched his fist open and close to ease the tension away. He has no idea what the King has instored for him but he won't let it deter him from pursuing the divorce. <br/><br/>Nicholas would like to have a simple, peaceful life and he knew the divorce would give it to him. Everything would be put back in its place once the divorce was settled. If only he could have that divorce right now. <br/><br/><br/>"Damn that sly, old man," He gritted in frustration, walking purposely out of the castle. The sun is already high up in the afternoon. It would take him a couple of days to travel back to his land and he better depart now if he wants to reach it by sennight, but before that, Nicholas intends to eat his meal before departing. It would not do him any good to travel in an empty stomach. He hasn't eaten since morning because of the audience, and Greg, his coachman, would need to be informed about the change of plans. <br/><br/><br/>Nicholas turned to the left, in the stables direction.</p>