Threat to the Throne (BxB)

19 | The Queen

Prince "Robert's" POV

Over the past few days I had fallen almost into a depressive state, a never-ending cycle of dragging myself out of bed to shower every morning, all for me stay cooped up in the bedroom for the rest of the day.

Cleopatra consistently tries to bring me meals which I would try to eat, but every time I get hit by an instant wave of guilt seeing as there's no telling whether or not Nathaniel is well-fed wherever the witch decided to lock him. 

Now that I think about it, I actually haven't seen her or my parents since that horrible day, but I would do anything to keep it like that. Seeing either one of them would harm my mental health even further...

A knock on the door snaps me back to reality and prevents my brain from pushing me further down the abyss, as Cleopatra enters with a tray of grilled cheese sandwiches and some orange juice.

"Hi Robbie" she greets sweetly, placing the tray on the bedside table. "I see you didn't eat the breakfast I made you."

"I'm not really hungry" I try to reason, only to be met by her disapproving scowl.

"You said that yesterday."

"But..."

"And the day before that!" she cuts me off before I can even attempt to make an excuse. "Talk to me Robert, what's happening?"

Cleopatra has always been like an older sister from another mother to me. She's always been there to somewhat talk to when things got a little too hard for my liking and my parents wouldn't be there to support me.

She was the one person I could completely rely on to take care of Nathaniel when I couldn't do that myself. And at the moment, excluding my brother who is due to visit over the weekend - she seems to be one of the few people I can trust. 

"I just can't eat" I say, finally giving in.

"Why?" she asks taking a seat on the bed.

Her question makes me sigh at the thought of trying to find the right words to explain the situation to her. "I just can't eat if I don't know if he's okay wherever he is" I manage to say. "I know I'm overreacting, so please don't..."

"Overreacting?" she interjects wide-eyed. "I know you did not just say you are 'overreacting' for being upset over not knowing the whereabouts of someone you love."

Her words make my eyes move from looking at the ceiling to stare at her in utter disbelief; "What?"

"Don't even try to deny it! I've seen the way you look at him" she explains with a smile. "And Nathaniel used to gush to me about the things you did for him."

"He told you about me?"

"Yes!" she confirms. "Now stop blushing because I feel like you're missing the point. What you're feeling right now is completely valid, and I understand you've cooped yourself up in here in solidarity to him, but you have a choice and he doesn't."

"He's probably expecting you to show up there and swoop him of his feet like his knight in shining armor, but you can't do that if you don't eat and get the strength to fight for him. To fight for the love you have! But to fight for yourself as well" she adds.

"Now, I won't drag you out of this bedroom because I want you to do that on your own accord, but if I come back here and find that you didn't eat my sandwiches and you're still feeling sorry for yourself, I'll be forced to do exactly that" she says sternly, before turning around and excusing herself - leaving me with my thoughts once again.