Chapter 36

“You will find out if you beat me in a duel,” King Evander chuckled, and signaled his men to take the prince and his guard out of the queen’s room.
"You are not being true!” Prince Remington shouted.

The next morning, Iris woke up and found the king sleeping next to her in her bed. It took her a moment to remember what had happened the previous day. Iris made use of the early morning silence and took in her husband’s appearance as she thought, ‘how do we get back to us?’
Iris leaned over and softly touched his face. She kissed him on his forehead and whispered, “I love you.”
She kissed him on his one eye and whispered again, “I love you.” She kissed him on his other eye and whispered again, “I love you.”
By the third ‘I love you,’ a tear from Iris fell on King Evander that woke him up.
“I love you, too,” King Evander said softly as he opened his eyes. He reached out to her and pulled her near for a gentle kiss.
“I fear I have failed you,” King Evander admitted, looking into her eyes.
“It is not your fault,” Iris said, with her hand on his cheek.
“How is it not my fault? I have been the worst husband ever when you needed me most,” King Evander said, angry at himself.
Iris leaned her body against his with her upper body on top of his. “Our love is indestructible, and we can overcome anything.”
“I fear I have made a terrible mistake,” King Evander started.
“I forgive you for whatever it is,” Iris said and wanted to kiss him, but he placed his hand over her mouth.
“I made a promise and if I don’t keep it, I will lose the respect of my subjects,” King Evander said with a heavy heart.
“What promise?” Iris asked, with a line between her eyes.
“I was so angry when I thought you ran away that I told Prince Remington that he could have you if he finds you first,” King Evander explained.
“Oh, I see. I thought that was a dream,” Iris said, the frown still on her face.
King Evander placed his thumb on the line between her eyes and rubbed the frown off her face, “how do I get out of this one without breaking my word?”
“You let me go and I run away. That way, you keep your word and me,” Iris suggested.
King Evander went stiff. “It is too dangerous. What if something goes wrong? His kingdom is far away and what if slavers get hold of you and my son while you are onthe run.”
“Our son,” Iris corrected him, “I won’t take him with and you can send your most trusted guard to come with us but out of sight.”
King Evander turned himself on top of her to make love to her, but a painful moan escaped her.
“Are you ok? I didn’t mean to hurt you,” King Evander inspected her.
“I need something for the pain,” Iris cried.
“I will go and get the healer right away,” King Evander said, and got out of bed and told one guard to go get the healer.
“And our son,” Iris called after him.
“And our son,” King Evander said to the guard before closing the door and then opened the door again, “and breakfast.”
“Won't your guest expect you at breakfast?” Iris asked when King Evander got back into bed.
“I will see them at brunch,” King Evander said, and slipped his palm past her cheek and to the back of her head before kissing her.
‘The idea of losing me for good must be what is making him act this way. Either that or the fact that another man desires me and wants me,’ Iris thought while he kissed her.
Prince Evander arrived first in Marchelle’s arms, and she was appalled to find the king and queen in each other’s arms again.
Marchelle kept her cool and walked over and placed the prince in King Evander’s arms.
“No, give him here,” Iris demanded, with her arms stretched out.
Marchelle looked at her brother and when he did not object, walked around and placed the prince in the queen’s arms. As she turned to step away, one of her bracelets fell off her wrist. Marchelle picked it up and noticed the decorative golden handle of one mirror.
‘Does Iris know?’ Marchelle wondered and decided she would come back for it later.
The healer arrived with the servants that brought their breakfast.
“Drink this after eating and if the pain is getting really bad you should drink this, but it will make you sleep,” the healer said, arranging the herbs and spices with water next to Iris on the bedside table.
“Thank you,” Iris said.
The healer bowed to the king and took his leave.
“Can I feed the prince?” Iris asked the healer before he could leave.
“Yes,” the healer said, but did not turn to face her.
“Yes, my queen or your majesty,” King Evander corrected his healer.
The healer turned around and bowed his head. “Yes, your majesty.”
“It is all my fault. They don’t know how to behave because of my action and behavior,” King Evander apologized.
“Your subjects have never respected me from the beginning, even after a year of being their queen,” Iris said while eating.
“Then we will change it right away,” King Evander said.
“You are giving me away, remember? Let’s leave it for when I return,” Iris said, smiling.
King Evander watched her eat.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Iris asked after swallowing her bite of food.
King Evander took his fork and filled it with food before mouthing it.
Iris smiled at him, smiling at her.
After breakfast, King Evander carried her to the bathtub that the servants prepared while they ate.
“Leave us,” King Evander said and took the bath sponge from her. Iris relaxed while the king bathed her.
After bathing her, the king spread the drying cloth out on the bed before picking her out of the bath and laying her down on the cloth. King Evander dried her and pulled a clean nightgown from the closet.
“No, that dress,” Iris objected to the nightgown.
King Evander put his finger on a dress and waited for her to agree.
“Yes, that one,” Iris said.
“Are you sure?” King Evander questioned.
“Yes. I need to get out of this room. Is it not Prince Evander the fifth’s presentation today?” Iris asked. ‘Or is it his wedding to princess Marchelle?’ Iris wondered.
“There is that frown again,” King Evander pointed out. “What are you thinking?”
“Nothing,” Iris said, thinking it was best not to ruin the mood. ‘Let him marry her if he likes, but she will never be me and she will never be able to make him love her the way he loves me; no matter whose body I am in,’ Iris thought.
“His presentation is only tomorrow,” King Evander said.
“Then I guess the nightgown will do,” Iris said and watched him bring the nightgown over.
By the time King Evander dressed her, Marchelle came knocking on the door. “Brunch is being served.”
“I will visit the two of you after brunch,” King Evander said, securing her foot in a cloth and kissed her, followed by kissing the prince on his head.
“Evander,” Iris said before he left the room.
King Evander turned around and waited for her to speak.
“I love you,” Iris said with loving eyes on him.
King Evander walked back to her and wrapped his hand around her neck, “I love you, too.” King Evander rested his head against her forehead. “I will work harder to be the man you deserve.”
Iris reached out and placed her palm on his arm.
King Evander left the room, and the servants came in to clean up.

The atmosphere was stiff during breakfast, especially since Prince Remington was seated at the same table as the king.
“Lighten up Remington, I am keeping my word,” King Evander said loud and clear for everyone to hear, causing a few whispers.
“Scared of my sword?” Prince Remington challenged.
“Don’t push it,” King Evander warned him off.
“Last night you wanted to kill me just so that you don’t have to keep your word. What changed?” Prince Remington fished for answers.
“A good night’s rest,” King Evander said before averting his attention to Marchelle, her smile disgusting him.
“And the queen? I heard you shared her bed with her last night?” Prince Remington questioned, making Princess Aisley choke.
A servant padded Princess Aisley on her back.
“I am fine,” Princess Aisley told the servant off.
“A guard tried to abduct her last night, so I was watching over her,” King Evander said, keeping his cool.
“I will have my own guards standing guard over her from now on. Your guards can not be trusted,” Prince Remington said bluntly, and waved one of his guards closer.
“Will Princess Marchelle become your new queen now?” Princess Aisley inquired, bringing everyone’s attention to them.
“Your husband can take my queen. That does not mean she won’t be my queen anymore. So, the answer to your question: no, I won’t be taken a second wife anytime soon,” King Evander answered.
Marchelle stopped chewing the food in her mouth holding her anger that wanted to burst out of her, thinking, ‘I will have to somehow show Prince Remington the truth, as my brother will never believe me that it is a servant in the queen’s body.