Chapter 405. I’m Not About to Ruin That With Scolding
William retreated to his own chambers, each step heavy with the lingering exhaustion of the storm and the emotional turbulence that now churned beneath his skin.
When he finally closed the oak door behind him, the silence of the room felt deafening after the chaotic symphony of the rain. He didn’t undress immediately; instead, he crossed to the window and sank into a chair, staring out at the rain-soaked gardens below.
The palace grounds were swallowed by shadows, the stone pathways gleaming like silver veins under the fading, bruised light of the evening.
His mind refused to be still. It kept retreating, unbidden and relentless, to that single image: Kaela, arms spread wide, head tilted back to catch the sky, laughing with a ferocity that seemed to defy every rule of her bloodline.
For those precious minutes, she hadn’t been a princess, a political pawn, or a symbol of royal authority. She had simply been a girl, unburdened, raw, and utterly free.
William thought. ’How did I miss it?’
’How did I let myself believe that training her would be the only thing that changed between us?’
He traced the memory of the shift between them not as a single lightning strike of revelation, but as something more dangerous: a slow, patient accumulation of countless small moments.
The shared glances during tense council meetings, the quiet understanding after a brutal sparring session when blood had stained the practice mats, and the way her breathing would steady when he stood near.
It had been built steadily, brick by brick, since the day Alden’s carriage had first rolled through the academy gates.
His thoughts wandered to the women who anchored his soul. He thought of Lia’s blessing that morning, not a warning, but a gift.
She had seen the truth and offered it without resentment, her own heart large enough to hold the complexity of his path. Then there was Catherine.
Even now, she was waiting for her trust, a quiet, unwavering flame that refused to flicker despite the complications of his life.
’I am a man built of contradictions.’
’A knight, a protector, a lover to more than one.’
’But I will not be a liar. If I walk this path with Kaela, I will walk it with my eyes open and my heart honest.’
A quiet, settling certainty finally took root in his chest, replacing the restless anxiety. He understood now that whatever grew between himself and Kaela from this point forward would not be a betrayal of what he already held dear.
Instead, it would be an extension of it built on the same foundation of genuine care, mutual choice, and the fierce loyalty that had come to define his strange, unexpected existence in this world.
Tomorrow would not be kind. Tomorrow would bring the grinding gears of political pressure, the sharp edges of court intrigue, and the poisonous, unresolved suspicions surrounding Delmore’s true intentions—shadows that still lurked, waiting to be dragged into the light.
There would be battles that would break bones and spill blood, and words that would cut deeper than any blade.
But tonight, William allowed himself the rare luxury of stillness. He sat in the dim light, letting the memory of rain and laughter warm him from the inside out.
He closed his eyes, picturing that moment of freedom she had claimed for herself.
’Let them come.’
’Let the world try to press down on her again.’
’Let them try to crush the spirit I’ve come to know.’
Whatever came next... whatever violence, betrayal, or impossible choices awaited them, he made a silent vow to the empty room. He would make certain that she never had to carry the weight of the world alone again.
...
The next day, Catherine had been waiting near the grand entrance hall when William and Kaela finally stumbled through the heavy oak doors.
She had been pacing slightly, her concern evident in the way she checked the time, but the moment she caught sight of them two shivering, mud-streaked figures emerging from the storm, her expression shifted violently.
The concern vanished, replaced instantly by a look of open, delighted amusement that lit up her features.
"What in the name of the Seven has happened to you two?" she asked, already striding across the polished marble floor.
She didn’t wait for an answer before pressing thick, heated towels into their hands. Her eyes sparkled with a mirth she was clearly struggling to contain.
"You don’t just look wet; you look like you both took a deliberate plunge into the palace fountain and decided to swim to the other side."
"We... we got caught in the rain," Kaela managed to say, though her words were punctuated by the involuntary chattering of her teeth.
She wrapped the towel around her shoulders like a lifeline, a wide, unguarded grin breaking across her face.
"Caught in the rain," Catherine repeated, arching a single, skeptical eyebrow.
She crossed her arms, studying them with the keen eye of someone who knew them far too well. "For how long, exactly, does one stay ’caught’ to end up looking this thoroughly drenched?"
"A brief shower doesn’t typically require this level of commitment to being waterlogged."
"We might have... lingered," Kaela admitted, laughing despite herself.
Water continued to drip steadily from the ends of her hair, creating small, dark puddles on the pristine stone floor. "Just a little longer than strictly necessary."
"On purpose," Catherine corrected, not as a question but as a statement of fact.
Her tone was fond, laced with a knowing sweetness as her gaze flickered briefly toward William.
William suddenly found the texture of the towel in his hands to be the most fascinating subject in the kingdom, his ears tinged with a faint pink that had nothing to do with the cold.
William thought. ’Damn it. She sees right through us.’
’But how can I blame her? I can still feel the ghost of Kaela’s laughter echoing in my bones.’
"It was worth it," Kaela said simply.
There was no hesitation in her voice, only a quiet, genuine warmth that cut through the damp chill of the hall.
Catherine watched her for a moment, the teasing smile softening into something more sincere, something that recognized the rare spark of joy she saw in the princess’s eyes.
"I’m glad," Catherine said, and she meant it with her whole heart.
A palace attendant scurried past with a fresh armload of linens, and Catherine immediately took charge, directing the flurry of activity with the practiced ease of someone who knew exactly how to manage both people and chaos.
She ensured they were wrapped tight and that the servants brought steaming mugs of something strong and herbal.
"Go on, both of you, get changed before the evening chill settles into your bones permanently," Catherine commanded, though her voice was gentle. "I’ll have hot tea and something warm brought up to your quarters immediately."
"You’re being remarkably accommodating about this," Kaela noted as she began to retreat toward the guest wing, her steps lighter than they had been all day. "I half expected a lecture about royal decorum and the dangers of catching a fever."
"I save my lectures for when they’re actually useful," Catherine called after her, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Tonight, you both just look thoroughly pleased with yourselves."
"I’m not about to ruin that with scolding."
As William watched them both walk away, Kaela with her newfound lightness and Catherine with her steady, comforting presence, he felt a strange, hopeful anticipation.
He knew the storm would return, both in the sky and in the court, but as he thought of the way Kaela had looked in the rain, he found himself hoping for another downpour.
William busied himself with the ritual of drying his hair, the rough fabric of the towel scraping against his scalp, yet his mind remained adrift. He was still processing that undeniable, quiet earthquake that had shifted beneath his feet while standing in the downpour.
Watching Kaela laugh—really laugh—had been like seeing a ghost materialize into flesh and blood. It wasn’t just joy; it was a reclamation of self.
He hadn’t spoken a word to Catherine about it.
How could he? How do you express the moment when you realize that the boundary between being a protector and something much more intimate has simply... dissolved?