Honeymoon is Over
[Side Note of the author's musings totally unrelated to the story and you may skip if you wish: I am a straight faced person. I never get scared or cry or have much reaction at all during the movies. EVER. I was that kid who didn't even furrow her brows when the whole theatre was crying over The Fault In Our Stars. But today I felt like crying when neighbours were playing sad bollywood songs at a block party. I had to excuse myself and request a change of music. That was out of the blue. Now I run the other way when I hear emotional music. What is happening to me? I haven't cried but I feel it coming yo! On to the story...]
Although the Indus spring was not yet in full bloom the glacial centres of a certain queen's heart showed their first signs of melting. For one, she smiled more often. The sunny radiant form that was once a rarity to the public now became commonplace at stages with the emperor. And after some initial hesitation, she even agreed to tag along on military trips that involved short distances. All these occurrences had one thing in common- the emperor. To anyone with two eyes and half a head of brain power, she appeared a woman in love. Fortunately, or not so much, the emperor was far too cynical to think the same. She was trying to get on his good side. He didn't know why yet, but it would not take long to figure out. Pretences cannot be kept forever you see.
All it takes is one gush of wind to take down the house of cards.
It was the second winter month of the year and her footprints in the snow led him to her easily. They'd just had their first fight, it'd be better termed as a one-sided argument. He had yelled out his frustrations at her and she'd listened silently kneeing in a corner afraid to open her mouth and let out what she could not take back. When he was done screaming about the now insignificant annoyance, she walked out of the room.
That was one hour ago. He hadn't heard a news from her since. The attendants didn't have the slightest idea of her whereabouts and he would rather not appear to flustered for this troublesome wife. It was best to keep the matter private and conduct this search on his own. Finally, he spotted her leaning against a fallen pine canopy, her fur coat resting underneath her feet, legs exposed to the biting chill. He watched with amusement as she alternately let out puffs of warm air and wafted away the condensation with her metal fan.
"Ouch", she screamed as a blade hit her bruised wrist creating a new blood spot on top of the old one. He finally put two and two together. She'd injured herself pretty badly and he, instead of comforting her as a normal husband should, had blatantly ignored her pain over his own. What was that he was angry about again? See, he didn't even remember.
"Wife?" he said, not willing to hold back anymore.
She swiftly turned her head around and back in a matter of seconds. But that was enough time for him to spot her reddened eyes.
"Are you crying?"
She immediately opened up the fan to cover her face and replied, "no" between muffled sighs.
"You are crying", he repeated. "Let me see".
"Am not. I will be right with you. Give me one minute". She composed herself as she tried to push out any thoughts that may trigger an emotional reaction.
"Do I need to apologize to you?" he said in a tone that clearly implied he had no intention to.
"No sir", she cowered on her knees again. Gosh, she could be infuriating without trying. Or, this was deliberate and he just hadn't figured that out yet.
"Get up, and don't call me sir. It makes me sound much older than I really am. How would you like hearing ma'am?"
"I wouldn't, your majesty".
"There you have it".
"I apologize, your majesty. It was my fault".
"What was?"
"I don't know".
"You don't know what you did wrong and yet you are down on your knees begging. Why is that?"
"You would not like my answer". Oh, she was going somewhere alright. He tried not to fall into her trap but the lure of a dangling carrot is too much even for the most restrained of rabbits.
"I will decide that when I hear it. Speak up!"
"Because I have to appease you".
"Why?"
"Because you are the emperor".
"Because I am the emperor and not because I am your spouse?"
"No, I wouldn't be enduring this as your wife".
"What would you do instead?"
"I will tell it to you like it is".
"And how is it?"
"Unfair. You only see and hear what you like. I can't even direct your vision elsewhere, let alone oppose you. It is suffocating yet I do not see any plausible alternatives".
"Why not? You could tell it to me like it is".
"That would not do your pride much good, your majesty". Okay, she had a point.
"You. Think. I. Can't. Win. Against. My. Pride. Do you take me for such a weak man? HUH?"
There it was, the damned pride. Her knees buckled again. It was almost instinctive, as the tears started streaming down her face, she had little choice but to shield herself behind the fan again. He scooted down to her level and removed the screen from her face. She turned away but he pulled her toward him again. He was a tiresome man, a difficult man.
"Being with you is so hard", she had said somewhere between avoiding his advances and gasping for air.
He stopped dead in his tracks.
"What did you say?"
She dare not repeat what she had just blurted out. She looked everywhere but toward the handsome man anticipating an answer. Trying hard to avoid his prying eyes, she ultimately fell prey to his lips as they descended upon hers- cold, wet, lingering. She closed her eyes and let a sleep like state take over her. Her heart was numb to sensation and she was drowning deeper into the desire of never waking up to the world that was outside. Paralyzed in his grip, she only shook upright when he nudged her for some time.
"Let's head back", he chose a comforting approach because her frail appearance told him she couldn't pull through much longer. But now that he knew her fatal weakness, he would be sure to exploit it to his advantage.
