9: Dark and empty

[Three months earlier...]

She was destined to marry the King. Melrose had pinned that in her mind ever since she turned fifteen. Lord Lewis, her stepfather who had been her only family since the age of five, had never been tired of reminding her that.

For a lady without a fetish for romance, it was the best the world could offer. The King was, after all, a young man with a pleasant character and outstanding physical attributes. He was crowned at the age of sixteen, and has been ruling the country for six years now. He was doubted by many at first as he was only a palace maid's son, but over the years he had gained the respect and trust of people.

Melrose believed he was the best choice among the most eligible men in town. Not only because he was the most powerful and desired by most women, but because she had known him for years. She was sure he'd make a good husband.

As Lord Lewis had always envisioned Melrose marrying the King one day, he raised her in the best way he could. Only the best dishes were served to her. She only wore the clothes from the town's best atelier and the most expensive jewelries. She rode in the best carriages and had tons of servants in their manor to serve her so she'd have nothing to worry about but taking care of her beauty.

"Beauty is the woman's best asset," one of his constant reminders

And she believed that. In the world they were in, women needed men for survival and power. If one lacked beauty, she would lack better choices. And Melrose wanted nothing for herself but the best.

Besides... she had been haunted by something for years. She longed for freedom. She felt something wasn't right with her life even though she almost had everything a lady could ask for.

Was it the lack of contentment? Maybe not. She had ambitions but she wasn't greedy. Life had been generous to her, which was something to be grateful of.

However, every time she looked at the walls of their house, she could see something else in her mind. Cage. Chains. Not a home.

Her father sure was demanding and strict, but she had always been treated as his greatest treasure. The reason why she didn't understand why she could feel a void inside her every time she looked at him. Or was it because she had been longing for a mother's care?

"My Lady, you look so stunning. Any woman would pale in comparison to you," Felicity, her handmaiden, said.

"I shall hold you accountable for your words, Felicity. If I'd see a lady in the ball prettier than me..." I teased her, smirking.

"It's my job to remain true to my word when it comes to speaking to my lady."

Melrose smiled. She didn't need to be the prettiest, she simply wanted to look beautiful. People had known her betrothal to the King. She didn't want to disgrace His Majesty and her father.

Most women marry at the age of eighteen, but as for Melrose, she wanted to marry at twenty. She promised her father to do everything he wanted only if he would allow her to choose what age she'd marry. He agreed, and His Majesty was kind enough to let her decide on that matter.

She looked at the mirror. The expensive ball gown made her look like royalty. Her father made sure it was done by a renowned designer so she'd have the best gown to wear. And it was indeed a very beautiful one. It was a gradient of red and black, red on the upper while black on the lower. It exposed her arms and shoulders, but it remained elegant. Her wavy light blonde hair cascaded down her chest, designed with silver and golden hairpins. So far, she could say there was no flaw in her look.

"The coach is here, My Lady. The Lord is waiting for you downstairs," Henry, their butler, informed her behind the door.

Without further delay, she went out of her room and walked downstairs. Her father was already at the doorstep waiting for her. He had that usual stern look on his face but when he saw her, his eyes lit up in an instant.

"You looked so beautiful, my daughter. No one can outshine you at the ball, that is for sure."

Melrose only smiled. A few praises were enough for her, but her father just loved the spotlight so much he wanted her to always be the best among the ladies in town. Because like he said, she wasn't just any lady. She was soon to be crowned as the queen. Which would be a few months from now since her twentieth birthday was coming, so was her wedding.

They went into the royal carriage sent by His Majesty. It was the King's birthday and to celebrate it, he hosted a ball in the palace wherein every noble family were invited.

The truth was, Melrose found balls dull except for the magnificent dresses she could wear, but Lord Lewis never failed to send her to every ball in the social pinnacle that she got used to it.

Henry held her hand when she stepped out from the carriage and she was immediately aware of the eyes watching her. Everyone had known about her marriage with the King in four months, and even though some ladies were giving her sharp glares as if she stole their chances, most looked at her with respect as if they had acknowledged her superiority.

"Mellie!"

She turned her head toward the voice and her lips curved up. It was her best friend, Arianne, a daughter of one of the members of the royal council. They had known each other since childhood as their fathers were good friends and both worked for the King.

"Green again," Melrose teased when she saw what Arianne was wearing. The girl loved that color so much that every time they had a ball to attend, her ballgown was most of the time green.

"Not the same shade as I wore last time." Arianne chuckled.

"Indeed." She nodded. "Still green regardless."

Arianne rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Your Majesty."

Melrose glared. "Stop that."

"Stop what? You will be the Queen in a few months. I'm just practicing how to address you."

"Even if I'd be the queen, I don't want you addressing me that way. You may call me by my name."

As both of them were still unmarried, they entered the royal hall in their fathers' arms. The elders left them afterwards for their own business so they stayed at a corner of foods and drinks while waiting for the ball to start.

"Who do you think is more suitable for me? Sir Vincent or Lord Bentley?" Arianne started asking with her endless confusion about her suitors.

Unlike her friend who was updated about every bachelor in town, Melrose had a hard time recalling those men as she could hardly remember the names of those who were introduced to her a week ago. Although she was betrothed to the King, Lord Lewis didn't stop the families from introducing their children to her, may it be a lady or man, because he knew they just wanted to build connections with the future queen.

"I couldn't decide," Melrose replied.

Arianne was about to speak when they saw Penelope coming, the most annoying woman they had ever met. Melrose sighed while Arianne's eyebrow raised.

"Melrose," although smiling, Penelope couldn't hide the sourness in her voice.

"Hello, Penelope." Melrose didn't bother to feign a smile nor did she try to sound friendly.

"You will get married to the King in a few months. I wonder how it feels?"

"She feels good and we all are excited. How about you, Penelope? How do you feel about it?" Arianne retorted with obvious sarcasm.

Penelope smirked. "I'm good. Though I wonder if nothing would change within four months. People could change, after all. Who knows one day the King decides to marry me instead of you?"

Then she left to join her circle of friends who were looking at them darkly as if they were an eyesore.

"I badly wanted to slap her face, Mellie." Arianne gritted her teeth. "How dare she speak that way to you! What an insolent bitch!"

Melrose remained silent as she stared at the glass of champagne in her hand. She wondered how she'd feel if by chance Penelope's words would come true.

She couldn't say she loved the King to suffer from an intense heartbreak if he decided one day to marry someone else, but for sure she'd feel bad. She would be ruined. Every man in town was aware of her betrothal to the King even years before. No nobleman would pick her as wife after being disposed by the King. One couldn't take such an embarrassment. And if she would marry someone of low birth, her father would rather die than witness it.

"The King has arrived!" The announcement sent Melrose back to her senses.

In no delay, His Majesty showed at the center of the two connected stairways curving in the hall, reminding everyone that he was the ruler above all of them.

Everyone looked up to him as he gracefully descended the stairs. He wore a white jacquard buttoned long sleeves with gold trim, shoulders with gold epaulets, navy blue sash with gold detailing, gold belt, navy blue pants, and a long gold robe. Even without his crown, the authority in his air was enough to let anyone know he was a ruler.

Every lady in the hall was dazed as the King was such a breathtaking sight. And Melrose wasn't an exception. Even though she had never liked someone deeply, she was still a lady who could recognize good looking men.

Arianne clung on Melrose's arm, grinning. "You must have saved a country in your past life to have such luck, Mellie."

Was she really lucky to be in her position, though?

The hall was filled with whispers about how handsome the King was, but everyone fell silent all of a sudden.

Melrose lifted her head and saw another man descending the staircase. He wasn't familiar to her in any way so she was sure she had never seen him before.

In contrast to the King's white attire, the man was in all black as if he came to attend a funeral rather than a birthday. Black collared shirt under a black vest, black velvet frock coat, black pants, and black shoes.

As he continued walking down the stairs fluidly, Melrose noticed the silver tassel chain pin on his collar with a crowned dragon brooch on each end, which made her confused.

Why was this man wearing the royal family's emblem?

He was handsome. Had short hair, sea-green eyes, broad shoulders, clean-shaven face, tall and lean. His demeanor alone was enough proof that he was rich and influential.

If only she didn't notice the dragon tassel chain pin of Arden's royal family, she would think he was an aristocrat or a prince from another kingdom who was a friend of His Majesty.

But Melrose had never heard about the King having relatives aside from Princess Victoria, who was married to a prince in another kingdom. Or was it just she wasn't informed?

"My humble guests, let me introduce to you my cousin, Lord Knight - as how he wanted to be addressed since he doesn't want the title of a prince," the King informed.

"You might be wondering why he is not familiar to you. That is because he was raised on the east by my late Aunt, Princess Celestine, and has been traveling the world. He decided to have a vacation here for a few months."

"My, my, is this my chance to marry a royalty?" Arianne whispered.

"He doesn't look friendly though," Melrose said.

The man had a dark air in him. He had an exquisite beauty as a man but even a tinge of gentleness couldn't be found in his eyes. He looked dark. Dangerous.

And Melrose had never been fond of people with dark personalities. Most especially someone who reminded her of darkness.

"I could tell that," Arianne agreed. "But like they say don't judge the book by its cover. What if he is a kind man like His Majesty? They are relatives, after all."

Melrose could only wonder.

Before they could talk more, Lord Lewis appeared on their sight and she immediately knew what he came for. He led her to the King. She had been through this many times that it felt like a routine.

"Your Majesty," Lord Lewis curtsied.

"Happy birthday, Your Majesty," Melrose greeted along with a curtsy.

"What a pleasant gift this is." The King smiled at her. She was about to smile but stopped halfway when she glanced at Lord Knight who was just beside the King.

The man was... more than breathtaking.

He already looked good earlier but she realized he looked a lot better this close.

He was tall, taller than the King. He was lean but had a better build than most men. His sea-green eyes had a strange tint of something else that she wondered how could one's eyes look so unique among others. His jaw was defined and stark, complimenting his protruding adam's apple just below it. He stood in a calm stance, looking intimidating and regal as if he was a creature of night who came there to send someone's soul to hell.

Melrose almost stepped back when Lord Knight met her gaze. But it was very quick it only took a fraction of second before he brought his eyes to the crowd with a stern expression as if there was nothing worth looking at.

"Reed, this is Lord Lewis and his only daughter, Lady Lewis." She snapped out of her reverie when the King spoke.

Lord Knight drifted his gaze to Lord Lewis.

"Nice to meet you Lord and Lady Lewis," he said in a deep voice without sparing the lady a glance.

Melrose felt his indifference. Not that she wanted his attention, but most men were polite enough to at least look and smile at her during introductions.

"Lady Lewis is my betrothed, Reed. Our wedding is in a few months. I hope you can stay until then."

Only this time Lord Knight glanced at her. His eyes remained at her for a moment without bearing any expression. Melrose couldn't smile like she used to do when being introduced to someone, and she knew why.

Lord Knight looked more vicious in this proximity. The description of villains in the novels she had read matched his demeanor. She must admit she was being unfair for her prejudices, but she couldn't help her mind. After all, instinct allowed people to feel danger without actually seeing it.

"We will see that," Lord Knight replied.

"How about you, Lord Knight? Are you a married man?" Lord Lewis asked.

"No, I'm not."

"Betrothed, perhaps?"

"No."

For sure many ladies would fight for the spot as his wife if this would come out, Melrose thought. Another reason for ladies to fight. Back when the King had reached the marrying age, every ladies tried their luck and some bridges were burned just because of competition. Until now, some hadn't give up like Penelope.

"Oh. But for sure you have plans?"

"I have no plans as of the moment."

Well, Lord Knight didn't look that old to rush marriage. He seemed to be in his mid twenties. Besides, most women were blinded by looks and wealth, for sure they would flock on his feet the moment he'd announce his need for a wife despite the danger he pose.

"While you are staying here, I suggest you must take the chance to find yourself a suitable wife, Lord Knight. There are many beautiful young ladies here in Arden. Or at least keep someone to entertain you."

Melrose had the urge to stop her father from talking. She knew the meaning behind his last words. How could his father say that? If Lord Knight was someone conservative, he would be offended.

Melrose studied Lord Knight's expression to see if he was offended but she couldn't read him.

She only noticed his eyes darkened a bit. Or was it done by the lights?

"I believe women are not kept for entertainment, Lord Lewis."

Melrose was surprised. She didn't expect that answer from him. Did she judged him poorly?

"I could not agree more," Melrose spoke.

Lord Knight glanced her way.

"Men should only keep women only for marriage, Father," she added.

"Indeed." The King nodded. The gentle expression on his face was in stark contrast with Lord Knight's.

The night was long. Melrose danced with the King of course, but His Majesty knew she didn't like too much dancing so he let her off the hook not so long after they started.

When she went back to Arianne, most ladies were fussing about the new man in town. Like she presumed, Lord Knight's arrival created a big buzz especially because he was single. Many mothers were dying to wed their daughters before they passed marrying age, and a rich and handsome son-in-law sounded appealing. She could only wonder if Lord Knight had enough patience for such matters.

"What do you think about Lord Knight?" Arianne asked, looking at the lord in the distance. He was standing near a table of wines not so far, speaking with two elder men.

"I think... he's better than I thought," Melrose returned, recalling how Lord Knight indirectly implied his respect for women.

"If that's the case, should I try my luck if I could as well marry a royalty?"

"Should you?" Melrose raised a brow at her friend, smiling.

Melrose looked at her drink, then to the center of gossip tonight.

One of the elder men he was speaking with called a lady, must be his daughter, probably to introduce her to the lord. Lord Knight held the same indifferent expression as he spoke. He must have lost count of the ladies introduced to him that night and probably couldn't recall each lady's name. Neither he seemed pleased with the attention he was receiving.

"Natasha is beautiful but Lord Knight doesn't look the least bit interested in her. Poor girl," Arianne spoke as they eyed the same person.

"It's either he's not interested in her or he's not interested in anyone."

"What do you mean?"

Melrose shrugged. "Maybe he left a lady in another town and is yet to get over her. Or it could be no one is suitable for his standard. He is a man who had seen the world, after all. He had met tons of ladies, that is for sure."

"A broken man?" Arianne wrinkled her nose as she hardly could place that character anywhere near Lord Knight.

"Then maybe he likes men?" Melrose whispered, grinning on her own whimsical humor.

However, when she looked ahead, the glass on her hand almost slip from her grip when Lord Knight suddenly held her gaze. His chiseled face held no movement, yet his eyes had a sharp glint as if he knew they were gossiping about him.

For a moment, Melrose stopped breathing.

"Close your eyes, Melrose."

So she did, but found no comfort. Instead, she felt as though she was being sucked by an endless darkness, drawing her to the unknown.

She opened her eyes with the hopes to see a glimpse of light, but all she had seen was nothing but darkness. And she knew no matter how spirited she was, she could never rule anything without light. Darkness was her nemesis.

"Close your eyes," spoke a voice from nowhere.

"I said close your eyes!"

"Close your eyes or I will kill you!"

"Do as you are told!"

Melrose felt suffocated. She couldn't move as if she was tied.

Then she heard the clanking of chains being dragged. A faint light showed in the distance, enough for her to see a hand holding the chains. But just as she was about to see who the person was...

"Wake up, My Lady!"

Melrose woke up with Felicity shaking her shoulders. Droplets of sweat trickled down her forehead as she rose from bed. She could see the faint sign of the dawn from the windows and was relieved. She didn't know how to go back to sleep after such a nightmare.

"I heard you shouting so I came to see. Are you alright, My Lady?"

Melrose nodded with absence of mind. It had been a month since she had the same nightmare and now it suddenly returned. For a reason she didn't know, that certain dream had been haunting her. She never told anyone about it, even Arianne, as she believed it was something that could happen for a person who found reading fictional books an interesting way to kill boredom.

But she was unsure. Was dreaming about the same thing often normal? It was reasonable if it was all about what she had always dreamt of happening. But in her case, to be in the middle of an unknown place surrounded by darkness with those weird sounds of clanking chains was the last place she'd want herself to be.

Knowing she had no hopes to find the answer anywhere, she shrugged it off and pulled herself up. It was a day after the ball and she had to attend the annual equestrian match the King would take part of.

For this occasion, Melrose had her hair tied up and wore a light blue dress. Every time she felt bad, she had this habit of giving more time in dressing up as she didn't want people to see any flaw and assume that there was something wrong with her. It was also her way of telling herself that there was nothing she couldn't manage so she'd better stop feeling bad for something not even real.

After her lonely breakfast, she went to the coach waiting outside. She usually dined alone as Lord Lewis seemed to be busier than anyone else in their town as he took a fancy of leaving the house at the crack of dawn. For Melrose, it was normal. Her father was a member of the royal council and these past months the King had been entrusting him with a lot of work and he was very passionate when it came to palace affairs.

The equestrian match would not take place at the palace, rather in the clearing near the outskirts of the city and everyone was welcome to watch. When she arrived, the King was already all geared up in his equestrian attire, preparing his white horse.

"Your Majesty, Lady Lewis is here," his butler, William, informed him.

The King stopped what he was doing and let the servants handle it before he went to her.

"Your Majesty," she curtsied. "Am I disturbing you?"

"No, of course not." His lips curved up for a gentle smile.

One thing about the King that softened the hearts of the people was his ever-gentle demeanor. It was like his smile was enough to lighten a world. He had this light personality that would make you feel good whenever you were around him. He had the power to influence others with his air, his attribute she liked the most.

"Are you having a problem with Quinn?" Quinn was the name of his white horse. It was a gift from his mother during his coronation six years ago, the same month the late Queen passed away.

"No, but he is getting older and I think I will just let him be at his pace. I will not push him too much."

"Quinn still looked strong though. I believe you can still ace this match like you have always done, Your Majesty."

"We can't be sure. Lord Knight will also join. I believe he will be a tough opponent."

Talking about Lord Knight, the man suddenly appeared in Melrose's sight in the distance. He was mounting his black horse, geared up in a black riding jacket, white jodhpurs, and black long boots.

He seemed to be a man who took everything seriously so the King must be right to think that he will be a tough opponent. His black horse also seemed like a horse bred to fight. Of course why would a man like him pick a weak ally.

Though the King won't mind a lose for sure. It was just a friendly game, after all. There was nothing to lose.

When the match was about to start, Melrose left the King to not further interrupt his preparation. Arianne came and both of them found seats along with the audience. Melrose had always watched the annual equestrian match for the past years for the entertainment it could offer. Lord Lewis only indulged her at first to watch the King and interact with him but she eventually found it entertaining.

"Who do you think will win this year?" Arianne asked.

She couldn't guess. "The contenders were the same as last year except for one."

"Oh, right." Arianne nodded. "Lord Knight will also participate and he looked like a true knight in that black horse. You know what, I am starting to believe that mysterious men with a little darkness in their air seems to be more attractive. I mean, look at Lord Knight. I think he is more attractive than the King."

"I don't see it that way. They are equally attractive, I believe." Melrose looked at the King then to Lord Knight. For her, although they were equally good-looking in her eyes, they were in stark contrast with each other. Like black and white. Darkness and light. And weren't ladies always preferred a man with a gentle nature than a man whose demeanor was marked with rigidness?

"Maybe they are. But since the King was already out of the market, I'd be a little biased." Arianne grinned.

The next moments, the place was filled with crowd cheering when the match started. The first phase was simple and everyone seemed to know what they were getting in. His Majesty maneuvered Quinn effortlessly, but Lord Knight's way of handling his horse was also flawless.

The first round hadn't determined who had the upper hand yet but Melrose believed it was the King, Sir Lucas – a famous heir of a wealthy clan, and Lord Knight, who were leading the match. The King's hobby was equestrian and had been training Quinn as his pastime. And Sir Lucas, one of the finest gentlemen in his generation, came from a family whose business was to breed horses so he must have known the best way to handle them.

Lord Knight on the other hand had a vague background so she couldn't tell his skills based on his past engagements. But judging his stance and fluid moves, it seemed like he knew well what he was doing. His horse also looked trained and strong.

The second round ended, and as Melrose presumed, the three gentlemen were left and the rest were eliminated for the third and the final round. The hurdles this time were more complex and the crowd were cheering different names. Of course, Melrose was on the King's side, but now she was having a hard time determining the better rider between His Majesty and Lord Knight. Sir Lucas was eliminated after falling from his mount, leaving the two in the competition.

So far, Lord Knight's stunts remained flawless and his horse still looked ready for another match. The King's skill in handling Quinn was magisterial, however Quinn seemed to be having a little hard time in the last few hurdles.

At the end, after the scores were finalized, Lord Knight was announced as the winner. Some were disappointed by His Majesty's first fail ever since he started joining the equestrian match, but some were also glad that Lord Knight won.

Melrose already had a feeling of Lord Knight's success at the middle of the final round as he seemed to have a deeper understanding about horses. It was like his horse knew what his master wanted him to do. The King and Quinn were synchronized, but Lord Knight and his horse seemed to move as one as if they could read each other's minds.

Melrose went to the King afterwards. The King was sport and didn't take his failure to heart. She already expected that. He was the kindest man she had known and sometimes she felt he was too good to be true.

"You and Quinn did well, Your Majesty."

"Yes. I am proud of what Quinn has achieved despite his weaker state."

Melrose caressed Quinn's back with her palm. Like his master, Quinn was as gentle as he looked. She also like his color in particular. White.

"There is a banquet prepared in the palace as I invited all the gentlemen who participated in this year's match. Do you have some time to spare?"

Melrose smiled. "Of course, Your Majesty."

She rode with him in the King's carriage. His Majesty was indeed generous. She thought he prepared a simple banquet but when they arrived in the palace, she realized it was like a royal feast.

She had this feeling that she wasn't supposed to be there though. She was the only woman present at the long table. But then she was already there beside the King so she couldn't just leave.

"I didn't know Lord Knight was that good at horses!" Lord Bentley laughed as he took a glass of wine.

"A very fine gentleman indeed," an older man agreed.

"Speaking about Lord Knight, why is he still not here?"

Melrose noticed the empty seat across from her. The King was at the head of the table, she was on his right, so the man to sit on his left must be Lord Knight.

"My apologies, gentlemen," spoke a cool baritone voice.

Before Melrose could turn her head, someone's wide chest blocked her sight. Her gaze went up in an instant and became aware of Lord Knight's presence across from her.

Lord Knight caught a glimpse of her like it was his instinct to look at what was in front of him.

"Congratulations, Lord Knight," Melrose said gently. The man was intimidating but if she was to be the King's wife, she should start getting used to the lord's domineering presence as he was the King's relative and they would most likely meet under certain occasions.

"Thank you, Lady Lewis," he replied coldly, his gaze piercing through her as if he heard something unpleasant. Or maybe it was normal for him to gaze like that?

"You are so good at equestrian, Lord Knight. Have you aced competitions before?" asked Sir Lucas.

"No. It was only a pastime."

Melrose silently ate as she listened to the men's talk, didn't dare to involve herself as she couldn't find the subject of their discussion relatable to herself.

"You are indeed a talented young man, Lord Knight," from another voice. "I wonder why you are still unmarried when you have everything a lady could ask for?"

"I believe a lady's preference is one thing, but marriage is another. I don't intend to rush anything in my life, especially that part."

"Indeed, my cousin. A good and stable relationship with the lady you are ought to marry is a must. In my case, I've known Lady Lewis for years and I am only waiting until she is ready. See? There is a perfect time for everything."

"I agree, Your Majesty. You and Lady Lewis are a match made from Heaven. I am sure you'd make good offspring!"

Most of them laughed. Melrose was a little embarrassed as she could not see herself bearing a child yet. Even though she was of age, she felt like she was too young to be a mother. And even though she was betrothed to the King for years, he never went beyond the boundaries. He had always been respectful to her.

"We shall see that." The King chuckled.

"His Majesty's wedding is in a few months, Lord Knight. Will you still be around by then?"

Melrose glanced at the lord, curious if his answer this time was different than the last time.

"I'm afraid I will have other matters to attend to, but let's see."

"I will appreciate it if you'd be able to come, Lord Knight," the King said.

"If that's the case, I shall see to it to make time for Your Majesty's important day."

It was quite a long feast. Melrose couldn't say it was fun to be around noisy men talking about men's business but she was entertained by their humors enough to find it tolerable. Besides, if she was to be the Queen, she must have time to socialize with people, stand and sit next to the King if she was needed.

Only one man she had seen smiled for less than five instances. And it was worth noting that those weren't even a short laugh or a full smile. Just a slight curving of his lips.

Lord Knight seemed to be way more reserved than she thought. Or was it because it was his first time speaking with those gentlemen? Melrose couldn't guess. Lord Knight seemed to be not the type who would feel embarrassed for his actions. He didn't like speaking much but his actions said how much confidence he had. Confidence, not arrogance.

"I'd like to take you for a walk but an urgent matter needs to be discussed with the council," the King said after the feast. The gentlemen were already preparing to leave.

"I have no problem with that, Your Majesty. After all, there is always another time."

"Of course."

She was about to ask him to lend his carriage since she went with him on their way to the palace, when he suddenly called Lord Knight.

"Lord Knight, can you do me a favor? I brought Lady Lewis with me so she didn't have her carriage. Perhaps, can you give her a ride?"

Melrose felt like it wasn't a good idea. Neither did Lord Knight seem to like it. She had keen eyes when it came to observing people. And although Lord Knight's face held no expression, the dark glint in his eyes gave him away.

She didn't want to be anyone's burden so she had to step up. "Your Majesty, I can manage. I don't want to trouble Lord Knight as he might have other plans."

Lord Knight leered at her with an intense dark look. Did she offend him? But wasn't it what he wanted? She only made things easier for him as she was sure he would think twice of refusing the King.

"No, I insist, Melrose. It is my peace of mind to know you will be sent home safely. I am sure Lord Knight can give you a safe ride."

Talking about safety, couldn't His Majesty feel Lord Knight's dark air that screamed danger? Or did he have great trust in him because they were cousins?

Melrose sighed gently, accepting her defeat. Not that she was afraid of Lord Knight, but the way he looked at her spoke his defiance against the King's word. Maybe he had other matters to attend to but couldn't refuse the King.

"Shall we go then, Lady Lewis?"

Melrose swallowed. How could someone have such an unearthly voice? He sounded strangely good. Especially when he called her. He had that effect in her and probably in most women.

Was it charm? No. He wasn't charming. In fact, he was anything but that. He lacked smiles. He lacked expression. He lacked words. He was like a breathing stone. Living but barely moving.

Melrose felt the tension in her chest the second both of them went inside the carriage and sat side by side. A space between them remained, which Melrose tried to not cross for the sake of her dignity. Lord Knight must be displeased at being forced to give her a ride and she wasn't shameless to trouble him more.

Silence took over them for moments until Melrose couldn't stand the awkwardness of the situation and spoke in the hopes to make the situation a little better. She felt the need for an apology and wanted to free herself from guilt.

She rolled her tongue against her teeth before she spoke in the calmest manner she could.

"I apologize if I gave you such a burden by giving me a ride, Lord Knight. The King was persistent and I couldn't refuse him."

"Neither could I."

She nodded, leering at him. But he didn't glance at her even once and remained sitting gracefully in an upright position, his elbow against the steel frame of the window, and eyes in front refusing to look anywhere else.

"However, you don't need to apologize if you feel unsafe riding with me," he added, which got her taken aback.

"What do you mean, Lord Knight?"

He didn't say anything.

Melrose recalled what happened. Did he take his reluctance as an offense? Was he even willing to take her with him in the first place? If someone was to be offended, it was her because it was obvious in his subtle hostility how he wanted to refuse the King the moment His Majesty asked him a favor. And yet here he was turning the tables? She couldn't believe this man.

"I assume you misunderstood my reaction earlier, My Lord. I refused the King's offer as I noticed in your reaction that you disliked the idea. I thought you have something else to do on your way home, so I tried to refuse getting you troubled with my affair."

"If you don't want to trouble people, then learn to take care of yourself better, Lady Lewis."

Melrose held her breath for a moment, stopping herself from making such a petty matter a big deal. Lord Knight wasn't someone easy to deal with, she could see that now. He wasn't arrogant but he was rude. She knew she was to blame for being a burden for him but did he need to bluntly say in her face how much of a trouble she was?

Instead of speaking with the lord, she just looked at the things outside through the window.

A breath of fresh air and a beautiful sight could help calm her mind.

However, it was a long ride from the palace to her residence and she calmed down after a while. She thought Lord Knight deserved another chance. After all, they would become a family soon. They better not harbor ill-feelings towards each other. She should at least try to be civil with him.

"I heard you have traveled the world, Lord Knight. What place is the most beautiful?" Melrose asked the thing she was most curious about.

She noticed his dark leer but he never turned to her as he spoke.

"What a random question you have, Lady Lewis."

"Unlike you, I have not seen the world. I've read books but I can only imagine what those places look like. Nothing can beat reality."

"Reality is sometimes worse than what one could imagine. Sometimes it's better to leave things in your imagination." The tinge of bitterness in his voice didn't escape her. It was like he had seen things far worse than she could imagine.

"To see the real thing is better, I believe. How can I decide if I have yet to see the world?"

"Try to get out of this place and see for yourself. Only then you can decide."

"I'd like to. In fact, I have always dreamed of traveling the world..." She trailed off, stopping herself from telling him things more than necessary.

"Why marry the King, then?"

Melrose was stunned by the question. She stared at Lord Knight but he remained facing front as if he wasn't talking to her but to the carriage's wall. But his tone told her he was serious. He really meant what he asked.

"Being married to the King means being married to the palace. He can give you everything except a life far from his throne."

Melrose fell silent. She suddenly felt a hollow in her stomach. She felt cold. But wasn't this what she wanted? To be married to the most powerful man because she felt the need to be protected from something she couldn't fathom? It was her destiny, as her father always said. But then... if she decided to not marry the King after all those years of being betrothed to him, and after he waited, it would only mean one thing for her – being ruined.

Drowned in her thoughts, Melrose didn't notice they had already arrived in Lewis' residence.

The carriage stopped and her gaze fell at Lord Knight. She felt the urge to say something about what he said but moments passed and she couldn't bring the words out of her mouth as if her tongue was stuck. At the end, she could only offer words of gratitude.

"Thank you for the ride, Lord Knight."

She thought he wouldn't say anything in return but as she was about to leave the carriage, he spoke.

"Take care of yourself next time, Lady Lewis."

She held her tongue and just went out. She could say he was being rude but then she also didn't want him to pretend that it was alright when it wasn't. She hated two-faced people the most.

But there was something about what Lord Knight said that shook her. She spent the next hours with her deep thoughts only to get a headache at the end.

"You seemed worked up today, My Lady. Did something happen?" Felicity asked after dinner while she was combing her hair before bed.

"You heard about Lord Knight?"

"The scary lord who is a cousin of His Majesty?"

"Yes. Have you seen him?"

"Saw him once while I was in the market. The lord is indeed good looking like the rumors say, but he is nothing like the King. He looked stern and vicious. He looked like a warrior rather than a prince."

"Lord Knight gave me a ride under His Majesty's word. He has this dark air and doesn't care about what others would say when he speaks, but I guess he's just being true to himself."

"Is he the one bothering you, My Lady? Are you afraid of him?"

"No. I know he is not a good man but I think he is not bad either. I know people who are really dangerous from those who only appeared to be. It's just he's intimidating and he said something that left me confused..."

"You don't easily get affected by what others say, My Lady. What could that be?"

Right. She wasn't someone who got easily shaken by what other people say but Lord Knight just hit something she couldn't ignore. And the way he talked about reality was too bitter and deep for her to understand.

"Just about something..."

As she spoke, Lord Knight's face flashed in her mind. His eyes... how could such beautiful eyes who had seen the world look so dark and empty?