Love Agreement With The King

She seemed to be rising from her corpse like if she finally opened her eyes and could see things clearly. Stepping in front of the ladies that, noticing her attitude, shook their head puzzled. She carelessly walked toward the far lake, trying not the mind about the ladies' gazes she attracted toward her.

Finally alone, she kneeled and lifted slighted her dress. Probably the guests who were looking at her from afar were judging her. A lady shouldn't kneel like people of middle-class do. A lady well-mannered wouldn't risk her custom-made dress getting dirty.

She looked at the clear transparent water, admiring the beauty it emanated, staring at the reflection it cast. The high society she was living in was just like that lake. What was noticeable and envied from outside was the richness of their clothes, the privilege to attend elite events. But deep down when that mask was taken off it revealed a world of lies, of enviousness, of fake feelings, and pretended happiness. Beyond the surface, an invidious world was hidden. Just like the water in the lake, that peace was hiding the deep coldness beneath.

"Roselyn!" A voice made her jolt, awakening her from her deepest thoughts bringing her back to reality. She turned her head from side to side, searching where the voice was coming from, and saw the King reaching her beyond the opposite part of the lake. He had a puzzled gaze, like if he was wondering what was she doing there, kneeling down isolated from the other people. Then he took a long step to reach a stone which stood in the middle of the lake. With a second respective jump over that stone he surpassed the lake without getting wet.

He walked toward her offering a charming smile, Roselyn went to bow her head then looked around to spot everyone gazing at them.

"Our debate of last night had caught quite my attention, and I thought about it a lot," he said in a whisper and smiled from there to the people who couldn't keep his eyes off him.

Roselyn kept up with his walk. His walking was pretty quick since she was way shorter than him and shook her head to the side.

"Considering the circumstances, we should come to an agreement. A love agreement." He said with a proud smile.

Roselyn looked at him puzzled, wondering what he meant. "I am not looking for a woman, but I promised my dying father that I would take care of the Kingdom. I can not keep my promise if I don't have a wife by my side."

His face was not revealing any emotion, his red dark eyes were flashing.

"I am afraid I don't understand what you are trying to ask, milord," Rosalyn said in a murmur. King John kicked a little flat stone and watched it hoping across the water as it bounced off the surface. He then introduced his hands into the jacket's pockets, turning his gaze from the water on her.

"We should pretend we're in love, so madly in love that every lady would wish they were you."

They were standing in front of each other now. He delicately touched her arm having her to look down. They could feel everyone stare at them as if they were the protagonist of a drama.

He lifted her hand and etwined her fingers with his. "But being envied by the other ladies is not what I want." She murmured in a low voice when he smiled.

"You are promised to a man who you deeply dislike and even if he withdrawed his proposal, your mother would still continue arranging your weddings with every available lord of the city. If you marry me, no one will bother you, and you will be free to live the life you've always wanted to live thanks to the privileges that being a Queen will bring you."

Roselyn pursed her lips as she was slightly considering his crazy idea. "Keep going."

"Smile," he suggested, while he turned around to gaze at the guests, who still had their gaze on them. Every lady was just like he deduced, glowering at her. Lords smirked lightly, as they were now fancying the most coveted lady in the town.

Roselyn smiled, turning her head to look at him. He smiled back, unlike Roselyn, his smile seemed true having her wonder how many times he already pretended to be infatuated before.

"You wish to have a simple life that fulfills your desires of traveling the world and having someone you don't fully loath near you. I can provide it to you. I will be a pleasant companion, I will guarantee the freedom that no other man in the high society can provide. Because indeed I don't love you and I don't want you to be wound up in my pockets."

Roselyn smiled genuinely now as he gained her full interest.

"What would you get from it?" she hissed.

As they walked further to their audience, Roselyn spotted Sharon's face, which was burning in rage so much that her cheek colored of red blush. Abigail, on the contrary, was opening her mouth, surprised but unlike her other sister, she seemed quite amused.

He leaned close to Roselyn, laying his hand on the back of her shoulders, he whispered close to her ear, "giggle lightly now."

She followed his order and giggled, covering her mouth with her hand, having him smile looking at her.

He turned his back to the crowd of people facing Roselyn. His gaze seemed so deeply interested that she felt a shiver ran through her spine.

"I will have a Queen for the Kingdom. I won't have to attend bouquets and balls in the desperate research for a lady that I don't want." He whispered in a very low voice pausing for a second to wet his lips with his tongue, "but you will have to cover my occasional absence and help me to rule in return."

"Is it all?" Roselyn questioned, frowning as to her eyes it seemed like it would be way further beneficial to her than to him.

"Not exactly." He replied, clearing his voice as they were enough near to the guests.

He stretched his hand and delicately pulled out a red rose from the silver vase that was in the center of the table to give it to her.

She smiled, lowering her chin to inhale the flower's scent.

"Always a pleasure to talk to a lady who wasn't just gifted with a beautiful appearance but also with an awesome mind." He raised his voice so that everyone could hear what they were saying.

"It's my pleasure, milord." She bowed down.

John placed a soft kiss on the hand that wasn't holding the flower and kept his straight gaze on her while she bent her head.