CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT
It was close to 10:am and Liam was still on the bed, unwillingly to move an inch and not ready to start his day.
For the third time since the day started, Nathaniel walked into the room to check on Liam.
“The meeting starts in almost an hour. You are yet to get prepared. Have you even gone through the details of the meeting? I mean, everyone present would be ready to hear what plans you have in mind”, Nathaniel said with a persuasive voice, hoping that Liam would listen and get off the bed.
Liam remained rooted on the spot. He neither replied, neither did he act as though his servant just mentioned something to him.
Nathaniel sighed in frustration and walked out of the room.
After another ten minutes, Liam finally got off the bed and strolled to have a bath. He spent a long time in the bath tub, rummaging through his mind and hoping that Alyssa would show up with a wide smile on her face.
He jerked up when he recalled that it was not going to be possible, since Alyssa was so mad at him and wouldn’t give him a face.
After staring at himself in the mirror, he finally walked out of his room. He looked different and he didn’t care about that. His hair was dishelved and his eyes were red and swollen from the countless nights he stayed without enough sleep.
He walked into the meeting room, mumbling a barely audible response to their greetings.
The first to observe something off about him was his father. Unlike the Liam who always looked active and ready, the Liam in their midst looked unprepared and dull.
“You kept us waiting for ten minutes”, His father said to him, hoping that he would apologize to the elders and everyone present.
“Did I?” Liam asked, without a glint of remorse in his voice.
His father was shocked to his bones and this was clear in how he opened his eyes and mouth.
“Ohh! Am I meant to apologize?” Liam asked and chucked calmly.
He was clearly disorganized at the moment and his utterances were far from being arranged and logical.
“I’m so sorry everyone, for coming late. I just needed a little time for myself”, Liam said and flashed a smile to the people present in the meeting.
His father stared at him in bewilderment, but after some moments, decided to proceed with the meeting.
***
“So, Liam, what do you have in plan?” Liam heard a voice that caused him to jolt out of his thoughts. He had been engrossed with thoughts of how to regain the trust of Alyssa and make him love him again.
“Plan?” He asked, quickly sitting up and looking around.
All eyes were fixed on him and that caused a wave of embarrassment to flush through him.
“We just talked about how to join forces with other kingdoms in other to stay prepared while we wait for the one kingdom that plans to attack us”, the elder who had called Liam explained, clearly disappointed that he had been absent minded all through the conversation.
“Ohh!” Liam said in realization as he tried to rack his head for an answer.
“Well, whatever plans you have made is fine and perfect!” Liam said and flashed a wide smile that made everyone throw a puzzled look at him.
This was totally unlike him. Liam was known to be strategic and smart in thinking of ways to ensure that everything they planned worked out perfectly without a flop.
But then, he was here, making irrelevant comments, without adding a single contribution.
The meeting came to an end with slight murmurs coming from the generals and elders who were present.
Liam was hastily making his way to the bedroom when his father’s voice stopped him.
“That is not the trait of a future King!” His father said with a tone of displeasure.
Liam sighed. He was really not in a mood to have conversations like this, not when his heart and soul were engulfed with thoughts of Alyssa.
“Father, can we talk about this later?” Liam asked but that only angered his father.
“What? Are you sure that everything is okay?” His father asked, staring at him intently.
Liam had never replied or behaved in such manner and seeing him like that made his father worried.
“I’m very fine”, Liam said and suddenly started laughing.
He found it extremely weird and awkward to say that he was fine, when he was nothing close to it.
“I just need some time to deal with some issue. Just a little time”, Liam said with a serious look on his face.
His father made to go against it, but after several thoughts, decided to remain mute.
“I would only agree to give you a one week leave. One week and that is all!” His father said to Liam who smiled and nodded his head in understanding.
All through the one week leave, Liam neither made plans to rest or give himself some sort of relaxation.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.
He was engrossed with discovering ways and means to get back the heart of Alyssa.
First, he sent her a box of gift, with fresh flowers and fruits. Just after knocking on her door and running off to observe her, he realized that she didn’t touch or make to grab the gift.
She probably knew it came from him…
Next, he approached her one time when she was busy with arranging clothes on the cloth line. She had shouted bitterly, warning him to steer clear since she wouldn’t want anyone to see her together with the prince.
And now, he was standing at her door and waiting for her to return.