The King's Lover-Chapter 397: Strongest Wish

Rose sat on the couch, motionless. Her back was hurting, and it was about time she got out of this dress, but there was no way she could manage it on her own. Furthermore, she couldn’t determine who might come into this room; she needed to be dressed properly enough to run if she had to.

It had been some time since Thomas had brought her dinner. He had brought it himself, with no servant in tow. It was such an odd sight, seeing the young lord holding a tray with a scowl on his face. Rose was certain it was a memory she would never forget.

He had also been nice enough to bring a little lamp so she wouldn’t have to eat in the dark. She had thanked him, and he had gruffly responded before fleeing the scene. She hadn’t seen him or heard a word since.

She looked out the open windows and shivered a little. Though spring was upon them, winter winds still lingered. Rose glanced at the bed where warm blankets lay, but she didn’t dare lie on it; she had to stay alert. She didn’t know when either of them would return.

She looked at the dirty dishes; it was almost midnight, and Thomas hadn’t even returned to clear them away. She was surprised servants didn’t come into the room at all. Thomas must have taken care of that, as she knew servants always prepared the Crown Prince for the night. They would have at least entered to set the fireplace.

Rose wrapped her arms around herself as the thought of warmth worsened her cold. She didn’t know how long she would be able to resist the bed, but she was determined to try her hardest.

Rose was dozing off when she heard the click of the door unlocking. She woke up immediately, righting herself as she did her best not to make any sound, including breathing.

The door closed but they didn’t say a thing. Rose was too scared to poke her head out. All she could do was wait but she couldn’t hear anything, not even footsteps.

"Rose."

Rose jerked her head to see Caius standing next to her chair. She had not even heard him approach. The light from the lamp flickered, moving his shadow over the unlit fireplace. He looked older than she had seen him earlier today. His stubble and hair were a mess.

"Your Majesty," she called, joy on her face as she remained seated. She was happy and relieved to see him.

"Rose," he called again, his hand stretching out to touch her face. His hand was cold, but she welcomed it.

"What happened, Your Majesty?"

His eyes looked distant, but they didn’t look away from her face. She placed her palm on top of his, and his eyes focused. His expression didn’t change, but his hand no longer felt as cold as it once had.

He pulled his hand away, and the air changed. Though he looked a mess, that look of tiredness that seemed to sink into his bones was gone. He was back to the old Caius she knew.

"Let me help you out of your dress," he offered.

It was what she wanted, yes, but for a moment Rose was stunned. It was certainly what the Crown Prince would say, but not in the way he said it. It wasn’t a command that would require her to satisfy his need tonight. It sounds completely free of that.

Rose looked at him with a. Dazed expression before she nodded and slowly stood up, turning her back to him. He closed the gap between them and traced her back with his finger until he found the ropes that held her dress in place. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

He tugged at the laces, undoing them gently, Rose could feel just how gentle he was through the fabric. It felt like a light caress, one she could feel on her skin. She couldn’t see him as he undid the ropes, only his shadow on the wall in front of her.

He smelled faintly of lavender—a reminder of Castle Catherine that almost felt like a distant past. Things were different now; things were back to normal.

Rose tried not to let her thoughts stray, but it was hard. She was certain something had happened, something grave enough to put Caius in this state, but she couldn’t press him to tell her.

He undid the laces and moved his hands to her shoulders to slide the dress off. It gave way too easily, falling off her shoulders and pooling at her feet. Rose was left in nothing but her chemise, feeling exposed, feeling colder.

Almost immediately, Caius wrapped his arms around her from behind. She gasped in shock but let herself lean into him. Compared to his palm, there was heat radiating from his chest, and it warmed her.

He held her for a moment without saying anything and just as easily as he grabbed her, he let go of her and gestured toward the bed. Rose didn’t hesitate; she was glad to be out of the heavy clothes. She walked to the four-poster bed, and as soon as she got in, she wrapped herself in the warm blanket, unconsciously letting out a satisfied sound.

"Were you cold?" he asked, a little too gently.

She thought it was odd. He was clearly the one who was breaking, yet he was acting as though the situation was equally delicate for her—but it wasn’t, not in the way he thought.

"I was," Rose replied as she watched him walk toward the bed after taking his shirt off.

It was not her intention to stare, but Rose didn’t think she had much longer. She might as well savor this during the little time she had left. The little lamp didn’t do much to illuminate the Crown Prince, but Rose doubted she needed light to see.

Her fingers recognized everything: every scar, every muscle, how wide his chest was—so wide it was concerning. A faint smile drew her from her thoughts as she realized Caius seemed to be enjoying her stare. He was literally putting himself on display, puffing up his chest.

She shook her head and rolled over, facing away from him. She felt the bed dip, and he wrapped his arms around her. Rose had expected nothing less. She closed her eyes as she prepared to sleep.

"I am getting married in only a few days."

Rose’s eyes flew open, and surprise filled her expression. It was the only indication that she was affected by this information. She had known it was something along those lines, so it was hard to say she was truly surprised, but perhaps what shocked her was that Caius sounded as though he was going to go through with it.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty."

Rose praised herself for how steady and detached she sounded. She was unaffected, she echoed in her head. This was the manifestation of her strongest wish. She would finally be rid of the Crown Prince.

Caius gave a sad laugh. "Is that all you have to say, Rose?" he asked, pulling her closer to his chest—close enough that she could feel his heartbeat against her back. It wasn’t very steady.

"Is there anything else you would like me to say?"

"I suppose not."