Oh My, I Messed Up the Story

Chapter 97: Pacing

There was an awkward standoff when my husband and my one-time suitor both arrived at my side at the same time. I accepted Duke Orla's water reluctantly, unwilling to actually drink it in case he put something weird in there.

"Thank you for your assistance but I believe my husband can take it from here," I informed him as politely as I could.

He gave me a stiff bow. "It is a gentleman's duty to see to a lady's needs. Please excuse me, Your Highnesses."

Duke Orla turned and stalked away in the other direction. I heaved a sigh of relief as he went, dumping the water out into a floral arrangement next to me. I had gotten rid of him for now but my sense of unease about our conversation remained.

Was I being paranoid? Even if I wasparanoia was how people stayed alive in this world. Franz had already proven that because Mariela and the baby were safe and sound despite Sigmund's best efforts to breach the fortress their quarters had become.

Al raised an eyebrow at me and I realized I had a bit of explaining to do. I had put on quite a bit of a show back there.

"Thanks for saving me. I think Duke Orla has been spying on us," I whispered anxiously.

"What did he say to you?"

"I might be paranoid but I get this feeling"

I explained my thoughts based on his earlier wording and Al looked troubled. I hadn't been wrong about this sort of thing before. We might be in some seriously deep water. My only hope was that we didn't drown.

It was difficult making it through the rest of the party after that. The atmosphere was so tense I thought I might scream. But I didn't, because princesses weren't allowed to react like that.

Over the next two days I repeatedly told myself that everything was going to be fine and we were going to make it out of here. Helping Franz in place of Marcy had been the only thing I had (at least so far) successfully managed to keep on track.

As long as he won the vote, the king died on time, and the people revolted we would be good to go. So long as we didn't caught up in the violence. Then Al and I would be home free.

"It's going to be fine," Al reassured me as I helped him with the ridiculous amount of buttons on his most formal coat. "The proposition is going to pass. Then things will progress the way they're supposed to, right?"

He knew that the only part of the novel I still cared about keeping on track was ensuring Franz became king. Especially now that he had promised to help us restore Al's homeland. I wanted our future to be set more than anything.

"I certainly hope so," I muttered. "You have to tell me how everything goes the second they release you for the day."

My husband sweetly kissed my lips once the buttons were done and stroked my cheek. "I will. Every boring detail."

With that, he was off and I was left with nothing to do but worry. Visiting Mariela seemed like my best option so I made my way to her quarters. Unlike me, she wasn't at all worried about the resolution passing. She had faith in her husband and all of the hard work we had collectively put into this.

I wished I had her confidence. I was concerned about it passing but I was more concerned with what came after. Sigmund was going to go on a rampage and if he suspected Al's true identity, he would have the power to kill us as soon as the king died and he took over.

We already had an escape route planned but after that I didn't know where we would go. If Duke Orla had followed us all the way to Ayana's house already it wouldn't be safe there. Our friends would be in danger too.

I sincerely hoped that Sigmund didn't know. That my paranoia was simply getting the better of me. Because if Al went down for treason I probably would too. We would both be dead and that would be a horrible end to my little adventure here in fantasyland.

Living long enough to be able to help Al's people reclaim their home and trying to replicate as much as we could from my world was imperative. I would not let that slimeball crown prince kill me before I could make those things happen.

Mariela sighed. "Katie, watching you pace is making me agitated. You need to relax. Shall I call for some pastries from the kitchens?"

I was never one to turn down Marcy's pastries but was now really the time? My appetite was nonexistent with how stressed I was. "I'm sorry," I apologized lamely. "I just wish I could see what was happening right now for myself."

"As do I. But we shall receive word shortly, I am sure of it. In the meantime, my baby wants some of those jam-filled doughnuts covered in powdered sugar that Marcy makes. If you do not want any I will gladly eat your portion."

"I'll go; there's no need to send a servant," I said as I heaved myself to my feet. "If anything happened to you on my watch while Franz wasn't here he would murder me and dance on my grave."

Franz's carefulness about poisons had only grown stronger the closer his wife came to the end of her pregnancy. Going myself was the most efficient way to make sure nothing happened while it was being transported.

"I cannot envision my husband dancing on anybody's grave but go if it will help you work off some of your nerves," Mariela said in a more irritable tone than I used to believe she was capable of.

Being cooped up for so long and dealing with pregnancy hormones had caused her usual composure to crack more often over the past few months. I felt sorry for her. And here I was making things worse by adding to her stress.

The castle was more bustling than usual today because of all of the nobles' wives who had come up from the countryside. Most of them wanted to cozy up to the queen and crown princess.

I had already endured horrendous tea parties every morning since they began returning to the capital. The pastries hadn't even been enough to make up for how annoying those were since I didn't even have Mariela there to help me run interference.