Chapter Seven #2
‘Why should I care?’ she repeated, her eyes widening in surprise. ‘Because I’m your wife and your queen and because someone has to, Tiberius. You can’t do this all on your own.’
He wasn’t sure why he wanted to argue with her—tell her that he’d been doing this all on his own since his father had died and he’d succeeded very well, thank you very much.
He wasn’t sure, either, why there was a curious leaden feeling in his gut…
as if he’d wanted her to say something else, though what, he didn’t know.
Right then, though, the limo came to a stop outside the hospital and it was time for them to get out.
‘I am not doing this on my own,’ he said curtly. ‘Now it’s your turn to help.’
* * *
Guinevere’s mouth had gone dry and her stomach was unsettled with nerves. The conversation with Tiberius had distracted her from the upcoming appearance, but unfortunately it hadn’t made her feel any more settled.
She’d spent the past week roaming around the palace, familiarising herself with going outside, as well as looking up on a computer all the articles about the state of Kasimir she could find, and then looking in vain for aides who could give her information about what she was supposed to be doing.
She’d hoped Tiberius would give her some time so she could discuss with him her thoughts, but he’d been incommunicado for most of the week. Busy, his aides would tell her. His Majesty had no time to spare.
Except for the nights, of course, when he had plenty of time to spare, and when all discussions fell by the wayside in favour of the physical pleasure they could give one another.
She had only herself to blame for that, she supposed, but he made her feel so good, and it was easier in the end to let her body do the talking.
As the week had gone on she’d started to feel more and more annoyed with both herself and him, but it wasn’t until now, when she had him for a length of time out of the bedroom, that she’d thought she might as well take advantage of that.
She hadn’t meant to sound so cross, but that had been her nerves talking. But then, when he’d told her about his responsibilities, all her annoyance at him had just leaked away.
Because all it had taken was one look into his fierce silver gaze to see that he believed utterly that, being the King, it was his responsibility to repair the country and his alone.
That he cared about it and cared very deeply.
That he worried for his subjects. That the length of time it had taken for him to get rid of the tyrants ate at him.
And whether he knew it or not, some part of him must blame himself for that.
Otherwise why would he be so impatient to fix everything?
It made her feel petty for being angry with him at not giving her any time—but, petty or not, the fact remained that there were things they needed to discuss.
Also, she wanted to help. Kasimir was her country too, and if she was going to be its queen she wanted to be a practical one, not a mere figurehead. Her father had nearly run the country into the ground, therefore it was her responsibility to fix it as well as Tiberius’s.
Being with him, telling him what she wanted, had given her courage, and she didn’t want to go back to hiding safely in the walls of the palace any more—even though she might be nervous about what the people would think of her.
Those nerves were certainly making themselves felt now, as the limo door opened, letting in the noise and the cheering of the crowd.
Tiberius got out first, the cheers rising in volume as he appeared, and no wonder.
He wore a dark suit today, with a plain white shirt and a silvery grey silk tie that set his eyes off to perfection. He was astonishingly charismatic, and she couldn’t help but watch him, mesmerised, as he acknowledged the crowds, a smile turning his beautiful mouth.
She shivered, unable to help herself, still tasting the salt from his skin where she’d nipped him. She shouldn’t have done it, but she hadn’t been able to resist, because he was irresistible. Even when she was arguing with him she wanted to touch him, kiss him. Wanted to be close to him.
He turned back to the limo and his dark head bent as he leaned down to offer her his hand. And then she was being drawn out of the car to stand beside him, the roar of the crowd in her ears.
It was almost overwhelming, the number of people and the noise, and she didn’t know quite where to look—especially when she heard a couple of boos in amongst all the cheering. A few people were even carrying signs that had derogatory statements about her family on them.
She couldn’t blame those people, but it made her feel anxious.
Not so much that they would hurt her, but that her presence at Tiberius’s side would damage his political standing as King.
Yes, marrying her would show his willingness to move on as a whole country rather than as one divided, and that was a good thing, but there would always be those who would view that as a betrayal.
Abruptly, the thought of her presence undermining his rule made her feel afraid.
Although he hadn’t told her anything about his life in exile, she had got the impression that it had been a hard and long journey back to his crown, and certainly the time and effort he’d put into his first week as King could not be understated.
She hoped her presence wouldn’t put all that work at risk.
Why would you care?
Good question. But it was one she knew the answer to, and one she’d given to him already. He mattered to her. And whether that was because of the sex or something else, she didn’t know. But matter to her he did.
His hand was warm around hers, and he didn’t let it go as she came to stand beside him. So when he moved over to where some of the crowds were standing behind the barriers she had no choice but to follow him.
Had he heard the people booing her? Had he seen those signs?
‘Don’t be afraid,’ he murmured in her ear, showing her that, yes, indeed, he had seen the signs. ‘They are only a small proportion of this crowd and they do not know you.’
‘I don’t want to undermine you,’ she whispered back. ‘And I’m afraid my presence here will.’
He paused for a moment, in full view of the crowd, though she was pretty sure no one could actually hear them.
‘Your presence undermines nothing.’ His gaze was fierce. ‘You are strong and beautiful and brave—everything our people require in a queen. So show them, my little lioness. Show them what kind of queen they are getting.’
He had taken to calling her that whenever she lay in his arms, and she liked it a lot. She liked the conviction in his eyes too. He wasn’t a man for idle words, and he meant what he said when he said it.
The way he looked at her made her feel as if she was every one of those things, and the nerves in her stomach settled. And so, obeying an impulse she hadn’t seen coming, she went on her toes and kissed him in front of the crowd.
The cheers were almost deafening as she came back down on her feet, and when she looked up into his face and saw the look of shock there she smiled at him. Then, gripping hard to her courage, she approached the crowd, smiling at them too, speaking a few words to some of the people.
A little girl pushed some flowers into her hands and said breathlessly, ‘You’re so pretty!’ And another young woman wanted a selfie.
Tiberius joined her, and together they moved towards the hospital entrance, pausing to speak to as many people as they could.
By the time they got through the hospital doors Guinevere was breathless. Her face hurt from smiling, and she felt energised in a way she’d never felt before.
It might only have been a small proportion of the population here today, but there had been more who’d welcomed her than who hadn’t, and it had been wonderful.
For so long she’d felt powerless and alone, but here, at Tiberius’s side, she didn’t feel like his dirty little secret now. She felt like his queen.
This is how you can make a difference. This is how you can right the wrongs done to you and your country. This is how you can defeat the ghosts of your father and your brothers.
Determination settled inside her as they were introduced to the hospital management.
She was an Accorsi, and while what had happened to her country hadn’t been her fault, or Tiberius’s, it was something she wanted to fix, nevertheless.
It was right that an Accorsi should help to put right all the wrongs.
It was how it should be. And she wasn’t going to be put off by Tiberius any longer.
Tonight she wasn’t going to let him sequester himself away with his aides. She was going to demand they discuss all things to do with their marriage, and then she was going to join him in his meetings.
And she was not going to take no for an answer.
* * *
The hospital visit was appalling in some ways, because it made clear the depth of underfunding for critical health services. But it was good for both her and Tiberius to know, because once they did they could do all they could to fix it.
The visit took up most of the day, and by the time they got back to the palace it was close to evening. As they got out of the limo, Tiberius said, ‘I have a meeting to attend. I don’t know what time—’
‘No,’ she interrupted, looking at him stubbornly. ‘That can wait. The meeting you have to attend is one with me.’
He frowned. ‘It is to discuss taxation. That will end up funding the hospital we just saw, which desperately needs the money.’
Guinevere let out a breath. ‘There will always be something more important, Tiberius. The taxation discussion can wait for at least one hour, can’t it?’
He regarded her silently for a moment. ‘Very well,’ he said at last. ‘I can spare you an hour.’
They retired to his office, with Tiberius pausing outside the door to ask for some food to be brought to them, since they hadn’t eaten since the lunch the hospital had put on.
Then he gestured for Guinevere to come in, before shutting the door firmly behind them.
‘Very well,’ he said, coming to stand in front of the fireplace, his muscular arms folded. ‘You want a discussion…so let us discuss.’
He looked forbidding standing there, and very stern. The smile she’d seen him give to so many people today was absent now. He didn’t want to be here, she could tell, and she could almost sense the tightly leashed impatient energy crackling around his tall figure.
He still looked tired, and unexpectedly her heart ached. He was so driven. It couldn’t be easy to think that you were ultimately responsible for an entire country, and to be so conscious of it with every passing second. He could afford some time here and there just for himself, couldn’t he?
Then another thought struck her. If he didn’t look after himself, who was there to do it for him? Who did he have to turn to when things were hard? Who did he talk to honestly and openly? Did he have anyone he trusted? Anyone at all?
You know he doesn’t.
Oh, she knew that. She knew all too well. Just as she knew what it was like to be lonely. To have no one. She’d had no one for so very long and it had been so very difficult.
Perhaps if he truly had no one she could be that person for him?
All of a sudden she wanted to be. She very much wanted to be.
‘When was the last time you had a break?’ she asked.
His black brows drew down. ‘A break? What do you mean by “a break”?’
‘A holiday, Tiberius. Time off to relax.’
‘A holiday?’ he echoed, repeating the words as if they were in a foreign language. ‘You think that I have time for…holidays?’
‘I think you tell yourself you don’t have time for them. But be honest. How long have you been working for Kasimir without a break?’