Claimed By The Tyrant King

Seeing that the babies continued to sleep peacefully, Rosalind turned to Freya and Kira, whom she had sent for earlier.

Lowering her voice so she wouldn’t disturb the twins, she said, "Stay here and watch them... Whatever you do, don’t wake them up." The two maids bowed respectfully, assuring her that they would carry out her instructions, and only then did Rosalind quietly slip out, gently closing the door behind her.

The evening air greeted her the moment she stepped into the palace gardens.

The sun had already begun its descent, painting the sky in warm shades of gold and amber, while the gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers through the quiet pathways.

From a short distance away, she spotted Rowan strolling along the stone path with his hands clasped behind his back, seemingly lost in thought.

She remained where she was for a brief moment, simply watching him. "Are you planning to enjoy the quiet scenery without me?" she finally asked, folding her arms across her chest with a smile.

Rowan turned at the sound of her voice, and the thoughtful expression on his face immediately softened. A smile spread across his lips as he slowly shook his head before opening his arms toward her.

Rosalind wasted no time closing the distance between them. She stepped into his embrace without hesitation, wrapping her arms around him as though it was the most natural place in the world to be.

Her body gradually relaxed against his, and Rowan gently held her close while breathing in the familiar scent of her hair, he found himself wishing they could simply remain like this forever, with nothing demanding their attention.

"Are they asleep?" Rowan asked softly, referring to Leander and Estelle.

Rosalind nodded against his shoulder before pulling back just enough to look at him.

"I asked the maids to watch over them so I could come out for a little while," she replied. Then her curious gaze settled on him. "What are you doing out here?"

They naturally began walking together, Rowan gently linking his arm with hers as they followed the winding stone path through the gardens.

"I just finished talking with your father," he answered.

Rosalind narrowed her eyes."You two have been talking quite a lot lately. What exactly are you discussing?"

Rowan answered calmly "We mostly talk about the kingdom, political matters, and he gives me advice,"

Rosalind interrupted almost immediately."That sounds incredibly boring."

"It really isn’t," Rowan answered with a smile. In truth, their conversations often drifted beyond politics. They discussed history, books, military campaigns, battle strategies, and the difficult decisions that came with ruling a kingdom. King Adrian never hesitated to challenge Rowan’s opinions, and Rowan enjoyed those discussions far more than he ever expected because they often saw things differently before eventually reaching the same conclusion.

"I’ve found his advice genuinely helpful," Rowan added.

"Hmm," Rosalind hummed quietly, although she still wasn’t entirely convinced.

Before long, they reached one of the stone benches overlooking the gardens and sat down beside each other. Rosalind gently rested her head against his shoulder, and Rowan instinctively leaned his head slightly toward hers.

They simply watched as the sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizon while the evening breeze brushed gently against them, carrying with it a peaceful stillness that neither had enjoyed in quite some time.

After a while, Rosalind suddenly straightened. "That reminds me," she said as she turned to face him.

Rowan looked at her curiously. "Rebecca told me she and Julian are planning to leave the palace soon"

Rowan looked at her quietly for a moment, taking in what she had said before his gaze drifted toward the horizon where the last rays of sunlight lingered across the sky.

"I knew that would happen eventually," he said. Unlike Rosalind, he wasn’t entirely surprised by the news.

Rosalind let out a quiet sigh. "I thought someone might have pressured her or made her feel unwelcome here. I really do like having her with us... and Julian too," she admitted softly.

Rowan nodded in understanding. Then he said, "Someone like Rebecca is a woman with dignity. She wants to stand on her own without relying on anyone’s kindness, even if that kindness is given willingly," he said thoughtfully.

"That was exactly what she meant." Rosalind paused before adding, "I do respect her decision, though."

She turned her face toward him. "What do you think about it?"

Rowan remained silent for a brief moment before answering. "If that’s truly what she wants, then I don’t think I have the right to change her mind. She should do what she believes is best for herself and her son, and if that’s the path she’s chosen, then I can only respect it."

Rosalind nodded quietly before leaning against him once more, resting her head comfortably against his chest. Rowan naturally slipped an arm around her shoulders, holding her a little closer.

"I’ll miss her... and everyone else too," she murmured, her voice growing quieter. "I really dislike moments like this, when it feels as though everyone is leaving."

Rowan gently rested his cheek against the top of her head. "I understand how you feel, but, eventually... everyone will return to the lives waiting for them," he said softly.

After all the celebrations had ended, the palace would grow quiet again. Marek would return to Merovia, Verity would go back to her own life, and if Rebecca truly left with Julian, then another familiar face would disappear from these halls.

"It’ll just be us..." Rowan continued with a faint smile. "And our children."

Rosalind slowly lifted her head to look at him and, "I’ve missed this," she confessed.

"Hmm?"

"I’ve missed us spending time like this." Her lips curved into a small smile. "Now that I think about it... it’s been a really long time."

Rowan smiled back at her, saying nothing as he waited for her to continue.

"Something is always happening," she said with a quiet laugh. "There’s always someone looking for us, something that needs our attention, or the babies needing one of us. We’ve hardly had a moment where it was just you and me."

Her eyes softened as they searched his. "I’ve missed you."

A warmth settled across Rowan’s features. "Well..." he said gently as he reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "here I am."

Rosalind held his gaze, and without realizing it, she moistened her lips. She could feel the familiar flutter in her chest returning. "Do you think..." she began hesitantly before smiling at herself. "After the children and everything... do you still think I’m beautiful?"

Rowan looked at her as though the answer had never needed a second thought. "If beauty had a soul, Rosalind..." he said softly, never once looking away from her eyes, "...it would look like you."

There wasn’t the slightest hesitation in his voice. He said it with such certainty that her heart seemed to skip a beat.

Rosalind felt warmth rush into her cheeks, and she lowered her gaze with an embarrassed smile. "Don’t say things like that while looking at me like this," she murmured quietly, her eyes darting elsewhere as though avoiding him would somehow calm the pounding of her heart.

"How do I look at you?" Rowan asked, leaning a little closer with an amused smile.

Rosalind paused, trying to gather herself.

Good heavens...

Even now, her heart was racing as though she were falling in love with him all over again.

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