Royale (Book #1 Royale Series) {Under Revision}

Chapter 49: Hush Now, Little Prince

Juliana's POV

"I just want to see her. I need to make sure that she's all right." I heard Aspen explain with urgency.

"She is fine." Samuel told him. "She just needs her space right now."

Samuel had been by my side, continuously, for the last two days. Tending to my every need. It was especially admirable considering all of the funerals he had to help prepare for. With my father in his grief stricken state, Samuel had taken over all of his duties, including sending sentries out to search for Willow's body back in Isolian rebel territory.

"It would only be for a moment. Just to ensure everything is-" King Damien was interrupted by my brother.

"Listen, you two didn't make anything better with your little pissing contest the other day. In fact, you turned an already impossible situation into a disastrous one. So as far as I'm concerned, neither one of you can see her until further notice."

"We had no way of knowing Sara's condition," Damien said, but this time, Samuel didn't need to counter his argument because Aspen did it for him.

"No, we didn't. But it's not like things were going fine before we heard the news. We didn't make anything better for her."

"Yeah, well that's pretty rich coming from you considering you're the one who tackled me. Everything I did was in self-defense. So don't play the wise guy card on me." Damien retorted.

Sensing another argument, I pulled away my covers, lifted myself from the couch, and walked into the next room of the chamber.

All discussion ceased when the three of them noticed my presence in the room.

"I appreciate you all coming to check on me, but I'm fine, really." It was true enough. I had managed to stop my sobbing fest yesterday when I'd pictured my mother's reaction if she could see me wallowing this way. "Okay, I'm not fine. But I'm getting there. And this," I gestured to the three of them in an effort to reference the arguing among them. "It's overwhelming."

"Samuel, go check on your wife. She needs you more than I do right now. I will check in with you later. Promise." I gave the fullest smile I could manage and clasped his hand in mine to convey how much I appreciated him being there for me.

Though he'd been working for my father for the past eleven years, he didn't know me very well. However, he stepped into the role of big brother effortlessly.

With a supportive squeeze of my hand, he gave identical menacing looks to both Aspen and Damien daring them to upset me, and walked out of the chamber.

I turned to Aspen.

"Aspen, I need to talk to Damien alone." He opened his mouth to protest, but I quickly finished before he could. "I will speak with you later."

He was silent for a while and I feared he'd protest, or worse, start another fight. But finally, he spoke.

"Will you be at dinner tonight? My mother has been expecting both you and your father."

I bit my lip. "Actually, I was wondering if you and I could have dinner together. Alone. There is, um, something that I need to talk to you about."

"Of course. Whatever you want."

He took my hand in his and pressed his lips softy against my palm, warming me to the bone. Before letting go of my hand, he spared an icy glance at Damien, then gently pulled me closer and planted a tender kiss on my lips.