Chapter 167

Rowan was already waiting at the top balcony where he could see the carriages rolling in, and beside him stood the royal attendant.

The treaty was the last thing on his mind. All he could think about was that he would finally see Rosalind again.

He waited patiently as the first carriage rolled to a stop, and with it, he found himself holding his breath and clenching his jaw in anticipation.

The carriage door was pulled open, and the first person to step out was the Crown Prince of Merovia, Marek, whom Rowan immediately recognised. Following after him was another man of considerable height, although Rowan could not see him properly because his back was turned.

What he could see clearly, however, was the man holding out his hand and Rosalind placing hers in it as he helped her descend.

Rosalind stepped down gracefully, gathering her dress with her free hand while Nathan assisted her. The golden sunlight fell across her skin, and she looked every bit as beautiful as Rowan remembered. Her hair glistened beneath the sun, and for a brief moment his heart skipped a beat.

Then, as soon as her feet touched the ground, she turned toward the man and smiled.

She said something that Rowan could not hear because of the distance between them, but he saw the exchange clearly enough. They were still holding hands, and they appeared entirely comfortable in each other’s presence.

Something twisted inside him. It was not happiness, nor was it relief. It was another feeling entirely, and it made his stomach drop unpleasantly as he watched her smile linger. The two of them continued talking with ease, and neither seemed eager to pull away.

Rowan clenched his jaw before turning to the royal attendant. “Who is that?” he asked.

“It is Duke Nathan Moore, Your Majesty,” the royal attendant answered smoothly. “The Duke of the North of Merovia. He has accompanied the delegation.”

Rowan let out a slow breath.

Then he turned on his heels and walked away from the balcony to receive his guests, while the royal attendant followed at a respectful distance with his head lowered.

The royal attendants were already waiting to receive the delegation, and shortly afterward Rosalind, Nathan, and Marek were escorted into the grand hall.

As Rosalind looked around, she immediately noticed that the palace had changed. It still carried the same structure and grandeur she remembered, yet something about it felt different. The halls no longer seemed as cold and rigid as before, and although the change was subtle, she could sense it.

This place held both good and bad memories for her, and seeing it again brought all of them rushing back at once.

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled her attention away from her thoughts, and she straightened instinctively.

Then Rowan entered the hall.

Her composure slipped.

He looked different in every way.

Perhaps it was because she had always been used to seeing him in servant clothes, but now he looked every inch a king. He appeared regal, powerful, and carried an unmistakable aura with him as he walked. Her heart immediately began to pound harder as he drew closer.

When their eyes met, Rosalind felt her heartbeat race wildly inside her chest, as though it was determined to escape.

Rowan was not faring any better.

Although his face remained unreadable and his expression carefully controlled, his heart was beating just as recklessly. The moment those familiar hazel eyes met his again, he was reminded of the very first time they had crossed paths. He tightened his jaw in an attempt to remain composed.

She was here and she looked different too.

His pulse quickened.

He was a completely finished man, he thought bitterly to himself. How could a single woman affect him this badly?

Then again, it was not just any woman… It was Rosalind.

Approaching them, he came to a stop, and he and Crown Prince Marek exchanged greetings first.”Your Majesty,” Marek said.

Rowan acknowledged him with a nod.

Then his gaze shifted to Rosalind once more. “It is an honour to welcome you, Lady Rosalind,” Rowan said.

Her heart skipped again at hearing her name spoken by him again. The sound of it on his tongue made her heart flutter immediately. “Likewise, Your Majesty,” she replied with a small curtsy.

Rowan then turned his attention to the Duke standing beside her. “It is good to have you here as well, Duke Nathan.”

“It is an honour, Your Majesty,” Nathan said, bowing his head.

Rowan acknowledged him briefly before continuing. “Your accommodations have already been arranged for your comfort, while treaty discussions will begin officially tomorrow. A welcoming dinner will be hosted this evening in honour of the Merovian delegation.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty,” Marek replied immediately.

Rowan gave a nod, and with a single gesture, the servants immediately moved into action, taking charge of the luggage and preparing to escort the guests to their respective quarters.

The delegation soon excused themselves from his presence.

Once they had put some distance between them, Rowan found himself looking after Rosalind. His gaze remained fixed on her retreating figure as she walked away with her head held high.

He slowly exhaled.

That alone had taken far more out of him than he was willing to admit… Being in her presence again, acting formal and composed as though nothing existed between them, had required more restraint than facing an entire council chamber.

****

When night fell, the dining hall had already been prepared for dinner, with countless delicacies spread across the long table while servants moved quietly around the room, carrying out their duties with careful precision. Wine was served, and once everything had been arranged, the servants withdrew to the back of the hall.

Shortly afterward, Rowan entered.

Everyone rose immediately in respect, and Rowan acknowledged them with a calm glance before saying, “Please, take your seats.”

It was only after he sat down that the others followed suit. His gaze immediately found Rosalind several seats away from him.

“Let us begin,” Rowan said.

At once, dinner commenced and for a while, silence settled over the table, broken only by the occasional clink of glasses and cutlery. From her seat, Rosalind could feel someone’s gaze on her, and she already knew exactly who it belonged to.

Every time she looked down at her plate, she found herself wanting to look back up. And when Rowan’s attention drifted elsewhere, her eyes would instinctively find him. Before long, they were both stealing glances across the length of the table.

As dinner continued, Rowan and Marek began discussing while Rosalind focused on her meal.

Every now and then Nathan would lean closer and say something quietly that made her smile, and although Rowan remained engaged in conversation with Marek, he noticed every single one of those smiles.

Then Nathan reached for a dish. “Give me that one,” Rosalind said, gesturing lightly toward it.

Nathan immediately placed a portion onto her plate. “Thank you,” Rosalind said softly before continuing her meal.

Rowan drew in a slow breath and forced his attention back toward Marek as their conversation continued.

After some time, however, the sound of a chair being pushed back drew everyone’s attention.

Rosalind had risen from her seat.

“You’re leaving already?” Nathan asked immediately.

“Yes, I —” Rosalind barely got the words out before Rowan spoke from across the table.

“Is the food not to your liking?”

Rosalind turned toward him and immediately shook her head. “No, not at all. The food was wonderful. I was only thinking of retiring to my chamber for the night.” As she was exhausted from the long journey and needed rest.

A brief silence followed. “Of course,” Rowan finally replied.

Rosalind offered a small smile, pressed her lips together, and gave a slight bow before making her way out of the hall.

The conversation resumed soon afterward, but Rowan found himself watching her leave. He had hoped she would remain behind long enough for them to exchange a few words, yet that clearly was not happening tonight.

Something about her felt different.

He could not quite place it.

Then again, exchanging letters did not mean everything between them had suddenly been fixed. Seeing him again must have brought back memories she would rather leave buried, and he understood that better than anyone.

Still, Rowan had already made up his mind.

This time he would do everything necessary to rebuild the trust he had broken.

After all, it could not be harder than rebuilding a kingdom.

A/N:

I wanted to let you all know that my exams officially ended today, and I’m happy to say that updates will now be coming more frequently than before, so stay tuned!

And don’t worry, I won’t drag things out to the point where you’re frustrated. I know a lot of us are waiting for Rosalind and Rowan to finally get back to being themselves around each other again, and I promise we’re getting there.

Also, if you haven’t already, please consider leaving a review for the book. Reviews and engagement help push the story to more readers, and I always enjoy reading and responding to them.

Thank you all so much for your support and for taking the time to read my story. Have a blessed day!