Saving Her Kingdom

♡ Chapter 48

Chapter 48

3rd person P.O.V. (Thomas)

"Well Gaby knows because I've been attacked in the stables by one of the Rutherfords' henchmen," she said with a worried voice.

Attacked?!, he thought in panic, once again realizing a second after that he had spoken aloud. "You've been attacked?", he repeated, his eyes wide with concern, "What happened?"

"The man wanted to kidnap me and threatened me with a dagger. But I know that he wanted me alive, because he could have easily killed me otherwise. He mentioned working for someone called 'Master Rutherford'. Thankfully, Gaby found me and rescued me. But he was able to hear what the aggressor had been saying, and I decided to tell him all about it afterwards," she explained to him, since the others already knew.

Thomas felt a cold sweat on his forehead. He hadn't expected having to deal with an attack on Anna. She isn't safe here anymore, he thought, the realisation quite painful to him.

"The thing is, Louis of Rutherford knows about my secret too. And I suspect he has told his brother Jacob. Since Lord Rutherford doesn't know my identity, even though he knows that the princess of Ravenport is here, it can't be him. So, I suppose that it's Jacob that planned the attack, without Louis' and Lord Rutherford's knowledge."

"And why not Louis?", Thomas asked, his mind reeling with the new problematic situation.

"Ah... uhm...", Anna trailed off, clearly uncomfortable.

Thomas frowned confusedly, "What is it Anna?"

"Well... Louis had a discussion with me two days ago about his knowledge of my identity and a solution to this situation that he came up with...", she said, and hesitated, "He... he proposed to me..."

"What?!", Gaby exclaimed.

Thomas mind went blank for a few moments, before his entire posture straightened. He certainly hadn't expected to have a rival for marrying Anna so quickly. And it was Louis of Rutherford at that... He closed his eyes to mask his expression as his stomach twisted, and reopened them, looking intently at Anna, who squirmed a little under his eyes. "And what did you answer?", he asked quietly.

"No, of course!", she exclaimed. Thomas sighed with intense relief, relaxing again.

"He said that we could unify our families, that the both of us would become king and queen of my kingdom, and that the conflicts and everything would be over. He is right in a sense. It would simplify the entire situation. But even though it might be selfish, I wouldn't marry someone just to bring a stop to a conflict. There are other ways to do it, and it would be the ultimate betrayal to my father if I married one of the Rutherfords. So, I refused," she explained.

"But that still doesn't explain why he wouldn't attack you," Gaby pointed out.

"Oh, that... that's because he loves me...", Anna replied hesitantly.

Thomas froze. "He loves you?", he said in a cool voice, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, there was that look in his eyes that I never saw before... he couldn't be lying, at least not about his feelings," she answered quietly.

"Oh," Thomas murmured. Even though he was reassured about Anna's feelings, he worried about her safety. Was Louis' love for her of the healthy kind, or the obsessed and dangerous one? Knowing the Rutherfords' sorts of schemes, he couldn't help but be concerned that she would be forced into this marriage.

After contemplating for a few moments, he decided to propose to her very soon. If she accepted, she would at least be safe from being forced to accept Louis' offer.