Chapter 39 - Cold-hearted

The Queen made it clear that she did not want Raymond to hold off any longer in finding a wife. The conversation was nothing but one-sided. Even if he were to get on his knees, he would not be able to change her mind. It was his mother after all.

"People are talking. Wondering why you are not getting married and coming up with-" Nora glanced at Lilith for a split second- "ridiculous theories as to why that is. Stop with this childishness Raymond."

"There will be a time for that to come-"

"And the time is now. If we went according to your time, it would never happen."

Lilith was practically in the corner of the room, trying her best to merge with the wall. Nora had suddenly come in and she barely had time to get out of her path. They both stood in the middle of Raymond's office and unlike the King, Nora had an army of servants behind her.

"It is already set and done. You will meet with those women and you will choose one to marry. And that is where this conversation ends."

And as swiftly as she came, she left, with the swoosh of her dress and the lingering of her floral perfume. Once she was gone, Lilith finally came out of the corner and approached Raymond who had not moved from his spot.

She stood by him for a couple of seconds, trying to think of something to say. "Your Majesty, is this not something that you expected to happen?"

Raymond looked down at her and his eyebrows relaxed. "It was."

"Just one person." she smiled. "You just need to find one person who won't drive you up a wall. Queen Mother is not asking you to fall in love, she is asking that you find a reliable Queen for this country. I believe it should not be too hard. There are a lot of capable people in Creona. Probably someone similar to you, right? Quiet, works a bit too much, likes to read."

"None of the women I meet will be like that." he shook his head and turned back to his desk.

"I didn't know you were a psychic?" Lilith gasped.

Raymond's lip twitched and he gave her an amused look.

"Being pessimistic is not going to help." Lilith turned dramatically, causing her dress to swish around. "Put positive energy out and good things will happen to you."

He looked at her like she was talking a load of crap. "No."

Lilith let out a bubbly laugh. "Who will be able to charm the cold-hearted King. Tune in next week to find out."

The King sat up a bit straighter in his chair and raised an eyebrow at her. "Cold-hearted?"

She smoothed down her dress. "Well yes, that is what everyone calls you. Although I believe differently."

Raymond didn't say anything after that and went back to his work. He was glad she didn't think that way. And for the rest of the day, the two could not stop thinking about the kind of women that would show up to meet him. Raymond knew that the women he would meet probably would not be loud and obnoxious and even lean more to Lilith's description, but still, no matter how they acted Raymond would not be charmed by anyone.

And so it commenced. Two days passed and various women began to visit the castle. They were of all shapes, colors, and sizes. But the only thing they all had in common was that they were of noble blood. And all the women who came to the castle, left the castle, heartbroken.

Lilith had the fortune of witnessing the gruesome massacres that were the dates between Raymond and the women. She and a few other servants stood off to the side of the room, and they would watch as the women would try to start up a conversation with Raymond only to get one-word answers in response. Some would even be lucky enough to get a sentence but by his tone, they knew it was the only thing he would say to them. And apparently, Raymond actually was not a psychic.

Most of the women were similar to him. There were some that were a bit too loud for Raymond's taste and immediately Lilith knew they were not going to get an ounce of his attention. But even with the women who carried themselves perfectly and spoke words of honey, they would all somehow target Lilith one way or the other. They would either call her, making her bring them things or they would give her looks. They had definitely heard about the rumors.

Some would even outright sneer at her. What would Lilith have to do to get them to realize that she was not even in the race? And she did not want to be. Jealousy was so overwhelmingly ridiculous that it was honestly funny. In a sad way.

Raymond would always glance at Lilith when the women always found some way to bring her into it. It was like there was a silent communication between the two and he would always tell her that he would not be picking the women. In a way, it relieved Lilith. She knew that if by some miracle Raymond picked someone, and they were not nice to her, she would leave.

Two weeks passed and Raymond met with two women each day for that time, and so far, nothing. Lilith was more than annoyed at the fact that she was constantly being bullied by the women. After it all happened she would have to stand next to other servants in a suffocating awkwardness that made her want to fall into the floor.

"Your Majesty," Lilith called for him as they were in their way for another meeting. "I would like to start waiting outside from now on."

Raymond paused and looked back at her. "Why?"

"Can't you see how the women there treat me? It's like I'm straight up being bullied. I'd rather not have to go through that again."

He turned around fully. "Well, that is the reason you are there. I want to see who will do it. To see their attitude towards someone they perceive as a threat."

Lilith gasped dramatically and placed her hand over her heart. "You're using me?"

"I am." he sat matter of factly.

She pouted. "You're mean."

"Didn't you already know that?"

"I thought you were at least a little nice to me."

Raymond only looked at her. His expression was blank and Lilith's face fell a bit.

"I take it back. You, Your Majesty, are cold-hearted." she wiped a fake tear from her eye and walked forward.

Truth be told Raymond knew that he was a lot nicer to Lilith than practically anyone. He had a good relationship with his brothers but he never interacted with them the way he did with Lilith. He would say that maybe Lucan came close but not by much. He did not feel good about having her in the room and being subjected to the torture of the women he was meeting, but he needed to weed out the weak ones, although he could tell without Lilith, he needed the extra push as a sure way to reject them.

But then, it seemed like the next woman had overheard their conversation because she was perfect. Raymond even seemed to take a small liking to her.

She never looked in Lilith's direction or talked to her. She was beautiful, eloquent, and intelligent. Raymond did not engage her too much but he answered her more than he did the other women. Seeing that, Lilith's stomach knotted a bit. She knew that it was jealousy. And it was not Lilith's place to feel jealous, so she swallowed it down. The thought of Raymond acting like how he did with her with someone else annoyed her. But she should not have been feeling like this. If the woman can make the King happy then she should be hoping for their happiness. Raymond saw her as a servant and maybe even slightly as an acquaintance.

Lilith was a servant. That was all she ever needed to be.