The Prince's Wedding

8. Flowers

I stare at the platter of food on the table, varieties sliced, diced and cooked to perfection...but I don't have the appetite to take a bite.

I keep turning to the door, waiting for it to open, expecting Melissa to walk in with that blank look on her face...
But it's been two weeks now since we had the argument and she said she wasn't going to take a bite of food...and boy, has she kept to it.

When she said it, I thought it was a bluff.
After the first two days, I thought she'd give up.
After the first week passed... I began to feel a bit of panic.
And now.... I can't even eat comfortably.

"You don't like the food?" Caspian asks as he walks in and I look up at him from where I'm sitting.

"Where is she?"
It's a simple question and he knows who I'm talking about.

"Either with the physician or in her chambers, Your Majesty." He says.

"Would you like me to take some food to her again?" Caspian asks after my silence and I just shake my head.

There'll be no more of that. For the last three days I'd asked him to take food to her but Melissa had refused to open the door to him and the food had all gone to waste.

"You know her." I say to Caspian just as he turns to leave and he turns back to me.

"Barely, Your Majesty."

"But you speak to her, definitely more than I have. Do you think she's serious about this? That this is more than a bluff?" I ask and I register a slight look of shock in his eyes....like he's surprised I'm asking for his opinion on the matter.

"I.... I think so, Your Majesty. She's pretty determined and this whole issue, it's been a whole lot for her."

"But starving herself? What does she expect me to do, feed her?"

"Or maybe, apologize." It's Felipe talking now and Caspian and I turn to the door as he walks in.
"Your Majesty." He adds.

"Hilarious." I say to him dismissively but he walks forward and stands next to Caspian, both directly in my front now.

"I don't believe I was trying to be funny, Your Majesty."

"I may be concerned about her hunger strike, even though it's just a display of stubbornness. But I had absolutely nothing to do with this, so I'm not apologizing."

"No?"

"No."

The room is quiet and I stare at Felipe, waiting for him to give his usual speech about empathy and compassion, but he simply nods.

"Very well. Have it your way, Your Majesty."  He says and I'm slightly taken aback.
Have it my way?

He turns and heads for the door and somehow, I can't let it go.

"And what would your way be?"

"Apologizing and making things right." He says simply as he gets to the door.

"...." Words fail me the moment I open my mouth to refuse and I let out a breath instead.
He's right.
There's no point arguing, I offended her.
As much as I hate the idea of her being around or living with me, I didn't want her dead.
Plus she accused me of not caring for her sister and I gladly accepted it...to her face.

"I'm only going to do this once." I say as I arrange a platter for her and Caspian looks at me, amazed.
"And if she refuses, then she can go ahead and starve."
I hand the platter to Caspian and signal for him to follow me as we head for the door.

"Invite her to the ball as well." Felipe says when I get to the door and I turn to him.

"I'm not going—"