Claimed By The Tyrant King

Those simple words were enough to bring another smile to Rosalind’s face, and she quietly lowered her eyes, unable to hide how much they meant to her.

Adrian watched the exchange in silence, and for a brief moment, he simply observed the man his daughter had chosen.

Everything Adrian needed to know was already evident in the way he looked at Rosalind. He valued her, relied on her, and never hesitated to acknowledge her importance.

As a father, there was little more he could have wished for, and with that quiet reassurance settling in his heart, he said nothing further and simply returned to enjoying the meal with his family.

Catarina had also been quietly observing the couple throughout the meal, and it didn’t take long for her to notice that Rowan was hardly paying attention to his own plate. Instead, his attention kept returning to Rosalind.

Whenever her cup was nearly empty, he reached for the water before she even had to ask. If a dish was placed a little too far away, he moved it closer without a word, and whenever she needed anything at all, he was already taking care of it before she could even think to do it herself. It was obvious that, as long as he was beside her, he had no intention of letting her lift a finger.

The sight warmed Catarina’s heart, and after watching them for a little longer, she leaned closer to her daughter.

"He is quite the husband, isn’t he?" she asked with a knowing smile.

Rosalind felt heat rise to her cheeks, and although she tried to hide her embarrassment, the blush was impossible to miss while Rowan remained completely unaware, calmly continuing with his meal.

"But doesn’t he let you do anything at all?" Catarina asked curiously.

Rosalind let out a small, helpless laugh. "He doesn’t," she admitted. "Sometimes it feels a little frustrating because I can still do plenty of things on my own, but I’ve stopped arguing with him because it never changes anything. Somehow, he always knows what I need before I even ask."

Her muttered thoughtfully. "I suppose there are worse problems to have."

Rosalind couldn’t argue with that, and despite herself, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

On the opposite side of the table, Julian had become occupied with Hannah instead.

"You’re Rosalind’s sister?" he asked with bright curiosity.

"Yes," Hannah replied with an easy smile.

Julian looked at her for another moment before speaking again. "You look just as lovely."

His compliment was so sincere that Hannah couldn’t stop herself from laughing softly.

"Do I?" she asked playfully.

Julian nodded without the slightest hesitation. "I think everyone from Merovia is different," he said thoughtfully. "It’s like all of you came from another world because everyone is so pretty."

His innocent remark drew quiet laughter from around the table, and even Rebecca couldn’t hide the amused smile that appeared on her face.

Hannah smiled warmly at the little boy. "Would you like to visit Merovia someday? There are so many beautiful places I’d love to show you."

Julian’s eyes lit up immediately. "Oh, can I?"

"Of course," Hannah answered without hesitation.

Julian turned excitedly toward his mother. "Mother, do you think we can visit Merovia together?"

Rebecca raised an eyebrow at him with an amused look.

"Weren’t you the only one who received the invitation?" she teased. "Why are you dragging me along? Go and enjoy yourself."

Julian immediately shook his head. "Oh no, I wouldn’t do that," Julian said sweetly as he shook his head. "You deserve to see somewhere as beautiful as Merovia too."

Rebecca couldn’t help but feel her heart warm at his thoughtfulness. Even though he was still a child, he always seemed to think of the people around him before himself, and moments like this reminded her just how kind-hearted her son truly was.

"Alright then," she replied with a smile. "We’ll go to Merovia together."

Julian’s face immediately lit up with excitement. "Really?"

Rebecca nodded, and he beamed so brightly that everyone around the table couldn’t help smiling along with him.

The conversation continued to flow naturally throughout the dining hall, filled with warmth, laughter, and easy conversation. There was no awkwardness among them, nor did anyone feel the need to remain overly formal. Instead, they simply enjoyed one another’s company as they shared stories, sampled different dishes, and laughed over little things that came up during the meal. For the first time in a long while, the palace felt less like a royal residence and more like a home filled with family.

After the meal had come to an end, Rosalind accompanied her mother and Hannah back to the chamber while the others remained behind.

"I brought so many things for you and the baby," Catarina said excitedly as servants carefully carried in several beautifully wrapped packages. She could barely contain her enthusiasm as she opened them one after another, revealing everything she had personally selected.

Inside were tiny baby clothes made from soft fabric, delicate scarves, little knitted outfits, blankets, and other necessities she believed both mother and child would need during the months ahead.

There were also thoughtful gifts prepared especially for Rosalind to make the final weeks of her pregnancy a little more comfortable.

Rosalind looked over everything with a smile that refused to leave her face.

"Has everyone already decided that I’m having a girl?" she asked with amusement as she picked up one of the tiny gowns.

"Oh, not at all," Catarina replied immediately. "I prepared for a boy too."

She reached into another package and began laying out miniature outfits made for a little boy.

Hannah laughed. "Mother wasn’t willing to take any chances."

Rosalind chuckled in agreement as they admired the second collection of baby clothes.

"I was making sure nothing would go to waste," Catarina said matter-of-factly. "Even if you have a boy now or a girl now, there will always be more children later."

"Mother," Hannah said with an exasperated laugh, "she hasn’t even finished this pregnancy yet. Don’t start frightening her already."

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