'In sooth, I know not why I am so sad. It wearies me; you say it wearies you; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn;
And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, That I have much ado to know myself.'

- Antonio
[The Merchant Of Venice]

*******

Rose took a warm bath and all along she couldn't stop smiling. It was as if she found her missing piece and it was all roses and happiness for her. She didn't want any money or material but just love and care and she was ready to bloom again.

Humming a tune, specifically a lullaby that her mother used to sing her about a girl who was married to the Prince of her dreams. She believed that dreams do come true and she was proven right.

Taking out a floral dress, she dolled herself up and let her raven hair cascade down into soft curls down to her slim waist. She looked much more radiant than any other past day. She twirled before the mirror and left the room after having her breakfast that her King had brought himself for his Queen to eat.

Walking along the corridor to find someone who would give her some chore to do so that she doesn't have to sit ideal, she witnessed a maid struggling with her sprained ankle. She hopped and tried to arrange the flowers in the large glass vase kept at the corner.

Rose walked quietly towards the struggling lady and asked softly from behind, so as not to startle her, "Do you need some help?"

"Um.. No. I can do it." The middle aged maid replied not turning back, thinking it was one of the co-workers.

"Are you sure? You look injured." Rose remarked with a frown.

"Yeah, it's fine. It should heal in few hours." The maid replied, half turning and bowed down to take a look at her injured ankle.

"I can manage." She sighed and smiled before looking up. As she turned up to face the voice that had been interacting with her, the flowers dropped from her hands.

"I-I am sorry, my lady. I didn't see you." She quickly apologized and tried bending down to pick up the flowers but Rose reached out before and helped her pick up the flowers.

"It's okay. You don't have to worry." Rose smiled and started arranging the flowers in the vase when the maid quickly interrupted, "Your Grace, you don't have to."

"Its alright. We must help each other at the time of need." Rose said after arranging the flowers, she helped the lady to a chair and called for some help.

She wrapped her injured ankle with an elastic compression wrap which would decrease the swelling and can be worn for a longer duration. In spite of the woman asking her not to, she helped her anyway. Later, she let her take some time off her work in order to get some rest and not to worry about it.

The maid was so pleased with her that she gave Rose her blessings and the last thing she said made an impact on her, "Thank you, Your highness. It is your nature as sweet as honey that changed him and brought peace and smiles to not just one but many faces." She didn't quite understand the complete meaning of the last part because it had a deeper, more pure and secretive meaning.

Rose tried wrapping her head around the lady's words. It was as if she knew more and better. No wonder she was a senior maid due to her age and knowledge but her words made her curious.

Rose then padded nonchalantly towards the garden but she met Nigel on her way.

Nigel looked very quiet and observating something that didn't match with his signature style. He stood staring blankly at the tree with its red and orange leaves falling down. She didn't understand what caused him to be so numb in the morning of this chaotic and zealous day.

"Good morning, Nigel." She greeted him and he turned with a bit surprised look.

"Morning, flower. You look radiant as ever." He hugged her lightly with a bright grin but he was still suspicious as why couldn't he recognize her standing behind him.

"Thank you." She blushed.

"Had a good night?" Nigel teased her and she nodded meekly not meeting his eyes.

Then he realized why he couldn't trace her. Her sweet virgin smell was lost but her signature floral smell was still distinctive.

Seeing her mirthfull nature, he was sure that there was no compromise now.

"Nigel?"

"Yes, Rose."

"Why were you standing alone staring at the tree?" She asked curiously.

"I was kind of..." He stared at the gardens then trailed off, "bored..."

"Oh okay. Do you perhaps need any help?" Rose asked.

Nigel gave a funny laugh and said, "Help?"

"Yes, I can help." She chirped happily.

"Babe, I can't make you work. I don't want a gravestone under this tree stating, 'in the loving memory of Nigel, who made the wife of the great King Henry work.' " He twisted his lips weirdly and Rose chuckled lightly.

"No, Nigel. Henry gave me the permission to help."

"So you still need to ask him for permissions over petty things?" Nigel raised an eyebrow. He still didn't enjoy the fact that Henry had a wrapped his control around her neck, so tight that she doesn't even have the liberty to do little things without asking. It was true that he cared a lot but his possessive side was something too much to bear.

"It's just that he wanted me to take rest and not work, but I can't sit idle. I am not sick." She pouted lightly and creased her eyebrows earning yet another smile from Nigel.

"Well, there's not much work but you can accompany me for a walk." He said and stretched his hand towards her. Rose gladly placed her hand on his and he took her towards the castle. The path was filled with red and orange leaves, leaving a small gap for walking.

The servants were scurrying from one place to another and there was a hustle but it was strangely quiet and peaceful. Besides spending time with Rose, they could keep an eye on the workers and sometimes Rose would ask him for any chores but he simply refused.

Nigel elaborated about his crazy theories he used to give his teachers in his late years of education in order to escape heavy work load. Whereas, Henry was that guy among the royal students who was quiet and mysterious with a storm of wit and intelligence whirling in his brain. He was usually appreciated by their tutors and even the girls admired him. While speaking about this, Nigel saw that not once did Rose got jealous over this thing. She was carefully listening and nodded like a good listener that she was.

Nigel then told her that Henry got scolded rarely in classes for pulling some of his best pranks when he was deadly bored in class.

He said that Henry had always been schematic, witty but alone and emotionally distant in a strange way. Rose was the first and last person he had cared so much about. Rose smiled at this and remembered how much she had to try in order to just talk to him or spend time with him. But after sometime, he became more conscious and conservative about her that he would always find ways to spend time with her, alone.

The letter from her father that she had read last night stated everything he did just for her but never said anything. She had cried not because she was upset with him but because she came to know that how much he loved and cared for her.

In the midst of this good chat, they encountered some of the royal family guests and exchanged greetings. Rose was happy all along. It was all settled and no fear was left to frighten her.

Rose had been feeling empty but now she was complete.

Even though it was a merry environment but all through she felt as if someone had been strangely keeping an eye on her like a hawk. Needless to say, she shrugged it off thinking that it was just her imagination.

After returning back to the castle, Rose, while making her way towards her room, collided with the King of Skrines, the local ruler of the kingdom of south, who had been called specially for attending the function for a day. He happened to be one of the allied rulers.

"My apologies, I didn't see you." He quickly got hold of her hand to balance her back.

"It's alright, I was the one being careless." She smiled absurdly and stared at her hand that had been caught by his bigger one.

Rose stared at him back after withdrawing her hand and noticed him being too lost in her eyes. Byron couldn't remove his eyes from her even though it was very impolite thing but then he didn't even recognize her being the queen. She strangely looked away as if it was a wrong thing.

"Are you hurt?" Byron asked her.

"No, no. I am alright. I should be the one asking." Rose replied apologetically and he smiled at her.

He was a good looking man with good body and golden hair. His semi transparent eyes were very captivating but it didn't have a single impact as Henry's eyes did. "I am Byron Walton, king of Skrines. I came here to visit a companion of mine, Henry. But I didn't know I would be more delighted to meet someone else." His eyes twinkled as he smiled at her and got hold of her hand to place a kiss. He was so lost that he didn't even notice the ring on her other hand.

Her smell was sweet and exotic. The blood that she carried was pure and rare. Very divine. She was a human, he knew that but he was not the one who preyed on humans that easily due his high self control.

Byron thought that may be she was a maiden and informing her about his royal side would draw her attention but her blue sapphire eyes didn't return the same emotion.

Rose from his attire had recognized that he was someone important but then she didn't expect him to give her this much attention and she didn't quite like it.

"I am pleased to meet you too, Sir Byron. I-" Before she could complete, a maid came hurriedly towards her informing that the seamstress had arrived for the final fitting of her dress. Besides that, Henry had sent his urgent orders to let her rest. The maid whispered the last part and Rose apologetically turned to Byron.

"I am sorry, your grace but you will have to excuse me." Byron didn't really pay attention to the maid's words, being to engaged in her beautiful physique. He had been running his eyes all over her delicate body while she spoke to the maid.

"It's alright. We shall meet again." Byron gave a small smile and watched her leave. There was something about her that made him more drawn towards her. She was really very exquisite. He became more curious and slightly irritated that they were interrupted and he couldn't know her name.

******~******

Aldrick balanced glass of wine and a goblet of blood on a silver tray on his hand towards his study and upon entering, he placed the tray on his table.

"Morning to you too Aldrick." He said with a small twitch of his lips while viewing some papers.

"Good morning, my lord."

After a brief moment of silence, Aldrick spoke worriedly, "Sire, are you sure about this?"

"Yes." Henry said with an unpredictable look.

"Don't you think it will break her apart?" Aldrick said.

"I don't think we should do-" Aldrick spoke again but was soon cut of by his sinister, hoarse and deep voice,

"I do not care about her."

*********

*****

Hello dear readers,
I hope you are enjoying my book by far.

****

The winners announcement for the questions :
(We have multiple winners because their answers were so good that they cannot be ignored)

7 & 8) Who do you think your personality matches with and why?

Winners :

@FairyQueenScarlett

&

@GracieBee

For their extreme honest and relatable answer.

And one more winner for the question,

3) Nickname for the King,

@airajain for her suggestion, "Mr. Arrogant dark eyes."

Its really relevant and exact!

Thank you for participating!

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Don't forget to hit that star button, comment and follow! :)

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