Chapter 40 - Favoured Woman

"Why did you reject all the women I sent your way?" Nora asked Raymond.

He glanced up at her before looking back at his work. "None of them were suitable."

"I got a report from the servants that were there. I know how each one acts and how you interact with them. And from what I'm told you took a little interest in one. The daughter of the architect. Why not marry her?"

"Our conversation was pleasant. Nothing more."

"You are being absolutely ridiculous." His mother almost stamped her foot. "You should know the importance-"

"I do."

"Then why are you being so difficult?! Is there some specific quality you look for in a woman? Is that it?"

"So what? So you can just find someone with it and hand them over to me?" He looked up at her.

Nora took a step forward. "So there is one." Her eyebrows raised in curiosity and she leaned towards him.

Raymond sighed. "There is not. Now please, let me get back to my work."

"Whatever it is, I have no complaints about finding a girl that will suit your needs. Of course, once she is from a good family and all that." The Queen Mother said a bit too eagerly.

Was there really a quality Raymond liked in women? Since it was the least of his concerns it was not something he thought about at all. As Lilith said, he would want someone that is quiet and likes books. Someone that will not annoy him and bother him when he is busy. Then he could just go about as if she does not exist.

But then, most of the women he met did meet most of those standards. And the one that he had talked to met all of them. She seemed to understand that he did not want to do it and that she would have a specific role to play if she were to be the Queen. And yet Raymond did not want to marry her. He could not. He did not want to get married. However, that was not a choice he could make.

"Son," Nora walked around the desk and she stood next to him, her hand on his shoulder. "Tell me what you want. Tell me and I will scour the lands until I find the girl you desire."

"I have no desires."

"Just think about it," she spoke softly as if trying to coax the answer out of him. "There has to be something. Anything that made you look twice or stop your heart or even piqued your interest even the slightest bit."

Stopped his heart. Anything. Anyone. Has it been able to make his heart stop?

"If you're not willing to tell me then I guess I have no choice but to ask Gloria. She's been around for a while. Maybe she's seen some things. Or maybe that servant girl of yours. Definitely the longest one. Although quite incompetent I must say."

Lilith.

Raymond's heart skipped a beat at the thought of her.

It was just him and his mother. He had her leave so that he could deal with his mother alone. He was sure Lilith would not want to present for a conversation she's heard before.

"Maybe..." Raymond cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. "Maybe someone who laughs to themselves when no one is watching."

Nora took a step back, riddled with shock. She definitely was not expecting him to answer. "There is someone you favor. Is that why you rejected all those capable women?"

Raymond did not answer. He felt like a fool for even opening his mouth in the first place. Why did he have to say that? In what direction was he going?

"Tell me," Nora demanded.

Raymond took a sudden interest in all the papers on his desk. How they were messy and scattered. He definitely did not know what was what. That was Lilith's job. She would appear and arrange all his papers for him as if she were the one doing the work.

"Whoever this woman is. Wherever she may be. You find her and marry her." That was her parting words for him.

He was not even sure if there was a woman. There was something. It was small and uncertain. But it was there. He just did not know what.

Later, when Lilith gave him his lunch, she took the opportunity to ask him why he rejected the latest women since they shared interests. She looked like she was good for him and Raymond did not seem to hate her as much as the others. Which was good.

"I did not like her," he said to her blankly.

Lilith sighed. "Then what is it that you are looking for in a woman?"

Nora and Lilith seemed to be in sync today.

"Someone who likes books." Raymond could not meet Lilith's eyes when he said that.

Lilith almost scoffed and gave the King an incredulous look. "The woman had a vast knowledge of literature. So there had to be something else. What was it? Why didn't you like her?"

"She was too uptight."

"But she was the best out of all. Is it because you do not find her physically attractive?" The thought popped into Lilith's head and she spoke immediately.

"I do not care about physical appearances." He busied himself with his food.

Lilith smiled and clapped slowly. "Wow. If the ladies heard that, they would be all over you even more than they already are. You are the ideal partner to a lot of people so you should find someone soon. You just have to be a little less... close-minded."

There was silence and she wondered if he was angry because she called him close-minded. All Lilith was trying to do was help. She wanted Raymond to be happy but he was just so stubborn that it drove her up a wall sometimes.

"Do you find me attractive?"

That was not what she was expecting to hear from him and it shocked her dumb for a second. Was that something he actually needed to ask?

"Well of course I think you're attractive." Lilith nodded to him.

Raymond's chest tightened. He was not sure why, but hearing her tell him that really made his head spin. Lilith thought that he was attractive. He should hate that. He should fire her immediately to prevent any chance of her wanting him. But he did not. He could not. It was Lilith and she would never. She'll never see him like that.

The King did not even notice that he got up from his chair and stalked around the desk until he stood in front of Lilith. But he just had to see.

"Do you like me, Lilith?"