[center]Alexander James Francis Maximillion Nightingale[/center] 


Alexander sighed. He blinked and very nearly narrowed his eyes upon hearing the princess, upon hearing her stand up for that servant. He started to frown for a time. He would speak soon enough. 



"In the past, when a ruler such as myself was questioned, it proved dangerous. When a ruler is questioned, it is a sign of losing respect, and a ruler often has to be respected and feared, at least at times, in order to be a strong leader. If one is not respected, they lose power. If one is not feared, they either lose respect or they are simply not taken seriously. A strong heart and will alone is not enough for a powerful ruler. A good head, and the respect, fear, and other things that they receive at times from others, are also needed, milady. Please understand that. There is more to being a king than you have witnessed, or so I hope you come to understand."



He turned towards the others for a time. 




".........................."


The king had been about to say something when he heard the princess speak, again. He sighed once more and turned towards her, again, and heard what she said. It sounded as if she was trying to reassure him... again. Alexander shook his head a bit, about to wave away the words for a moment. 




"I should have known. Not everyone in these or other lands take rejection well. Such a thing can make an enemy out of anyone. I should have seen that coming, milady. I truly should have."





Despite a slightly calmer state, he was still insistent that the chaos had been his fault, that he should have been more careful and everything. Obviously, there was some guilt there, but one thing at a time of course. Anyway, the king took a deep breath and glanced towards the others, yet again, about to say something, yet again. 




"Guards are to be posted at the gates from this day onward. It would appear that security of our castle home needs to be much tighter than it already is. That much has certainly become....quite clear."




He turned towards the princess once more. He heard the rest of what she had been saying to him. Alexander took another breath. The king cleared his throat a bit before he made to speak to her again. He would respond to her words accordingly. She had apparently expressed further gratitude, and this time, for something he thought had simply been the right thing to do. 



"I simply spoke how I felt I should. It was the right thing to do. You deserve it, milady, and much more than I do."



He had yet to tell her that she was the chosen one, the chosen bride. Of course, he doubted if now was the right time. The king had planned to announce the choice for his bride at the end of the ball, but that had occurred sooner than anticipated, and by something done as a result of the actions of another. Now? Now, he had to plan another way to make that announcement. There was one question: How was he to do it now? And when? He had no answers to that, at least not yet. The time would come soon enough though. It truly would. Until then, he still did not say anything about it to the princess.