Chapter 10 CHAPTER TEN
ROSALINDA
Just as I opened my mouth to explain, a knock on the door startled us both. I scrambled off Zade's lap, my gown rustling as I desperately tried to smooth out the creases. My cheeks were still burning and I could still taste him on my lips.
"Come in," Zade said as his eyes still stayed fixed on me with an intensity that promised he wasn't done. His blue eyes were now dark and held a barely contained desire that sent a thrilling desire down my spine even as panic warred with it.
One of my maids, a young girl named Emily walked in, her head bowed. "Pardon me, Your highness. But......"
"But what?" I snapped, unable to control myself. The words were sharper than I intended, not aimed at her, but at the sheer idiocy of my own brain. How could I do something so foolish as to mention Grayson name while making out with Zade?
Am I truly that stupid? My conscience felt like a blaring trumpet, announcing my moral failings to the world.
"Prince Valerius..." Emily began, her voice a nervous whisper as her fingers trembled.
"What about him?!" Zade and I asked in unison.
Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Cyrus rushed in, his brows furrowed so deeply they looked ready to fuse. "Your highnesses." he bowed and turned to Zade then nodded.
Immediately Zade jolted and grabbed my arm softly, we both walked past Emily and Cyrus headed towards the throne room which seemed to be in chaos. I could hear muffled shouts and the heavy clanking of armors filtered through the massive oak doors. The guards nodded and pushed open the door revealing what laid ahead.
"Mom? Dad?" I gasped as I entered the throne room, my eyes falling on the horrific scene before me. Injured armies, royal guards slumped against the marble columns, servants scurrying like mice.
"What the bloody hell?" I heard Zade mutter in shock beside me. My breath hitched when I saw Valerius standing in the middle of the court.
His armor, once gleaming silver, was now smeared with blood, his sword lay bent and useless at his feet. The stench of iron and fear hit me, making my stomach churn. "Valerius?" I called out weakly.
He turned to face me, making me a stifle a gasp. One eye was swollen shut, a brutal purple confusion bloomed across his cheekbone almost obscuring the sharp line of his jaw. A fresh gash ran from his temple, disappearing into the blood matted hair at his hairline, painting half of his face a grotesque mask of crimson. Despite the savage injuries, the other eye, the good one, a deep brown, held a glint of its usual arrogant amusement as it met mine.
"Hello, Princess Rosalinda." His voice was raspy, but the condescending lilt was unmistakably Valerius.
"What do you want?" Zade boomed beside me, his grip on my arm tightened to a bruising hold as if to remind Valerius exactly whose princess I was...and who I now belonged to.
Valerius frowned as his good eye narrowed at Zade. "Ah, Prince Zade," he shook his head, a faint almost imperceptible smirk playing on his split lip. "I assume this is the princess's chosen husband?" He then clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, a sound of disappointment. "What an unexpected union." His words hung heavy in the air, a double jab at our arranged betrothal before my known rejection for suitors.
The bastard was playing mind games already.
"Why are you really here?" My father, King Theron who had been silent until now boomed from his throne, his voice echoing with a fury that cut through the tension. "What do you want, Valerius?"
Valerius turned to face my father, now backing Zade and I. He tossed aside his bent sword with a clatter that made everyone jump, then knelt down. "King Theron. Queen Arabella. I apologize for the impromptu disturbance, however... I and my army were attacked on our way-"
"And what does that have to do with us?" My father boomed even louder, his patience wearing thin. I looked up to see his brows furrowed while my mother's eyes were filled with worry.
"I came here to seek for shelter and aid, Sire," Valerius replied, his voice laced with a surprising humility that almost sounded false.
My bullshit meter was already screaming. I don't like this one bit.
I felt Zade breath down deeply beside me, I turned to look at him, his anger was bubbling to the surface, I could tell. I had never seen him angry before, but the way his lips are pressed in a thin line, his eyes pinched shut....it told me all I needed to know, I gently brushed my thumb against his palm, his body shook at the contact but relaxed when our eyes met.
'It's okay.' I mouthed to him.
He didn't reply and looked over at Valerius who was still kneeling, backing us. "Shelter?" Zade scoffed, he let go of my arm and took three steps closer towards Valerius.
"Yes," Valerius replied without looking back. "Shelter."
I instinctively used my other hand to hold up my gown, trying to navigate the horror show around me. The throne room's marble was stained with dark pools of blood, I looked over Valerius's army as they lay on the floor, battered and bruised, some clearly beyond help. A morbid lump formed in my throat as they moaned, hissed and groaned in pain.
This wasn't just an inconvenience, it was a massacre.
"You don't understand it," I muttered under my breath as I stood next to Zadr.
Valerius looked over his shoulder at us, that single brown eye glittering. "I understand that we all have issues, Princess Rosalinda and Zade," he added with a clear disdain. "But that was during my father's reign. This is mine," he then looked over at Zade. "And this is King Theron's palace.."
"And Prince Zade is like our son," My mother, who had been silent spoke up, her voice surprisingly firm, making Valerius snap his head to her. "He is to marry our daughter, Princess Rosalinda. His opinions matters and I share the same disdain he does."
Mom had always been the more diplomatic one, but even she couldn't hide her disgust.
Valerius was a threat to us all, a vicious heartless ruthless Prince, like his father who attacked our kingdom ten years ago. He didn't stop their however even after their fall, he attacked the Shadowfen and almost every kingdom in the seven kingdoms. Their family brought nothing but chaos and destruction. So why did he think we would help him?
I was startled from my thoughts when Valerius sighed, then lowered his head even more, resting his forehead on the blood asked marble. well, that's extremely dramatic.
"I beg of you all!" He yelled, his voice cracking with a desperation I couldn't tell if real or not. "Even if not for me, for my people,"
"Your people has taken countless lives," My father retorted. "Why should I help murderers?"
"My people and I are different,"
"We have heard of your doings Valerius," My father retorted again, his face hardening. "I will not be fooled once again."
Just like that, a flurry of arguments erupted. Everyone was insisting on sending Valerius away. Zade was practically spitting fire, reminding everyone of the years of skirmishes between our kingdoms and the Prince's ancestors notoriously brutal past.
I looked around, glancing over his injured army and servants, children were huddled up in one corner that I hadn't noticed before. I looked back at Valerius, the sheer audacity of him, walking into our palace demanding shelter. But then I looked at his people once more and a different kind of knot formed in my stomach.
Goddammit, Valerius.
He was a bastard, but even bastards deserved a shred of basic human decency sometimes.
I sighed and pushed past Zade and walked up to my father and mother, then knelt down in front of them.
"Rosalinda-" I heard my mother gasp.
"Mom, Dad," I called out softly. "Please let him stay,"
"But-" I heard my mother gasp in disbelief.
"Mom!" I half yelled, my emotions overtaking my senses. "I know his Father- his ancestors even were blinded by rage and greed, but even though...doesn't he deserve a second chance? What would it stay about us if we turned away those in need?"
"The one in need right now is a monster!" I heard Zade yell, I turned to look at him from my shoulder.
"He is," I said, flickering over at Valerius, then back to Zade. "But he's human."
I turned back to my parents. "Hear my plea...please."
Silence overtook, only the sounds of my heartbeat, the low groans and moans of Valerius were heard, until my father spoke up.
"My daughter has always made the right decision," I heard my father say, I looked up to see him walking down from his throne. "And I always trust in her judgement."
My heart which had been a frantic bird in my chest, lit up at his words. He then looked at Valerius from above my head. "You may stay. But you'll be watched. Closely."
"Thank you, your highnesses," I heard Valerius say, my father gestured that I stand up which I did immediately. Fuck, those servants who kneel daily should be rewarded, my knees hurt.
"Thank you, mom, dad," I smiled at my parents then turned to Zade who had an unreadable expression on his face but the moment our eyes met, his face softened. "Thank you Zade."
He smiled briefly and then winked. But the moment my eyes fell on Valerius, our eyes met, from his gaze I could feel something predatory making me begin to rethink my decision.