He would be supervising her as usual, as well as keeping her and her father protected on the journey. A few of the other knights arrived with their horses, preparing to ride alongside the carriage with Leonardo.
They set off and Rosanna looked out at the village and returned waves to people. She found it relaxing to watch the countryside roll by and listened to the sound of horse hooves as she daydreamed about Nicholas.
It seemed to take a long time travelling there and she felt sorry for the poor horses, who were starting to get tired by now and plodded on slowly. She felt nervous when they did finally arrive outside the castle, and she missed Nicholas even more now that they were miles apart.
Prince Ethan came out to greet them, looking well-groomed and handsome and wearing a smart suit. He opened the carriage door and took Rosanna’s hand to help her out of the carriage.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, your Highness.”
She smiled at him politely, “thank you. It is nice to see you too.”
He moved on to greet her father.
“My parents are waiting in the dining room. They are looking forward to see you both,” he said and led them inside the castle. “We have prepared a meal. I know you must be very hungry after your long journey.”
They followed him until they entered a dining room to greet King Frederick and Queen Cassandra. They all sat down to eat together, while the maids served their meal and poured wine.
Her father engaged in long conversations with the king and queen, and she felt awkward being sat facing Prince Ethan. She talked with him politely and tried to be friendly, but she felt a little better having Leonardo sat beside her.
After they finished dessert, Prince Ethan offered to take her on a tour of the castle. He wasn’t pleased when Leonardo followed them, respectfully keeping a distance behind them.
“Does your knight always have to follow you everywhere?” he asked Rosanna, clearly annoyed by it.
“He supervises me most of the time,” she answered. “He is my personal guard so he is very protective over me.”
“I am sure you are safe inside the castle,” he scoffed. “Perhaps you can dismiss him?”
She felt nervous; the last thing she wanted was to be left alone with him.
“I think my father would prefer he kept an eye on me,” she insisted.
He sighed as if it was an inconvenience but wouldn’t dare argue against a king’s orders. He assumed her father didn’t want his unwed daughter to be alone with men and respected that.
“I will show you my favourite room,” he said, leading her to the right.
She gasped when she saw what was inside the lounge room. There were dead animals mounted all along the walls and over the fireplace. She looked away from them in disgust and tried not to get upset over it.
“My father and I go hunting every Sunday morning. As you can see we are pretty good at it,” he boasted as if the animals were his trophies. “Do you enjoy hunting?”
She looked up at him, struggling with an answer. It would be rude to say she hated it and thought it was horrible to kill animals for sport.
“It is not something I usually participate in,” she replied politely.
“I suppose it is more of a man’s hobby, but I can teach you one day,” he smiled.
She shuddered at the thought. There was no way she would ever agree to hunt and she never wanted to step foot in this room again either.
She felt better once they left and he showed her around the rest of the castle.
“It is beautiful,” she commented, admiring the décor.
“Thank you,” he smiled proudly.
She looked curiously towards the kitchen and wondered where the servant quarters were. She would have liked to meet them, but she didn’t dare suggest it, knowing he would think it was strange.
He took her out to the gardens next and she looked around in awe. He talked a lot as they walked together, but she got bored and just admired the garden instead, pretending to listen.
She still felt awkward spending time with him, especially as he seemed to like her. It made her uncomfortable when he admired her and she only wanted Nicholas to look at her that way.
They went to sit on a bench together in the shade, and she was surprised when he finally started to ask a few questions about her. She answered politely, but all she could think about was escaping from him and returning home.
She felt nervous when he moved closer to her.
“You are very beautiful,” he complimented. “I am happy that one day we will be married. I think you would make a perfect wife.”
He leaned in to kiss her, but she panicked and moved away from him.
She looked over at Leonardo pleading for his help, but he just smiled at her sympathetically and kept his distance. She knew she couldn’t ask him to rescue her from a devoting prince, since he would get into trouble for interrupting them. She felt a little reassured knowing that at least he could intervene if the advances went any further than kissing.
“What is the matter?” Prince Ethan asked her, looking confused and hurt by her rejection.
“I am sorry, I am feeling quite nervous,” she lied.
She couldn’t tell him the true reason, he might be angry if she said she wasn’t interested in him. He would be even more furious if he found out about her secret relationship with Nicholas. She had to keep the truth from him until she could sort things out with her father.
“You do not need to be anxious,” he teased her.
“It is just that we hardly know each other,” she replied defensively, hoping that would stop him from trying again.
She felt cross that he seemed to expect her to go along with it, instead of being more respectful of her feelings. She would have to resist the urge to slap him if he tried to kiss her again.
He looked disappointed by her reply, “I suppose we will have some time to get to know each other before the wedding.”
Even though he was being polite, she could tell that he was annoyed and trying to hide it. She hated the way he acted as if she already belonged to him; but that was to be expected if her father had promised a marriage between them. She wished she could tell him how much she disagreed with it and that she had a right to make her own choices.
They soon went back to the castle to re-join their parents and sat in another lounge room drinking more wine and talking.
She waited until it was an acceptable time to leave for bed and politely excused herself.
“I will have a maid escort you to your room,” offered King Frederick.
Prince Ethan looked disappointed that he wasn’t allowed to escort her there.
“Good night, your Highness,” he said and kissed her hand. “I hope you sleep well.”
She breathed a sigh of relief as she walked up the stairway, feeling pleased to finally get away from him.
She observed the maid she was following and liked the style of her brunette plaited hair. She couldn’t really talk to her while her back was turned, so Rosanna waited until they had reached the top and walked beside her.
“It is nice to meet you,” she smiled at the maid. “What is your name?”
She looked surprised that Rosanna was talking to her and was used to people ignoring her unless they were giving orders.
“My name is Harriett, your Highness,” she answered.
“How long have you been working here?”
“A few years.”
“I expect you like Prince Ethan, everyone else seems to.”
Harriett blushed, but respectfully didn’t give her opinion.
“I like your hair style.”
Harriett’s eyes widened at the compliment, but she smiled once she got over the shock, “thank you, your Highness. I love your dress, it looks magnificent,” she stared at it longingly and wished she could wear something that fancy.
Rosanna felt happy to make a new friend but she still missed Isabelle. She longed to have a conversation with her best friend
about everything that had happened.
Harriett opened the door to a bedchamber on the left and Rosanna entered and looked around.
“Do you need anything else, your Highness?” she asked politely.
“No, I will be fine, thank you. Good night, Harriett.”
She bowed and walked back along the corridor, feeling bemused that a princess had talked with her.
Rosanna continued looking around the bedchamber curiously. It was a large room with a four-poster bed, vanity table and a wardrobe. She looked inside the wardrobe and noticed that one of the maids had already unpacked her things.
She didn’t have a balcony so she gazed out of the window instead, admiring the beautiful view of the garden against the night sky. She drew the curtains and got ready for bed, thinking of Nicholas as she drifted off to sleep.
She spent the next day with Prince Ethan and she was relieved that he didn’t suggest going hunting. They went out for a horse ride which she enjoyed. She missed Nicholas and tried not to appear upset, even though she ached to see him. The thought of being able to see him tomorrow got her through the rest of the day and she dreamt about him that night.
After they had finished breakfast the next morning, she felt very happy to finally be returning home. She was so excited to see Nicholas and couldn’t wait to be in his arms again.
Prince Ethan walked with her to the carriage to say goodbye, “I hope you will visit again soon,” he said looking hopeful. “I cannot wait to see you again.”
She felt anxious as he came closer, but fortunately he only gave her a quick kiss on the cheek this time because her father was there. She accepted it out of courtesy even though it made her feel uncomfortable. She caught Leonardo’s gaze as he stifled a laugh at her strained expression. She ignored him, knowing he would probably tease her about it later, and quickly fixed a polite smile for Prince Ethan.
She didn’t like his affection and felt a stab of guilt thinking how Nicholas would feel about it. She reassured herself that he would not be too concerned over a friendly kiss; it was nothing compared to how they kissed in private.
Leonardo opened the carriage door for her and smirked at how relieved she was to get away from the prince. Her father sat beside her and once the knights were ready, they waved goodbye as the carriage pulled away.
Rosanna felt joyful that they were on their way home and gazed out of the window. She felt butterflies in her stomach and smiled blissfully as she thought of seeing Nicholas soon.
They arrived back at the castle in the afternoon and she stepped out of the carriage. She immediately looked over towards the stables and tried to resist the urge to rush straight over to find Nicholas.
Leonardo noticed her looking and guessed what she was thinking, “It is probably best to wait until later,” he advised her quietly.
She nodded in agreement, knowing it would look suspicious if she went. Instead she walked into the castle with her father, feeling saddened that Nicholas was nearby and she couldn’t see him yet.
She went to rest in the lounge by the fireplace, feeling tired after their journey. Leonardo soon returned from taking his horse to the stables and joined her.
“Are you missing him?” he teased her.
He was careful not to mention names in case anyone nearby overheard them. If they did, they would probably just assume it was Prince Ethan they were talking about.
She nodded shyly in answer.
“You must really care about him.”
“I do.”
He smiled warmly, “I hope it works out for you both.”
“Do you think there is a chance it will?” she asked him nervously.
“I believe nothing can stand in the way of love,” he replied, trying to stay positive for her. “You will be together if it is meant to be.”
She smiled, feeling warm inside with hope and determination.
Rosanna patiently waited until later that evening to meet Nicholas once his shift had ended. He looked very happy to see her and she hugged him tight, enjoying the feeling of being close to him again.
“I have missed you so much.”
“I have too,” he replied and kissed her. “How was your visit?”
“It was awful. I hated being away from you.”
He stroked her hair affectionately, “At least you are home now with me.”
She smiled, “How was your day?”
“Tiring as always, but I was looking forward to seeing you,” he replied. “I know I should not be jealous of Prince Ethan, but I could not help torturing myself thinking of you both together.”
She felt awful, hating to think of how he must have been feeling. She couldn’t imagine how upset she would be if Nicholas went off to stay with someone.
“Does he have feelings for you?” he asked, wanting to find out if there was something to worry about, but knowing it would make him feel worse if he did.
She looked down guiltily, thinking of his compliments and the way he looked at her. She couldn’t bear to tell Nicholas how he tried to kiss her, but she had to be truthful with him.
“I think so,” she replied regrettably, “but you do not have to worry, nothing happened. He did try to kiss me but I would not let him.”
Nicholas looked upset and angry at the thought of it but felt relieved that she had stopped him.
“Thank you for being honest with me,” he said, glad that she wasn’t trying to hide things from him. “I know I can trust you; I was just worried about how he would act.”
“I do not care about him or what he thinks of me. The only thing that matters to me is you and our relationship.”
They shared another kiss and she felt wonderful to be back where she belonged.
Chapter 11
Rosanna decided to try and talk with her father the next morning. She went over to his study and fortunately, he was eager to discuss their trip and made time for her. She sat down in the chair opposite him and tried to think of the best way to tell him; but instead he started talking excitedly.
“I have spoken with King Frederick during our trip and we have started to plan your wedding.”
She stared at him horrified by the announcement. She knew she had to tell him now and put a stop to this before she was forced into marriage. She wanted to be open about her relationship with Nicholas but felt upset that her father probably wouldn’t accept him. He was too busy trying to push her into marrying someone else.
She encouraged herself to be brave and speak up now, because she had to fight for what she had with Nicholas.
“Father, I do not want to marry Prince Ethan,” she managed to say.
She was almost shaking with nerves and couldn’t believe she had finally told him. She did not watch his reaction and cast her eyes down, fearing that he would be cross with her.
He was shocked and taken aback, unable to believe that she was against his decision.
“What are your reasons?” he asked, trying to keep calm.
She tried to explain nervously, “I have no feelings for him at all and I do not feel he is the right partner for me.”
“We agreed that you would spend time with him before the wedding,” he reminded her. “I still think that once you get to know him better, you will feel a lot happier about the wedding. You both seemed to get on well during our visit.”
“I am sorry but I do not think I will ever like him or want him as my husband,” she confessed. “Please could we cancel the betrothal?” She felt anxious and dreaded his answer.
“I have already promised your hand in marriage, I cannot go back on my word,” he replied sounding annoyed.
“Would you really force me to marry a man I did not love, even if it made me very unhappy?” she asked, feeling upset and betrayed.
“I know what is best for you and I still stand by my choice,” he insisted. “Take a few days to think about it, I am sure you will come around to my decision.”
She felt tears of sadness and frustration well up in her eyes as h
e dismissed her. She left the study and ran up the stairway to cry in privacy. Her tears were already falling as she walked into her bedchamber and shut the door behind her.
She couldn’t believe her father wouldn’t listen to her and that all her hopes of getting the issue sorted were gone. The thought of being pushed into an unwanted marriage overpowered her with panic and dismay.
She cried on her bed for a while, then tried to calm herself down and breathe steady again. She knew she had to talk to Nicholas about it, but she would have to wait until he arrived for work.
She realised it was time for lunch with her family and quickly wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and started to compose herself. She tried to block out all thoughts of the wedding and keep herself together.
Luckily her father didn’t mention anything about it as they ate together and talked about combat training with Jonathon instead. She ate quietly and then went outside to wait for Nicholas at the stables. There was no sign of him yet and Phillip was still there working. She let herself into Pearl’s stable, pretending she was just visiting her horse rather than waiting around suspiciously.
She hugged Pearl and felt comforted as she stroked her soft grey coat. Pearl sniffed her hands curiously, hoping she had brought an apple. She wished she had thought of bringing a treat and had to offer Pearl fresh hay instead.
She started brushing Pearl to pass the time and keep herself distracted as she waited. She looked up as she heard Nicholas arrive on his horse and felt relieved that he was finally here. However, she had to patiently wait until Phillip had left before she could rush over to Nicholas.
“I need to talk to you,” she said, feeling her eyes well up again.
He saw how upset she looked and gave her a hug. She held on tight, wishing she could stay in his arms and feel safe forever.
“What is the matter?” he asked gently, feeling concerned for her. “Did you speak with your father?”
She nodded and cried onto his chest.
“I expect he did not take it well,” he said sympathetically.
“I tried my best to explain to him,” she sobbed. “He said he cannot take back his promise and wants me to go ahead with the marriage. They are already planning the wedding.”
Love Letters Page 7