"His Majesty did say he was working on something special for when you returned, but I do not think this was it." Caitlyn stammered. Her eyes could not process what she saw.
"I knew he wanted me married off, but I did not think it would be so immediate!" The princess took a step back.
"Slow down, Your Highness," Caitlyn could see this quickly spiraling out of control. "You are making a lot of assumptions. You know the king would not want you to marry any which you did not love or at least like immensely."
"Father practically shoved me into the new knights arms before I left. Forced me to dance with each of them. Why would he be so enthusiastic if he weren't trying to match me to someone right away?" Rose forgot all about Borit, or her brother, or anything else. All she could see was her future coming all too quickly for her. "That dinner with Ethyn. It is tomorrow! Father will probably try to push him into proposing that very evening!"
"Would you agree?" Caitlyn's question caught the woman off guard.
"What kind of question is that?" Rose glared fiercely at her lady-in-waiting.
Caitlyn tried to play innocent. "I only mean I did not know you had dropped his title already. I am sure he will be pleasantly surprised." When the princess's continued to glare, the brunette sighed. "I can mention your concern to His Majesty if you like. I am sure there is a misunderstanding."
The fire in Rose's eyes dimmed and she tried to regain her calm. "If you think you can broach the subject without mentioning the wedding gown, I would be most obliged. I need to gauge Father's intentions. I think he will be more honest with you if he is indeed scheming a betrothal."
"Well, it will all be a moot point if we don't get you changed quickly. He will come in here and discover our snooping for himself." Caitlyn began to remove her overdress and then the one underneath.
She passed the second outfit over to the princess while she redonned the first. Rose held onto the new dress while waiting for Caitlyn to assist her. "You don't suppose father wanted me to see this, do you?" The princess glanced at the white gown.
The more she looked at it, the more she liked looking at it. Each detail brought her eye to a new hidden secret. It was a masterpiece.
"If he is scheming as you think, there is no way he meant for you to see this now. He probably forgot it was in here." Caitlyn finished tying up the laces in her own gown and moved to helping the princess dress as well.
Rose sighed, "You are probably right." She was surprised by the listlessness in her voice. Had she not just been railing against getting married. 'I must be even more tired than I thought!'
When the two ladies finally emerged from the King's wardrobe, Borit had just returned. The commander's entrance was overshadowed by the two gorgeous women, but he did not seem to mind.
In fact, after surveying the room, Borit's face seemed visibly relieved.
"Ladies!" Rhodri stood to welcome them. "How lovely you look! I shall let you get some rest, Rose, before dinner tonight. I'm sure Borit was about to tell me everything was suitably arranged."
Borit nodded. "It is all well and good. I asked them to prepare a feast for four this evening. I hope you do not mind. I did not set it for five as the princess asked because I did not think it would be necessary." The smug look on his face toward the princess was quickly wiped away by the sovereign.
"Why would it not be necessary to have five places? Are you not joining us?" Rhodri raised one eyebrow. "I know you were not going to leave out Lady Caitlyn."
"Of course not, Your Majesty. The princess had just mentioned that she planned to have an extra guest for dinner, but I see that he has already been dismissed." Borit tried to explain his reasoning, but the king clapped his hand delightedly.
"Oh you mean Gilbert. I dismissed him to go get cleaned up and check on his men. Such a delightful and dutiful young man!" Rhodri's smile shone brightly as he winked at the princess.
The princess's eyes opened wide. The king was acting like he knew they young man very well when they had only barely met. He didn't talk this enthusiastically about the members of his own court and yet he seemed content to heap praise on a virtual stranger.
"But I..I assumed..." Borit stammered, "that you had sent him away for good."
"Why would I do that when my daughter seems so fond of him? So of course if Rose wants him for dinner, to dinner he shall come. I will send a servant to notify the steward of the misunderstanding." Rhodri motioned to Caitlyn, who quickly summoned a servant to carry out his bidding.
Borit's face looked like a thundercloud. He sucked his teeth and dipped his head reluctantly.
Having had his fun, the king took his daughter's hand. "You must get to bed. Borit and Caitlyn will see you to your room where I will place a new detail to guard you."
Although Rose did not like the idea of Borit walking with her, she was more concerned about the latter part of her father's statement. "A smaller detail, I trust! You promised..."
"I shall make good on my promise tomorrow. It would look strange for me to do such a thing when this is the first time you have been seen in almost a week. People have assumed you were ill." Rhodri's reasoning, though frustrating, made sense.
Rose did not want to raise too many eyebrows with her sudden reappearance. A sudden lifting of the guard would make it look like she had been under house arrest. If she made her rounds this evening, and then the guard was lessened in the morning, people would be less likely to connect the two events.
"Very well..." Going up on the balls of her feet, Rose kissed her father goodbye.
With Borit by her side and Caitlyn on her heels, Rose left the king's chambers to head to her tower.
The commander seemed particularly keen to engage her in conversation even in her exhaustion.
"I'm surprised at His Majesty's reception of young Gilbert." Borit watched the princess carefully.
She was visibly surprised by his choice of topics. 'Of all the questions he must have, why ask about Gilbert?'
"Father always welcomes those who serve in the military." Rose had never seen her father be angry at someone for doing their job.
"Yes, well. We shall see how long it lasts…." Borit answered cryptically. "That is if your affection for him doesn't wane first."
Rose brushed back her hair. She would need to wash it and her body before dinner. Her rest time was looking shorter and shorter. As such, her patience for the Commander as she neared her room was growing thin.
Exasperated, she blew out her cheeks. "Why would father's admiration or my affection change? Gilbert leaves in the morning never to be seen again."
"Of course. Of course, that is until you run away again…" the last part was barley audible.
Rose wondered why in the world Borit thought that Gilbert would be the one to bring her home again if she should leave.
That's when it hit her. His resentment, Rhodri's amusement, the squabble over dinner…Borit had things all wrong!
Rose chuckled and then laughed, eventually doubling over from the mirth. Caitlyn was about to intervene when Rose held up her hand and gripped her side with her other arm.
"Oh Commander! What you must think of me! I may have run off to see a man, but it was certainly not Gilbert." Rose gave him a coy smile. "I am surprised you would suggest such a thing."
"I said nothing of the sort," Borit backtracked. As they reached her door, the commander bowed. "I appreciate your candor. I will see you and the soldier at dinner."