~{DEBORAH'S POV}~
*
"It's a draw!"
The man stationed at the finish line shouted the results and my eyes widened in surprise and relief washed over me.
I thought I lost. I really thought I lost!
I was breathing heavily as I shifted my gaze to Lauren who had gotten off his horse and stormed towards me.
In silence, I tried to get off the horse but my legs and hands wobbled because of fear and overexertion.
Before I could fall off, Fredrick caught me in his arms and I gasped in shock and it was then Lauren arrived.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" He yelled at me and it shook me but I didn't show how affected I was.
Fredrick carefully lowered me on my feet and I faced Lauren even when I still felt shaky.
"What? Are you bitter because you lost?" I calmly asked as I watched him closely.
He was boiling in anger but was trying to keep it in which resulted in his face going all red.
"I didn't lose! You cheated, Deborah!" He snapped at me.
"And so did you, Lauren! Why did you follow me in crossing the rails when you could have simply followed the right path?" I questioned him and his eyes flared but he looked away.
He didn't look away because he lacked words but because he was trying really hard to suppress his emotions.
When he looked back at me, he had calmed down slightly.
"You lost and therefore you won't have what you asked for."
My eyes hardened at him and I inched closer with my eyes locked onto his.
"So did you, Lauren," I deliberately called his name in a less appealing way and it irked him because I saw the way his left eye twitched in irritation.
"You didn't abide by the rules!"
"What rules?" I snapped back because we never set any rules.
If he thought I was stupid then he had to think again.
"Were you deaf? I clearly remember saying we should run on the race track and it's a rule. Isn't that what I said, Thomas?" He asked his right hand man and he nodded in agreement.
"But you didn't state how we would get to the finish line. I abided by the rule by running on this race track but used another method to arrive at the finish line." I defended myself and he remained silent.
"She's actually right, you majesty. You didn't state how you will both get to the finish line." Thomas sided with me.
"And you didn't catch me. You were so eager to win, forgetting that I had said you should pursue and catch me. You accepted that challenge and yet you didn't do it, so therefore, I am the winner here." I further defended myself and it left him boiling in anger.
Without saying another word, he walked past me and marched on but when he had gotten slightly far, he shouted in warning while still moving ahead.
"Take one step out of my kingdom and see what I am capable of."
************************
I stormed back to the palace in anger with his men escorting me.
I won fair and square and yet he didn't want me to leave. That's unfair and it is cheating!
Before I could get to my wing, my ladies in waiting rushed to meet me while asking questions.
"Where have you been, your highness?"
"Were you out in the stables?"
"Why did you use the window instead of the door? What would have happened if you fell and broke a bone?"
"Were you planning to escape? Why?"
"You've waited so long for his majesty and now that he's here you are being indifferent towards him and treating him poorly. Why?"
"Did he do something to you?"
I didn't answer any of them as I got to my room and went to sit on my bed.
When I finally made an attempt to speak, they all inhaled deeply as they waited for my response and I spoke.
"I need my personal lawyer. Tell him the queen is in need of him for something very important. Make sure no one knows about this, especially Lauren." I instructed them and they frowned but nodded in understanding.
Yet, the junior lady in waiting, Rachel, went instead. Leaving me with Dally and Peace.
"I need to be alone," I firmly said.
"The last time we left you alone, you escaped." Dally firmly reminded me.
"Well, now I am tired and I won't be going anywhere this time. Trust me." I assured her but deep down I was going to do it again but at night.
Despite that, what Peace said next made my mind go numb.
"The king has ordered guards to be stationed around your wing, mostly at the window side so you wouldn't pull what you did last time."
"WHAT?!" I shouted in horror.
And while I was still in the process of thinking of my next plan, my doors suddenly came open and I nearly jumped in surprise, wondering who would audaciously do such a thing until I saw that it was the king, standing at the entrance with a hard look.
"You two, leave!" He harshly ordered Dally and Peace and they quickly hurried out of the room after giving me a pitiful look.
I remained seated on the bed as I watched them leave before the doors got shut behind him, meaning we were finally alone.
I glared at him as I tried to understand why he enjoyed coming to my room now unlike before when I was the one who had to go to him.
Is it because of my rebellion?
Is it because things weren't going well for him?
He remained standing at the closed doors, watching me without saying a word and it got tiring.
"Why are you here, Lauren?" I demanded in an irritated mood.
"Don't call me that." He warned.
"Or what? You will have me locked up here for days and starve me?" I asked in annoyance and even got up on my feet to face him.
"You are my husband and I will call you what I deem fit to call you. Besides, isn't your name Lauren?" I asked and all he did was stare, as if calculating his next move.
"Now I will ask again. Why are you here, Lauren?"
At my bold inquiry, he made a snorty laugh and looked away briefly before looking back at me.
"I will be taking a second wife," he finally announced.
"And? What does that have to do with me?" I shot back and saw how his eyes nearly widened at my dismissive and detached tone.
"I'm just letting you know," he said.
"When have you ever confided in me first before taking a decision, Lauren? When? And besides, I was expecting you to announce it the moment you came back from battle. I already know who she is, so save me the stress of telling me all that." I said and went back to sitting on my bed with disinterest but deep down it still hurt.
"Since it was a draw in our race, I have decided to let you have one thing except going back to your kingdom." He finally said and I slowly looked at him.
Was this a dream?
He was asking what I wanted?
And since I already had something in mind, I answered right away without delay.
"I want to leave this marriage. I want to get divorced."