Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 317: Duty Or Love

Chapter 317: Duty Or Love

Lambert was observing everything. Hiding from Jolene, he watched her cry bitterly. He wondered if he is the reason she is crying. But then, a little part of him said, ’Let her cry! She brought it on herself’.

After talking to Talia that day and deciding to ask Jolene out, he went to meet her the next day. But when she said that she only wanted a ’casual relationship’, he didn’t know why he relented. There was something he saw in her eyes and he wanted to know what it is.

As they continued their "relationship" he found out what that ’something’ she saw in her eyes is – Love. But she never accepted it and he made it his goal to make her accept. She made it tough. They never talked and only did ’it’.

And boy was she amazing at it!!

But he felt empty, and wanted more. He talked about it and she said told she had ambitions and she won’t marry him and end up regretting what-could-have-been, later in her life.

She didn’t want him because he is a Prince.

For the first time in his life, he found his title and the duty it entitled, a hindrance to what he wanted.

He talked to his Great grandmother and wanted to change the rules, but he doesn’t have much hope that it would lead anywhere.

The Royal Family is an institution and the Institution only looks after itself as a whole and not panders to any individual, even if they are family. Only those who come in line with the rules will prosper within the institution. And there won’t be place for those who want to break it. What happened with Princess Lillian is a case in point.

He had a choice to make. Either he should convince Jolene to give up on her dreams and follow him, or he should give up his Privileges as a Royal, and his Military Roles to follow her and be a private citizen.

But he was not sure...Is their love that deep to warrant such extreme decisions on any of their side?

Maybe he should back off! She never said that she loves him anyway!

But seeing her crying alone, made his heart melt.

Ah, screw it! I’ll be the magnanimous one and comfort her!

Before he could get to Jolene, he found his Great Grandmother sitting beside her and starting a conversation. His heart skipped a beat.

What is great grandma doing? Why is she talking to Jolene of all people? Don’t tell me she knows what I do in my free time!

Lambert wasn’t surprised; the all-seeing-eye of his great grandmother saw what he’s been doing. He’s been used to this kind of lack of privacy.

He wondered what she told Jolene to make her have such a weird reaction. He wanted to know what happened and so he caught The Dowager on her way out.

"Great grandma, you’re leaving already?" he had his usual charming smile that always melted his great grandmother.

"Lambert..." The Dowager paused and took a good look at him. "I’m giving you the same advice as I gave her. Decide considering the happiness of your heart. You are neither ’The heir’ nor ’The Spare’. You have more leeway to decide on your future. You are not bound by duty like Louis, his children or Talia." She patted his arm and saying nothing else, walked to her car.

Lambert with a sigh looked at the floor. Superficially considering what she says, it can be taken that he is snubbing him and placing Talia above him. In fact, Talia is high in the pecking order than him.

But...she is right. She is not snubbing him, but giving him a leeway.

I’m not bound by duty even if I’m born in The Royal Family. There is not much stopping me from following my heart. Even if I leave the family, not much will be lost for the family. I’d be the one to lose everything I have grown to love; especially my involvement in the charities for veterans.

What should I do?

-----

Talia leaned on the cushioned garden chair in the gazebo with a tasteful lighting and put her feet up in the ottoman. Her feet hurt as she was walking and dancing wearing heals for hours. But what made her restless was not that. She still couldn’t believe what Arthur was about to do. Her hands trembled as she thought about it.

More than the humiliation she would suffer if this gets out, she was more hurt that Arthur chose this particular method to ’teach her a lesson’, or ’show his jealousy’.

How could he let others talk bad about me?

She wanted to close her eyes and rest for a moment, to control her racing thoughts. She felt more and angrier thinking about it and she wanted to cry. But she didn’t want to ruin her makeup.

At that time, she saw that silhouette walking in through the tapestry arch and her anger level rose further. Is he here to gloat?

"Fred, you f*cking idiot! I hate you!" she shouted as loud as she could. And she regretted using profanities in public. It would cause another scandal if it gets out.

She looked around and relieved to see no sign of life anywhere. Everyone will be in the dance hall which is filled with music and no one will hear her shout. And the others, who might be in the garden nearby, would be having their own secret tryst and they won’t bother with her; glass houses and all.

"No you don’t!" the handsome figure walked up to her and Talia gritted her teeth seeing that smile in his face. But seeing the odd ceramic mug in his hands, she wondered what that might be.

Could it be coffee? Or Tea? I could use a warm cup of beverage right now.

"Iris..." Arthur spoke softly and watched her turn her face away with her lips curled. She even scoffed cutely. "I brought you hot chocolate. It is just how you prefer it with two types of chocolate, whole milk and-"

"Don’t want it!" Talia interjected him. Her stomach already started grumbling as the aroma of chocolate wafted to her nose and her eyes couldn’t stay away from the cup in his hands. If she lets him speak, she knew she’d shamelessly get the mug from him, when she is still angry at him.

Arthur sighed seeing her controlling herself from getting the hot chocolate. It only showed him how mad she is at him actually, for denying chocolate from him. He pulled an ottoman closer to her and sat beside her.

"Iris... I’m sorry. I was wrong to..." He took in a deep breath. "I lost myself there for a moment. You are looking heavenly today... That crown... It suits you so well and you were looking at me with all the love you hold for me... It was surreal and I couldn’t ... I’m sorry I forgot where I was for a moment and went for what my heart wanted."

Talia didn’t want to listen to his words in the beginning. But as he spoke, she could hear the sincerity in his words and she couldn’t be angry at him anymore. He rarely uses poetic words and mostly speaks very common words and that touched her heart more, because she knew they come from his heart and not his brain.

"You are saying that you did that not because you wanted to get back at me for dancing with Walter, but because you were mesmerised by me?" She asked and her eyes became bright.

"If I was going to get jealous, I wouldn’t have let you dance with him in the first place. I was watching you." Arthur explained.

Talia leaned closer to him and looked into his eyes.

"What are you doing?" Arthur was surprised by her sudden action.

"I’m checking if you’re lying" Talia with her eyebrows furrowed, stared into Arthur’s eyes.

"Do you have a lie detector in your eyes?" Arthur asked with a slight chuckle. He could see she had calmed down a lot by now.

"I do. I’ll know if you’re lying. Now don’t move and stay still!" Talia ordered and stared at his eyes for some more minutes. "Good! You’re telling the truth!" she leaned back on the chair.

Arthur couldn’t help but chuckle seeing the silly way she was acting. She has changed a lot and became more dependent on some people around her, rather than doing everything herself. He was amazed seeing how well she delegated the tasks and now this Spring Ball she arranged is a grand success.

He would call this a progress in her part since she knows her limit and doesn’t push herself to her limits and end up exhausting herself.

"If you’re done chuckling, pass me the hot chocolate you proclaimed was special," Talia didn’t forget the hot chocolate.

"Here, Your Royal Highness! I present you with the-"

Before he finished his proclamation, Talia got the mug from his hand and took a sip. It was at the right temperature and she savoured it.

"I’ll make sure there aren’t any pictures of us together that might be published. Don’t worry." Arthur gently massaged her legs.

"I don’t care, Fred... This chocolate is so yummy... I’d share it with you, but then you’ll take a big gulp and empty the mug. So I’m not sharing," Talia was really feeling blissful.

Is she drunk with Chocolate?

Arthur wondered.