Martin stared at William with a bit of emptiness in his eyes. She almost felt bad for him-if he hadn't threatened her earlier. As well as try to bargain for her life as if she was a prize to be won. It boiled her blood to sit here silently while they argued about her-but Beth flashed in her mind and she remained silent. She was good at that, she could be silent for her best friend even when her mind screamed at her to stand up for herself.
"What can I offer you-"
"Nothing. You can't offer me anything for her." William leaned forward a little. "You can't buy her. You can't threaten me for her, you can't do anything that I would agree to. This issue is dead, you have nothing I would want more. And I will kill you if you think about trying to take her from me."
"There is... there is nothing for me at the palace. There is nothing for me here or there-" Martin glanced at Doris again. She kept her face free of pity, the last thing she needed was to encourage him. He eventually looked back at William. "My family is gone. Our father is on his death bed and you-my only brother-you would rather me dead than give up. You want this crown more than you want your family."
William said nothing. He only watched as Martin spilled out his feelings as if it was the first time in his life that he had ever said them out loud. Martin shifted in his seat and wiped his wet eyes aggressively.
"I wasted my life training to do something for my family, and now they're gone and I have nothing." Martin leaned back in his chair as if his shoulders were starting to feel heavy. She could practically see the heavy weight he held there.
"I tried to be perfect, but all I ever did was mirror what was expected of me. What's the point of this life if we can't enjoy it? Will you enjoy being king for our people? Can you handle all that responsibility that never ends? All it does is crush you until you're six feet under and no one is left to defend your name. Our father was wise to not let it affect him-"
"It did, though. Every single day of his life. Ever since he lost his mate he tried to act as if it didn't but it did. He was not one to ever escape the weight of responsibilities." William said, a bit more gently. "You don't have to be something you don't want to be anymore, Martin. You don't have to live for other people when you can live for yourself. Even if it's not at the palace, there's a place for you somewhere that won't feel like a chore.."
"Who am I if not the next king? Who am I if I can't hold on to the title that was forced upon me? Now my brother wants to take the only thing I have left in this life. I'm nothing without that crown and you know it. You've always known it, I don't understand why you would leave me with nothing."
"You're telling me that you want to rule this kingdom by yourself? Your mother isn't here to pull your strings. Our brother isn't here to whisper in your ear of what is right or wrong. Do you truly believe you would know what's best for this kingdom without them?"
Martin stood suddenly. "I should have had you killed the moment you declared your intentions to my crown. You're lucky I don't put a blade through your neck right this instant."
William sat still and calm. He watched as Martin gripped the table angrily. The guards that stood near her broke off and headed down by the table where the princes faced off. She wonder if they forgot about her, or if they thought something worse was going to happen down there.
"Why? Because you realize that you couldn't do it? You know deep down that you're not capable. You may have been in all of those classes, but you didn't absorb any of it. You left your hand be pushed and pulled as if it wasn't even part of you. Everything you did was perfect."
"And you did? You never showed up for a lesson in your life! You were too busy sleeping all day and wasting your life!" Martin spat. He looked like an animal that was about to be caged and he didn't like it.
William on the other hand, remained perfectly calm. "I read every book. I kept up with every detail in the kingdom since I was twelve years old. There is not a single thing that I don't know about this kingdom."
"You can't take my spot!" Martin shouted, it even made Doris flinch. Something came over him that made him feel as if he had to defend his title that he admitted he didn't want. Perhaps he realized that he was nothing without it and it finally sunk in.
He clung onto it as if it was all he had left even if it didn't make him happy.
"Martin. Think about what's best for the kingdom. Think about having to do all of it alone if you stay." William stood cautiously. Martin glared at him. "I don't think our kingdom deserves someone who is just going to recycle the way our father ran it."
"What's wrong with the way he did things? The first war we've had in decades is because of you! You started this rebellion and now it has upset those that live here. They can't find peace because you ruined that for them by making them choose a side! That is not what a good king does for his people."
"Our father encouraged rogues to be casted out from villages and treated horribly. He didn't care what happened to the poor, he only cared that the rich were happy." William spoke calmly despite Martin's aggression. Doris was only glad that the table still separated them.
"I know you hate our father, but he is not a horrible ruler. He has always cared about this kingdom-"
"He hasn't cared since his mate died and you know it. You may think differently because it's all we've ever seen, but the way he has done things is not right. He has only created a greater divide between the people he was always supposed to protect."
"You think you can solve things because you have the rogues eating out of your hands?" Martin scoffed. "They'll betray you the moment you turn your back. Once they're finished using you for all you're worth."
William stayed silent for a few long, agonizing moments. Doris could hear Martin's heavy breathing as he watched his brother.
"You can't have the crown. You won't take everything from me, it's all I have left."
"You can be whatever you want to be, Martin. Don't do this. Don't force yourself into something you know you don't want."
"Who am I, if not this?" Martin gestured to himself. "Who am I if I give up the crown and everything I am?"
"You'd be Martin. Prince or not, you can find your space in this world-"
A hand wrapped around her head and cupped her mouth shut. Before she could thrash and scream, a familiar voice silenced her and eased her fear.
"Shhh," Enzo said against her ear. It sent thrilled chills down her body to hear him again. "Let us leave them, they have more to discus without us."
Doris glanced up at him with pure relief. She gripped his hand and followed him out of the back door that she must have missed when she first came in.
"I can't believe how long it took for those guards to leave you alone. Though, I admit the fight was getting rather thrilling." Enzo rolled his eyes and stepped over passed out guards. Or... she hoped they were knocked out rather than dead.
"How long have you been here? I'm so glad to see you!" Doris threw her arms around Enzo, he caught her with a laugh and scooped her off the ground.
"We came early this morning and scoped out the place. Once William went in for the meeting, I found an alternate way in that wouldn't be noticed." Enzo smirked as if he was proud of himself.
Doris smiled before it quickly faded. "We have to rescue Beth..."
"Beth?" Enzo raised his brows as he looked down at her. "Is that your maid?"
"Yes! Martin took her to the lower cellars. He said if I didn't agree to send William away, he would harm her." Doris gripped Enzo's hand. "We must hurry before the guards notice I'm gone!"
"No need to fear, my dear." Enzo followed her down a long hall. "I'm quite used to saving the day."