30 Days As A Substitute Prince

Chapter 39

The ride back to the castle was relatively silent.

Anyone barely spoke after what seemed like days of driving. Joshua was out of it, and Tina was conflicted within herself. She wanted to comfort him in some sense, but she felt guilty at the relief she felt that Heather was gone. How could she be there for him if she wasn't sharing in on his grief? They all felt the same guilt. As much as they care for their friend, Heather caused hell in their lives, and they were somewhat relieved that she was gone.

Chad, on the other hand, could somewhat relate to the young guard. He was with Heather for over twelve hours and saw that she was a victim to some sense. Indeed, the suffering she endured shouldn't have happened to her in the first place. She wasn't the only one who sinned, but it seemed like she paid the price more.

Still, they knew it was over. There was no need in raising up old ghosts to get everyone to sympathise with the woman. As wronged as she was by Kind Sebastian, she still murdered innocent people and kidnapped Chad.

The sun had been at its peak in the sky when they arrived the next day, and the king and queen had been eagerly waiting for their daughters to return. They weren't happy that Aria and Tina had run off with Joshua without their knowledge, and they were furious with the three men for their defiance over the month. However, their relief that everyone was alive outweighed their disapproval.

When Sylvia and Andreas heard of the news of Heather, they too sympathised with Joshua since they saw how much his hurt was affecting Tina too. They also noticed how much Aria stuck to Chad's side, despite the obvious dirt, blood and sweat that stained his garments. Both parents knew that as royals, their actions shouldn't have gone unpunished, but even Liziath had taken a liking to the real prince. Could they deprive their daughters of their happiness?

They decided to meet with all six of them, so they got cleaned up and ate before meeting the king and queen in the throne room. None of them had barely spoken a word to each other. They felt like children who were called to their parents for a scolding. But surprisingly, when they arrived, Sylvia and Andreas' expressions were far from harsh.

"First, we must express that we are elated that you are all okay," Andreas said as he started. He then looked to Joshua, and his gaze softened. "And I must express my condolences, Joshua. I am sorry for your pain."

Joshua nodded at the gesture, catching Tina's eyes from the other end of the line.

"However, what you three gentlemen did was fairly dishonourable and should be met with the harshest bit of punishment. You not only lied to a king and queen but put us all in danger too," he added.

"Father, no, please. Do not—" Aria was on the verge of crying again as her father raised a hand to silence her.

"But," he added firmly. "You have seemed to find your way inside our daughters' hearts, especially you, Chad. It would be heartless of us to strip them of such happiness."

Aria beamed as she gripped Chad's forearm and pulled him forward. "So, do we have your blessing?"

Without answering, Sylvia and Andreas nodded before looking towards Zadkiel.

"That still leaves us with an issue. What shall we tell your parents, Prince Zadkiel? Aria has been your promised bride since birth."

"I appreciate your concern, King Andreas. But I shall deal with my parents. I was not the only one who has been dishonest," Zadkiel expressed coldly.

"You are leaving?" Liziath asked, almost harshly as she stepped from the line to face Zadkiel. His eyes softened as they fell upon the beautiful maiden. His hands itched to reach up and rub the frown from her perfect lips, but he controlled himself.