Chapter 224: Restrict
Rose nodded. "But, Your Majesty," she whispered, "would it be too much if I made a request that would make me feel better?" she asked softly.
She was getting nowhere with this conversation. All the crown prince had said so far was that she had nothing to worry about—but everything around her suggested otherwise.
"You may," Caius replied, pulling his hand away from her chin.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Rose started. "I would like to restrict the number of maids who bring me my meals and help me get ready. I prefer a very reduced number and hopefully pick the people I can trust. I know it’s too much for me to ask, Your Majesty, but I’d feel better if only the people I trusted were allowed around me."
"Done," Caius said without hesitation. "Anything else?"
Yes, let me go. How long does this intend to go on? Rose thought, but she knew she couldn’t dare say these thoughts out loud.
"No," she said instead, her voice a little lower. "That’s all the request I have, Your Majesty."
"Good. Enough with this."
Rose’s stomach twisted at his words, but her expression didn’t change. She didn’t know if the crown prince even saw her as anything other than something he could command—something to parade in front of nobles for his amusement. His words often sounded like favors, but they were shackles in finer wrapping.
She doubted this would ever change—not that she cared. She just wanted to be away from the castle and all its troubles. Dealing with nobles was far beyond her powers.
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"Henry will take care of it, as well as the guards. As for my mother," Caius whispered, stepping closer, "you have nothing to worry about. The most you’d get is petty actions like this. She wouldn’t dare hurt you this time."
Rose stared intensely at Caius as he spoke. She wondered if he would still be saying this if she had been the one to drink the poison last night. She wondered if she would be dead by now.