The King's Lover-Chapter 543: Your Name

The next morning, Rose woke up feeling better than she did the night before. It was a new day, and she was determined not to let the past affect the present.

Caius was resting on his elbow and looking at her with a smile as she opened her eyes. "Good morning, Rose."

Rose grinned as she suddenly had a thought. "Good morning, Caius."

Rose didn’t mean to call him by his name, but he had done the same, and she hoped it would ease the heavy air that still hung around from the day before.

Caius’s eyes darkened, and he stretched out his hands to pull her closer. "What did you call me?"

"Your name," she replied with glinting eyes as she held his gaze.

"Say my name again." He entangled his legs with hers, trapping her so she couldn’t move away, and he leaned closer to her face.

"Your Majesty," Rose called in horror as she tried to escape, realizing she might have bitten off more than she could chew.

"Wrong," he grinned and tightened his grip, locking her in place.

Rose tried to struggle out of his hold, but she failed as he held her closer, his eyes filled with everything he planned to do to her.

A soft rap on the door echoed through the room, and Rose let out a sigh of relief. "Someone is at the door," she cried, hoping it would make him stop.

"They can wait!"

"Your Majesty," Rose cried and tried to crawl away from his hold. She gripped the sheets as she tried to pull away from him. "I told Chelsy and Isla to come get me in the morning. They must be the ones at the door."

Another soft knock echoed in the space, and Rose let out a silent prayer that he might let her go, but Caius had a grin on his face that was widening.

"It will only take a moment, Rose, and then you may be on your way."

"Ah," she yelled as he bit her neck. It was more startling than painful. "Caius!"

She felt him smile against her neck, and she turned to face him. "Do you perhaps enjoy torturing me?"

Caius lifted his head to meet her gaze. "Torture?" he asked with exaggerated horror. "Of course not."

However, before she could reply, he dipped his head, taking her lips.

Rose closed her eyes; a satisfied sound echoed in her throat as their lips met. He held her body to his as he gently kissed her, and Rose easily wrapped her arm around his neck.

This was comforting, being wrapped in his arms and kissed as gently as this, was not something she could dare give up. He held her lightly and she knew he was still worried about the attack.

His hand moved across her body, and Rose felt him try to hitch her nightdress upward.

"Your Majesty," she yelled as she pulled away. Of course, he would get distracted.

Caius stared at her with a smirk on his lips. He didn’t try to stop her from leaving this time.

"We will be late for breakfast," Rose said, annoyed at the high pitch in her voice. It felt like she was stating the reason for herself and not for him.

"They can wait," Caius simply said as he lowered his gaze, his eyes lingering on her chest but slowly lifting to her eyes.

Rose was rushing out of the bed as their eyes met, and she could hear the King chuckle. It was annoying how much effect he had on her by just looking at her. As she was already considering that perhaps it wouldn’t be bad to be a little late.

She pulled the door open, and her maids looked at her in relief. They handed her a coat, which she adorned before stepping out of the room. The guards bowed as she exited. She walked towards her bedchambers, with her ladies behind her.

Rose found herself glancing towards Caira’s room as she walked past. She usually didn’t think much about the princess, but she found her thoughts drifting to her.

The princess had neither shown her disdain nor acceptance. She almost seemed completely indifferent. However, Rose was certain she wasn’t fine with it. It must be embarrassing for her. Yet, the princess did nothing.

Chose nothing.

Rose frowned as she turned her head away. She wasn’t one to sit on the sidelines, especially when she could get away with meddling. Or perhaps, it was simply a front? After all, she did meddle with her husband.

Rose’s frown deepened at the thought, and she realized she was still quite angry about it and very disappointed.

Her ladies-in-waiting moved quickly as they got to her bedchambers to help her get ready for the day. Despite the fact that they no longer needed to do menial tasks and could assign anyone to be her personal maids, Chelsy and Isla still took on these tasks themselves.

Rose asked, and they replied that they hadn’t found anyone trustworthy, and with no other tasks at hand, they had plenty of free time to handle her chores. Rose didn’t pester; whatever the girls were most comfortable with.

The door of her bedchambers was flung open and Caius burst in just as the girls finished helping her get ready, Rose turned towards the door; she couldn’t even feign surprise.

"Your Majesty," the girls were quick to bow.

Rose walked towards Caius, who had a smile on his face as he looked her up and down. She stopped in front of him, and his eyes lingered on her lips, and she could see the contemplation in his eyes.

"Shall we, Your Majesty?"

Caius forced his gaze to her face. "Are you certain you wouldn’t spend today indoors?"

Rose shook her head. He had asked her the day before, but Rose knew better than to stay hidden. Whoever was behind this would think they had won and might be more confident in their next attack.

She wasn’t going to hide, no matter how scary it got.

However, it was pretty clear that Caius wasn’t asking because of safety, unlike the night before. Right now, he had other plans.

"No, Your Majesty," she said and took his hand.

"A shame," he said and leaned in while holding her arm to his elbow.

Rose shook her head as she smiled, and together they walked out of the room and towards the dining room.