"Doris! There you are!" Beth hurried to catch up to Doris down the hall. It was the first time she left William's side since his father had passed. A night stretched into days of trying to comfort William as best she could. But it was never enough to completely take away his grief.
She should kick her past self for once believing that William wasn't capable of real feelings. He wasn't an emotionless monster, he never had been one even when she swore it.
"Beth, I'm so sorry I haven't come to see you. There's just been so much happening-"
"Oh, don't you apologize! I know how things have been. We all heard that the king passed." Beth frowned, she placed her hand over her chest. "I hope he's doing okay. I know it must be hard to see someone in your family die. I couldn't imagine how it would be."
"I think he will be okay eventually. I don't want to push him, he rarely lets himself feel anything and the last thing i want to do is interrupt his grief." Doris picked at her nails. As much as she didn't want to see her own family again, she couldn't imagine watching one of her parents die in front of her. There would always be a small part that had some sort of love, as much as she tried to squash it.
The worst part was that she knew he didn't completely hate his father. He cared for him as much as he cursed him, and he had to watch as he closed his eyes and never opened them again.
"I'm sure you already know, but..." Beth handed Doris a golden letter. She stopped in the middle of the empty hallway to read it.
"...Join us as we crown the new king...." Doris mumbled aloud. It was an invitation to the people of the kingdom to watch William be crowned. "This is only a few days from now! I don't know if he will be ready for that! I thought these ceremonies happened later on..."
"I heard they want to get it over with as soon as possible. The entire kingdom is in mourning from the king, they think having William take the throne will help." Beth bit her lip in worry.
"I'll have to talk to him... What if he isn't ready to face the crown?"
"He's wanted this his entire life, I'm sure once it happens he will be ready. It might not hit him until it happens." Beth said.
"I hope so..." Doris sighed and rubbed her face. "How have you been? I hope you've been resting and having time for yourself. I should have written you a letter or something during all of this."
"Oh, please don't worry about that. I've been fine." Beth said quickly. Her cheeks tinted red and Doris could only guess that it had something to do with the charming Enzo.
"Have you seen Enzo around? Or has he gone home?" Doris asked lightly. She continued walking down the hall and Beth followed.
"Oh, I might have seen him around. He hasn't left for the north yet. He mentioned wanting to stay to see William crowned." Beth looked away from Doris so she couldn't see her face.
"Well, I'm glad he's been around to keep you company. I would have felt so much more guilty if he hadn't."
"I wouldn't say that! I've been keeping myself busy!" Beth said quickly. Doris bit her lip to keep from laughing. Her friend was nothing but a blushing fool at the moment and she loved her for it. It was nice to see the beginning of something bloom.
"I-I've been meaning to ask. Do you know if he... had anyone in the north waiting for him?" Beth asked as casually as she could. She glanced around her to make sure they were still alone.
"Well, I thought this one girl named Elena and him had something," Doris started. Beth looked as if all the air deflated out of her. "But I don't think that's true! I think they weren't serious. He didn't look at her the way he looks at you."
"What do you mean? He doesn't look at me any sort of way." Beth said as she brushed her hair behind her ear. "Is there anything you need me to do for you?"
Doris knew her friend was changing the subject, so she didn't push her on it. "Of course not, I'm alright. I need to talk to William about this." Doris shook the paper. Beth smiled a little before they parted ways. Doris couldn't help but wonder if her friend was off to meet Enzo.
Doris hurried down the halls and towards William's room again. She only left it to bathe and dress in something new, but now she felt guilty for being gone for so long. She knew better than anyone that being alone with dark thoughts was a horrible thing.
She luckily was free from her nausea today, but her dress fit a little more tightly than she expected. She checked the mirrors again and again and swore she saw her stomach was growing. It was... honestly exciting. She couldn't help but wish that William had been in the room when she noticed.
The guards at his door didn't stop her as she walked past, she didn't know why she always thought they would. They hadn't done so since William had first shared a bed with her.
When she entered, William was standing on a small platform while a seamstress took measurements of his body. Racks and racks of suits filled the room, she almost thought she entered the wrong room entirely-those definitely weren't there when she left earlier.
He glanced back at her and she no longer saw the boy that she held all night. She no longer saw the traces of hollowness along his cheeks and under his eyes. She saw the old William, the one that knew nothing but leadership and order.
It was as if he put his mask right back where it always was and that part of him didn't exist anymore. At least not for the public to see.
"What's all this?" Doris asked as she closed the door behind her. The seamstress didn't even lift her head as she continued her work.
"I needed a new suit for the ceremony. The palace thought it would be best to make me an entire new wardrobe to match my new title." William had his hair slicked back and his clothes on tight. He looked clean and put together, she couldn't remember the last time his hair wasn't a mess from his own anxious fingers.
"Oh, I wasn't sure if you had heard." Doris held up the golden letter. "I came to talk to you about it."
"I heard shortly after you left. There's nothing left to talk about." William turned his gaze away from her.
Doris hesitated as she stepped closer. The seamstress moved away to make notes on her pad.
"Are you... are you ready for this ceremony? I wasn't sure if it was too soon."
"Of course I'm ready, Doris. My father is about to be buried and this kingdom can't go without it's king." William stepped off the platform and looked out the racks of clothes as if he had any sort of interest in it.
"I thought your father was going to be buried privately-"
"Change of plans. I had a sort of epiphany happen when you left. I realized how much time I was wasting by moping around and letting the world pass me by."
"I was only gone for a few hours-"
"Enough time for me to realize what had to be done." William finally turned to face her. "I had the burial set for before the ceremony. I want the kingdom to see their former leader be buried before they crown me. It'll be the perfect antidote to their grief."
Doris glanced down at the golden paper again. No where did it mention a burial. When she looked up at him, his blue eyes were a fire of determination.
"I... I'm happy to see you this way, William. I was worried that you wouldn't make it to either event." Doris moved closer. She stopped herself from running her fingers through his hair to mess it up. He always looked more handsome when he was a little roguish.
His hardened face softened a bit at her words. "I need you to be measured next."
"Me? I have plenty of dresses-"
"Not one good enough. I need you to stand at my side through this."
Doris felt her heart skip a beat in her chest. She didn't expect him to say that. "Truly? You-you want me at your side?"
William tilted her chin up. "You belong at my side." He said before he kissed her.