Chapter 19

The castle was still in an uproar, days after Prince Rowan's surprise appearance at the banquet.
It was getting increasingly difficult to leave the chambers since people were always watching us or watching out for us.

As the evening sun cast a warm glow over the castle grounds, Rowan found me pacing anxiously in the kitchen. I had wanted to get some more supplies outside but Prince Rowan had decided against it. He said that I was a lady and it was wrong for me to be going on such errands. He was right. But then that meant we would not have a way to go out and get supplies for ourselves. The Alpha King and the whole of the royal family were still pretending like we didn't exist. So Prince Rowan and I were still on our own. At least the guards stationed outside our room were gone now. But every other thing was harder, it was as if we were being ostracised by the castle and everyone else inside it.

Maid, servants, helpers or guards would not come to us if we called. They would rather find a way to avoid us. Or give some flimsy excuses. At first, we thought they were all still in shock and couldn't believe it, but later it became increasingly clear that someone had told all of them to deliberately stay away and not serve Prince Rowan.

It was probably their way of punishing Prince Rowan for snatching the spotlight away from their beloved banquet.

"Ariadne, perhaps it's time we take a break from the chaos within these walls," Rowan suggested from behind me. I didn't even realise that he was in the kitchen with me. His eyes were filled with concern. "A journey away from the castle might provide some much-needed respite."

"Are you sure it's safe to leave right now Your highness?"

I asked and he shrugged.

"No one would miss our absence. Or even care. I think that much they've made very clear."

"Besides... I need time away to think of what next to do. And after spending years in this place all I want to do is leave for a while and feel the wind on my face."

I nodded in agreement.

"You are right. Let us leave then."

"Even if it's only for a while." I replied, feeling a surge of relief at the prospect of escaping the stifling atmosphere of the castle.

.......

With a sense of purpose, we hastily packed our belongings and set out on horseback in the dead of the night, leaving the imposing stone walls of the castle behind us. The wind whipped through our hair as we rode, carrying with it a sense of freedom that I hadn't felt in far too long.

After several days of travel, we arrived at a quaint inn nestled amidst rolling hills and lush greenery. The air was fresh, tinged with the scent of wildflowers, and the inn exuded a welcoming warmth that enveloped us as we entered.

Prince Rowan got a room for me. And I settled in quickly. Prince Rowan and I exchanged quick weary smiles before retiring to our rooms.  For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I felt truly at peace.


.......

I woke up much later in the dead of the night, tired and hungry. I took a lamp with me and decided to go out, eager to find something to eat.

The minute I stepped out of my room I found Prince Rowan at the balcony, looking over at the moon.

"What are you doing here so late your highness?"

I asked him as I rubbed my sleepy eyes.
Prince Rowan smiled as he looked at me and shook his head.

"When will you stop with the formalities Ariadne? I've grown quite tired of them."

He said and I sighed.

"What would you like me to call you then?" I teased.

"Rowan. Just Rowan. Can you at least do that for me?"

He pleaded and I nodded.

He was right.

We had been through so many things together in the short while we had known each other. He was more than a master to me, I considered him as my friend.

One of the few friends I had.

"You know... you never did tell me what happened to the real Lady Isabelle."

"Did she ask you to take her place?"

He asked softly and I looked down sadly.

"No. She didn't. I was to be her handmaiden, to accompany her here. When she heard she was to be married to you she was devastated. We took a break when we grew tired from traveling and lodged at an inn like this to rest. I woke up the next day and found her dead in her bed. The guards forced me to replace her or I would be blamed for her death."

Prince Rowan shook his head slowly.

"Did she kill herself so she wouldn't be shackled to me."

"I.. I.. I don't think so..."

I murmured.

Prince Rowan shrugged.

"You don't have to lie. I'm sure she did."

"Do the Carstairs know? That their daughter is dead?"

I shook my head wearily. These days I had forgotten about my own precarious situation.

"No. They do not. They think she is here with you."

"I cannot go back to them. Not after everything that has happened. Even if I am innocent, I would still be blamed for Lady Isabelle's death. And I will suffer for it."

"We must ensure the truth never gets out then. It would be very hard for you when it does."

Prince Rowan said gently.

"Thank you."


.........

Over the following days, Rowan and I explored the picturesque countryside, reveling in the simple joys of nature. We wandered through sun-dappled forests, climbed rugged cliffs to admire breathtaking views, and laughed freely under the vast expanse of the starlit sky.

Amidst the serenity of our surroundings, something shifted between us – an unspoken connection that seemed to deepen with each passing moment. Long conversations by the fireside turned into whispered confessions beneath the moonlight. It seemed we were growing into something more and I was a little fearful of what that was.

And then, one evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the air was heavy with the scent of jasmine, Prince Rowan took my hand in his and looked into my eyes with an intensity that stole my breath away.

"Ariadne," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, "there's something I need to tell you."

My heart fluttered erratically in my chest as I waited with bated breath, unsure of what he would say next.

"You are the best thing that has happened to me. I was afraid to let you in at first and now I don't want to ever let you go," Rowan confessed, his gaze never wavering from mine. "I was afraid to admit this before, I was afraid because of the situation in which we met, afraid of what it might mean for this tender friendship that we are building together. But now, here, in this moment, I cannot deny what my heart has been telling me any longer."

"Your Highness... I'm nothing but a slave to you."

"No."

He protested immediately.

"You are not a slave to me. I never saw you in that light. You are much more and you have done much more for me than anyone has ever done. I never saw you as my slave and I will never see you in that light."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as the weight of his words washed over me, filling me with a warmth unlike anything I had ever known.

"Rowan..." I breathed, calling his name like a prayer on my lips.

Without hesitation, I reached out to him, pulling him close until our lips met in a slow, passionate kiss.