The King's Lover-Chapter 394: In Five Days

"Rose," Thomas’s familiar voice called as he looked around for her. He sounded concerned as his eyes searched the room.

Rose poked her head out from the side of the chair and smiled at him. He looked relieved when he saw her, and she hoped she wouldn’t have to explain why she was hiding. She hoped he would understand, and from the look on his face, he did.

"Did you find anything, Lord Thomas?" she asked. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

The silence made his pity for her situation feel heavy. Even after all this time, she was unused to his pity; it made her feel even worse. Thomas was not the sort of person to pity anyone, let alone a lowborn like her, so whenever that expression crossed his face, Rose couldn’t help but feel she was indeed at rock bottom.

"Unfortunately, I came to tell you that you might have to wait here for some time. I asked around and was told the Queen cleared out your room and burned everything in it." His voice was softer at the last part as if to soften the blow.

Rose didn’t even flinch; she had expected nothing less. Besides, there was nothing important there. All that was left were the dresses the Crown Prince had made for her, and Castle Catherine had even more dresses. She didn’t care about what the Queen did to mere apparel.

"I see," Rose replied. "And the key?" She stood next to the chair, resting against it as she faced Thomas.

It was one thing for the Queen to empty the room, but to lock it up too was a little much. Rose didn’t want another room; this was the closest she could be to the Crown Prince, where she could be safe. Any further and the Queen might be able to have her kidnapped again.

Even before Thomas spoke, she already knew the answer. The Queen wanted her gone and had never hidden this. She made it clear for everyone to see.

"With the Queen. The only one who can get it back is the Crown Prince, and at this time, I cannot reach him."

Rose frowned. "Where is he?"

"In her private drawing room," he replied. "I have reason to believe he might eat dinner there. I’ll do my best to get you some food if that is the case."

Rose smiled at him. "Thank you, Thomas. I truly don’t know what I’d do without you."

He immediately turned his back, hiding his face, and gruffly said, "Don’t leave this room."

"Yes, Lord Thomas," Rose said as sweetly as possible, watching the young lord stumble on his way out.

She chuckled as he shut the door behind him and sat back down. She couldn’t help but think it was very nice of him to tell her not to wait up; Caius wasn’t coming any time soon and she might have an idea as to why.

---

Caius kept a stern face as his mother led him into the privy chamber. It was a private drawing room located in her wing, mostly used by the Queen for very important and private guests.

As she led him away, Caius did his best to keep his composure as his mother chatted away about how lovely Caira was, while the latter blushed and kept her head down.

Caius would occasionally glance behind him at Prince Rylen, but his cousin refused to meet his gaze. Caius wasn’t worried about Rose; he was sure Thomas would take care of her. What worried him was what this was about.

He couldn’t escape. He tried, telling his mother he was tired from the journey, but she was quick to say it would be brief and that she hadn’t seen him in almost half a year—a gross exaggeration.

At the same time, as much as he would love to get away, he needed to know what was going on, and Rylen’s suspicious actions only fueled his curiosity. His mother was all smiles, and he couldn’t recall a time she had looked happier. Something was certainly going on.

They reached the drawing room, and his mother was quick to place him on the long chair with Caira beside him. There was enough space between them to fit another person, and Caius widened the gap.

His mother started speaking before he got a chance, as she sat across from him while Rylen stood behind her. Caius didn’t like this; he would have preferred to see his cousin’s expression.

"I am sure you remember your betrothed, son. Princess Caira arrived from Lystern a few days ago."

Caius winced at his mother’s words. If he thought something was going on before, he was sure now. This was no mere visit.

"No, I don’t," Caius said coldly. "I haven’t seen her in nearly two decades. I am sure she also has no recollection of what I look like."

He wasn’t trying to be rude, but Caius knew better than to drag his feet with his mother. He would only end up getting roped into what she wanted.

Princess Caira visibly flinched, but Caius didn’t notice; he had his eyes glued on his mother as he waited for her to give up this charade. He didn’t have the patience, and the longer this dragged on, the angrier he got.

"Well, that’s expected; you both were so young," Queen Violeta said immediately, her smile not faltering once. "Now, you’re not so young anymore."

His mother was still smiling, but no one seemed to be telling him anything. "How long is her visit?" Caius asked when he couldn’t take the dancing around anymore.

"Visit?" His mother shook her head. "She is here to stay. Your wedding is in five days. That’s the only reason I didn’t plan a welcome party—with you being away so long, it’s only expected that a huge party be thrown on your return—but Rylen thought it would be advisable not to, since the same guests would be in attendance and he thought it would be too stressful..."

There was a ringing in his ears as his mother spoke on and on, but Caius didn’t hear her words. All he heard was: your wedding is in five days.