If the Shoe Fits: A Royal Flush Short

Cardios
Kingdom Xanthos
Xanthos Castle

Out of the four, Cassidy was least open to the idea of spending time with the Kings in their own respective Kingdoms. Perhaps she would be more open to it – if only any of the other three would be there with her. However, fate didn’t seem to grant her the opportunity.

She had attempted to quarrel with Jacques Amadour, stating that she didn’t trust him fully as to let him have her in the Kingdom’s castle with him alone. Jacques argued against that, saying that it wasn’t just him who would be with her. A few feet away, Jacques’ Knight nodded in agreement.

“Jacques doesn’t keep the castle to himself,” Xian Long explained. “Someone needs to keep him straight before he burns the whole thing down.”

That didn’t make her feel any better.

It took Robelle a lot to convince her to go. Cassidy had thought that the other was crazy before Robelle put her foot down, glaring angrily at the stubborn girl.

“Are you seriously going to let him be the cause of your mistrust? King Jacques already proved himself to you. Don’t make him go through anymore of your ‘woes’,” she snapped, lacing the word with sarcasm. “He’s not untrustworthy. He is a King and already has been for a number of years.”

“So you side with them,” Cassidy accused Robelle. The latter merely held her head high, folding her arms over her chest.

“I trust them. They’re helping us out. If Astrid’s game with the idea of staying with Nicholas all over at Raleigh, then why aren’t you?”

“Nicholas is better than Jacques!”

“And for what reason aside from the fact that he looks like your ex-boyfriend?” Robelle snapped.

That made Cassidy’s eye twitch. “Get out.”

“Excuse me?”

“Get out, Robelle!” Cassidy hissed, standing and attempting at a shove. “You don’t know anything – how it feels – how any of it went,” she spat. Robelle did nothing to deflect the hits, merely giving Cassidy a cold stare of her own. Finally, she caught the other’s fists, forced them down and took a step back.

“Fine. I’ll leave you here while I have a better time with the others,” the taller girl replied calmly, turning and striding out of the room without even closing the door. Cassidy glared, moving to close the door –

And Xian stopped her from doing so. “Miss Cassidy?”

“…Xian.” She blocked him from entering, arms folded across her chest. The girl merely stared at him, the Knight of Xanthos coughing awkwardly before delivering his message.

“King Jacques pleads for you to reconsider his offer.”

“If he wants me so badly, then why isn’t he the one doing the pleading?”

“He is afraid that you may end up injuring him if he attempts again,” Xian replied dryly. This made the corner of Cassidy’s mouth curve up in amusement, but it quickly went away. Xian noticed.

“That’s it? No arguing, no logical reasoning – nothing?”

The Knight tapped his chin. “He promised that you would get your own chambers and that he wouldn’t bother you unless totally needed.” Cassidy waited for a catch, but none came.

Watching the brunette, Xian waited patiently. It was as if she was having a debate with herself. “He doesn’t wish for you to rush, but we will be returning to Xanthos in the morning. He has matters to discuss over at the Kingdom,” he explained. Cassidy nodded slowly.

“I’ll have an answer by tonight. Thank you.”

Later that night, she (begrudgingly) told Jacques that she would go.

Cassidy tried to ignore the happiness in the King’s eyes and the smugness in Robelle’s, merely stabbing at her dinner with a tiny scowl.

Fast forward to a number of days later. Cassidy this time was watching as Jacques critiqued the designed clothing, and the former was trying to look as disinterested as possible, her nose buried into one of Xanthos’ extensive history books. Despite that, she couldn’t help but listen in.

Eleonore Durant, Jacques’ Advisor, accompanied the King while he cheked the quality. “Your Majesty, what do you think of this?” she asked. Jacques’ amber eyes flickered over to the robes, and he felt the texture with his fingers, rubbing gently. “Something for future events.”

“It lacks something,” Jacques responded. “Something personal.”

“Personal?” Eleonore repeated. Her golden eyes went wide behind her spectacles. “What do you mean?” Jacques was about to reply when Cassidy set down the book, looking at the two of them.

“I think His Majesty would prefer to feel like he’d be wearing a second skin rather than glamourized gift wrap,” she replied dryly. Eleonore gave Cassidy a look, but Jacques laughed.

“Cassidy has put it into words,” he affirmed, giving her a nod. She stiffened. “Eleonore, bring it back and tell them to focus on me rather than the aura they want me to show.” The Advisor nodded slowly, taking the clothing and darting out of the roon. Cassidy looked back at her book. “You pretty much captured how I felt, Cassidy.”

“Don’t think too much of it,” she grumbled, turning the page. “It just slipped out.”

“I see.” Jacques sat down, eyeing the book Cassidy had taken from the shelf earlier. “History.”

“Yes. It’s one of the more interesting subjects.”

“So you prefer to look back.” She threw him a cautionary look, but Jacques’ own gaze didn’t falter.

“…you can say that.” The King nodded.

Silence fell between the two of them before the King leaned against his seat, humming idly under his breath. “You know,” Jacques started, “My friend, Frederick. Nicholas’ Knight.”

“The one who tried to flirt with Astrid.”

“Yes, that one,” Jacques laughed. “Frederick wasn’t always like that.”

“Why are you telling me this–”

“Ever since one of Nicholas’ other Knights, Isla, got engaged to Raleigh’s finest artist, he seemed to change himself a bit. I don’t know. Frederick just seems more intent on charming every lady who catches his eye nowadays.”

“That’s disgusting.” Jacques shrugged.

“As sad as it may be, that’s his coping mechanism. Don’t tell him this, but he needs to find a better way.”

“To get over Isla.”

“To get over Isla,” Jacques repeated. “Correct. He never explicity said it out loud to any of us, not even to his brother…but Frederick loved Isla and finding out that she was engaged broke his heart. Bless him,” he finished fondly. “So don’t be so harsh on him for flirting with your friend. He doesn’t mean any harm. If he did, Nicholas would have locked him away by now.”

Cassidy merely stayed silent, shifting in her seat. Jacques merely smiled and stood up. “I’ll be out for an hour – I need to attend to some matters in the Kingdom. Will you be alright here?”

“I’ll be fine.” Cassidy looked back at her book, but the urge to continue had washed away. “I might return to my chambers, if it’s alright.”

“Do as you please, my dear. I’ll see you for dinner.” With that, Jacques left the room and closed the door as he did, leaving Cassidy by herself.

Jacques’ words remained in her head.

“He needs to find a better way.”

Cassidy somehow suspected that his words weren’t just meant for Nicholas’ Knight.