Soren's question made Maxim raise an eyebrow. That's right. He never asked Myrcella if Elise knew about their betrothal or if she accepted it. He just assumed she did. Now, he realized he didn't actually know.

What would happen if Elise didn't want him?

He just thought about this possibility. Maxim was the one at a loss here. The protection spell was put on him, not Elise, and if he fell in love with another woman who was not Elise, then the woman would suffer. Emmelyn had suffered the consequences.

All this time, Maxim was very confident about himself. He was handsome, smart, and powerful and women threw themselves at him. He was so sure he could get anyone.

So he just assumed Elise would be happy to become his wife. However, should he really think that way? The only woman he wanted, Emmelyn, didn't love him back and only considered him a friend.

This went to show that Maxim shouldn't think too highly of himself, right?

So... what if Elise didn't want to marry him and fulfill her mother's last wish? Should he coax her to marry him so the curse could be broken?

Ahh... damnit, he cussed inwardly.

These thoughts made him feel depressed. In his mind earlier, he could just marry Elise and do the bare minimum as a husband as long as he could protect Emmelyn.

However, if Elise refused the betrothal and he had to convince her to accept him, it would be really really hard. He didn't think he had what it takes to chase after a woman he didn't love. He was not that patient.

"Aahh..."

His groan made Soren knitted his brows. The physician came closer and touched Maxim's bandaged wound. "Does the pain intensify?"

Maxim winced. "Yeah."

"Please drink this concoction, so you can sleep, Your Grace. The pain will subside after you wake up." Soren gave the bowl to Maxim and helped the man drink it. "It tastes bitter, I know. But it has all the best medicinal herbs in Myreen."

"I am not a child. Bitter medicine is nothing," Maxim grumbled after he finished the medicine.

His head felt lighter when he closed his eyes and let the medicine enter his system.

"Very well. I will leave you now and see the queen dowager. She has sent someone to come and get me. I will check up on you in one hour. You should feel very drowsy in a few minutes and you can sleep. You will feel better afterward." Soren got up and bowed down his head a little to Maxim before he took his leave.

Maxim assumed Soren must be called to check Emmelyn's condition, so he was happy to see him go. The young king rubbed his head. It was bandaged very neatly. He liked how fast and good Soren did his job.

Maxim got up and went to the wardrobe beside the window. When he first entered this chamber yesterday, he already noticed there were some men's clothes provided in the wardrobe.

It might be provided for guests like him who came from a faraway place and needed to change. 

Maxim only brought one spare outfit for this trip. When they arrived in Myreen, he changed his dirty clothes into his spare outfit, and now it was soiled with blood.

With both outfits dirty, he was grateful that the chamber he was staying at was equipped with clothes. He checked what's available and decided to wear the clothes that fit his size.

It was difficult to change his outfit in his condition, but Maxim didn't want to ask for the servants' help. Tides had left the two servants waiting for him outside his door in case he needed anything. However, he didn't ask them to do anything.

Once he was done, Maxim went to the bed and closed his eyes again, trying to welcome drowsiness so he could sleep and forget about the craziness from the past two days.

In addition to the pain in his head, his mind was filled with so many thoughts that it felt like it was about to explode. He was especially worried about Emmelyn. When Myrcella said Emmelyn's mind was shutting down because she was very sad, Maxim's heartstrings were tugged.

He didn't believe in gods but now he prayed for any higher beings out there to help Emmelyn. If she died, he would live with guilt his whole life.

Ahh... no, that's not right. If Emmelyn died, he would die too. He didn't have anything to live for. After his mother passed away, he would have no one left. Dying didn't seem so bad at this point.

And that Elise girl? She could go fuck herself.

"...."

Maxim was surprised by his own thought. Did he just say Elise could go fuck herself?

He couldn't believe he was so mean with his thoughts. The young girl didn't do anything to him. They had not even met. She didn't deserve his hatred for what her mother did.

And like King Alexander said, Elise adored her mother. If she knew what Catalina did, she would be heartbroken.

Maxim sighed. He normally wasn't an emotional or impulsive man, that he could despise someone out of impulse, but nothing had been normal with his life these days. 

The pain intensified because his mind was in a mess. Even after one hour, the drowsy feeling that Soren described still didn't come. This made Maxim feel annoyed.

Did the medicine not work? 

"Your Grace." 

Soren's soft voice moved Maxim from his reverie and he opened his eyes. He was happy to see Soren again. It means he had finished checking on Emmelyn's condition.

Maxim wanted to know how she was doing. He hoped she was just really tired and they could help her.  Once she woke up, Maxim would tell her everything.

He would tell her that he would marry Elise as soon as possible. And once they were sure Emmelyn was free, he would send her back to Draec, into her husband's loving arms and her baby daughter.

She would be able to live with them happily ever after. She deserved that much. As for Maxim... he could go fuck himself.

"How is she?" He sat up in bed and immediately asked Soren. "How is Emmelyn? Has she woken up? What happened to her?"

Soren knitted his brows, looking confused. He immediately guessed that Maxim asked about the patient he just visited.

So, that woman came with Loriel? Who was she to him? Why did he look so distraught? Actually... he looked worried like a lover.

Was Lady Emmelyn his beloved? Tides didn't say anything to him about the royal family's two guests and servants in the palace didn't like to gossip. So, Soren didn't know what was going on now.

He didn't ask the queen details because Myrcella looked upset today. So, Soren didn't want to trouble her further. She already had a lot in her mind.

Didn't Loriel say he was Princess Elise's future husband? Why did he show so much care about another woman?

This thought made Soren feel upset and his expression turned icy.

Wait... did Loriel's injury had anything to do Lady Emmelyn? Maybe Queen Myrcella found out that Loriel, who was her granddaughter's future husband was in love with Lady Emmelyn... So, the old queen became enraged and attacked him.

Now, Soren looked at Maxim like he would a cheater.

.

.

*********

From Missrealitybites:

I know it's hard now to see Maxim someday loved Elise sincerely and so deeply, because he seemed so devoted to Emmelyn.

The thing is, in my opinion, we don't really have one true love, but final true love.

If we fall in love five times in our lives, finally end up with the fifth one whom we spend the rest of our lives with, it doesn't mean during the four previous relationships, our love was not true.

When we love someone so badly, we would do anything to make the relationship/love work. Our love was true and sincere. Sometimes, after a while, we went our separate ways, or the person we love died, it didn't mean we don't have any more love to give to a new person.

The way Maxim was so devoted to Emmelyn shows that his love for her was true and sincere. She was just the wrong person for him.

If Maxim loved the wrong one so much, just imagine how much he could love the right one?

You will understand how true that statement is when you read Maxim/Loriel's story in "The Cursed King" which I will resume in October.

PS:

From Missrealitybites:

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