Chapter 140: The man she called Father.

Thank you so much,@Jennifer_Stewart2653 for the Golden Ticket.

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By the time they finally reached Everbloom, the sun had already begun its descent toward the western horizon, bathing the distant landscape in a warm golden light that made the kingdom appear almost unreal from afar. The road they had been travelling along for hours gradually changed from the rough forest path they had grown accustomed to into a broad, well-maintained road lined with tall trees whose branches curved toward one another overhead. Beyond them, the first signs of civilization began to appear. Stone buildings rose in the distance, their pale walls catching the evening sunlight, while banners bearing the royal crest of Everbloom fluttered from tall poles along the road.

Rosaline sat quietly inside the carriage, her gaze fixed on the scenery outside the window.

Everbloom.

She had spent enough time here in her childhood to remember certain parts of it, though the memories were not nearly as warm as they should have been. There had been a time when she had believed this place was home simply because she had been born into its royal family. She had believed that the palace walls meant safety, that the people within them were family, and that the king who sat upon the throne was truly her father.

Time had taught her otherwise.

Rosaline’s fingers tightened slightly around the edge of her dress.

She could already see the palace in the distance.

It stood upon a slight elevation beyond the city, its enormous towers rising above the surrounding buildings. White stone walls reflected the fading sunlight, while long banners bearing the royal crest hung from the balconies. The palace looked exactly as she remembered it and yet somehow different.

Perhaps it was not the palace that had changed.

Perhaps it was her.

She leaned back slightly as the carriage moved closer.

Across from her, Christophine was looking through the opposite window, while Xandros rode outside with the other guards. The silence between Rosaline and Xandros had continued throughout the latter part of the journey. It was not the same awkward silence from the morning anymore. Something had shifted after the pastry, though neither of them had spoken about it.

Rosaline occasionally caught sight of him through the window.

He rode ahead of the carriage with an ease that made it seem as though the long journey had not affected him at all. His shoulder-length hair moved slightly in the wind, and his posture remained straight and composed.

She looked away whenever she noticed herself watching him.

Still, there was something strangely reassuring about knowing he was there.

The carriage finally slowed as they approached the main entrance to the kingdom’s royal district.

The sound of trumpets echoed through the air.

Rosaline immediately looked up.

Several rows of royal guards stood along both sides of the road, dressed in polished armor bearing the crest of Everbloom. Their weapons were held upright at their sides, and their formation was so precise that it was obvious this arrival had been carefully prepared.

At the front of the procession stood a group of royal officials.

And among them was the Prince, her brother.

Rosaline’s expression remained composed as she studied him from inside the carriage.

He stood tall in formal royal attire, his posture straight as he waited for the visiting party to arrive. Beside him were several ministers and palace officials, all of whom had gathered to welcome the Duke of Dagon and his duchess.

This was not simply a family reunion.

It was a political arrival.

The Duke of Dagon had come to Everbloom.

And everyone was going to make sure they remembered it.

The carriages finally came to a stop.

Immediately, the royal guards moved into position.

One of the senior guards stepped forward and bowed deeply as Xandros dismounted from his horse.

"Welcome to Everbloom, Your Grace," the man announced respectfully. "It is an honor to receive the Duke and Duchess of Dagon."

Xandros gave a slight nod.

"Thank you."

His voice was calm, carrying the natural authority that seemed to follow him wherever he went.

The carriage door was opened.

Rosaline stepped down carefully.

The moment her feet touched the ground, she felt countless eyes settle upon her.

Some looked at her with curiosity.

Others with admiration.

Some with uncertainty.

And there were those whose expressions changed the moment they recognized her.

Rosaline ignored all of them.

She had learned long ago that people often stared at what they did not understand.

Xandros approached her.

For a moment, neither of them said anything then he extended his hand.

Rosaline looked at it.

She knew what he was doing.

They were surrounded by nobles, guards, servants, and members of the royal family. Whatever awkwardness existed between them had to remain hidden.

She placed her hand in his.

Xandros’s fingers closed gently around hers.

They began walking toward the palace together.

The moment their hands joined, Rosaline felt the warmth of his palm against hers.

She kept her expression calm and Xandros did the same. From the outside, they looked exactly like what everyone expected them to be.

A newly married Duke and Duchess arriving together in a kingdom that had once been Rosaline’s home.

The Prince stepped forward to meet them.

"Your Grace," he greeted Xandros with a respectful bow.

Xandros returned the gesture.

"Your Highness."

The prince then turned toward Rosaline.

"Duchess Rosaline. Welcome home."

Rosaline offered him a polite smile.

"Thank you."

The prince’s eyes briefly shifted toward their joined hands before returning to her face.

He said nothing.

Instead, he gestured toward the palace entrance.

"The King and Queen are waiting for you."

Rosaline’s fingers tightened slightly around Xandros’s hand.

He noticed.

He did not look at her.

He simply tightened his own hold around her fingers.

They continued forward and the palace doors opened as they approached. Inside, the atmosphere was grander than Rosaline remembered.

Royal attendants stood in two neat rows along the enormous entrance hall, their heads lowered respectfully as the visiting duke and duchess entered. The polished marble floor reflected the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, while enormous portraits of previous kings and queens watched over the hall from the walls.

Rosaline’s eyes moved over them briefly.

So many memories.

Yet none of them made her feel as though she had returned home.

At the end of the hall stood the King and Queen of Everbloom.

Her father.

And Queen Vivienne.

Rosaline’s heart became strangely still.

She had prepared herself for this moment.

She had imagined what it would feel like to see them again.

Yet now that she was standing there, the reality was somehow colder than she had expected.

King Lucien stepped forward first.

"Welcome to Everbloom, Duke Xandros."

Xandros bowed.

"Your Majesty."

The king smiled and placed a hand lightly on Xandros’s shoulder.

"We are honored to receive you."

Xandros’s expression remained respectful.

"The honor is mine."

Then the king’s attention shifted toward Rosaline.

For a moment, something unreadable crossed his face.

"My daughter."

Rosaline lowered her head in a formal bow.

"Your Majesty."

The title seemed to hang between them.

Not Father.

Not the affectionate name she might once have used that caused her pain.

Your Majesty.

The king’s expression tightened for the briefest moment.

Then Queen Vivienne stepped forward.

Her face immediately transformed into a warm smile.

"Rosaline."

The queen’s voice was soft and affectionate.

Far too affectionate.

She opened her arms. "My dear child."

Rosaline felt something inside her twist.

She knew that expression and that voice.

The queen approached her as though the years of cruelty and neglect between them had never existed. She reached for Rosaline’s hand with a smile that would have looked loving to anyone who did not know better.

"My goodness," Vivienne murmured. "Look at you. You’ve become such a beautiful woman."

Rosaline forced herself not to pull away.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The queen’s smile faltered slightly at the formal address.

"Oh, Rosaline. You don’t need to be so formal with me."

She reached up as though she intended to touch Rosaline’s cheek.

Rosaline’s body instinctively stiffened.

Before the queen could touch her, Xandros shifted slightly closer.

His hand remained firmly around Rosaline’s.

The queen paused.

Then she lowered her hand.

For a moment, the atmosphere became uncomfortable.

King Lucien cleared his throat.

"Vivienne," he said gently.

The queen smiled again.

"Of course."

She turned her attention toward Xandros.

"It is wonderful to finally welcome the man who has taken such good care of our daughter."

Xandros looked at her calmly.

"I have done what was necessary."

There was something about the way he said it that made the queen’s smile become slightly more restrained.

Vivienne glanced toward Rosaline again.

"She must have been difficult at times."

Rosaline’s expression remained neutral.

Xandros’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"My wife has never been difficult."

The queen blinked.

Rosaline looked at him.

For the first time since entering the palace, her expression almost changed.

Xandros did not look at her.

He simply stood beside her as though his statement required no explanation.

The queen quickly laughed.

"Of course. Of course."

She reached toward Rosaline again.

This time, her fingers moved toward Rosaline’s arm.

Rosaline instinctively shifted backward.

But Vivienne was already reaching for her.

Before she could touch her, Xandros moved and his hand caught the queen’s wrist.

The movement was so swift that several people around them visibly stiffened.

Xandros pulled the queen’s hand away from Rosaline and toward himself, his grip firm but controlled.

The entire hall fell silent.

Vivienne stared at him.

For perhaps the first time since Rosaline had known her, the queen appeared genuinely speechless.

Xandros’s grey eyes remained fixed on her.

"Do not touch her without her permission."

His voice was quiet, and that somehow made the words more intimidating.

Rosaline stared at him.

The guards stood rigidly.

The attendants lowered their gazes.

Even the Prince looked momentarily caught off guard.

Queen Vivienne slowly looked down at Xandros’s hand around her wrist before looking back into his eyes.

"Your Grace..."

Her voice came out softer than before.

Xandros released her.

But he did not step away from Rosaline.

The tension in the hall became almost unbearable.

King Lucien reacted immediately.

He stepped forward with a controlled smile, deliberately inserting himself between the awkwardness before it could grow any further.

"Well," he said with a light laugh, "it has certainly been a long journey for our guests. They must be exhausted."

He turned toward the attendants.

"Have their rooms prepared."

The servants immediately bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The king looked toward Xandros and Rosaline.

"You should both rest before dinner. Everbloom is pleased to welcome you."

Xandros gave a slight bow.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The king then gestured toward one of the senior attendants.

"Show them to their rooms."

The attendant stepped forward immediately.

"This way, Your Grace. Your Grace."

Rosaline and Xandros followed.

Their hands remained joined.

Neither of them spoke.

They walked through the enormous palace corridors while servants and guards stepped aside to allow them to pass. Rosaline kept her gaze forward, but memories continued rising inside her mind.

She remembered these corridors.

She remembered walking through them as a child.

She remembered waiting outside rooms where she was never invited.

She remembered being told to behave.

To be quiet.

To understand her place.

And she remembered the last time she had come here.

She had not been given a royal suite.

She had not been treated like a princess.

She had been placed in a small apartment that had been intended for a maid.

Rosaline’s jaw tightened.

But then the attendant opened the doors to their new room.

Rosaline stopped.

The room was enormous.

A large bed stood in the center beneath an intricately carved canopy. Heavy curtains framed the tall windows, while elegant furniture had been arranged throughout the chamber. A private sitting area occupied one side of the room, with a fireplace surrounded by polished stone. Fresh flowers stood in crystal vases, and the walls were decorated with expensive paintings and gold-trimmed ornaments.

Everything was luxurious.

Everything was perfect.

Everything was completely different from the last room they had given her.

Rosaline slowly stepped inside.

Xandros followed.

The attendant bowed.

"Your Grace, if you require anything, please inform the servants stationed outside."

"Very well," Xandros replied.

The attendant bowed once more before leaving and closing the doors behind him.

The moment they were alone, Rosaline released Xandros’s hand.

The sudden absence of his warmth made her fingers feel strangely empty.

She ignored the sensation.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Xandros looked at her.

"For what?"

Rosaline hesitated.

"For earlier."

His expression softened slightly.

"You don’t have to thank me." 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

Rosaline looked away.

"Still... thank you."

Xandros nodded.

"Okay."

Rosaline slowly turned her attention toward the room again.

She walked farther inside, her eyes moving over every detail.

The bed, furniture, enormous windows, expensive decorations.

The room prepared for the Duchess of Dagon.

Her expression slowly changed.

A bitter smile almost touched her lips.

The last time she had entered this palace, they had given her an apartment meant for a maid.

Now she had returned with the Duke of Dagon.

And suddenly she had been given one of the finest rooms in the palace.

Rosaline looked around again.

She shook her head slowly.

She did not know whether to laugh or be angry.

Perhaps he had simply never believed she was valuable enough when she stood alone.

Her fingers curled slightly at her sides.

She looked toward the closed doors.

The same palace, same King, same people.

Yet everything had changed the moment she returned with a man powerful enough to make them reconsider how they treated her.

Rosaline lowered her gaze.

For the first time, she understood something she had been too young to understand before.

Her father had not changed.

The palace had not changed.

What had changed was the power standing beside her.

She slowly turned toward Xandros.

He was watching her quietly.

Their eyes met.

Rosaline said nothing.

Neither did he.

But this time, the silence between them felt different.

It no longer carried only embarrassment or distance.

There was something else beneath it.

Something neither of them was ready to name.

Outside the room, the sounds of servants moving through the palace continued.

Inside, Rosaline stood in the luxurious chamber that had once been unimaginable to her.

She looked around one final time.

Then she quietly shook her head at the man she called Father.