Royally Bounded

Chapter 98

Clara

"Queen Clara," a voice snapped me awake.

I instantly woke up and raised my head up from my arms on the table. I forgot when I had fallen asleep but only remembered finishing meetings after meetings. I grew tried from the workload, my eyes turning heavy. I spent the entire time talking about the laws and changes. It was already night when I stared out at my office window.

Violet suddenly rushed inside with full concern over her face. I could sense that another news was coming in, and it was a bad sign.

"Queen Clara, Prince Xander rushed outside, and he's at the gates trying to leave. He overheard Nellie talking about King Hayden, saying that he would die in the town and never come back," Violet reported.

I rushed out of my office and headed outside. I stood there, seeing my parents-in-law attempting to calm Xander down, but he was crying loudly for his dad. His voice broke whenever he called out for Hayden, and my heart instantly crushed at the sight. He was banging on the gates, reaching his arm out to open it.

I lowered down, nodding at my parents-in-law to let me handle the situation. I resisted the tears in my eyes, not trying to scare Xander further. He was already vulnerable enough.

"Mummy," Xander cried as he stood in front of me. "Open the gate. I want to find Daddy." His sobs turned uncontrollable as he breathed hard.

"Daddy has to find Uncle Ivor. He will come back soon," I explained slowly.

"Nellie said that Daddy will never come back again. She said that Daddy is dead."

"Mummy promises to bring Daddy back home. He will come back, and we will celebrate your birthday together with lots of huge balloons and car toys."

I pulled Xander into a tight hug as I brushed his head. He sobbed against my shoulder and held onto me closely. We were left in the same situation as the past, only him and me, but I trusted my instinct this time. Hayden was coming home, and I would do everything to have him with us.

I carried Xander back inside and had Josephine look after him. Once he was settled down, I had the two maids in my office. When they followed me inside, their heads remained low, like they were terrified to even look at me. As soon as they glanced up, their head dropped down again to avoid my gaze.

"I hope both of you understand the rules that Hayden and me set in this palace," I reminded them sternly. "If you feel like the rules are too harsh, then I suggest both of you to leave and find a better job where you can truly gossip about your own boss. I don't mind."

"Please, Queen Clara," Nellie quivered her lips, the tears swelling in her eyes. "We apologize for disrespecting King Hayden. It's our fault for letting Prince Xander know. Please don't fire us."

"Yes, Queen Clara," the other maid, Eura, sunk to her knees and pleaded. "Please don't fire us. We still need the job to support our families. We promise to not make the same mistake again. You have our word."

"Don't think that you can use your own family for my sympathy. I despised people using my sympathy as a weakness. If both of you continue with the act, I'm going to have you out of the palace. I won't care who you have to support."

"Thank you, Queen Clara," they both said appreciatively in sync.

They rushed out, closing the door behind them. I sighed heavily and rested back on my chair. I saw Hayden work daily and accomplished task without any stress, but he actually had a lot to deal with for home and business. He never complained once, and behind him, I could do the light work and relax with a simple life.