Chapter 12 - Meeting the Royals

A lonely figure with an exquisite looking face stood on one of the balconies overlooking the palace entrance and watched the scene below. No one dared to approach this man who exuded a dangerous aura at the moment. Being born as the eldest prince, he's destined to inherit the throne one day. However, his cold and aloof aura made him unapproachable and those who interacted with him were always cautious in their actions and words towards him. He was ruthless in his approach and seldom offered mercy on those who wronged him. It was said that this prince also didn't have any interest in any of the noble ladies around him, and had remained unattached until today. Many marriage proposals from prominent families were offered to the Queen discreetly but all of them were rejected by the prince, citing they're not worthy of him. After the prince threw a big tantrum about this the last time this subject was broached, the Queen relented and didn't bring it up again. No one knew what the prince was thinking, and no one dared to guess. 

The mere sight of Duke Kensington and his son walking into the palace annoyed him greatly. He averted his gaze and finally rested on the girl he had longed to see for so long. She had grown more beautiful since the last time he saw her. How he wished she was betrothed to him and not that damn Duke Kensington! She belonged to him and him alone. With that thought, Prince Xavier's eyes turned dark and his thoughts wandered off.

Meanwhile, the trio had reached the Queen's inner chambers. Distracted by William's endless chatter, Melissa's thoughts were distracted and she momentarily forgot about the strange feelings she had experienced moments ago. When the Queen met Lady Melissa, she was taken aback. Lady Melissa's features resembled that of Duchess Rose Knight, her deceased mother. There's no mistaken with that black hair and violet eyes. Looking at Lady Melissa, Queen Serina felt a sense of belonging, it was as if her close friend had come back to her. The late Duchess had only brought Lady Melissa once to meet her, and that was when Lady Melissa was very young.

"Come here my dear child. Let me look at you." Queen Serina said after receiving Lady Melissa's formal curtsy.

Melissa looked at the regal looking older woman in front of her bearing the red royal attire exclusively for the Queen and knew this was Queen Serina Frederick. Melissa thought hard and realized there was not much mention about the royal family in the novel except that it was the Queen who had initiated the wedding between her and Duke Kensington. It was truly an eye opener to actually meet a queen in her life, albeit one in a novel. However, when she looked carefully at this fine looking woman in front of her, Melissa somehow felt she looked familiar. Where had she seen her before?

Melissa smiled and went to where Queen Serina was seated. The Queen reached out and held both of her hands while asking her many questions about herself. They chatted for more than an hour before Duke Kensington appeared with Lord William again. Both father and son had tactfully left the chambers earlier to allow both women to chat freely. Surprisingly, Lord William didn't create a fuss when his father motioned him to follow him out.

Seeing it was time for lunch, the Queen invited them to join her and the royal family for a meal. This way, she planned to introduce Lady Melissa to her sons and daughter. They would all soon be family and therefore it was only fitting for Lady Melissa to get acquainted with the royals. Queen Serina came to realize that Lady Melissa had never attended any banquet held by the palace for the past few years and when questioned, Lady Melissa couldn't remember any of the royal princes or princess. Although Queen Serina found it odd that a noble lady didn't seem to know the background of the royals, she took no offense as the child was said to have lived in recluse for a few years. Seeing that her mother had passed away and left her all alone, the Queen felt sympathy for this young girl.

Queen Serina led Duke Kensington, Lady Melissa and Lord William to the dining room. Melissa was greatly amazed at the intricate designs and the wonderful looking embellishments that adorned the interior of the palace. She had a strong urge to touch them but knowing how inappropriate that would be, she refrained herself. Lord William was walking in front of her, taking the liberty to explain the ins and outs of the palace, while Duke Kensington walked beside her in silence. Both of them seemed to be at ease being here. The novel did say that Duke Kensington and his son were heavily favoured by the Queen. They must have been here millions of times then, in fact Melissa wondered probably the Queen even had rooms allocated for both the father and son! 

Soon, they reached the dining room. Melissa gasped at the sight in front of her. There, the long dining table was laden with various kinds of dishes one could imagine. She subconsciously swallowed her saliva and her eyes traced the luxurious looking tableware which accompanied such sumptuous feast. Suddenly, Melissa's heart trembled at the sight of the white rose which was placed on each plate. Her favourite flower had always been white roses, similar to the original Lady Melissa. Remembering her past life, she had pots of white roses placed on the tiny balcony of her apartment. She had planted and tended to them carefully. The beautiful roses had bloomed beautifully all year long under her dedicated care. Now, with her long gone from her real world, those roses...

Her eyes teared up at the memory of this and she quickly wiped them away. Duke Kensington who had been observing her, seen this scene and thought she must've been overwhelmed by being in the palace. He took her hand in his and when she looked at this unexpected gesture, he smiled gently at her. Her eyes looked uncertain but she smiled back at him. Duke Kensington was stunned momentarily, looking at this smiling beauty by his side.