CHAPTER 61
Mathew Sterrn had been distant for a while.
Grace still needs some working and right navigation, he thought quietly to himself, but she doesn't seem to be listening anymore.
He picked up his brown purse and headed straight to Grace's chambers, but she wasn't inside.
He searched in the places he thought she might be, but she was nowhere to be found. Just as he was about to retreat to his own chambers, he spotted her standing alone in the garden.
"Your Highness, what are you doing here all alone?" he asked, stepping up beside her.
Grace only tilted her head, glancing at him, but said nothing.
"King Quicke," Mathew Sterrn called out again, a little more firmly.
"I'm good, Sterrn. Besides, you shouldn't be here. You should be in your chambers, resting," Grace said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sterrn didn't move. Instead, he fixed a blank stare on her. "What's been going on with Parkston lately? I see the both of you are close now."
Grace was startled, she hadn't expected the question. "Excuse me?" she said, cautious.
"I mean… you do everything with him now," Mathew continued. "Every decision you make, you seek his opinion."
"I just think he's smart enough to be in my business," Grace replied, clearing her throat.
Mathew studied her quietly before speaking again. "And the way you look at him or laugh loudly at his not-so-funny jokes?"
Grace furrowed her brows.
"Have you been spying on me?" she asked, frowning.
Mathew quickly grew agitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "No, no, I mean…everyone sees you. We're always around you. I wouldn't know what you're doing if you didn't do it in the open. I'm only curious." His voice dropped a little toward the end.
"It's nothing," she said flatly.
"It's nothing?" Mathew echoed, not convinced.
Grace said nothing further.
He waited a beat, then glanced at her again.
"You know, if there's anyone you should be honest with, it should be me. I know quite well Parkston was the cause of the argument the day you died. And now, that same man is always in your presence." He paused. "What I don't understand is, are you still in love with him? Judging by your physical body and who you are now?"
"Yes. I am still in love with him," Grace said, cutting him off. "And my body won't stop any of it from happening." She finally turned fully to face him.
Mathew's eyes widened. He stepped back slightly, covering his mouth in disbelief.
"You what?"
Grace released a small smirk.
"To think I've never seen you this surprised. And like you said, if there's anyone I should be honest with, it's you. That's what I'm doing now. No doubts."
"Well it's okay that I don't judge you," Mathew said slowly. "But you know Parkston can't see you the same way. You might as well hide your feelings, right?"
Grace exhaled, then gave a long, knowing stare, almost mocking.
It was in that moment Mathew Sterrn truly understood what had been going on.
He stepped back again, this time amused.
"You didn't" he whispered. "How could you do that? The both of you are men now. How are you even able to accept that?"
"We accepted it by listening to our hearts," Grace responded blankly.
"And what about your wives?" he asked, still trying to process.
"Juliet has been complaining, she wants me to love her, but I can't even look at her with loving eyes. She's not what I want. Meanwhile, Parkston and Queen Jonah aren't even on good terms. So it's safe to say we've still got some time to navigate through this." Grace spoke calmly, with a reassuring tone.
"I still can't grasp what you just told me. How did you agree to still go on with Parkston?" Sterrn asked, clearly bewildered.
Grace let out another small smirk.
"You mean, how did he agree to go on with me? Because I initiated it and…."
But before she could finish her sentence, there was a loud clatter glass breaking against the ground.
Both Grace and Mathew turned sharply.
Commander Robert stood a few feet away, frozen in place, holding a golden tray. The wine glass he had been carrying lay shattered on the ground, red wine spilled across.
"Robert!" they both exclaimed, alarmed.
Robert blinked at them, his mouth open in disbelief. "King Quicke is gay?" he said aloud, eyes wide with shock.
"How long have you been standing there?" Grace furrowed.
It appears she had forgotten that she sent Commader Robert to grab her a glass of wine.
Robert didn't respond, he stood still like some who had just been paralyzed and can't move.
"Speak to me" Grace commanded.
"I..I" Commander Robert stuttered, he glanced at Grace long enough before proceeding to speak again.
"I haven't been here for so long, I was only in a hurry because I thought your wine was delayed". He responded coldly
"Okay, you already spilled it. You can leave now". Grace commanded trying to avoid any further questions.
"Are you gay?" Robert asked again
Grace gave a dead stare at Mathew Sterrn, still trying to avoid Commander Robert.
Robert was flabbergasted, "Please talk to me".
"How do you want me to respond to you, since you already got your answers" She replied with a firmer tone.
"Just answer me"Commander Robert exclaimed
"I am, yes I am" Grace said now feeling a beat of shame.
"Oh King Quicke, how could you" Robert exclaimed. "So this has been the reason behind your sudden love for the portrait place".
"How do you mean?" Mathew Sterrn asked.
Commander Robert hesitated before speaking.
"The most visited room by King Quicke, is now the portrait place, and I've always wondered why, because he was never a picture person but all of it now make sense".
He paused.
He continued. "Parkston is a picture person and you are in love with him, so you have to like what he likes".
Grace adjusted her crown in defeat, " That's enough!" She stamped her feet.
"How could you? How could you suffer the entire kingdom and your wife? I don't even know who you are anymore" Commander Robert exclaimed as he turned to leave.
Grace didn't stop him.
"Don't worry about your commander, he'll definitely come around, it's just a lot for him to take in" Mathew Sterrn assured her.
Grace released a sigh, "You think?" She asked.
"Yeah, but is all of this worth it? Is Parkston worth it? Ask yourself" Mathew Sterrn responded as he walks away.