Imperfection - Chapter Nine (Patreon)

Olwen

I’ve finally returned to the palace. I feel irritation as opposed to excitement at the men who sent me away because they were intimidated. I’ve never been a slave to my own emotions, yet as I walk through the halls toward my first meeting since that day, I feel like I would rather watch them destroy themselves than offer my aid. But I am above that kind of thinking. And retaliating is not in my nature.

“Olwen?”

I stop, turning to face the voice that calls out to me. It’s the prince. He has a grin on his lips as he approaches, his bright blue eyes almost twinkling in the natural light that cascades over him. Although he is the prince, Julius and I attended the same educational facilities. And due to my family name, we spent a lot of time around each other growing up. But once we graduated our lives took different paths. His being ruling, and mine being helping his father rule. But one day, it will be him who I help rule. I can only hope his father doesn’t run this society into the ground before that can happen.

“I thought that was you. So you’re back?” he says. I bow slightly as he approaches, lifting my head as I speak.

“Yes. I’ve managed to keep up the palace appearance during my time in the capital, so the king has decided to call me back to my role as an advisor,” I say.

Julius chuckles at my words crossing his arms over his chest as he speaks.

“I see you’re as serious as ever,” he says with a grin. I don’t let it show that his words bother me. I only shrug. It’s as I said before, I was never able to socialize in the way my brother could. In my case, it didn’t matter. I am a Sheridan, so people either mistook my lack of socializing for judgment or arrogance. I’ve never had to explain myself.

“Well now that you are back in the palace, I hope to see more of you. I will be sitting in on meetings in the future as my father prepares me for the throne,” he says.

I offer him a smile.

“I look forward to seeing you as well, Your Majesty. I hope you will be able to learn from your father,” I say.

Julius scoffs at my words.

“We both know how stubborn my father can be. I don’t think I will be learning anything from him except how not to rule,” he says absentmindedly. I decide not to respond. If he is having issues with his father’s rule it is not my place to speak out about it. Especially since my disdain for his father aligns with his. It would be asking for trouble. I can only wait until Julius himself ascends the throne. Then hopefully he will take into consideration what I say more so than his father.

Julius takes my silence for what it is, changing the subject.

“You know your results from the recent testing came back. Everyone around the palace is talking about them. They’ve only improved with every set of tests. It’s amazing, really.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” I take note that his words don’t bring the feeling of warmth that usually comes from Tiberius’s compliments.

“I look forward to having you on my council someday, Olwen.”

“You are much too kind,” I say.

Julius watches me, his smile still on his lips as he studies me, his eyes roaming over my face. Julius is definitely a handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes. His cheeks hold deep dimples that have been passed on genetically through his family. I can tell everything about his lineage from the patterns in his eyes to the curve of his lips. I’ve always been able to see what kind of person he is which is why I prefer him to his father. I believe Julius will be a great king as he sees logic over emotion. He is a better product of his family line.

“Well, it’s been a pleasure,” he says. I once again bow, waiting for him to leave before I stand.

“I’ve never seen you so pliant before.”

Tiberius steps up next to me, watching the prince walk away before looking at me with a smug grin. I ignore his gaze, walking away as I call to him.

“That’s a big word, Tiberius.”

I hear his light chuckle as I walk away, smiling to myself. The walls I’ve built up my entire life seem to be slowly crumbling when Tiberius is in my presence. I don’t know what it is about him that draws me in. My lack of being able to read him once drove me crazy but now it only adds to my intrigue as I wait for him to express himself as he does much more often. He remains firm in the way he controls himself around me, but I’ve grown to disregard it. When I think about it, he helped me a lot during my time in the capital. Even if he claims he was only doing his job, he did more than that in my eyes.

In my eyes, he is my protector in more ways than one.

~

By the time I leave the meeting, my anger has all but returned. I step out of the meeting room, my eyes looking for Tiberius before my brain can comprehend what it is I am doing. I find him standing against the wall, his gaze shifting to meet mine. Concern laces his expression when he sees me and he immediately begins making his way to where I am, but not before my “colleagues” exit the meeting with smug expressions.

“I see the time in the capital did you well, Olwen.”

I ignore him, meeting Tiberius halfway. Tiberius gently places his hand along the small of my back, stepping between me and Alexander, but Alexander doesn’t take the hint, continuing to speak to me.

“I thought for sure you weren’t capable of seeing beyond yourself, but I am glad you understand your place among us now.”

I continue to ignore him, but he isn’t pleased with himself just yet, he reaches around grabbing me by the arm.

“Maybe the time in the capital cured you of your arrogance in the king’s presence, but it still hasn’t seemed to make you understand your place among me-Argh!”

I whip around in shock as Tiberius rips Alexander’s arm from me, twisting it at an uncomfortable angle. He shoves Alexander into the nearest wall, his eyes wide with rage as he looks down on the man.

“Touch her again, and I will break it.”

I hear the sound of other guards shouting as they approach, quickly stepping in. I look at Tiberius, irritation in my voice as I speak.

“Tiberius, release him.”

He doesn’t, however. If anything, his grip tightens, forcing Alexander to cry out again.

“Do you understand?” he seethes at the man.

My eyes widen slightly when Alexander doesn’t respond, terror in his eyes. But he’s intent on making a point. He thinks Tiberius won’t do it. But as Tiberius stands over him, his grip like iron, his guard is down. I can read him clearly. He will do it. As a matter of fact, he is in the process of doing it.

“Release him!” The guards shout as they approach, but I’m faster.

“Tiberius!” I snap, placing my hand on his shoulder. He whips his gaze in my direction, narrowing his eyes as he looks at me. He then looks back to Alexander, reluctantly releasing him. Alexander cradles his arm as he slinks away, his anger prominent.

“I will have you executed for daring to touch an officer of the palace—”

I step around Tiberius, stepping closer to Alexander.

“You followed me. You taunted me. You touched me with malicious intent. It is his job to protect me because, unlike you old fools in that chamber, I am the future of this place. And if you ever touch me again, I will not hesitate to let him break your neck,” I growl.

Alexander’s eyes widen and he stumbles away from me.

“What is going on here?”

We shift our attention to the king who has approached with Gaius by his side. He is watching us with a stern expression trying to assess the situation. I wait for Alexander to speak up, blaming me for the debacle, but he doesn’t. He remains silent.

“Well?” he snaps.

“Only a misunderstanding, your Majesty,” I say quickly.

“I will be sure to have Tiberius punished for overstepping. Please, Excuse us,” I say bowing before making my way out of the hall.

* * * * *

“How could you do something so foolish?” I shout.

Tiberius stands over me with his head down, his expression still filled with anger as I reprimand him.

“You are to protect me from outside threats on my life, not a grumpy old man who cannot control his temper!” I shout whipping away from him.

Tiberius’s actions could have ended much worse if I didn’t step in. Alexander had every right to remove him from Etherium or even have him executed for threatening him. Alexander is a prestigious member of the king’s class and Tiberius is an outsider who was given a chance in our world. There is no contest on whose life should’ve been spared.

Tiberius’s chuckle pulls me out of my thoughts and I slowly turn to see him still looking at the floor, with a grin on his lips.

“Do you think this is funny?” I ask.

He looks up at me, his golden gaze burning into my own as he speaks.

“This whole world is funny. It’s backwards-”

“How dare you!”

“How dare I? Olwen, he put his hands on you! He threatened you, no man should ever do that to a defenseless woman! He is a coward,” he growls.

“Defensless? I am hardly defenseless.”

Silence fills the air as Tiberius glares at me. His expression shifts and he takes a small step toward me, forcing me to acknowledge our difference in size. Tiberius towers over me although I am above average in height. His body is muscled and wide, built like the warrior he has trained to be. And we proved just last week that I am no match for him in a battle.

As always, I am wrong about the direction of his actions. He doesn't threaten me. He isn't getting close to me to threaten me or make me feel small. He's upset. 

“What would you have done? Stand there and let him scream and pull on you? Because you are above reacting to such things?” he asks. I can sense the mocking in his tone.

“He knows you are above that. It is why he picks on you and tries to make you think that you are nothing when in fact, you are everything to these people.”

My eyes widen slightly, all the anger I felt evaporating as I look at him. I understand where his anger came from. It was for me. He sees me as helpless in my own society.

Tiberius runs his fingers through his hair looking at me as he speaks. 

“I don’t understand you. You have so much to give yet you allow them to treat you like you don’t sacrifice everything for them.”

“I don’t sacrifice anything, Tiberius," I say.

He scoffs, shifting his attention out the window.

“You don’t eat. You barely sleep. You work for hours, coming up with hundreds of different solutions all so they can spit on it.”

Tiberius looks back at me, his eyes shifting in confusion as he tries to understand me.

“Do you think so little of yourself that you won’t even fight back? You won’t even fight for yourself?” I narrow my gaze, my anger coming to the surface. He sounds like my father, once again displeased with the way that I am and trying to force me to be what he believes I should be.

“There is no need to fight for myself, Tiberius don’t you get it? I do not matter! I am only a small piece of this society that helps keep it running! I am no more important than you are! I am just… another cog in the machine. I am not special. This is the purpose of my gifts, this is what I was born for!”

Tiberius is silent, his eyes widening with each word that leaves my lips. He shakes his head slightly, taking another step closer to me, and I finally realize that he’s close enough for me to feel the warmth that radiates from his skin. He continues to look at me, his eyes roaming over my face but not in the way the prince does. Tiberius is taking me in, remembering every piece of me, and appreciating that piece. He's feeling emotions for me that I cannot feel, his facade slowly crumbling in front of me.

He shakes his head, his hand lifting slightly before letting it fall to his side.

“How can you be the smartest woman in this place and so obtuse at the same time?”

I tense, stepping away from him to put space between us and his eyes follow the movement. But he doesn’t say anything more.

“No matter what happens between me and the other advisors, never put your hands on them again. I won’t be able to save you a second time.”