The Last Princess of Lorrea Ch. 13

"Equating me to cattle is not going to convince me any more than you have already," Elena spat. "Just decide what you're going to do with me, now that you know I pose no threat. What is it going to be?" Elena asked matter-of-factly, "A concubine, waiting on you when you're unsatisfied with your queen? or rather you wish a monetary solution - you know that many of my neighbouring countries would pay dearly to own me as a slave," she said, her own words causing chills to course through her body.

Henry seemed to pale a little at the mental images she presented him with. "I do not want any of those things," he said quietly.

"Then just release me - what is the point to all this?!" she said angrily, slapping her palm against the tree trunk.

Henry remained silent for a few moments, thinking of how to say what was on his mind. "Granted, there is a law written about the, uh, virtue of the future queen," Henry said slowly, plucking a few leaves off the tree in absentminded discomfort.

"You see, even if - " Elena started to say, before Henry cut her off.

"Would you just let me finish Princess?! What I meant to say is yes, there is an old law on the subject - it dates back to as far as the beginning of the Kravaolian lineage. But that's just it- it's an old law!"

"Laws are not weakened by passage of time- quite the opposite," Elena stated haughtily, before Henry interrupted her again.

"That doesn't matter. Don't you understand? I am the King! No one has more authority than I - If I say the colour blue is in fact green, it shall be! Just as I can create new laws I can do away with the laws of the past too."

"You mean to say," started Elena, "that it would not matter how many men have touched the queen before the king did - it wouldn't hinder her rise to the throne?" Elena asked sarcastically.

"You're speaking in terms of volume - but that is not of which I speak Elena, I speak of being with just one more man, never mind how many times it, er, happened with said man," Henry finished awkwardly.

"Only once," Elena said softly, vocalising her thought without intending to.

"Anyway," Henry continued, his tone a tad more exuberant than before. "There is nothing to stop us now."

"What cruel joke is this?" Elena asked.

"No joke Princess, I promise you."

"You expect me to bind myself to you, for the rest of my life - when you won't even look at me?" she asked hotly.

"I look at you, what nonsense is this?" Henry said, looking up at her defiantly.

"Yes, but the shame in your eyes, don't you understand that it hurts me so? It is not enough that I have to live with the memory and even a physical reminder of a scar on my cheek," she said, trailing the thin line with her fingers. "But having to endure your look of shame - it is enough I carry it with me without having to see it reflected in your eyes!" Elena said, hot tears leaking from her eyes once more.

"Princess, I apologise - that is not my intent! The shame I feel it is not your shame, it is my own! It was I who ignored your warnings of Caspian's true nature... it was I who failed to reach you in time... Don't you see Elena, that this is all my fault?" He said, looking up at her from his branch, his face full of anguish.

Elena shut her eyes and shook her head. She didn't have room in her heart for the guilt of two people now. "Don't be ridiculous," she said.

"But it is the truth."

"The fault lies only with Cas- Caspian," she stammered. "He is - I mean was, the one who did this to me. Not you. Do not think that you bear some responsibility in this... this... happening."

Elena noticed, that as these words passed her lips, her own guilt that had been weighing so heavily on her heart, lifted suddenly. She was able to close her eyes and not fear seeing a dark shadow in her minds-eye. Absolving Henry of his imaginary guilt seemed to have removed her own self blame.

Elena breathed deeply, the cool night air seemed the best breath of fresh air she had taken in a very long time.