Preyuna looked at Isellta’s reflection in the newly repaired mirror. He held himself as if he expected her to throw more punches and other things at him. He rubbed his shoulder in a way that seemed to be more of an unconscious force of habit than anything else.
He was no longer looking at her.
She quietly considered destroying the mirror again.
“I…I’m…I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I just…I.” He stopped rubbing his shoulder and hugged himself instead. “I wanted to help both of us.”
“Trust me. It would not have helped either of us, especially you in particular.”
He fell silent.
She studied her own reflection. Her hair hung in crimson and silver straight lines over her shoulders, framing her face. No crown on her head. No royal gown. No exquisite jewelry. Her expression was hard and her mouth was an angry line.
And she stood alone.
No harem members at her side.
“Your Majesty?” Isellta said. “Please? Let me try?”
She snapped a furious glare at him. “No.”
“Please! If I fail, fine. I fail.”
“I said, no!”
“I need to do this. I need to know that I—”
She strode over to him, ready to throttle him or shove him against the wall. She wasn’t even sure which.
His eyes widened in panic. He stumbled as he frantically backed away from her.
She grabbed his shoulders.
He let out a frightened cry and hid his face behind his forearms.
Preyuna resisted the overpowering urge to slap him repeatedly. “I don’t care what your reasoning is for this particular shade of madness, but I will NEVER allow you to throw yourself at Mark Caten.” She tightened her grip on his shoulders. “It is nonsensical behavior.”
“I know it is, but I want to go home. Robin, I want to go home.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and mentally projected memories of what Mark Caten had done to her in the bedroom.
“No…” Isellta whispered. “Please. Please don’t. Don’tdon’tdon’tdon’t..” He trembled under her grip. “NO! STOP!” He squirmed to get away from her. “STOP, PLEASE! STOP!”
She left his mind. “And that’s what you’d have to look forward to if you give yourself to Mark Caten. You still want that? Do you?”
His breathing was a series of shuddering gasps.
“Answer me!”
“No. I…I…I…no.”
“Good.” She released his shoulders.
He fled the room without another word.
I’ve won the argument but lost the debate. Preyuna looked at her solitary reflection. But what else could I have done? How else could I have convinced him that what he wanted was wrong?
I wasn’t wrong to do that. I did the right thing.
But he won’t see it that way. He’ll just see me as something vile. He’ll see me as someone who’ll tear his mind open if I feel like it. He’ll see me as someone worse than Mark Caten.
He’ll want Robin even more.
But what else was I supposed to do?
ambroseandelsie 