Jamal Kunis POV
“Where have you been?” the doubtful elder asked. “It has been over hours since the council sat and yet look at the time you show up? It is a very foul attitude to display as Beta.”
“I’m sorry,” Conrad said but I knew it was not an apology, he was soon about to piss the elder off. “I was busy, unlike you who I don’t think have so much to do in a day except fill the king’s ear with ludicrous thoughts.”
“You will take that back right now!” the elder started to say when I cut in.
“No one is taking anything back. Conrad, welcome, there has been a lot that has been talked about since your absence so I will allow our friend here to fill you in later on.” I pointed towards the elder Conrad had just been arguing with. I knew both of them having to sit and talk after the meeting was not the best idea but their hilarious drama might be amusing to watch if I was not occupied with some other thing. “I feel I should set the issue of Conrad’s lateness straight here. I had sent him on an errand. Is that OK?” The council mumbled their approval. I continued, turning to Conrad and leaning in. “Tell me, what was the outcome?”
“It was as we expected it to be.”
“Thank the gods.” Then I gave him a side glance and asked. “Anything else that you feel might interest the council.”
He caught the glance and spoke. “Oh yes. There is something.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“It is about Methis. I bumped into her in the corridor and we had a little conversation.”
“It seems Conrad here might have the answer to our previous discussion,” one of the elders guessed. “What did you two discuss?” he asked.
“We spoke about her plans of leaving if she wants to leave.”
“What do you mean ‘if’ she wants to leave?” the second elder, the one Conrad had just been arguing with asked. “Do her contract not say that she is free to leave once she had conceived?”
“Exactly. Underline the word ‘free.’ If she is free to leave, then she is also free to stay. Her choice.”
“But that is not enough to justify her staying should she decide to stay.”
“Actually there is more.” Conrad dragged the bottle of mead that lay in the middle of the table and poured a cup for himself. “There is a marriage clause in the contract and if our king here wishes, he can add an additional agreed-upon amount to the initial payment and make her his wife.”
The room became quiet again. Everybody was thinking the same thing but they had earlier agreed not to take her to wife.
“Did you speak to her about what she wanted?” another elder asked.
“Yes I did,” Conrad answered.
“And what did she want?” I asked anxious.
“She was open to the idea.” I almost jumped out of my skin with excitement but Conrad had more to say. “However, she has a life someplace else. She loved it here and she sends her thanks to each and every one of us who made the stay nice and bearable for her. But other things are calling. Like her father, her friends, her school – she had just finished high school so she has a lot to do.”
“Tough luck, brother,” the second elder mocked.
“Shut up,” Conrad replied him.
I had never expected it to feel this way but it was as if a knife had been plunged into my chest and I was left to bleed out slowly and die. I had never experienced something like this before. Never. The only time I had experienced this was during the time I had dated the Dark Witch. Why was it that all my heartbreak had to come from someone who looked exactly like her? I began to question my heart. Was it attracted to the face or to the person? No other relationship I had tried getting into had ever worked safely for the one with the Dark Witch and now Methis both of which ended and looked like would end in heartbreak.
I had a little flashback to the time I first tried to make love to Methis. She had refused me and it had angered me. But today, she had refused me and it did not anger me, instead it saddened me. Perhaps I knew why? The first was because she was bound by a contract to perform these duties, and the second which is now was because she was not bound by any contract and was acting upon her free will, not to mention that she refused for a good reason. For her father, for her family.
I stood up and dismissed the council. I was intent on seeing her one last time before she departed and I told the council that much.
“Council is dismissed,” I said.
“Excuse me, my king but we still have some other issues to speak about,” one of the elders reminded me.
“Those other issues can wait till a later date as for now I have to focus on something important. You all can retire to your chambers.”
“As you wish, my king,” said Conrad.
“Not you,” I said to him. “and not you too.” I pointed to the elder I had assigned to fill Conrad in on all the details of the meeting before he had arrived.
Conrad rolled his eyes. “I would rather have an abusive dragon fill me in than this, man.”
“You know whom you speak to,” the elder replied him.
“Really?” Conrad laughed a small laugh of derision. “Tell me. Who do I speak to, oldie?”
The elder stared in disbelief. “Never have I seen a boy with so much audacity,” he said.
“Well, I turn out to be bolder than you are.” This reply from Conrad made the entire council laugh out loud. I then shake my head and exit with the other members, leaving the both of them in the council room to bicker as much as they liked.
I walked straight to Methis’ room, wondering if I was making the right moves. There was nothing to think about, I told myself. Conrad once told me that if I wanted to speak my mind, prior to speaking, it was best if I did not think of the consequences. Apparently, that was supposed to help me say it better.
I hoped this was true.
I think I stood in front of the door for too long because one of the maids giggled and said to me. “She is inside her room, my king.”
“Oh.” Was all I could reply before finally placing a knock.