Chapter 148

Chapter 148
King Roberto did not wait to see what decision Queen Henriette was going to make. He had already made up his mind, rising from his seat with a determined air, his dark cloak swaying behind him as though it carried his impatience. His eyes swept the chamber briefly, cold and dismissive, before he turned toward the doors as if the entire conversation had already ended in his favor.
“I am rather exhausted from the long travel,” Henriette said, her voice quick and urgent, objecting to his plans before he could take another step. She lifted her chin slightly, trying to appear composed, though her fingers curled tightly against the folds of her gown as if she were holding herself in place.
“And I am rather bored of this place,” King Roberto replied with a low chuckle, his tone carrying both amusement and finality. He tilted his head back slightly, allowing his laughter to echo through the high ceiling, a sound that made it clear he saw no reason to linger where he felt no gain.
“Visit my world first,” Henriette insisted, her words sharp enough to halt him in his tracks. She stepped forward, her skirts brushing against the polished stone floor, her gaze locking on him with quiet desperation as though daring him to dismiss her completely.
“I already did. I prefer this one, thank you,” King Roberto declined smoothly, his mouth curving into a smile that held neither warmth nor apology. His refusal hung in the air between them like an iron gate slamming shut.
“Really?” Henriette asked, her voice trembling with disbelief, the sound soft yet cutting as she tried to process his words. She searched his expression for even a hint of jest, unwilling to believe her ears when all she found was his steady indifference.
“You obviously didn’t ride in the metal stallion,” Henriette said quickly, attempting to convince him with a spark of hope. Her eyes brightened at the thought, as though the memory of the roaring machine could stir him into curiosity if only she could find the right words.
“I thought it was called a car?” King Roberto corrected her with a raised brow, his tone laced with dry humor. He seemed almost amused by her persistence, though the way he emphasized the word revealed he had indeed taken note of her strange world.
“You are so different from everyone else that went,” Henriette said with a small, hopeful smile, her voice softening as she spoke. There was admiration in her eyes, admiration she tried to hide, as though she feared he might use even that against her.
“You seem angry,” Henriette noted suddenly, her brow furrowing as she studied the sharpness of his tone and the restless set of his shoulders. She tilted her head as if trying to read past the armor of his composure, her voice carrying both concern and quiet accusation.
“I am not angry. More disappointed,” King Roberto admitted, his voice losing some of its mocking edge. He exhaled slowly, the weight of his words dragging down his shoulders. “I leave here without a queen and without a kingdom to add to my list of conquests.”
“I see,” Henriette said, her voice faltering as though her throat had closed around the words. She half-choked on them, the ache in her chest tightening until it felt as if her very ribs protested. His words struck her deeply, carving a wound she could not disguise, and yet she forced herself to stand tall, to let the pain show only in her eyes.
Henriette held her breath, her chest tight as though the simple act of breathing might break the fragile thread of hope she still clung to. She wondered if, at the very last moment, King Roberto would turn to her, extend his hand, and invite her to leave with him. That single thought burned through her mind like a desperate prayer.
She watched him walk steadily toward the exit, his tall frame outlined by the light filtering through the grand doors. Each step he took away from her felt like a stone being placed upon her chest. She waited, frozen in place, hoping he would pause, glance back, and notice that she was not following him, that she was rooted there by the weight of her own longing.
She missed him terribly, more than she had ever expected to miss anyone, and a foolish part of her heart expected him to turn suddenly, sweep her up in his arms, and carry her away as if love alone could erase all the obstacles between them. But that moment never came. His stride did not falter, his head did not turn, and her arms remained painfully empty.
When he disappeared beyond the threshold and the heavy doors closed behind him, Henriette’s composure crumbled. She forced herself to move, her legs trembling as she walked toward the exit, though every step felt heavier than the last. She came to a sudden halt at the top of the stairs, her breath catching painfully in her throat as she caught sight of him outside.
From her vantage point, she watched as King Roberto mounted his horse for the first leg of his journey. His movements were practiced and efficient, betraying no hesitation. The sound of hooves against stone echoed sharply in the courtyard, a sound that cut into her like a blade. She clenched her fists at her sides and forced the tears back, determined not to let her heartbreak be witnessed by the guards standing nearby.
Henriette had never believed it possible to love a man again, not after the scars of her past, and yet here she was, torn apart by the depth of the love she had somehow learned for him. It was a love she hadn’t asked for, hadn’t welcomed, and yet it had rooted itself so deeply in her that she no longer recognized the woman she had once been.
“Can’t believe I fell in love with him,” she thought bitterly, her silent confession shattering the last defenses around her heart. She no longer held back the flood of grief, and hot tears finally streamed freely down her cheeks. They blurred her vision until the man on horseback became nothing more than a shadow riding away from her life.
“I guess we are both losers in love,” a familiar voice said suddenly, shattering her solitude. King Arin’s deep tone startled her so much that she gasped and turned sharply, her hand flying to her chest as though to steady her racing heart.
“I take it she didn’t choose you?” Henriette asked, her voice soft but tinged with a weary understanding. She was not surprised by his presence, nor by his words. In his expression she saw the same hollowness she carried inside herself.