The Cursed King

"Is that so? Then, it is better for you to call him by that name since the two of you agreed on that." Queen Maude smiled. "I think it is a good thing, isn't it?"

Elise struggled to return the smile. "Yes, Your Grace."

"Ahem… you are still not used to calling me 'mother'," commented Queen Maude. "Please just call me 'mother-in-law' or 'queen mother'. I would really appreciate it."

"Ah… sorry," Elise lowered her head sheepishly. "Queen mother."

Queen Maude smiled sweetly. "Thank you. Please stop being so formal with me.  I am your mother-in-law because soon you will marry my son. Just keep calling me 'mother'."

"Understood, Your- ahem… queen mother."

Queen Maude touched Elise's arm softly and gave her advice on how to deal with her son.

"Elise, my son is stubborn, but he is actually a good man. I ask that you forgive him, but I know that is not enough." Queen Maude smiled sadly. "Even the kindness of a Leoraleis can only go so far. You must get fed up with him sooner or later."

"That is not true, Mother. I will be patient with your son and understand him," Elise quickly replied. "You do not have to worry about anything like that. I love your son."

"My son is extremely fortunate to have your love, Elise. Only someone like you could manage that."

Elise blushed. "One can hope that he thinks the same as you, queen mother."

"I am sure that he will." Queen Maude nodded seriously. "It would be impossible to not fall in love with such a beautiful and kindhearted woman that you are. I believe that he will open up to you once he sees that."

"Thank you so much for your trust, mother."

"Nonsense. I can see how wonderful you are, not only in how you look, but how pure and forgiving your heart is. That is what makes me long for Myreen, it is a wonderful kingdom that's perfect in my eyes."

Elise didn't think that Queen Maude knew about how Elise also had her own selfish nature she tried so hard to repress. 

Queen Maude thought of Myreen and her people as some kind of wonderful place and the people by seeing through rose-colored glasses.

When Queen Maude told him that it was what his friends called him… Elise knew the woman also called Loriel by that name.

It was jealousy that settled on Elise's stomach that made her feel sick. And this made her unable to call Loriel by the name Maxim. She just couldn't.

She had vivid memory of the day when she saw Loriel with that woman. Elise couldn't hear her voice, but now she remembered the woman called Loriel by the name Maxim.

Maxim's face beamed with happiness and his eyes sparkle, looking like bright silver because seeing the woman put him in a good mood.

After spending more than two weeks together, not once Elise saw his blue eyes turn silver when he was with her.

His eyes lit up when that woman called his name. Yet, he looked cold and uninterested when Elise spoke to him.

This hurt.

Queen Maude sensed Elise's sadness and let out a sigh. The queen really liked this girl and wished her son could see Elise the way she saw her, and appreiate her for who she was.

Queen Maude had met Emmelyn last year and understood that Loriel was in love with her. She thought Emmelyn was such a nice girl too. If Catalina didn't have a daughter and Emmelyn was still single Queen Maude would support Loriel to pursue her. She just wanted her son to be happy.

Seeing the beautiful girl, sitting by her bedside, Queen Maude thought that Loriel would definitely fall in love with Elise, if he could spend more time with her, because then he would get to know her deeply.

It wasn't enough for the two of them to only meet each other and have no conversations beside the ones that were necessary. How would love develop between Loriel and Elise through that alone?

"Elise, honey.. can you cook?" Queen Maude asked Elise gently. "They said, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Maybe you can try cook something for him?"

Elise's eyes lit up. She nodded with a smile. "I can cook, mother. Is there a dish that Loriel loves? I can try make something for him."

Queen Maude thought about it for a moment. "When Loriel was younger and I was healthier before,  I would not ask the royal chefs to prepare him a meal and I would do it by myself. His favorite dish is a special stew."

"A special stew?"

The queen dowager nodded. "Loriel is different from when he was so young before. As a child, Loriel was weak and sickly. He would get bullied by his older half-sisters before and he couldn't do much."

Elise frowned sadly at the story. "That is terrible, mother. So you mean to tell me that you cook a special stew for Loriel to make him feel better?"

"That's right." Queen Maude nodded. "I told him to eat it well and he'll become stronger and healthier. Compared to Myreen, there are less crops and vegetables here with magical properties, but I prepared that stew for him so he could become stronger."

A meal from one's childhood prepared by their parent was something of a heartwarming memory. Elise realized it was something that she wanted to prepare for Loriel.

"Would it be alright for me to ask for the recipe, mother?" Elise respectfully asked.

Queen Maude smiled and nodded. "Of course, there is no one else I would love more to have this recipe known than for you. Let me list them down for you."

Elise committed each ingredient to memory and heart. Once the queen dowager was done, Elise thanked the queen and excused herself to prepare the meal for Loriel by visiting the royal kitchen.

When Elise stopped by the royal kitchen, the people working there were surprised to see the princess of Myreen come inside of this place. 

They exchanged glances with baffled or worried expressions.

Was she going to complain about the food? They wondered.