Five

Alexa fumed as she waited with her mother for the arrival of Jared, she could not believe that he was making them wait. Imagine the irony, he is not a prince himself but he is getting married into a royal family and he is making them wait. She was so angry she knew that if her mother was not present, the choice of words she will use for him will send him scurrying back to his kingdom with his pride and ego as a male severely wounded. Alexa also knew that her mother realize this too and that was why she was present even though, a lady of the court who has spent years in these kind of meetings was already present. 

“Sorry I am late. “ Jared announces his presence by those words which was the best words he would have used in Alexa’s mind. “My guards were having issues settling down and I had to address that before presenting myself here for this meeting.”

“it’s okay, lord Jared, we have not been waiting all that long. “ her mother replied smoothly as if she had prepared that answer to give Jared no matter what his reasons were for being late. 

 Alexa scoffed as she turned her face away from her mother to roll her eyes, she knew that she had to behave but she could not stop herself from that little act even with all the restrictions and punishment her mother had promised to give her if she did not curtailed her stubborn and loud streak.

Jared turned to look at Alexa with an inwards sigh, she is making things so hard on herself. If she thought that her attitude will make him run for the hills she thought wrong because he was even getting more intrigued by her… in fact if she was the boring wallflower her parents are trying to get her to act like, he was sure that he would have left an hour after he had arrived. Then again, if she was the boring wallflower that her parents wanted her to be, she would have already being married since. “Anything to share with the rest of us.” Jared as Alexa whose face went pink when her mother turned to glare at her.

“nothing apart from the fact that you kept royals waiting when you should be the one waiting and you did not spare enough thought to us to think about providing a more decent excuse as why you are not on time.” Alexa snaps at Jared who grins at Alexa although he already knew that outcome of this suppose meeting.

“And pray tell, what you think I was actually doing.” 

“You were with your mistress.” Alexa said in a matter of fact tone that almost challenged Jared rein on keeping his emotions and expressions under a tight control.

“Believe me, if I was with her, I would not have been here this morning.” Jared replied as Alexa checks pinked more but she ignored her mortification as she further ahead with her accusations. 

“So you do admit that you have a mistress.” Alexa crowed in triumph 

“Is there a grown man with title who does not have?” Jared worded carefully so as not to show his hand in this heated agreement with Alexa, about a topic that would have made most women to blush in mortification and drop it as soon as it is raised but not this princess, she was instead trying to change his mind about the issue and trying rules down for him in a marriage they have not yet entered.

“Well there will be, I refuse to allow my husband to do anything or have any such woman when we are married.” Alexa said while looking straight at Jared so that he will see that she is not joking about her statement.

“You do not have the right to order your husband to do anything.” Jared said with gritted teeth no longer finding the conversation interesting with the meaning she was trying to imply. In the princess mind, she does not plan on changing. Instead she plans on ruling her kingdom herself with her husband besides her as nothing other than a figure head. 

Alexa leaned forward looking at Jared with a taunting smile on her face.” When you are the princess and your wealth is more than your husband own and also the fact that she can prevent you from having heirs, you will realize that I do have all the power.” 

“Alexa.” The queen sharp tone cuts the silence that came after the princess statement. 

“If you are not okay with my reason and my stand on the issue, you can see yourself out of my kingdom since your mission is futile.” Alexa added.

“Nice try princess but I won’t leave because of your delusional ideas.” Jared said trying to calm himself.

“If that is what you think that will help you ease your mind, you will see that I am not willing to change my terms after marriage. “ Alexa parried as Jared grew red in his face. He would like nothing more than to storm out of the kingdom and leave them to their fate but he cannot, so he settled for what he could do at the moment. He bowed to the queen stiffly before walking out of the room in long strides, he needed to rid himself of this anger before he saw the princess again.

The queen walked up to her daughter before raising her hand as if she wanted to slap her. Alexa froze, never had this happened before and never because of a stranger. “Mother.” Alexa murmurs.

“You have been acting like a child but what you do not get is that it would not help your cause. You will get married to him and provide this kingdom with heirs, you have no choice.” The queen orders as she left quickly before she would do or say something she would regret.

Alexa screams in anger as she thought of her current predicament, there was nothing she could do to change it.

Jared pulled his shirt off in the training ground as he prepared to fight to clear his head, he love the numbness which a fight brings and right now, he seriously needed it. The royal family has been nothing but trying… well that statement was wrong. The only trying person in the royalty was the princess, his future wife in approximately twenty one days. Yes the date has been fixed and he was informed of the fact almost immediately after his fight with the princess. 

If he was not biased he would have agreed that the reason he was angry and not amused by the princess ideology was because it hit too close to home. Looking at things from another perspective, he really did not have a choice to refuse the match and since there was no choice, his decision was taken out of his hand without his approval. 

“My lord, are you sure that you want to take three at the same time, you seem distracted.” His second in command asked in worry. It was clear that he was distracted.

Jared waved off the concern as he entered the center of the training field and waited for his opponents. When they arrived, he rushed at them instead following his usual fighting techniques which was to wait until the first move is made.

Everybody was taken back by his attack, especially his opponents who quickly regained their wits and got into the fight with deadly precision. Jared blocked out the world, his thoughts and focused on the one thing that make his mind go numb.

Meanwhile Alexa was watching half hidden behind a pillar as she watched her future husband who refuse to give up his chase on her crown fight against three men, at first it seems like the men were winning against Jared, then Jared seemed to double his efforts and within minutes the whole fight was over and when Alexa finally made up her mind to go congratulate Jared, Mona arrived and walked to Jared who whispered something to her and then they continued to chat with hushed tone that made Alexa angry. Just when she chose to offer the olive branch and make peace, the man decides to show her that he does not need it. She do not care about what happened next, she was done trying to talk with him.

****************

“Alexa have you seen inside the prince room “the king asked his daughter who almost broke her spoon because the statement always make her mind conjure Jared and Mona writhing together in bed.

“No, what special about his room.” Alexa said in an annoyed tone as if she was still angry, no matter how angry she was at her parents she couldn’t maintain the anger at her father, she always tend to favor her father rather than her mother.

“I was thinking that we will start teaching you how to take care of a home from his room first…” the king started as Alexa froze then raised her head to glare at her father.

“I refuse to be domesticated, I will fight against all what you are trying to change about me.” Alexa spluttered as her cheeks went red before she fled the table in anger.

“I don’t know what we can do to make her warmed up to the idea.” The queen said with her voice heavy with the stress and worry she never allow Alexa to see.

“This is all your fault.” They heard Alexa bellowed outside the door before sounds of sobs came from her mouth and she quickly fled. The door opened and Jared entered the room and sat in his seat.

“Good evening your majesties.” Jared said as he inclined his head in greeting his future in-laws who nodded their acceptance of his greeting.

“We are very sorry for her attitude…” the king started but Jared cuts him short. 

“I actually think it is best she is interesting like this and also I would suggest that you stop pushing her to accept me. You are just making it hard for me and her in the long run.” Jared added as the king looked puzzled at his words so Jared explained better.

“She needs her parents at her side now, you can’t force her to get married and at the same time try to correct her mannerisms, you have to pick your fight. I see nothing wrong with the way she is, maybe we can live that way in the future. She needs to get married to me so we will tackle that and besides I have a feeling that the best way for me to bond with her will be through her likes and dislikes. Please your majesty, set up another meeting” 

“But the former was a disaster. She will continue to rile you like that.” the queen spluttered.

“And I will not be easily riled again. I forgot for a second that she is just like my sister so please my queen, set up another meeting.” Jared said as the queen looked indecisive for a second before looking into Jared face, what she saw there made her mind up for her and she gave a firm chin jerk as Jared smiled.

“Thank you your majesties, both for the meal and for the time you spent listening to my request, but I have to go now.” Jared bowed to the king then queen before taking his leave.

“They will burn down everywhere whenever you do hold that meeting.” The king said as soon as the door swung close behind Jared.

“That might happen but I will let you know that Jared had not left since he arrive. I think that he has everything in control. I will not be present for their meeting. I will send Alexa former nursemaid to be there on my stead. Let them bond in peace. Jared has everything under control.” The queen said as she took a sip from her tea.