Lord Newton was instructing some knights when Roselyn passed by. On seeing him, she took a seat nearby and watched him as he conveyed orders until their gazes met. A smile lit his face before he walked up to where she sat without breaking eye contact that it made her blush.

"I didn’t know you were here," he said, but she knew his words carried a different meaning. It was like he was asking her if it was okay for her to step out with a burnt face. And she sure drew attention, even from maids and guards who had the guts to state at her. Surprisingly, her mother had not visited her yet.

"I decided to face it courageously," she replied with the same smile.

Newton took her hand in his and placed his soft, cold lips on it. An odd feeling circulated within her body which she was quick to ignore. He was just but a gentleman, right?

"Are you busy?" She asked retracting her hand. A cold sensation settled on her skin leaving a funny feeling that she found adorable yet scaring.

"I am. I have to send the knights to Valoria to help with the construction. What about you?"

"Me?" She asked surprised. "I... I have nothing to do."

"How about you accompany me to Valoria?" He offered. He could see her face light in surprise before she nodded softly.

"Pick anything you’d like for the journey. We’ll be leaving in the next thirty minutes." She nodded. Newton walked away to fetch his horse leaving her standing alone in the hallway.

Roselyn sat on the bench, her mind racing with thoughts. This was the perfect time to know if Alexander really loved or cared about their arranged marriage. He’d be alone with no royal members snooping around, only the knights. Still, she had not seen him since the previous day and she missed him.

The journey to Valoria was not that long especially when coming from the Crescian capital. And since the two kingdoms were now at peace, the shortcuts had been reopened, and so was the sea route. Newton and his caravan, however, took the road route. Within an hour, they had arrived at Valoria.

Roselyn stepped down from her carriage with her face covered in a veil. The knights were too many to be ignored. And unlike the palace guards, knights could travel far and spread rumors.

The site that welcomed her was a beehive of activities in the whole city. The foundation of the palace had earlier been laid and the ground floor was almost complete. That was fast! But given the number of knights deployed here, it was logical.

"Where can I find His Majesty?" She asked a knight instead of Newton who was busy shouting orders to the batch of knights he had come with.

"He’s at the Northern part in that camp." She followed his line of sight and spotted a sole tent pitched near what looked like an ongoing palace sculpture. Two guards stood outside.

"I need to see His Majesty," she said once she arrived at the tent.

"His Majesty is currently busy and wishes to see no one," one of the knights said without looking at her.

"Tell him it’s Princess Roselyn," she said earning a frown from the knights. And on looking at her closely, one of the knights confirmed it was really her.

"I’m really sorry Your Highness. Please proceed."

Roselyn lowered her veil and entered the tent. Even though it was daytime, the tent was dark hence a lamp was lit on the far end of the table. Sketches of maps and construction mock ups were sprewn on the table. On the far end of the tent was a man hunched in a book that he looked so much immersed in that he didn’t hear her walk closer yet her steps were loud enough for anyone to hear. Or was he assuming her?

"What are you doing here?" He asked even before she could take another step.

Surprised, Roselyn halted in her tracks and swallowed thin air.

"I came looking for you," she answered a d took a brave step forward.

He closed the book he was reading and stood dissatisfied by her presence.

"I’m busy right now. We’ll talk when I come back. Go now," he said and resumed his reading as if he had just shooed a fly. But Roselyn stood rooted to the spot.

"Alexander?" She called making him clutch the book tightly. "I want to talk about us."

Us? What was this woman saying? Oh no! Not about this again! "There’s not much to talk about us." He said, feigning ignorance. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"You know what I’m talking about. I want to know if you’ll marry me?" She asked without beating around the bush.

Damn it! At this point, Alexander new he’d not avoid it. But it was a chance for him to state his feelings about her as well. He didn’t care what would happen next. She wanted to know the truth, and that he’d definitely give.

"I’m never going to marry you and you know that. You’ve just not accepted the fact," he said coldly.

Roselyn somehow expected that. Instead of breaking into tears as her princess self would, she put on a brave face and asked, "Is it because I have a burnt face? Is it because I’m not beautiful anymore?"

"No! It’s because I don’t have feelings for you Roselyn. I take you as a friend and nothing else."

She caught her lower lip between her teeth, fighting hard the tears that threatened to fall anytime soon. She had to stay strong otherwise she’d never handle anything else in life. Life itself had given her a great blow and adding this on top would be suicide. She expected it anyways.

"Isadora, do you love her?" She asked the burning question. She wanted to know to whom she had lost her man to, a worthy competitor or unworthy?

"I just don’t love her, I adore her," he answered.