Majesty Castle

“What are doing?” Zakk asked wrapping his arms around Candace’s waist and following her gaze out the window.

“Watching Johnny,” her voice cracked as she spoke and Zakk hugged her tighter. “He looks so happy. What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing. Baby, you have to accept sooner or later that Johnny isn’t a child anymore. He isn’t always going to run to mommy to fix his problems. Etta is good for him.”

“I know.” Candace nodded. “I just wish he would talk to me.”

Zakk turned her around in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Come on, let’s give the boy some privacy.” He took her by the hand and led her away from the window and past Pippa to the main hall. “How about we have our own date night?”

Candace smiled and hugged her husband. “Ok, but you don’t have to go getting all fancy, I’m a sure thing.”

“I’m counting on it,” he laughed and put his arm around her shoulder before leading her back up the stairs.

*******

Alone, Peter sat in a chair in front of the window in the study recalling an old memory from a happier time. It was the tree outside the window that jogged his memory. His eyes remained transfixed on a leaf that hung from one of the branches.

He lay on his side propped up on one elbow looking down at her. She was lying flat on her back smiling up at him. The blanket that lay beneath them was hers from the bed she had in her room in the servant’s quarters. She didn’t care if it got dirty, she could always wash it, but he promised her one day he would give her a quilt made of the finest fabric money could buy on a bed with a canopy draped in silk.

It was autumn and the leafs on the trees had just started to change colors. Pretty soon those leafs would fall to cover the ground and the air would start to cool. A sure sign that winter was on its way and it would be harder for the two lovers to meet.

“What’s wrong with your name? I like Emily. It’s a sweet name for my sweetheart.”

“Emily is not a noble name, do you know what it means?” She asked.

“No.”

“It means hard working.”

“What is wrong with that?” he asked trailing his finger along her collarbone.

“Don’t you see? It’s a constant reminder of what I am. A maid. You’re a noble man Peter, you deserve better.”

Peter shook his head. Such silliness she was speaking. “Were you to have another name, what would you pick?”

Emily looked up at the clouds and smiled before looking back into his eyes. “I like Nicole. It means victory.”

“No. It’s not you.” Peter brushed a hair from her neck and kissed her softly. “Nicolette.” He whispered in her ear. “It’s beautiful, just like you.”

“I like that,” she smiled.

Peter kissed her lips softly and smiled down at her when he pulled back. “Then from now on Nicolette you shall be.”

“I love you, Peter.”

“You asked to see me?” Allegra said from the doorway snapping Peter from his memory.

“Yes,” he said not turning to look at her for she would have seen the tears in his eyes. With a quick swipe of his hand they were gone and he rose from the chair. Still without turning to meet her gaze he reached into his trouser pocket and pulled something out. “This is for you.” He reached back with his hand and held out the book for her to take.

Cautiously, she approached and took the book from his hand. It was another copy of “City of Evil,” the M Shadows book. The same one he destroyed by throwing it into the fire.

“Thank you.”

He nodded, but didn’t say anything.

“Why wont you look at me?” She asked.

“Allegra, just take the book and go. Please, before I change my mind.”

Without another word, she turned and exited the room. It was a small gesture from Peter, but it still didn’t makeup for the abuse she took at his hand. She went back up to her room and found Matthew sitting on the bed.

“Well, there you are,” he smiled as she walked through the door. “Something wrong?” He asked when she didn’t return the smile.

“No,” she shook her head and walked over to her dresser and shoved the book in the top drawer.

“A package was delivered for you today.”

“Really?” she asked turning around to face him. He held up the package in his hand as she approached the bed. When she sat down on the edge, he leaned forward and handed it to her.

It was wrapped in brown paper with no return address. “I don’t have any idea what it could be,” she said before tearing the paper off and revealing another book.

Matthew watched as she looked down at the cover. All it said was “Avenged Sevenfold.” Allegra opened the cover and her face turned pale white when she read the inscription.

“Allegra,

Come back to me, it’s almost easy.

M”

“Allegra?” Matthew looked concerned. “Is everything ok?”

“I need some air.” She got up off the bed and walked out of the room. Matthew leaned back against the headboard and put his arms behind his head grinning to himself.

Just as he was about to get up off the bed, Brian knocked and peeked his head in the door. Matthew leaned back and motioned for him to come in.

“How’d it go?”

“Don’t want to talk about it,” Brian said as he sat down on the bed.

“Ok, then why are you here?”

“Because I think I found Jimmy’s mother.”

“Where?” Matthew asked sitting straight up on the bed and giving Brian his full attention.

“A friend at the bank. He said there is in fact an account holder with the name Nicolette Willshire. He said he would get me an address, so I guess now we just wait.”

Matthew swung his legs over the side of the bed. “It has to be her. How many people could have that name? It’s not like it’s common.”

“ I know, but I don’t think we should say anything yet until we can be sure.”

“Agreed,” Matthew nodded.

“I’ll let you know when I have an address.” Brian stood and headed for the door. “We can go pay her a visit then and lets just hope that Peter doesn’t find out.” With that he walked out the door.

Matthew got up off the bed and slipped on his shoes. Allegra was probably having a mental breakdown by now. He knew it was wrong not to tell her about his other identity, but she also has some confessing to do and he still wasn’t sure if she was in love with M Shadows or Matthew.

He found her sitting on a bench in the garden looking up at the stars. When he sat down beside her, she didn’t even acknowledge his presence. Matthew turned his gaze up to the sky to see what she was looking at, but all he could see were stars. When he looked back at her she spoke, but didn’t take her gaze away from the stars.

“There isn’t enough room.”

“It’s a big bench Allegra, a whole other person could sit down.”

“No,” she shook her head. “Up there,” she pointed back at the stars. “They say when people die, they get a star in the heavens. There isn’t enough room for everyone.”

Matthew smiled to himself and looked back up at the stars. “I don’t believe in myths.”

“Well, where do you think people go when they die?” She asked.

“Depends on the person, I guess.” He shrugged. “I think if it’s a person you cared deeply about, they don’t really go anywhere. If you cared so much about that person then they only leave you in body, but they never leave your heart.”

“I like my theory better. I think it would be nice to have my own star in the sky.”

He laughed this time. He didn’t mean to do it, but she was too sweet for her own good. “I bet you would be the brightest one up there.”

Allegra turned and looked at her husband’s face. “Are you leaving again?”

Matthew let out a sigh and lowered his eyes. “Not for a while. I won’t be around much during the day though. I have some business to take care of that will keep me a little busy and there may be a few days when you wont see me at all because I wont get home until very late at night.”

She turned her gaze away from him and looked down at the book sitting in her lap remembering the words written inside the cover.

“Does that disappoint you?”

She nodded fighting back tears. “I was stupid to think that this was real.”

“What was real?”

“That you were actually being nice to me and accepting our marriage. That maybe you were going to try to get to know me and maybe even like me. Instead you are just trying to pacify me until you leave again.”

“Allegra it really isn’t like that.” He grabbed her hand in his and held it while she didn’t bother to hide her tears any longer. “I do like you. You’ve somewhat grown on me, I guess.”

“Then what is it really like?” she cried.

He sighed and moved closer to her. “You just have to trust me. I know I haven’t given you a reason to do so. I left you twice and if I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t trust me either, but I promise you, what I am doing is for the both of us. Please trust me.”

Allegra looked down at their joined hands and back up at him. “I don’t understand why you can’t just tell me what it is.”

“I’m sorry, it’s complicated. One day, I will explain everything, but I just can’t right now. I can only tell you that I don’t want to be King and everything I am doing is going to set me free.”

“What about me?” She asked and when she looked at him with a face full of tears, he nearly fell apart himself.

“You too, I promise when it’s all said and done, if you still think you want this marriage, then I’ll give it all I have to make it work.”

She didn’t say anything; she just wiped her eyes and looked back down at their hands. “What if you can’t?”

“Can’t what?” he asked squeezing her hand lightly.

“What if after what ever it is that you have to do is over, you can’t love me? It wont be a real marriage if you can’t love me.”

He smiled and pulled his hand away from hers and put his arm around her. “Something tells me you are going to worm your way into my heart no matter how hard I try to resist so I don’t think that will be a problem.” She rested her head on his shoulder and he kissed the top. “Tired?”

“A little.”

“Does your back still hurt?”

“Not as bad as it used to. It’s still a little sore.”

“Go on up to bed and I’ll have Pippa bring you up something to help you sleep.”

“Ok.”

She stood from the bench and wiped her face with her hand. “Matthew?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you kiss me goodnight?”

He smiled and stood up from the bench. “How could I say no to that?” He placed his hands on her cheeks and softly kissed her lips. When he pulled back, he kissed her forehead and then looked down at her face. “Goodnight, love,” he whispered.

“Goodnight, Matthew.”

He watched as she walked away knowing that he was doing the right thing. His feelings for her were growing every day, but he had to find Nicolette Willshire in order to live the life he wants to live and give James back his birthright. Only then can he give Allegra what she really deserves. Love.