Chapter 28 The agreement
Lucien glanced at the document in his hand and sighed heavily. This was the third time he was losing concentration.
His eyes were on the documents but his brain could not recognise a single word.
He glanced at the clock on the table in his study. It was almost time for his meeting with Lord Sloane.
He dropped the document, sitting back as he allowed his mind wander.
A soft knock sounded on the door and Lord Sloane entered.
“Your highness.” The small elder bowed slightly as he made his way to the other seat.
“You said it was urgent,” Lucien said, the moment the man sat down.
“Yes, it is.” Lord Sloane nodded.
Lucien looked at the elder impatiently, urging him to speak.
“We have finalised the treaty with Crestfalls and soon, everything will fall into place…”
Lucien looked on as the older man spoke, his voice fading into the background.
“Your Majesty?” Elder Sloane snapped his fingers, bringing Lucien back to the present.
“Are you sure you're fine?” Elder Sloane insisted. Lucien was not one to get lost in thoughts, especially not on matters pertaining to the kingdom.
“I am. Is that all?” Lucien muttered.
Sloane shook his head. This was the main reason he'd come here today. “It's about Ms Thorne.” Lord Sloane spoke slowly, deliberately picking his words. Lucien was in a foul mood, but he wasn't going to be deterred.
“… and the subsequent attacks in the palace.”
Lucien grunted. His body language indicated that he was fully engaged and listening.
“Her alibis are correct and she seems innocent.”
“Seems…” Lucien allowed the word hang in the air.
Lord Sloane swallowed.
“The last attack on the crown prince’s quarters points to her,” Lucien said pointedly.
“Yet, she was with you on the night of the attack.” Lord Sloane interjected.
“That's what she says.”
Lord Sloane shook his head, his lips thinning into a smile. “That's the facts, your Majesty.”
The room fell silent, and both men left with their thoughts.
“What exactly are you afraid of?” Lord Sloane was the first to speak, breaking the silence.
His voice had gone from that of the first elder in the kingdom to a friend.
Lucien's sighdefence defense slowly breaking.
“She is dangerous.” He admitted.
“To you or to the Kingdom?” Sloane's voice was clear.
Lucien swallowed, allowing the question sink in.
What exactly was he afraid of?
“So what are you proposing?” He asked, ignoring the question the elder had thrown at him.
“She has been released. At least publicly. She is no longer confined to her room, and everything she was before the accusations.”
Lucien shook his head. “That won't happen. The perpetrators have not been caught. We can't release her into the wild.”
Lord Sloane whipped his head up. “If I may remind you, your Majesty that Ms Thorne is your mate, and the mother to the Crown Prince.”
His words seemed to have calmed Lucien because the young man recoiled. He knew he was pushing it too far.
He was going the hard route, the extreme route, all because he didn't want to be vulnerable.
Lord Sloane stood up. “That will be all for now, your Majesty.” He bowed slightly and walked to the door.
With his hands on the doorknob, he turned back at Lucien. “Even the hardest elders are clamouring for her release. Do with this information what you want to, your Majesty.”
With that, he closed the door, leaving Lucien alone with his thoughts.
“Fuck!” He groaned, hitting his hand on the desk.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”
“His Majesty requests your presence in the Tower.”
Sam’s voice was without emotion. But Isabella could sense something different.
“When?” She asked softly.
“One hour.” He said and walked away before she could respond.
Since the night that Lucien had made her walk back to her chambers in his robe, he'd become softer.
Not necessarily soft, but his eyes no longer held contempt for her.
She shook her head, her smile painful, as her mind travelled back to the events of that night.
She'd walked back to her quarters, shame plastered on her forehead with his robe.
Luckily for her, most of the servants had retired, but she still had to face the guards who were stationed at every entrance before reaching her quarters.
And now, he was sending for her again. But this time around, it was in the Tower.
Mira rushed in the front door. “I heard His Majesty requests your presence?”
Isabelka nodded.
Mira's lips were pursed. She'd been pissed, seeing Isabella walking back in Lucien's robe.
She'd tried to force the words out of Isabella but she'd not budged.
“What does he want?”
Isabella shrugged. “He's the king, Mira. Please come help me get ready.”
Mira nodded, carefully selecting a dress that hid all the marks.
“This should do?”
She waved it at Isabella who merely shrugged. She didn't care. But she knew Mira needed her approval.
“Yes, it should.”
The tower was completely empty save the two of them.
“Your Majesty,” she curtseyed slightly. He watched as she maintained a large amount of distance between them, his lips forming into a thin smile.
“You sent for me.”
“I did.” He nodded.
“Let's discuss a deal.” He continued. “Also, you should come closer. We're not enemies now, are we?” He waved at her.
Isabella hesitated. Then slowly, she stepped forward, still putting some distance between them.
Lucien smirked at her actions, appearing funny to him.
“I called you here so we can discuss your freedom.”
He held himself from giggling as her ears perked, the uninteresting look she had on her face immediately disappearing as she looked more…
“Freedom?” She repeated.
“Yes, Ms Thorne. Your freedom.” He reiterated.
“The elders think you're no longer a threat to the kingdom.”
“Think?”
“They actually, not me.” He corrected.
“And?” Isabella urged, clearly impatient. “What do you think?”
Lucien revealed the triumphant smile he'd been hiding.
“What I think, Ms Thorne, is that they're wrong.”
Isabella's shoulders crumpled. “But you know.”
“Do I?” He teased.
“Anyways, that's not why I called you.” Lucien continued, clearly ignoring the fallen expression on her face.
“Why did you summon me?” She tried to keep her voice from breaking.
“Like I said before, to discuss the deals of your freedom.”
Isabella exhaled. “What do you want?” She clenched her hand as she looked at him squeaky in the face.
“Hehehe. That's exactly where I'm heading to, Ms Thorne.”
He walked slowly and made his way to his seat.
“They asked for my opinion in freeing you, you know, allowing you to go back to the free citizen you were before the attacks and I told them I would have to see you before getting back to them.”
Isabella looked ahead. She couldn't believe the Lucien revelling in her pain was the same one she'd given her body to willingly some few years ago.
“I can give you the freedom you want. The freedom you deserve. All you need to do is come when you are summoned by me.”
She whipped her head to match his gaze on her body.
“You know as well as everyone that I am not guilty.”
“Do I!” Lucien teased. “Look, it's very easy. “You come when you are summoned and you'll do the things you want to do.”
“Including visiting Elias every day?” She pressed.
“Including visiting Elias every day.” Lucien reaffirmed. “And unsupervised,” he added.
Isabella glowered. “Four hours?”
“One hour.” His lips were thin.
“Three hours?” She pressed.
“Two hours,” and that's final, Ms Throne. He added when he saw that she was about to speak.
Isabella turned away, her eyes to the door.
“All of these are for what? To be named as your whore?”
You could ld hear the smile in Lucien's voice. “If you put it that way, Ms Thorne. But I wouldn't put it that way.”
He stood up and made his way towards her. Stopping a few feet before her. His fingers tipped her jaw, making her face him.
“All you just need to do is come when you're summoned.”
“Even when I don't feel like it?” Her voice shook.
“Even when you don't feel like it, Ms Thorne.”
His fingers were still on her jaw. “How long? How many times?”
“Ahh,” Lucien looked completely amused.
“That's not how it works, Ms Thorne. I do the dictating.”
He spun her, grabbing her hair. “I could tell you to strip here or order you to come attend to me anytime, or anywhere.”
Isabella swallowed painfully. She was basically his whore then. There was no spinning it.
“Okay.” She nodded slowly. “I agree.”
“You do?” Lucien asked in disbelief. His voice was coloured with surprise, before he regained himself.
“I do.” She nodded again, afraid of speaking too loudly so that the tears would not drop.
“Very well then, Ms Thorne. You can go.”
He waved his hand to dismiss her, and Isabella picked up the hem of her gown and walked slowly out of the tower, the implication of her agreement dawning on her.
She'd just moved from the kingdom’s slave to his own slave.