Aryll mumbled to the air as he rubbed his neck.

“According to my experience, such women do not sleep with anyone. She’s not the kind of girl who jumps into bed with any man in the palace. Don’t you think so? But this won’t change your mind. I mean, in my case… ”

Aryll stared at Ryder again. His expression softened.

“When I’m insecure, Celia reassures me. Oh, of course, I, too, couldn’t handle that feeling before. I thought it was either Ced or me. But I guess in the end, I am quite dear to Celia too. So in conclusion…”

Aryll scratched his head, searching for his words, and continued.

“You can only ask. And trust the answer you’re given. There’s no reason for my woman to lie to me. She loves me, and although I don’t know why, she also loves Ced. Since Celia says she needs both of us, then we have to cooperate.”

Ryder silently rubbed his hand on his face. Aryll looked at him for a moment and asked:

“Alright, let’s put it this way. From now on and forever, Lord River will hold Lady Ellen. And you, you won’t ever be able to touch her. Imagine Lord River does something stupid and makes Lady Ellen cry, but you can’t do anything about it. Could you stand it?”

Just the thought of Ellen crying made his heart ache. He didn’t think River would do anything stupid, but he was a man, too. Every man does ridiculous things that make women cry. It is an undeniable truth. And when River would make Ellen cry, he would not be able to hold and soothe her. It was against public morals for a man who isn’t even her husband to do so. She might even cry alone in another castle where he could not see it.

Ryder closed his eyes for a moment in soaring anger. His fists clenched up with much force. Aryll flicked his tongue as if he had noticed his reaction from him and got up.

“At least, you and your brother seem on good terms. Look at us. We thought one of us was going to die. If things had followed their natural course, it should have been the case. If a woman can make two men who tried to kill each other work together to rule the country, why can’t two close brothers share a woman? I don’t understand, but being jealous can’t be helped. It’s up to the woman to reassure you on this matter. It’s up to Lady Ellen.”

Aryll looked down at the papers on the table for a moment, shrugged her shoulders as if it were none of his business, and shouted toward the bedroom.

“Ced, work! The consultation is over. Damn, if you’re going to have this kind of consultation, at least start with a brandy.”

He went to the bedroom and popped the door open. From inside, a woman’s moaning voice came out, and Aryll mumbled something and slammed the bedroom door behind his back.

And Ryder realized shortly afterward that the work on the Kingdom Foundation Day had been handed over to him. Damn it.

8.

Count South Horn and Margaret were able to stay in the palace thanks to them being Ellen’s family. All kinds of aristocrats gathered in the restricted guest building of the royal palace, so many of them that it was difficult to walk around in the corridors.  The women wore wide skirts and all kinds of accessories, weighing each other up.  Margaret also brought two of her own maidens and no less than two boxes just for clothes.

“Of course I would. The Kingdom Foundation Day is the biggest party of the year. I have to stand out here.”

“You’re engaged.”

Margaret snorted at Ellen’s words.

“There may be better titles than that person. I’m not married yet.”

Margaret’s eyes narrowed as she looked at her sister.

“There’s a rumor that you’re meeting with the Duke of Madison’s brother. It’s a rumor, isn’t it? Or is it a man to whom any woman would do?”

Ellen glared at Margaret with sharp eyes, but her sister didn’t care about her side and nagged her maids to spread out all the wrinkled clothes.

“He’s not like that.”

Ellen’s voice was low. When it came to her sister, she could not quite get angry at her. It felt like she had returned to her childhood when everyone praised her beautiful sister while she had to hide in the corner. During her months in the palace, she could forget her scars for a while, but when her father and sister came, everything seemed to have gone back to when she was still living with them.