Rosalind's POV
This was the last time I would accept the invitation of a prince because of how handsome he looked.
Not that princes were lining up to invite me anywhere.
"My prince, please have mercy." I bowed so that my forehead was flat on the ground. "I would never… I would never… I only came here because of your invitation. I came here for a honest job and I–"
I squealed as the prince pulled me up by my arm so that I was on my feet and our gazes locked.
His beautiful hazel eyes, so warm a day ago, looked so dark and wicked now. Almost like he had become a different person since then.
I bowed my head immediately. How could I stare into the eyes of a prince so brazenly? Especially when he was so angry at me.
He pulled me closer to himself, making a gasp escape my throat.
"What happened? Why are you acting so innocent? It is what you were sent here for right? To seduce me for information. Or to seduce me in order to get a possible successor to use to threaten my claim to the throne?"
I struggled to breathe against his hold. It felt nothing like how it had felt with Ronny. Maybe because for starters I was intensely attracted to the prince.
His body felt cold and hard against mine yet his hand felt like a hot branding mark that scorched me.
"My prince, I…"
His hand left my arm and drifted down to my waist and lower to my ass cupping it and pulling me closer to him and his lips dropped to my nape.
I shivered my legs going weak beneath me as my breath came fast. So fast that I felt dizzy and I couldn't pull away. I didn't pull away.
"You took your time to dress up like you were a peasant…you didn't have to. All you needed to do if you so badly wanted to fuck me was show up naked."
That easily the spell was broken. This wasn't the man who had offered me his jacket and protected me from scorn. This wasn't the man who had asked me not to leave so sweetly and told me to come whenever for a job.
No. Or perhaps it was the man I had met who never existed to start with. Maybe it was a persona of warmth he donned to impress the people.
I pushed him away with all my strength and he budged barely a step backwards but his hand dropped from my body at least.
The dark amusement in his eyes died. "Guards!"
My heart leapt to my throat as he called out.
"Guards!"
Two guards entered the hall quickly and bowed to the prince. "Prince Killian, how may we be of service?"
"Take this thing to the executioners and tighten the security to my quarters." He eyed me with disgust. "Desperate wenches like this should be unable to gain entry."
Executioner? I hadn't even touched the tapestry. I hadn't broken anything or even looked at him badly. How could he execute me for coming for a job he had offered me? Even begged me to take it.
"My prince please if I have done something to offend you, I apologise. Please don't send me to the gallows!"
What would happen to Bast if I died here? He would sit at home hopefully waiting for my return with the remnants of the loaf of bread I had gotten him and no money to feed himself much less buy pain meds. He would die. Slowly and miserably.
The guards didn't particularly care as they gripped my arms and began to drag me out of the room while the prince watched on dispassionately.
"My prince! My prince!" I struggled with each step. I couldn't make Bast an orphan for the second time.
The doors suddenly slammed open and the prince walked in.
"Stop this instant!"
Wait what?
I looked at the prince in front of me. He wore royal blue and white in contrast to the other prince behind me in black with gold accents.
They had the exact same face. The same hazel eyes, the same perfectly sculpted face, the same dark hair. It was like someone had made a clone of himself.
What sort of sorcery was this?
I knew about the princes. Everyone did. Twins separated at birth and raised by the sister of the late king and the sister of the late queen respectively but nothing in the rumours had ever said anything about them being identical.
So identical they looked like the same person.
So identical I could have easily mistaken one for the other.
"Cillian, what brings you to my den of debauchery?" The first prince - what had the guards called him - Killian smiled. His smile didn't look playful in any way.
"I was told my guest lost her way." He looked at the guards holding me and they let go immediately excusing themselves from the room.
How had he known to come– I caught a glance of Sam as he joined the guards leaving.
He must have gone to confirm if I had been meeting with the right prince. He had probably saved my life.
Bast, I'm coming home. At this point I nolomge4 gave a damn about the stupid job. I just wanted to leave with my life intact.
"Your guest?" Prince Killian's eyes moved to me and his gaze sharpened. "That is your guest?"
He looked disbelieving.
Prince Cillian moved to stand beside me and glared at his brother.
"Yes, mine."
The way he said mine made me shiver. But it only seems to add to Killian's fury.
"So that was the important issue that made you miss the meeting yesterday?!"
Important issue? I slid a look at Prince Cillian. He thought I was important enough to miss a meeting for? I didn't know how to feel about that. I didn't know how to feel. Period.
But I took a small imperceptible step to move closer to him. His brother seemed so volatile that I was still in shock that they were twins.
How could two people look so alike but have such differing personalities?
Prince Killian scoffed at my movement towards Prince Cillian.
Prince Cillian looked back at me with an apology in his eyes before looking back at his brother.
"I'll have you know I was visiting the districts. I saw someone in need and decided to help. But you wouldn't be able to understand." He outstretched his hand for me to take. "Rosalind, come let's go."
I was about to when Prince Killian spoke again, his harsh voice a sharp contrast to his brother's soothing one.
"You realize you are making a mistake? You can't draw a snake close and expect it not to bite. People like her only want one thing. Easy wealth."
Prince Killian's gaze moved back to me and stayed. It felt like I was on fire until he doused me with cold water with his next words.
"Honestly, you should thank me for thinking of executing her."
Prince Cillian looked very angry and twisted his hands into fists. "Killian!" He took a threatening step towards his brother while I watched with wide eyes. "No one will touch Rosalind. Not even you. If they do, then I will not spare them."
Prince Killian moved towards him and glared at him. "You would fight me your brother for this commoner?"
Even I wanted to ask the same question. Since I met Prince Cillian he was always defending me and standing up for me but would he also do that with his brother? Was I that important to him or was his relationship with his brother just that terrible?
I suspected it was a bit of both which Prince Cillian confirmed with his next words.
"Brother? When was the last time you considered me that truthfully?" He sounded hurt like the admission had cut him deep.
"I don't even care anymore. You aren't worth this. Go back to whatever you do in your free time."
He moved to take my hand again but Prince Killian wasn't having it. No one could be happy on his watch.
"You do know she is mostly just a whore sent by the council members to get inside your head but no you don't ever think do you?"
"Did you just call Rosalind a whore? Apologise this instant."
All traces of calmness had fled Prince Cillian's eyes.
"And if I don't?" Prince Killian smirked, obviously waiting for his brother's reaction.
Prince Cillain raised his hand to hit his brother. It felt like it was happening in slow motion. I couldn't allow him to do that for my sake. Besides, it was what Prince Killian wanted. I couldn't let him fall for that.
I caught his hand and squeezed it gently.
He inhaled sharply and looked at our hands twined together. His angry demeanour vanished and he squeezed my hand back.
Then we turned away from that twisted angry prince.
"You are making a mistake brother. You just wait and watch."
But we were already out of his hall even as a shiver went down my spine.
That had felt like an ominous promise to me specifically for some reason.
CILLIAN'S POVI couldn't believe Rosalind was here in my quarters. She sat at the edge of my couch looking like she felt out of place. "I apologise for my brother. He can be a handful sometimes."But personally, I felt she belonged here. And if I would have it, I would keep her here with me safe and sound. She averted her gaze from mine. "It was nothing, Prince Cillian. I am a mere omega to his royal lineage. He can treat me however he pleases."The words sparked even more anger within me. It wasn't like she had said anything wrong. It was the law. We were the higher authorities in this kingdom but the thought that Killian could treat Rosalind however he felt sat ill with me. For a mere mistake, he had wanted to kill her. A world without Rosalind wasn't possible."No, he can not." "Prince Cillian?" Rosalind seemed puzzled. "I will not allow anyone to treat you less than you are worth, Melody." My words became a growl and once more that day, my wolf fought to rise to the surface.
Rosalind's POVI couldn't believe that I was now working in the palace. Prince Cillian has ordered his driver to bring Bast in from the districts and though I had to speak with him using Prince Cillian's phone, to get him to come out, he had. Prince Cillian had then taken both of us to the specialist and I was in awe of the place. Bastien had just watched everything with wide eyes and when we were alone he looked at me with wide eyes. "What do you think about all this?" It was such a sudden change and he would be admitted here for the treatment. I didn't want him to be in an unfamiliar place that made him anxious."All of this looks so cool," He hesitated. "Can we afford this?"Bastien was so sensible for a child. I smiled and took his hand. "The prince can and he wants to help us."Bastien looked thoughtful."The prince seems nice, does he like you?"I was appalled. What if Prince Cillian heard?"Bast!""It's just… he is doing a lot for us. What is he getting out of it?"It was
Rosalind's POVHe looked almost as surprised as I was to see him. Almost. Why was it raining princes today? At this time?Did they have nothing to do apart from wondering about looking hot to fluster unprepared girls like myself?"You work here now?" Prince Killian's voice was gravelly and slightly deeper than Prince Cillian's. I scrambled to my feet feeling surprisingly prone in my sprawled position. "Yes, Prince Killian."I felt his gaze rake down my body unashamedly and I was surprised to feel my body trembling ever so slightly in reaction to this. What was going on with me? Was I…was I attracted to Prince Killian?His next words broke whatever spell his sudden appearance had cast on me. "You must be exceptional in bed for you to have gotten the attention of a prince so easily and quickly."Right, he was an asshole. How had I forgotten? It was probably something about seeing him in riding gear that had almost all of his chest bare. He stepped so close to me that I perceived hi
Rosalind's POV.The next day was unique as no one in the kitchen apart from Somei met my gaze. Umi and Gladheart were no longer in their corner. In fact, I couldn't see them at all.Somei took me to the section that dealt with deliveries at the edge of the kitchen. "You will work under Mia and Theresa from now on."I think those were the only words Somei said to me that entire day. Come to think of it, the entire kitchen was more silent than usual. Was it because of what Prince Cillian had done the day before?I smiled brightly at the new workers."Good day, I'm supposed to work under you."They ignored me then suddenly a tray was shoved in my hand. "Guard quarters, room twelve.""What?"It turns out it was a location. My new job was easy. Mia and Theresa would get trays together and once they were done with that, I was called to make the delivery. That was how the day went. I delivered so much food that my legs hurt. My partners didn't speak to me as I did all this. I also had to
Rosalind's POVWhen I returned to the kitchens, I was still rattled by what Prince Killian had just told me. So much so that it wasn't until Somei asked me the question for the second time that I heard her. Her voice was uncharacteristically harsh. "Where were you?" "I was making a delivery.""To the wrong room." She looked at me from head to toe and I suddenly patted my hair realizing how bedraggled I must look. My low ponytail was scattered from Prince Killian's fingers and my clothes weren't any better. "You must think because you know Prince Cillian you are above the law here but that isn't how it goes. You can't just slack off and go to your room to rest whenever you are tired."Thank goodness she thought that was what I had been doing. If she knew the truth about what I had been doing during work hours then…"Somei, I'm truly sorry and–"She interrupted my apology before I was finished, her face a mask of annoyance and indifference. "You will work for an extra hour after ev
Rosalind's POV. "Does it hurt?" I looked at Prince Cillian who was using ice on my partly swollen face. I couldn't believe he had been on his way to see me when he had intercepted the assault.I wondered what he had come to see me for so late then I flushed more. I didn't need to know. I didn't even want to know. He looked so handsome and good-looking this up close that it was dizzying. So dizzying that I didn't respond immediately. His close-shaven jawline was so smooth that it could cut glass and his cheekbones could have been that of a capital model. "Rosalind?" His hazel eyes met mine questioning. I flushed. I had forgotten to answer the question. "No, not really. It's mostly numb." It was. Only dull pricks still came from the area and I resisted the urge to touch it. I would heal fully later tonight or tomorrow morning due to the slow omega healing that I had. Prince Cillian didn't seem to buy my explanation."Then why are you wincing?"I'm not wincing. I'm trying to mov
Rosalind's POVIn case you were wondering, I slept in the bed after blushing for what felt like hours. Even though I had been reluctant about using the bed I was surprisingly comfortable and I had fallen asleep immediately my head touched the pillow as the stress of the day caught up with me.I had slept so deeply that Prince Cillian had gotten dressed, had a shower and even served me breakfast in bed. It was the scent of the food that had woken me up. "Prince Cillian."It was surreal. I was the one meant to be serving him but he was the one serving me.His hazel eyes sparkled with warmth and I was glad to see he didn't hold a grudge about last night. "Rosalind, good morning. I hope you had a good night's rest?""Good morning, I did." On his very comfortable bed, he had given up for me. Battling the warmness in my chest, I turned to leave the bed. "Thank you Prince Cillian for the breakfast and the bed but It's already late, I need to get to the kitchens." He caught my arm. "You
KILLIAN'S POV"Get lost."Her beautiful blue eyes widened with surprise as though she had been expecting something other than what I had told her. She lowered her gaze and bowed before leaving. I watched her against my will. She was irritating, aggravating, annoying and yet… yet there was just something about her that triggered me and my wolf.I went to get changed. The meeting had gone on for far longer than I thought it would. The council had seemed more on edge for some reason. I wondered what I was missing.I heard a knock on my door then Talon stepped in. He was my second and my most trusted person. As much as I trusted anyone really. I pulled on my shirt. "Have you delivered my warning?""Yes, Prince Killian. No one will touch her from now onwards.""Good."I had intended to send the girl out of our lives by making life difficult for her. After all, she was here to make her life easier by shacking up with Cillian. I did not doubt that she had given some sob story and convinc