The Cursed King

A year suddenly passed by like the wind for Loriel and Elise, the two of them lived together as husband and wife in Summeria. Loriel was not a man who remembered dates and had forgotten Elise\'s birthday in the past, but this time was different.

Their relationship despite Elise\'s inability to bear a child was a lot better than before. 

Loriel wanted to take Elise out for a special trip because it would soon be their three-year anniversary as a married couple. However, he would encounter a change in his wife\'s personality.

It was almost as if something flicked a switch.

"Elise, the two of us shall be going on a trip early," Loriel informed her as he got undressed in their chambers after a long day of work. It was not exactly their anniversary, but he wanted to do it just in case his schedule did not match.

"Where?"

"It will be a surprise."

"Just tell me," Elise frowned at him.

Loriel sighed and glanced at her. "I hope that you will sleep well tonight so the two of us can go outside before the sun rises. We will be going somewhere for an important trip."

"Why?" Elise asked and crossed her arms. "Do you think that I have been lazy staying in the palace all the time? I try to help you with work but you tell me to simply relax and stay here."

"Elise, I don\'t mean anything like that," Loriel frowned at her. He promised his mother and her father that Elise would live the life of a true princess who didn\'t have to worry about anything.

"Similar to your helpful comment that I\'ve been eating too much earlier?" Elise raised a brow.

"Huh? I was pointing out that your appetite has become a bit stronger," Loriel repeated his words before. "You always used to eat quite a small amount so I was surprised to see you eating well."

"You\'re just trying to tell me that I\'m fat, you\'re an awful liar." Elise turned her back towards Loriel and then fell flat on their bed. She would refuse to look at him and instead only sighed aloud.

Elise was irritable around him for some reason that Loriel couldn\'t pinpoint why.

A part of him wondered if this was a change in personality that all women underwent through. 

On his hunting trip with his important officials, dukes and other nobles… most of them complained about how their wives became noisy and unruly, or worse… they let themselves go and didn\'t bother to look pretty for their husbands.

"My has become bossy and not meek like she used to be," One of the dukes complained. 

"Just because we are married and she has given birth to three sons, she no longer cares about her appearance." another lord said with a sigh.

"The king is incredibly lucky to have married a beautiful belle!"

If Loriel wanted to be honest, Elise did look a bit messy lately and there was something about her that made her look… disheveled. Now, he wondered if she had changed into like one of their housewives.

Loriel came to join Elise in bed. He tried to wrap an arm around her waist but the woman moved away from him and suddenly asked.

"During your little adventures, how many women have you actually slept with Loriel?" Elise asked.

"What?" Loriel blinked. That didn\'t matter at all, didn\'t it?

"I presume too many to count," Elise sighed and pulled the blankets over herself. "Good night, Loriel."

Loriel looked at his wife in bed and shook his head. It was just another one of those nights where Elise was suddenly cold with him and for the love of all things, he did not have a clue.

The only time Elise was actually like this was when she used to be pregnant, but that was so long ago.

***

Another incident soon came up and it turned out to be Lady Rose Goodwin\'s wedding. Loriel was actually surprised that the woman managed to get married since she was so overbearing and many men seem to fear her… or her father. However, the king kept such comments to himself.

Instead, Loriel asked Elise to join him as a guest at the wedding. A powerful duke needed the king and queen to participate in such ceremonies to instill a sense of pride.

On their way to the wedding place, Elise was silent in the royal carriage and looking out the window.

Loriel was glad that she didn\'t seem upset, but it suddenly changed when Elise said something as if she was trying to intentionally provoke him. Or maybe she was really just upset and wanted to stay home.

"You will meet many beautiful women during this wedding," Elise looked down at her lap.

Loriel sighed. "Elise you are the most beautiful woman I\'ve ever laid eyes on, the rest of them look like brooms when compared to you."

He was being honest. Even if Elise had lost that glow that always made Loriel feel in awe of her beauty, she was still the most beautiful woman in Summeria.

However, it was futile for Loriel to talk to Elise and convinced her how he felt about her appearance. Elise pouted.

"At least they aren\'t barren," Elise bit down on her lip as tears pricked her eyes. "I can\'t give you a child but someone else will. What if you actually have a child from your previous \'adventures\' Loriel?"

"Elise, I was very safe before because I didn\'t actually want that to happen before I was king," Loriel grumbled and rubbed his face. "I don\'t have children outside of our marriage."

"How sure are you?" Elise started rubbing her eyes to prevent the tears from coming. "Maybe someone will arrive in the palace one day and say you are the father. The dukes and the lords are not suspicious now because we are still young, but they will demand an heir from you."

"That\'s not going to happen," Loriel reassured her. 

"I\'m quite sure that you regret marrying me," Elise cried. "If it weren\'t for me, you could have pursued that princess who was your best friend or even Lady Rose Goodwin. She\'s also very beautiful."

And she is not barren.

"Elise, please stop crying," Loriel sighed and disliked the fact that she mentioned Emmelyn. Shouldn\'t Elise be happy that he married her? Why was she still being so ungrateful? 

"You just can\'t ask someone to stop crying!" Elise said with a disappointed look on her face.

"We\'re going to attend a wedding but you look like you\'re ready for a funeral," Loriel clicked his tongue.

"So? Am I embarrassing you? I can stay in the carriage and wait outside while you are attending the wedding and meet many people… all those beautiful women."

Loriel was dumbfounded by Elise\'s unreasonable behavior. He really didn\'t know what to do. This woman was so beautiful but she was very insecure about herself and that insecurity was like poison that was eating up both of them.

Even though he didn\'t love her initially, Loriel had learned to live as her husband. Slowly, their connection developed and he could imagine spending the rest of his life with Elise. He was kind, sweet, and loving.

However, he didn\'t know if he could do it with a wife like this.. She had changed so much.