Chapter 45: Fast Asleep
Henry was an older man with a thinning hairline. He was about two inches shorter than the average height. He often walked with brisk steps and a straight back, but when he was beside the royals, he slouched a little and kept his head bent.
He had worked in the castle for most of his youth and into his older years. He only became a steward in the last three years. The former steward had suddenly fallen sick and died. Henry was unsure of the cause, but rumors said he had betrayed the royal family and was either poisoned or had poisoned himself. No one knew, and Henry knew better than to ask questions about things that didn’t concern him.
Henry was constantly busy. He had servants reporting to him, and he was constantly at the beck and call of the prince. The crown prince would rather pull him out of bed than use his attendants. Henry had gotten used to it; it had been this way since the crown prince returned to the palace three years ago.
So, when he was interrupted in the middle of work to respond to the crown prince’s call, Henry didn’t think much of it—except for the fact that the crown prince himself was supposed to be busy. He wondered if he wanted to make a special request.
As soon as he got to the crown prince’s chambers, Henry knew something was wrong. The crown prince sat on the long chair, his robe draped around himself, while Rose lay on the bed, the sheets covering her body. It was clear she was fast asleep.
"Your Highness," Henry said with a bow.
"What’s the meaning of this, Henry?"
Henry slowly raised his head. "Your Highness, I—"
"She should have had enough time to rest, isn’t that right?" Caius asked, his voice calm but his eyes blazed with anger.
They had an unexpected guest the night before. The Duke had shown up unannounced. Usually, he wouldn’t have been given entrance, but his father must have done it to spite him. Caius not only had to deal with him but also the reason for his visit. He had ended up staying awake until the early hours of the morning.