Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 98: A Ring Means Something

Camilla’s jaw dropped and she stared at the king as if he was speaking a foreign language. Her head was swimming in confusion but she forced herself to focus. Fainting at the king’s feet wasn’t going to make things any easier for her.

"William told me you have promised yourself to him." King Edward continued to rage. "What gives you the right to make such a decision without my approval? Without your own king’s approval even?"

"But I didn’t...I never thought..." Camilla tried but failed not to stammer. The king’s words were so wildly unexpected that she didn’t even know where to start. "I didn’t say-"

"Don’t waste my time, girl!" The king had obviously reached the limit of his patience, half rising from his seat as if he were about to pounce on her and tear her limb from limb. "You stand there with his betrothal ring on your finger and dare tell me there’s nothing between you? You think you can lie to me?"

Camilla looked down at her hands which were clutching her skirts in anxious fists. The blue stone on Prince William’s ring winked back at her.

No wonder he didn’t want me wearing the ring on my thumb. No wonder he insisted on this finger even though the ring is far too big.

What the hell was he doing?

She turned to glare at him accusingly. William’s eyes skipped away guiltily, refusing to meet hers.

I will kill him. I will literally tear his throat out, Camilla vowed silently. If the king lets me leave this room alive.

She turned back to the king and gave him a beseeching look before casting her eyes to the floor again. "I’m very sorry, Your Majesty. It was never my intention to lie to you. Yes, I did say I would promise myself to the prince, but..." Her voice wavered and she aimed a quick, fierce glare in William’s direction. "But when I said it, I didn’t truly understand the significance of the words."

She looked up to see King Edward raising his eyebrows at her. "I know how...how unbelievable that sounds. But it’s the truth. I’m very sorry to have disappointed you." She finished lamely, knowing her explanation sounded unbelievably naive and stupid. There was no point telling the king that the prince had deliberately wrangled her promise out of her lips at her absolute weakest moment - she was already in serious enough trouble.

Camilla dropped her head and clenched her eyes shut, expecting her the king to continue shouting. She braced herself, ready to receive whatever punishment he saw fit.

Silence.

Camilla risked raising her head and peeping at the king. He was sitting back in his chair and stroking his beard, the way she knew he did when he was deep in thought. He stared hard at her for a moment longer, then sighed.

"I’m inclined to believe you, Princess. You’re an innocent maiden and I know there’s no guile in you."

Camilla started to breathe a sigh of relief when King Edward’s voice rose again and his gaze moved to William standing next to her.

"You, on the other hand, I have no trust in at all!" snarled the king. "I don’t know what schemes have run through your head, lad, or what promises you managed to wrest from an innocent girl. But I have no doubt that everything you did was deliberate! You think I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a wily young man trying to get his own way?"

William looked like he was about to speak but thought better of it.

"I have every right to exile you from court and force you to spend the rest of your days in the most remote of your late father’s properties!" King Edward’s eyes swung back to Camilla. "And I have every right to shut you away in a nunnery for your foolish actions."

Camilla saw William’s face turn slightly green at the threat of exile.

The king slumped back in his chair as if exhausted. "However," he grumbled. "There is merit to my nephew’s request. Despite the appalling way the two of you have gone about your business behind my back, there are many benefits to be gained by Islia if our two royal houses are to be joined by marriage. That is the only reason I will allow this union to occur and why you both still have your heads on your shoulders."

Camilla instinctively wrapped her hand around her neck in fear. She quickly dropped it when she’s realised it was the hand with William’s ring on it and that the king was glaring at the jewel in disgust.

King Edward turned to the court advisor that had been standing utterly still and mute in the back of the room. "Record the formal betrothal between these two as beginning as of today. The royal announcement can be made at tonight’s dinner, to inform the rest of the court. Issue the declaration formally to my good brother Kenneth in Moraigth. And have two ambassadors briefed and ready to depart for Port Canfirth no later than dawn tomorrow." The king barked. "There is a dowry to be negotiated and I intend to get the better end result of the deal."

The advisor quickly scrawled down the king’s rapid orders and then hastily bowed and ran out of the presence chamber.

Out of the corner of her eye, Camilla saw William’s shoulders relax, but she could do no such thing. Events were moving too fast for her to understand.

"You want us to get married, Your Majesty?" She managed to squeak out.

"Wasn’t that the goal of all your backhanded dealings?" The king’s glare on both young royals was calmer but no less cold.

Camilla kept quiet. William bowed to the king and gave him a small, conciliatory smile. The king ignored him and continued making arrangements.

"You shall be wed on..." King Edward counted on his fingers briefly before announcing, "...the seventeenth day of August. Three months should be plenty of time to finalise arrangements and the dowry, as well as prepare the court for yet another royal wedding."

Camilla knew she shouldn’t ask, but she simply had to know. "Sire, while I appreciate your generous offer...what if my uncle doesn’t agree?"

The king gave her a wolfish smile. "He’ll agree and pay me handsomely for the privilege."

"As my wife, you’ll no longer be a Moraigthian princess but an Islian one. The lords of Moraigth will never allow a member of the Royal House of Devon to inherit their throne. They’ll transfer their loyalties to King Kenneth’s young daughter without any hesitation, which is what your uncle wants." William’s voice was a hurried whisper.

He paused, then added. "Reigning queens are undesirable, but especially one with an ambitious young husband who would usurp all your power. You told me that once." There was the ghost of a smile on his flawless face. "I will be the reason King Kenneth will be glad for you to never set foot in Moraigth again."

Camilla wished she could slap him for using her own words to box her into a corner.

"Yes, I expect your uncle to dower you generously and reward me well for solving his inheritance headache. He’d better hope his queen gives him a son soon though." The king smiled wryly.

The room was silent for a moment. Camilla was too overwhelmed to speak another word, too afraid to upset the delicate balance that seemed to have been achieved.

I’ll save my violent impulses for once we’ve left the king’s presence, she thought to herself.

"I suppose congratulations are in order then." the king finally muttered. "We can toast to your betrothal and future nuptials tonight. The queen for one, will be pleased. She seems to sense these turns of events before I do."

William bowed again. "My most humble thanks, Your Majesty, for your mercy."

King Edward started laughing grimly. "Of course you’re thankful, you little son of a bitch. You end up with the woman you want and she’ll make you even richer to boot. I don’t even want to imagine how long you’ve been planning this. Part of me wants to admire your cunning. You’re just lucky that this time, your goals and mine happen to align."

With a final sigh and a flick of his wrist, King Edward said, "Be gone now, both of you. I’m tired of your antics. Do not cause me any more grief before your wedding date."

Camilla started making a hasty retreat. William did the same. They had almost reached the presence chamber doors when the king spoke for the final time.

"Ah yes. Please remember there are still some months before you’re wed. As such, I expect you both to behave accordingly as a betrothed couple."

King Edward aimed a fiery last look at his nephew. "Keep your goddamn hands off until your wedding night, boy. I won’t have this alliance put in jeopardy because you can’t manage until then."