The Reluctant Queen

Chapter 5

The number of young women lining the library was as though it had been announced as one of the seven wonders of the world. Wilhelm was not against women being able to read but it was an unusual number to be so interested so early in the morning. Most women read in the privacy of their homes but they weren't permitted in open spaces. He heard many good things about the scholars who came to read at the library and its infamy placed it on the top of the list of places to Wilhelm visit. While Wilhelm hated his father to the last drop of blood in his body, he loved learning how to help his people. For that, he was almost grateful to the old crone. Almost.

"Am I surprised that some of the young women from the soirée are here?"

Wilhelm shrugged. "That sounds like a rhetorical question. Do I have to answer?”

"How long until they realise that you're not interested?" Adolf groaned. "I anticipate a few annoying weeks coming ahead. Let’s make one thing clear, I am your guard and not your messenger.”

Wilhelm rolled his eyes and got out of the carriage. He nodded in their direction and uttered a polite good morning. Much like Adolf, Wilhelm hated being hounded. He spent the majority of his youth passing false rumours of his location to escape the unwanted attention. Just as Wilhelm was about to let out a sigh of relief, a servant came straight at him. A well dressed servant— that the lady she served could have very well been at the King’s celebrations. The hallway was small with no side rooms for escape. Between the maid of one lady, who Wilhelm was destined to disappoint, and the masses outside, his options were clear: face her and immediately cut her, and her lady down.

With each passing moment, she got closer. Unlike the others who had come in their best dresses and parasols ready as though they were prepared to stand out there all day long, this woman wore a shapeless brown dress. Despite not being designed to be flattering, the skirt and arms were free-flowing like the wings of a bird. The waistband which brought everything in around her midriff showed her slight frame. Something about her reminded him of the little bird from his first night at the palace and the woman from the other day. The colours of the dresses may have been different but the style was the same.

“Doesn’t she look familiar?” Wilhelm said to Adolf.

Adolf scowled. “How so?”

“Like the woman we saw the other day?”

Adolf huffed. “She looks like any other servant of any other lady.”

“The other servants do not seem to cover their hair nor are their clothes this simple, and yet cotton that soft, is not cheap.”

“When did you become an expert at dressmaking?”

“She does not make sense, do you not see that?” Was he insane? Was he seeing patterns where there was none? Perhaps, he was. Wilhelm and Adolf were usually well synchronised like a military drill. Just as well, there was no step that Wilhelm took that Adolf hadn’t shadowed.

“I cannot tell whether you are wary of her or intrigued.”

Wilhelm smiled. “Neither can I.”

Adolf and Wilhelm fell silent as they reached the door. Wilhelm opened the wooden door and held it open. The woman didn't so much as look at him nor curtised as she passed by. This time Wilhelm had a good look at her. She had a lovely set of astonishing blue eyes which had not intentionally looked at him. She had no idea who he was nor did she care. But that’s what made her odd, with the hoard of women outside, she had to have known who he was and avoided him. Why? Wilhelm might not have seen her face the other day but he remembered her porcelain skin on the hilt of that sword.

What are you mixed in? Wilhelm wondered, staring at her back.

"It's always the strangest women who you find striking. She looked like someone's servant, what are you thinking? Do we need another crisis in our hands?"

"Something about her reminds me of the little bird.”

"What?" Adolf asked in confusion.

"The woman I saw jumping the wall at the palace a few weeks ago."

"What would a palace maid be doing here?"

"Who knows but I’m going to find out.” Wilhelm let go of the door and pushed her out of his mind. He walked through multiple aisles, familiarising himself with the place.

It took the whole day just walking through the halls and sieving through the catalogue of books to find his nest. Before his mother died, Wilhelm got lost in many books that it took search parties to find him. Unlike his brother, Alexandre, who took a scholarly approach to any book that he read, Wilhelm found his niche in any new approaches and things he could help build to advance his own knowledge, if not the future. King Maximilian thought it foolish and barred his son wherever he could. Wilhelm took comfort in that the King was miles away and could not touch him.

Towards the end of the day, the caretaker of the library came and introduced himself to Wilhelm. After that he took him into chambers where students of politics, science and theology gathered. They were common men who attended universities and earned their living. It made Wilhelm smile imagining his father’s wrath when he found out that he may have changed location but he had not stopped his association with commoners. They made arrangements to meet often and welcomed him into their circles. That gave him some hope to alleviate the boredom and aimlessness he had been feeling.

What I would give to be a free man with choices of my own, Wilhelm thought as he left the library. They looked at him with reverence for his titles but Wilhelm admired their knowledge and skill to change the world.

***

Sparring with Adolf was like an endless dance with a most perfect lover. He knew when to charge at Wilhelm and when to retreat. He noticed the small frown line form on Wilhelm’s forehead whenever he was cornered and how those violet eyes narrowed when a nerve was struck, so Wilhelm tried his best to school his emotions. The game of ambiguity was one he played with his brothers and father, but not Adolf. The man knew where Wilhelm relieved himself, what he cared for and all his fighting moves. To strike Adolf took a lot more labouring than Wilhelm wanted and yet it was the most his mind had been diverted.

Breathless, with his copper hair dripping with sweat, Wilhelm huffed as he looked across the yard of the training ground. By the limestone columns, the Queen and her possé stood watching. Wilhelm internally groaned and yet plastered his best smile.

Adolf came up behind Wilhelm, placing a towel over his head. “I think she has her eye on you.”

Wilhelm didn’t have to ask who. They were all staring but the woman with an eye on him— like a tiger prowling for its next meal was the Queen. She slithered from the platform, twisting her hips from side to side in a deliberate motion.

“Your Highness,” she said with a half coy and half seductive smile. Her brown eyes glistened as she looked up at him. Her hand reached up and grabbed a piece of hair that had fallen over his eyes. “That was quite a show. I hear your kingdom still practises sending your heirs off to battle. You must have been very efficient in battle.”

Tilting his head off to the side, as though he were in thought, Wilhelm dropped the towel from his head.

“Ah, excuse me,” he said, sheepishly. Wilhelm bent down and picked up the towel, and moved himself a step back so that Adolf was slightly between them. “I seem to have lost my touch. I am quite clumsy. Let us hope that I am not called upon to defend you.”

Her entourage joined them, remaining a step behind the Queen — just as he had feared. He was marked territory. Unlike the rest of them, Antoinette, the Queen’s sister, ran up to him and linked her arm to his.

“Have you killed someone in battle, Your Highness?” she was the youngest one of them all and by her actions, she was still very green behind the ears.

The Queen huffed, annoyed that she was upstaged. “What do you think one does in battle?”

Antoinette looked up at Wilhelm, horrified. She was the fairer of the two sisters, chocolate brown hair to the Queen’s almost black hair. Her cheeks were always burning a bright pink whenever she looked at Wilhelm. Her intentions were clear, that it was almost shameless. Who could blame her when the Queen, the woman meant to be her guardian, was well known to take lovers.

“That’s dangerous, Your Highness. Your father must send off his generals instead of you.”

Wilhelm smiled. “Well, a King cannot only learn matters of war from books. At times I find that experience is the best teacher.”

“Surely not all things,” Antoinette argued. “Reputation speaks for itself.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Wilhelm said, freeing himself from her. “I must go, I have a prior engagement.”

Antoinette pouted while the Queen merely stared at him long and hard. “Will you not have dinner with us?” Antoinette asked.

“I am afraid not, my lady. I am needed elsewhere.”

“You and your betrothed have a lot in common,” the Queen muttered.

“To me, that would be a high compliment,” Wilhelm said with a casual smile. However, the biting tone and anything related to the Princess in this palace was never a compliment, except if uttered by her brothers. Wilhelm was yet to understand why she was so hated. “But I wouldn’t dare place my shortcomings on Princess Giselle.”

“She is an old maid and she should be so grateful that you pay her any attention at all, Your Highness. Instead, what does she do? She is haughty and acts holier than thou as per usual.” How such hateful words could be said with a sweet smile was beyond Wilhelm. In his house, words were not spoken at all or spoken with the intention to kill.

“I have not earned her time.” Wilhelm forced the words out through his teeth. Somehow, he maintained his smile despite wanting to cut them all down. He bowed his head to them and left.

How many times was he told he should be grateful for his title and all that came with it? Yet none of them had to bear the responsibilities that he did or make the sacrifices that he made. How many times was he told no— a Crown Prince cannot do this or that. It was no wonder that Princess Giselle was set on leaving the palace.

“It’s ironic how she might be the only person in the world who understands what it means to be you,” Adolf said and then broke into a laugh. “Could it be that you’re a match made in heaven?”

Wilhelm rolled his eyes. “Have you found out anything about her yet?”

“Nope.”

“You’re not trying.”

“I am also at your side around the clock. How do you imagine I can find out about the rebels and spend my days at a monastery babysitting the object of all your desires?”

“Make use of my father’s men! Give them something to do. It will give us time to work on our other plans.”

Adolf gritted his teeth, his eyes filling with sorrow. “I do not think that’s wise.”

“Neither you, my father nor heaven and hell can change my mind.”