Chapter 30

The king curled his lips in disgust at the variety of colourful clothes set before him to choose from. His prickly stare made the seamstresses want to bury their heads underneath the ground and not come out. With the little time they had to prepare a change of wardrobe for his majesty, they were conflicted over what might suite his taste.

"Do you expect me to prance around in...what do you call it?" He looked to Lena hoping she could shed more light.

"I believe you mean blue your Majesty." She swiftly chimed into the conversation, "it is rather loud... considering your preference but would looking dashing on you." She said, trying to coax him into picking something.

"I don't like it." He responded with gritted teeth, his mood had been foul ever since Jareth told him about the lie they told the princess.

It would have been enough if the lie ended there, after all, Alixandre didn't mind it if it would make her more obedient to him. The problem arose when the butlers said something about him having to change his appearance to match that of a spoilt prince. He wasn't very keen with the pretense, especially when it had to do with him changing his wardrobe.

"I think this purple attire would match his highness's eyes perhaps?" One of the seamstresses from behind voiced out, surprising her cohorts by her audacity to speak.

"Show it to me." He announced in a forceful voice, almost immediately the women all parted way allowing an older woman in her late forties holding the attire she spoke of.

Lena stared at it and exchanged approving looks with Alixandre, who seemed to like the dark purple in her hands. "Bring it here." He said, the woman looked to Lena for permission, and got a confirmatory nod in response.

She hurriedly presented the attire to the king with her head lowered out of respect. "The design is moderate and the color doesn't stand out much, I think it would suit his highness. What say you Sire?" Lena asked staring animatedly at the fabric.

"It's fine." He answered without taking a second glance at it, "better than blue." He muttered underneath his breath in a grumpy tone, musing to himself over wearing such a bright color.

"Thank you your highness, you are too generous." The seamstress cried out in glee, much to her cohorts distaste, they all sneered at her good fortune, angry that 'haggard Hilda' was chosen to dress the king.

"Anything regarding the king's attire in the future will be directed to you." Lena announced, fuelling the sparks of jealousy amongst the other women.

The king dismissed them all down to the last one then relaxed into his throne, sighing in relief that he had selected something to wear.

"Your Majesty there is no time to spare, your journey begins at dawn and you still haven't met with the groomers. They're waiting with the butlers at your second chamber for you." Lena reminded him, giving Alixandre no time to spare.

*Second Chamber*

Three young women stood around Alixandre in a small circle, inspecting him critically from the chin up, their looks of disapproval made the king tense up.

"What? Is there anything wrong with my face?" He defensively demanded with aggression in his voice. The three maidens shook their heads nervously, too frightened to say anything.

"Your Majesty, if only you would smile more and replace the scowl on your face...it might convince the mistress better that you're a prince." Said Jareth in a calming tone.

"But I am royalty! I'm a king am I not? In what way am I lacking?" His tone sent shivers running down Jareth's spine, he looked to Lena and his brother for help.

Fortunately Jairo stepped forward and stood beside Alixandre, he slowly started to massage the king's shoulders, seeking to calm him.

"What my idiot brother meant to say was, that Crimsoncreed is very different from our country. Their definition of Royalty differs from ours, to play the part, his highness must have to look it at the very least." He said, untying Alixandre's stress knots.

"Why in the blazing hell must I keep up with this foolish pretense? I don't have any intention to marry her nor to earn her fancy." He spat out with uninterested eyes.

Jareth and Jairo exchanged confused glances, then gazed at Lena, hoping for her to intervene and reason with the stubborn king. She shrugged her shoulders as she marched towards where he sat, then placed both hands behind her back.

"Would his highness want the truth or sugar coated lies?" She offered in a flat tone, weary of how much time they were wasting trying not to step on his ego.

Alixandre felt uneasy at her brash tone but didn't show it, it was rare for his head of guards to speak to him in such a crass manner. Though he did not mind it too much.

"The truth." He answered firmly, Lena took a deep breath then stood in front of him directly.

"It was his highness who stubbornly insisted to accompany the princess to seek a cure for the poison. What does his majesty think will happen if the princess decides to panic and raise alarm while at enemy territory?" She asked not expecting a response from him.

"If you wish to have the princess under your control, then you must do whatever it takes to convince her that you are her husband seeking a cure for her Illness at Reeves. No matter what it takes, the princess must believe that this is Crimsoncreed, that way she will be reluctant to leave your side." Lena took a pause and gestured the groomers to step forward.

"We cannot achieve that objective if his highness does not look like a crowned prince, the longer we spend here conversing the quicker the poison spreads." She said, concluding the matter in such a way that Alixandre couldn't put up a solid argument.

"Does his highness have any opposition to the plan?" His head of guards asked, flickering her eyelids at him.

He pursued his lips then hissed under his breath, she smirked fully in response then stepped aside for the groomers to do their job. The girls after seeing their king get scolded like a younger brother by the elder sister felt more at ease and were prepared to work earnestly.

"If his highness will allow it, we would like to cut your hair to a shorter length." Said one of the girls, holding a pair of scissors in hand.

"I refuse." He retorted sharply.

Lena pouted her lips and made a move to scold him, but was held back discreetly by the butlers. They flashed her a precautionary gaze, swaying their heads from side to side telling her to let it slide.

"If possible, refrain from cutting his majesty's hair, find an alternative instead." Said Jareth, the groomers nodded in unison, then immediately set out to work, grooming Alixandre till it was almost night fall!

***********

Elena spent the entire night trying to force her memories to return, but the harder she tried the heavier the strain placed on her mind. It felt as if some strong force was keeping her memories locked away from her reach.

"The carriage is ready mistress." Jairo announced from the half opened door, holding a red and fury white cape in his hands.

Elena felt a nervous knot tie in her stomach as she would finally be able to meet her husband, whom she had heard so little about.

"Will his Majesty the king and queen be there as well?" She inquired wearing an overly polite smile on her face.

"No. Like I said earlier, they paid a visit to your parents who were hosting a celebratory feast in the honour of your wedding." Jairo told her, helping her to hang the cape around her shoulders.

"I see. So this trip to Dewburn will be between just his highness and I? Is it a..." She took a pause and looked around as though anyone would dare to eavesdrop on her conversation.

"A honeymoon?" Her cheeks flushed bright pink and her ears reddened as the words spilled out of her mouth. It was just like she read in the stories, and the inquisitive princess was daring enough to want to try it out firsthand.

Jairo found himself stunned by her, but quickly recovered from it, he cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head.

"Yes.. his highness is too eager to have heirs you see." He lied, praying inwardly for his soul to reach heaven despite all the untruths he had told the helpess princess.

Elena said no more and quietly allowed Jairo to escort her away from the castle towards the main gates where an ordinary carriage was awaiting her. She frowned upon how basic it looked and had a bad feeling when she saw that the food they would be carrying was not placed in an extra cart.

"Where is the coachman?" She pried, staring at the empty seat meant for the coachman.

"His majesty has insisted on riding the carriage by himself." Jairo answered, avoiding Elena's conflicted green eyes.

"On our Honeymoon?!" She asked outraged by the idea of a man two years younger than her riding the carriage on their honeymoon, it was simply unheard of!

Elena took another glance at the castle and couldn't help but feel uneasy, a part of her had doubts whether or not this truly was Crimsoncreed.

"And what about these chains? Does he expect me to wear them all throughout the journey?" Her interrogation didn't seem to want to end and Jairo was reaching his limit.

"How else am I supposed to keep my eye on my little wife?" A deep baritone voice hollered from behind her, startling the princess.

She sharply looked over her shoulder and found all her expectations beyond met after taking just one glance!

His silky black hair was packed into a neat bun, which brought out his manly jaw and features. His well plucked eyebrows highlighted his pointy nose and unique crimson red eyes. The majestic purple attire he had on, with a long black coat hanging on his titan shoulders made Elena's jaw drop.

She had always hoped for a slender blonde hair and blue eyed prince to sweep her off her feet and make beautiful memories with her. But staring at the man supposedly two years younger, the princess had only one thought in mind.

'I want to make beautiful babies with him!'