"You need to marry him," The Dowager Queen insisted, "the history between our countries has been too turbulent to guarantee anything."

"Not turbulent enough to guarantee anything for certain," Alexa countered.

She had had enough of her mother's persistent attitude towards the idea of a marriage with the neighbouring country's prince. The Dowager Queen had begun this ridiculous proposal practically the moment that Alexa's ass made contact with the seat of the throne.

"Look – I've had enough to deal with, even without you constantly-"

"At least look at him," she held a file out, "then you can decide whether or not you want to marry him."

"So, you expect me to decide on the future king of my country based on a file."

"No," she had that smug face on again, "I expect you to make a decision after you've spoken to him."

"Talk to Nancy – she can set up the meeting," seeing that their encounter was coming to an end, Alexa began to stand.

"No need. I took the liberty of arranging it myself."

Aaand there went Alexa's patience. She sunk back into her armchair, letting her body just sort of melt into the seat, ignoring her mother's remarks on sitting like a lady.

"When?" Her hand was covering her eyes in exasperation.

"Saturday."

"Saturday! You've given me three days to prepare meeting this prince."

"Nice to know you can count." She stood and motioned at her security.

When she reached the doorway, Dowager Queen Margaret III turned and held Alexa's gaze.

Alexa broke the silence with "You're pretty serious about this. So much so that you arranged it yourself. Why?"

"So that you don't mishandle things like your sister did."

"It's been three years – let it go." Exhausting. Her mother had been so exhausting ever since the death of Roxanne. The murder of, a little part of her corrected. She let it go. She had better things to deal with – like being her successor and having to clean up the mess that she made.

"Do not marry a commoner – keep our bloodline clean." With that, she turned away and left Alexa's office, her heels leaving a trail of clicks behind her.

Alexa walked around her desk to face the wall of windows overlooking the city. She watched the cars meandering around the skyscrapers that she had watched being erected through her childhood, the grey sky that hung over the city. She took it all in.

This. This city, this country is what this marriage will be for, she reassured herself, just this.

⸸

Silas entered the room slowly as the doormen held the doors open. The large uncurtained windows allowed the sunlight pouring into the room to momentarily blind. Standing before them was a woman with her back to him, the tips of her burnished brown hair hung until halfway down her back.

Queen Alexa of Riage.

Just from the way she stood, her stiffness and cold ambience, he knew that this marriage would only be a partnership and no further. And that it was inevitable.

She turned and her luscious her followed. She touched the tips of her finger to her lips and bowed her head low – a sign of respect in both their countries – and he did the same. They sat down on two leather wingback chesterfield sofas facing each other with only a coffee table between them.

As soon as they were sat down, Alexa motioned for all the attendants to leave the room. "I think that the topic of marriage should be one discussed in private, don't you?"

Silas only nodded nad turned his focus onto surveying the room. It was a study of some sort, with all walls, except for the one covered with windows, lined with bookshelves. Shelves up shelves of leather hardbacks on every subject. An immense mahogany desk paired with a leather desk chair stood in front of the wall of windows. Its corners were carved with dragons fashioned into a snarl so that it appeared as if they were gnawing at the corners with their clawed feet resting on the edges of the table. He spied a grand piano in the corner of the room, to the left of the desk, with the side of the keys bathed in sunlight.

"So," Alexa said.

"So"

She relaxed into the sofa, crossing her legs in a very un-queen-like manner. "What do you want out of this marriage?"

"I was told that your Dowager Queen was the first to suggest a marriage between us."

"And I was told that you agreed without hesitation." Boy, this woman wasn't going to make their eventual marriage easy.

"This marriage would patch up our histories, apparently," He leant back on the sofa and rested one of his ankles over his knee. "But tell me what you really think."

"I think that whether we like it or not we're going to get married. So, for both our sakes, I'd like to set some guidelines for it."

"Alright." Her hair looked beautiful in the sunlight and he thought about painting it.

"What kind of marriage would you prefer?"

He thought for a moment about his parents' and brother's marriage. They were both happy beginnings. His brother looked at his wife like he couldn't believe she was with him. In fact, he practically worshipped the ground she walked on, and always had this yearning look on his face – like she was something just of reach. Almost his but not quite. And she always reassured him, telling him that she loved him at least once every hour. Yes, he thought, that's exactly what I want.

"A happy one. A real one." H nodded to himself, "one that lasts."

"No can do," Alexa said almost immediately.

"What do you mean, 'no can do'?"

"I mean, pick another kind of marriage. And just so you know, a distant one is preferable." She clasped her hands together and hooked it over her knees.

Silas studied the queen before him. One side of her was bathed in sunlight and the other in shade. He noticed that her hair was completely black, but when burnished by the sunlight it was a beautiful shade of auburn. She almost looked ginger. She wore a burgundy skirt suit with a black collar and a stark white shirt, unbuttoned at the top. Her black scarpins made her legs look infinite. She was dressed for business.

And that's exactly what she thinks of marriage, he realised. Just business.

He checked his watch and stood. "I'm sure we can meet in the middle somehow. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other soon, we can discuss this then."

She stood and walked him to the door. "This marriage will only be as easy as we make it."

The walked silently through the maze that was the palace hallways until they came to the massive foyer.

They said their goodbyes and the next thing he knew he was on his way back to Thyslia. He sighed and closed his eyes, leaning back on the cool leather of the car seat.

If this was one day with Alexa, what would a lifetime be like?

♠♠♠♠♠♠♠

So...

What did you think?

It's totally weird actually being able to share this story with people. Honestly, I usually just write them by hand and leave them in a folder.

Butt(haha butt)tttttt now actual humans are reading this. Like, somewhere in the future. And it sucks that some of you guys are going to be mean about your opinions just because you're behind a screen. But I'm over it.

I still honestly want your opinions, though. (Actually, I'm desperate for them)

So, if you have hair, leave a COMMENT! (Nice hair, by the way)

If you know how to ride a bike, RATE! (A bit of a gamble, this one)

Or you know how much of a pain maths is, do either. (This one's a sure bet)

I'll see you in the next one!

P.S. The library looks nothing like the picture - imagine that that picture shows. like, a third of the walls to the side and there is a huge amount of space and it's well lit by windows on the back wall.

Damn it, if i could only draw or if you could only read my mind....