Chapter 75
Chapter 75 I‘m going to be the next king.
William was carried and left right in her bed of all ces. Doris noted how many empty cabins there were
but he was still brought to her every time. She knew she shouldn’t be surprised, she was here to serve
his needs after all. But what if he was still drunk when he woke? The thoughts made her nervous and
she tried to shake them from her mind. She wanted to be there for him like he was for her when she was
sick but-it was hard to swallow the bit of fear that tried to pull her down when images of his drunken state
still ran across her mind almost nightly. She promised herself she would never be around him when he
drank-never again. Doris took off his shoes carefully and covered him with two nkets before she went
to clean all the blood off his face and hands. She set a ss of cold water by the bed as well as a bit of
bread in case he was hungry when he woke. Doris remembered Beth telling her how ravenous some of
the princes would be after a night out, perhaps she should get more food-no. She had to stay by his side
like he did for her. She’d never forget his kindness, even when she knew he wouldn’t want her thinking of
it that way. Doris pulled up a wooden chair to rest in near the bed he slept. It was a wonder how his
guards allowed Enzo to knock him out so easily without even attempting to stop it before it happened.
She supposed even they knew he had gone too far and needed to be stopped before he killed someone.
Still, the other guy must have been some what drunk to think it was smart to taunt a prince. Especially
one like him. Doris read through almost half of the book he had gotten her before he finally woke. Her
eyes were starting to feel strained from how many words she took in at once. When she lowered the
book, he was watching her with a bit of a dazed look. His hair was going in all different directions and her
fingers itched to fix it for him. To run her
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fingers through his ck hair and feel just how soft it would be under her touch. “Oh,” Doris quickly stood
and helped him sit up. She set down her book and handed him the ss of water and bread. “How are
you feeling?” She asked cautiously. His eyes looked tired, but alert. He didn’t say anything as he downed
the ss in seconds and ripped apart the bread with his teeth. She nced around for more food, but
they didn’t have much else. Doris cleared her throat and moved the chair back across the room. “Is there
anything I can get you? Are you hungry?” She asked. She didn’t know what else to do with her hands so
she started to pick up things that were out of ce. He simply watched as she moved back and forth but
refused to answer her simple questions. Why couldn’t he just tell her he was hungry so she could have
an excuse to leave for a moment and catch her breath? Didn’t he realize how hard it was for her to have
him watching her like that? After a few moments, she stopped in front of the bed and rested her hands
on her hips. “Are you okay?” She tried again and did her best not to sound as annoyed as she felt. He
even dared to look amused at her frustration to try and get him to talk to her. Was this some new sort of
punishment? She knew her ce, even here in the
north where she had a choice to be whatever she wanted to be. Even with all they had been through,
she knew she wouldn’t yell at him or demand anything of him. And he knew that too. He knew she would
only ever be a maid to him and it infuriated her more than she wanted to admit. “You know, they’re not as
bad as you think.” Doris said suddenly. His brows raised, she tried not to let her gaze dip lower towards
his bare chest. He was the only man she had seen up close without a shirt. It had just be more and
more frequenttely. “The rogues. They’re not as bad as I thought they’d be. I thought we would both be
dead by now.” He snorted and looked at the wall behind her head. “How do you figure they’re not bad?
Because their leader likes you?” *They... they just want to be free. Isn’t that what we all want?” Doris said
with a bit of longing in her voice. His eyes snapped back to her when he heard it. “They came here to be
free in life. Not to start problems everywhere they go. They came here to build a life for themselves
where no one could hurt them.” “Have you forgotten all the stories you’ve heard of them? of all the things
they’ve done?” “That’s just it, they’re stories. We never truly know what the truth is until we see it
ourselves. Being here has opened my eyes to how they are.” Doris gripped the post on the edge of the
bed as she looked at him. “I know some are bad, but that’s true everywhere you go. There’s always
going to be bad people.” “They kill for sport, Doris. Don’t let them blind you to their true intentions.”
William said as if he was talking to a child. “You may have been fooled by their illusions, but I’m not.” “I
heard the story of why they came here, William. Of why this ce even exists. The kingdom treated
them horribly because they were poor. They couldn’t live among the rich without being stepped on or
killed.” Doris let out a small breath. She knew he didn’t want to hear anything good about them but she
would at least try to make him see it. “They kill outsiders thate for them and their safety. They only
want to live freely out here, can’t you see that?” William narrowed his eyes. “I see they have you under
their spell already. Who knew it would be so easy to sway your charm?” “They haven’t done anything to
charm me. They told me their story.” “And you believe it? You believe this story and expect everything
they say is the truth?” William sat up further. “Have you ever considered that they’re lying to you? “I have,
of course I have. But I believe them. I believe they want peace and freedom here.” Doris brushed her
hair behind her ear. “They don’t want to be touched by the rules of the kingdom because they knew the
kingdom doesn’t care what happens to them. They had toe here to start new.” “I suppose that’s
what you want, too. Freedom.” He said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. Her hands curled into fists at
her sides. How dare he tease her about that? “Of course I do. Who wouldn’t wish to be free?” Doris said
quietly. He watched her
closely as he leaned back against the headboard. “Have you forgotten that several of the men have
kidnapped you here and tried to take advantage of you?” William snapped. “Of course I haven’t forgotten
that! I live in fear every night I’m here-worrying who will be next to try and get rid of me. But I know not all
of them are like that.” “They wouldn’t touch you if they knew what was good for them.” William said
instantly. Doris closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again,
his face wasn’t as hard as it was a moment before. “Why are you really here, William? What do you want
from the rogues?” Doris picked at her nails as she watched him carefully. They both already knew who
poisoned Melody. Why else would William not investigate the spice stand at the market? Because they
knew they were sent on this trip by Luna Queen. He knew it long before it was even decided. Who had
bought the poison for her no longer mattered. It was her, it had to be. William clenched his jaw and
looked down at his hands. She followed the line and felt as if she would cut her mouth on a jaw like that if
she ever dared to taste it. She looked away quickly and felt her cheeks heat in shame. “I have a n.”
He said. Doris wanted to roll her eyes—but she didn’t. Why couldn’t he just tell her what he meant for
once? “What sort of n?” Doris asked with only a bit of hesitation in her voice. She wanted to know.
More than anything, but at the same time… did she want to know what he had been up to? “I’m going to
be the next king.” He said suddenly. Doris blinked a few times as if she hadn’t heard him. “What?”