Chapter 15
“You look exceptionally cheery earlier for someone who is under par, did a certain brown, wavy haired lass with beautiful brown eyes had anything to do with that?” Lady Wynonna’s commentary as she walked inside her office reeled Nicole’s attention away from the parchment she was reading. She knew that the older Earp was teasing her so she just slightly shook her head as an acknowledgement for the young lady’s presence.
“But whilst I do believe that my sister’s existence can brighten up anyone’s mood, I do not think that her visit alone is adequate enough to mend you, are you truly sick or perhaps only pretending just so you could get my dear little sister to take care of you? I mean I would not mind at all but that’s a bit childlike, don’t you think so?”
The unwell king looked over to her friend, slightly offended with what Lady Wynonna had said. “I would not bend over that near to the ground, Wynonna, even for someone I am quite fond of. “
The older Earp’s company was owed to her younger sister who shared the king’s current condition with her; being Nicole’s friend, Lady Waverly thought that her older sister should be kind enough to fortify her friend’s temperament. After all, she, too, was somewhat accountable for getting the king ill; a visit and a display of concern would most likely improve anyone’s mood.
“Hold your horses there Nicolas. I am not here to start a squabble with you.” Lady Wynonna said as she sat on the lounger across her friend’s work table. “I am simply here as per my sister’s insistence to remind you to rest, and as I see it, you are still here, prolifically carrying out your royal duties despite your condition.” She added as she pointed out the scattered parchments on top of the table. “My… my… my… Waverly would combust if she sees you here.” She nodded her head in inference, recalling several occasions where she, too, had been ordered around to rest and get better by her younger sister.
“I am merely skimming through. I will retire to my bedchamber once I am done with these.” Nicole informed as she continued reading.
“You might want to lock yourself in if that’s what you want, my sister can barge in here whenever and you’ll get an earful if she sees you’re still working.” The older Earp advised as she took one of the parchments on the table but the king was quick to pull it back.
“Yes, I will do that, once you leave me in peace. So if you may, I would like to finish this before your sister comes with her promised concoction, which by the way, I do not look forward to.”
Earlier, when the royal guard left them alone again, Waverly had offered to make her something that her mother used to make for her and her older sisters whenever they get ill, citing that it will surely improve her health after drinking so, but Nicole was not keen on the idea; she would rather stay ill than to consume something she despise.
“What? The ginger and turmeric tea?” Lady Wynonna inquired as she focused her attention on the seal on top of the table.
The king made a sound as if she was gagging, a clear affirmation of her irrational detest to the said root crops. “Can she not just make me a lemon and lime tea instead? Why must she suggest something as horrible as that?”
“Did you not tell her that, yourself?”
Nicole sighed and pinched her nose bridge. “I cannot, for the love of God, say no to her. I wanted to, but the word is not coming out of my mouth. ”
“But you’re not resting now like she has told you, are you?”
“I suppose.” She shrugged as she resumed her reading.
A moment had passed between them before the older Earp shattered the room’s solemnity again. “I heard you invited her to the festivity.”
“Then you probably also heard that she declined.” The king sighed once more; she was trying not to remember Lady Waverly’s rejection but Lady Wynonna just had to raise that matter. “Apparently, your sister thinks I am not well enough to show her around.”
The older Earp smiled at her friend’s sarcasm. “You are sick, are you not?” When her friend nodded to her query, she added, with the softest tone of her voice, “She’s just concerned Nicolas, it is in her nature. And as horrible as the tea might taste, she only makes it for people she hold dear to her heart, so you should be glad she’s even making it for you.”
Nicole was about to say something but the door opened and in came the person they were conversing about. “King Nicolas Rayleigh Haught IV!” Lady Waverly exclaimed with her free hand on her hip and her right eyebrow perked up. “You’re supposed to be resting!”
She doesn’t know if she’s supposed to be intimidated or be pleased with how charming the younger Earp appeared before her eyes. In her entire life, no one has ever looked so appealing to her till now – till she had laid her eyes upon a huffing Lady Waverly, with evident disapproval drawn on her face as she stared intently back at her. Finding the younger girl rather irresistibly pleasing, Nicole couldn’t suppress the shy smile that escaped her lips.
“You find her attractive now; wait till you get an earful.” Lady Wynonna whispered to her friend’s ear before standing up. “I have blessed her with my presence my dear little sister, now, can I leave you both in my peace’s sake and head back to my bedchamber to acquire my much needed rest?”
“Yes Wynonna, thank you.” Lady Waverly regarded her sister but her eyes never left the sick king who has her face hidden behind the parchment on her hand. “What are you doing?” she asked the king once her sister left the room.
“Reading.” Nicole replied as she bowed her head lower, trying to contain the smile that was ever growing on her face.
“I am well aware, but you are supposed to be in your room, resting.” The younger girl placed the tray on the table and the king grimaced as she smelt the gingery aroma. “Have you already forgotten that your mother put you in my care in her absence? What would she say if she knew of this?”
She raised her head and stared at the younger Earp standing in front of her, contemplating whether to speak about the grand ploy her devoted mother had schemed and tell that the sole reason why she was put under her care was to simply have them get acquainted more as her mother intended, but she opted to keep the words unsaid and instead she replied, “My apologies Lady Waverly Earp, I would no longer misbehave, I give you my word.”