Chapter 32

As Mrs. Blackwood sobbed in her chambers, Mr. Blackwood tried to console her. "It's not as bad as you think," he said. "The dinner was a bit awkward, but that's to be expected. The king was actually quite taken with Celeste."

Mrs. Blackwood sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I thought it was a disaster."

"Celeste is a smart and capable woman," Mr. Blackwood said. "She can handle this." He tried to sound confident, but he knew it was a difficult situation.

...

The next day, as Celeste and Leo sat down to dinner, the in-laws were determined to make sure nothing would ruin the meal. They had locked all the animals in the stables, and the servants had been instructed to keep a close eye on them. The in-laws sat at the table, smugly content that this time, things would go smoothly.

But as they looked over at Celeste and Leo, they saw something they hadn't anticipated. The king was actually smiling and laughing with Celeste. He was making jokes and telling stories, and Celeste was clearly enjoying herself.

King Leonidas cleared his throat, trying to regain control of the situation. But the crowd of people, drawn by the smell of food, was quickly becoming unruly. They swarmed the table, grabbing food and drink with abandon.

Celeste stepped in, calming the crowd and ushering the children away from the table. She spoke to them softly, assuring them that there was enough food for everyone. She sat them down at a separate table, far from the chaos of the dining hall.

Leo, meanwhile, was seething.

Leo was a kind-hearted and gentle man who loved animals. From a young age, he had a special connection with them, and he spent all his time with the creatures in his care. He had a particular soft spot for the injured or neglected animals, who he would nurse back to health. But because of his devotion to the animals, he often struggled to connect with people. He had a hard time relating to others, and he was often misunderstood. People saw him as cold and aloof, when in reality, he was just awkward and shy.

The townspeople whispered about him behind his back. They thought he was strange, that he was too focused on the animals to be normal. They saw him as an oddity, a man who would never fit into their world. But for those who really knew him, who saw past his awkwardness, he was truly a pure and selfless man. He cared deeply for the animals in his care, and would do anything to help them. He was a gentle and loving soul, even if he struggled to express it.

Leo did his best to interact with the townspeople, but it was clear that he was uncomfortable. He tried to smile and be friendly, but it came across as false and insincere. He was awkward and fidgety, and his words came out in stilted sentences. He was grateful when the people finally left, but as soon as they were gone, he realized what he had done. He had chased them away, and he had no idea where the animals were. In a fit of anger, he threw his chair across the room, cursing himself for his lack of self-control.

Celeste watched the whole scene unfold, and she couldn't help but feel a little amused. Leo was such a serious and intense man, and his reaction to the whole situation was almost comical. But she also saw how passionate he was about the animals, and how upset he was that they had been locked up. She understood his frustration, but she also felt bad for Cedric. He had only been trying to help, and now he was being berated by the king. She knew she had to defuse the situation, before things got out of hand.

"I did it," Cedric confessed, his voice trembling. "I released the animals and I brought the people. I'm sorry."

Leo stared at him, unsure of how to react. Part of him wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but another part of him was furious.

"Why?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Why would you do something like that?"

Cedric shrank back, his face pale. "I - I just thought..." he trailed off, unable to find the words.

"Please, Your Majesty, let me explain," Celeste said, stepping forward. "It's true that I don't have romantic feelings for you, but that doesn't mean I don't like you. I find you to be a fascinating and admirable person, and I consider you a friend. I'm sorry if I've given you the wrong impression."

Leo looked at her, his expression unreadable. He wasn't sure how to respond to her words. He had always thought of himself as a solitary figure, not someone who could have friends.

"I'll admit, I'm a bit surprised that we've become friends," Leo said, looking at Celeste thoughtfully. "But I'm glad that we have."

"There's nothing wrong with being friends," Celeste said, smiling at him. "It's a good thing to have someone you can trust and rely on."

Mrs. Blackwood huffed in frustration, clearly unhappy with how things had turned out. Mr. Blackwood, meanwhile, looked sheepish, clearly realizing he had misread the situation.

The in-laws were seething inside, but they knew that there was nothing they could do to change the situation. They had misjudged the relationship between Leo and Celeste, and there was no way to force an alliance between them now. They would just have to accept that their plans had not worked out as they had hoped.

"Where's Markus?" Celeste asked, her voice shaking.

"He's on a quest to York's End," Leonidas blurted out, not thinking before he spoke.

The moment the words left his mouth, he knew he had made a terrible mistake. Celeste's eyes filled with tears, and she began to cry. He had never seen her so distraught, and he felt terrible for causing her pain. He tried to reach out to comfort her, but she turned away, refusing to look at him.

Cedric, who had been watching the whole exchange, spoke up.

"You should give it a rest, my lady," Cedric said gently. "King Leonidas has his reasons for doing what he does."

"I understand that, Cedric," Celeste said, trying to compose herself. "But I don't understand why Markus would go back to York's End, knowing that the God King would try to kill him again."

"I'm not sure I understand either," Cedric said. "But I think we should give the king the benefit of the doubt. He's not a cruel man, and I'm sure he has his reasons."

As the in-laws celebrated their perceived victory, they were unaware of the storm that was brewing.

Markus had been plotting his revenge, and he was ready to unleash his fury on those who had wronged him. Little did they know that their celebration would be short-lived, and that the true chaos was only just beginning. The stage was set for a battle that would shake the kingdom to its core.

...