Chapter 161: Pick A Piece
Caius was embarrassed, but he didn’t realize that was what he was feeling. He felt strange and noticed he couldn’t look Rose in the face. He thought it shouldn’t be such a big deal. He had simply done this on a whim, and at the time, it had seemed like a brilliant idea. But now that she was here, Caius was unsure—and this bothered him. He was rarely unsure.
"The table," he said, realizing she had been standing by his side for quite some time. "Get what’s on it."
She turned at his order, looking towards the table. For a moment, she didn’t move, and Caius wondered what expression she had on her face.
Rose could scarcely believe her eyes, and she was moving towards the table before she even knew it. It was a chessboard, complete with chess pieces. They had all been placed properly. Rose stopped in front of the table as she realized something—chess wasn’t a game she could play alone.
The pieces were separated by color: lighter-colored wood on one side and darker wood on the other. Rose peered at it, realizing that the chess set she had gotten had more than a few pieces missing. There was a horse’s head she didn’t recognize and another that looked like a queen’s crown. It was noticeably smaller than the other piece with a crown, and this was easy to see since they were arranged side by side.
She picked up this piece, studying it. The wood was exquisite, and she could tell immediately that it was delicate work. It had been carved, smoothed, polished, and shined. Even in the candlelight, it shimmered. Rose quickly dropped it back as she remembered the crown prince had given her instructions.
She picked up the board, and the pieces wobbled, but they held. She turned around, holding the board in her hands as she walked to the crown prince. He was still lying on the long chair, his gaze straight ahead.
Rose was a little confused, but she approached him regardless, and when she got close enough, she noticed the small stool in the corner. The shape was perfect for the board. She bent her knees and placed it down, and half the pieces toppled over.
"Nay," she exclaimed in horror and did her best to right them. But when she was done, Rose didn’t need anyone to tell her she had placed the pieces incorrectly—it was pretty clear.
Caius finally peeked at her from the long chair and snickered. It was a soft sound she wouldn’t have heard if she weren’t close enough.