The King's Unbreakable Wife-Chapter 223: Return to the palace (2)

"I don’t want you to go back to the palace. You should get to settle down somewhere to live as you want. We were so blind to the dangers when we entered the selection. Well, I was and I ignored your warnings. I just feel like this isn’t the end of you being hurt," said Helena.

"It is unavoidable. I’ve been dealing with Lynn’s death and being queen was all new to me so I might have burdened my body. Other than that, my days in the palace have not been bad. As annoying as he can be, Tobias makes my days worth being in the palace. Don’t tell him," Hazel said as he would keep saying it.

Helena smiled, feeling better about Hazel’s time in the palace. "I’m sorry that I haven’t been visiting you in the palace. I said that I would, but I have not kept my word since your wedding. I will try to visit as much as I can before I move. I’m also sorry about taking mother and father out of town with me."

"There’s nothing for you to apologise for. I know that preparing for your wedding will keep you busy and I wasn’t bothered that you took our parents with you. I am not alone without you since I have people around me in the palace. You’re finally maturing so how can I intervene?" Hazel teased, ruffling Helena’s hair.

"Hazel!" Helena whined. "You know that I hate that. Father has been doing it so much these days. I cannot wait to be married and leave here. They are so attached to me because they can’t believe we’re both leaving them alone. You must visit them in my absence."

"Wasn’t father the one today that he couldn’t wait for us to leave? Because of the money he would save," said Hazel.

"That has changed now that he is realising that it will just be him and mother. Now I wish that I wouldn’t have to move to the countryside. If something were to happen to any of you, I wouldn’t be able to get here in time. I was so excited about marriage that I didn’t realise how everything would change. You’d send for me if you ever need me, right?" Helena asked, holding Hazel’s hand.

"I know that you’re the queen and my big sister so you think of yourself as the one who does all the protecting but I can do that too. Just point to who you want me to protect you from. I’m going to be a viscountess so I will be more than your annoying sister," said Helena.

"As soon as I need protection, I will call for you. No more crying now," Hazel said, touching Helena’s cheek. She could tell that Helena was crying before she came in. "I am fine now. We’ll get to enjoy each other’s company before I go back to the palace in two days."

"Two days?!" Helena exclaimed, not believing that Hazel wanted to go back so soon. "Why don’t you stay longer? The doctor says you should take this time to heal so why would you go back there in two days? That is not enough."

"Because it would be suspicious if I extend my stay and I must return to be with Tobias. I have duties in the palace and I want to get started on making my position worth something. I won’t get that done if I stay here. I will still rest there," Hazel promised.

It was unavoidable that Hazel had to go back the day she intended to. Like Helena, Tobias might be against the idea of her returning so soon, but Hazel had her mind made up. To keep this a secret, she had to return to get rid of any suspicion.

"I don’t think you should go back soon but it’s not like you will listen to me. Hopefully, the king will convince you. When you were asleep, you missed how he spoke of killing someone for you. Burning down the court so you wouldn’t have to hear their opinions," Helena revealed.

It was moments like that which helped her to understand why the king had ended the selection early.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Hazel questioned, a little scared by how Helena looked at her.

"I overheard father telling mother about women going into the palace with hopes of getting the king’s attention. I was a little worried because of the king’s past, but I have nothing to fear now. He loves you just like I think father loves mother. I see why you don’t care about the dangers of the palace as long as he is there," said Helena.

Helena hoped that it would be the same for her with her future husband. "I want to lay with you a little before the king comes back. Did you..."

"We didn’t. I am to rest," Hazel replied, shaking her head at Helena’s naughty thoughts. "And if I could, I would never do it under the same roof as my father. You can lay here," she patted beside her.

This might be the last time for a while that she could lay with Helena.

"I’m a little worried that Tobias is bothering the cook. I hope that he hasn’t convinced anyone to let him cook. Then we might lose this home to a fire," Hazel joked.

"Still, it must warm your heart to know that he would do things he never did a day in his life for you. I’ve never heard about a king cooking for anyone. Not even for his wife or children which is odd. How are your days with the queen?" Helena asked, remembering the tension between the two.

"We’re not close but I am accepting her help these days. We can sit without fighting though there are a few small jabs. Don’t worry, I won’t speak of this to her and I will warn Tobias not to. I don’t trust that she would comfort me and consider that we lost a child," Hazel said, thinking of how Tabitha would use this against her.

Hazel could see Tabitha spreading it around that she had lost a baby and even join in calling for Tobias to take another woman. Not all women would pity her and seek to protect her. Some would look to see how it would benefit them.

There was a small chance Tabitha would understand and care for her, but Hazel wasn’t willing to take that chance. Tabitha was nasty to her more times than she was kind for Hazel to just trust her.

"I wouldn’t trust her either. I hope your return to the palace will be peaceful so you can rest."

"I hope so too," Hazel replied though she knew it would not be so.