The Problematic Prince

e6a9a464_ILL.33.LILLY_OF_THE_VALLEY-117×300.png ” class= ”img-responsive ”>Erna slowly opened her eyes and realised she was alone.
The sudden emptiness left by Bjorn’s absence felt immense, causing her to feel like a lost child in a strange and unfamiliar world.

   She slowly sat up and meticulously folded the blanket that had covered her.
Her gaze wandered to the deep, dark parts of the forest she had laid on the edge of and as she sat against a trunk, eating a piece of candy to soothe her stomach, she kept looking into the dark depth of the forest.

   In the distance, she could hear the muffled laughter of mingled voices.
Erna knew she should be getting back to the party, but she wanted to sit and wait for her husband.
She couldn’t bear going back to their judgemental stares without him. 

Another wave of nausea washed over her and so she popped another piece of candy into her mouth.

   She hated being without Bjorn.
Without him by her side, she felt a sense of unease and discomfort, even the sweet taste of the candy couldn’t sooth her.
Her mind was filled with anxiety.

   Stupid Erna. She muttered to herself

   She stood up as if she was possessed.
The sound of her hasty steps cut across the grass, disturbing the warm sunlit day.
She couldn’t help but feel like a child, both laughing at herself and yearning to see Bjorn at the same time.

   As she approached the sheltered area where the men were lounging around and smoking cigars, she suddenly stopped herself.
What if they were talking about Bjorn and she overheard them? She contemplated turning around and just as she was about to walk away, she heard a familiar voice.

   “This season is so dull, last year was much better because we had the wonderful Miss Hardy around.” 

Erna paused to listen. 

“Even if Bjorn wanted to bet again, it would only be for another baby deer.” The voice belonged to Peter Bergen, Erna realised.

   She also recognised the chittering and laughing voices of Bjorn’s other associates and that’s when she remembered that this time last year, they were all trying to court her and showered her with gifts.

   Erna hid under the shade of a tree and listened to their vulgar jokes.
They hadn’t noticed her presence and she sat, watching the every growing wall of cigar smoke.

   I must go back. Although her consciousness urged her to move, she found that her legs refused to act.

   “It’s not surprising, if you think about it.
Prince Bjorn, one of the most powerful men in the world, taking his second wife at a poker game.
After clearing out all the bets, sweeping up all the prizes and then taking the woman as his trophy.” Peter joked and the others laughed.

   “If you think about it, he must have planned it all out.
He swooped in, like some shining knight on a white horse, appearing to rescue the damsel in distress.
Let’s not forget how handsome he is, how could any woman resist? I can see why Miss Hardy fell for him, or should I say, the Grand Duchess.”

   “It’s quite impressive, no?” Peter replied.
“Even with all his money and good looks, he put so much effort in winning the stake.
There’s a certain charm about someone who values something so deeply, even if it’s just for money, but let’s be real, in the end, he did marry Miss Hardy and spent more money than was ever in the pot.
I think he lost, really, he lost big time.”

   “You make it sound like Miss Hardy bankrupted him.
Do you really think Bjorn Dniester even knows the meaning of deficit? He turned a bet for fun, into winning the most beautiful socialite, winning the stakes on that beauty and eventually even winning his second wife.”

   “Ah, but Bjorn Dniester isn’t the only person to lose money.”

   Erna was taken aback by the casual words of slander.
The cigar smoke caught in her throat and she tried to stifle the cough.
Covering her mouth with both hands and feeling her heart beat faster, her whole body started to tremble. 

She missed Bjorn.

   Erna looked around more earnestly than ever.
She knew that her vision was constantly blurring from the tears, but she felt no emotion.
She wanted Bjorn to come.

   Erna, are you okay? With those few words, from him, she would be.

   “Oh, over here, our Prince has finally come back to join us.”

   Before the evening’s rowing event got under way, the names of the ladies the boars were being named after were called out, accompanied with playful cheers and booing.
Erna ignored them all and found the shade of a tree to sit under.
That was when Bjorn approached her, her saviour, appearing at the gathering with a warm smile.

   The young men chatted excitedly and started placing their bets.
Bjorn sat down on a ramshackle chair, not at all interested in joining in the childish endeavours, smoking a cigar casually.

   “Hey there trophy hunter, fancy rubbing some of your luck off on me?” Peter said.

   Bjorn exhaled the cigar smoke with a chuckle.

   “What, why are you ignoring me? Do you think I can’t win or something?”

   Bjorn continued to chuckle, not taking much notice of their jokes and jests.

   “Hey, leave the Grand Duke alone, his luck will be of no use to you.
Not even a blind lady would willingly go with your ugly mug.” Leonard jibbed.

   “Crazy bastards,” Bjorn mumbled, the group rumbled with laughter.

   Erna covered her mouth to stop her pitiful sobs from breaking free.
She looked out to the dark forest through teary eyes.
Once their merry laughter faded away to the distance, Erna let out a sigh and the wail she had been holding for a long time.

   Amidst the gasps and sobs, echoes of retching permeated the air, mingling with the sounds of a wounded beast.
Above, the sky remained unblemished and the frightened birds scattered in disarray at the sounds of a woman’s cries.