In the meantime, Cassian looked at smiling Samuel with dissatisfaction.
"What were you doing?" Cassian questioned Samuel.
"I've just lost a fourth game of chess to supposedly a lousy player. All while I was trying to distract her highness with the lecture on the governing powers of our kingdom.
Cassian furrowed his brows.
"Governing powers of Ariadna? Since when are you interested in that? Since when is Isabelle interested in that?"
"I am not interested in the topic but I remember our lessons from years ago. Believe it or not I did keep some of that knowledge with me. And her highness has been interested in politics for a while."
"Why doesn't she ask me?"
"Would you tell her freely why there's tension between Ariadna and Galbore and why Ariadna was involved in the war? Did you tell her that you suspended many trades with her kingdom?" Samuel asked in a challenging tone. As Cassian went silent, Samuel added. "Her highness came to me because she didn't feel comfortable to talk to you about these sensitive topics and she is aware that I have no understanding of appropriateness to stop myself from telling her anything."
"Isabelle?" Annette pitched up. Cassian suddenly remembered her presence.
"Adeline." Cassian tried to clarify but in Annette's eyes it seemed like he mixed up the names. It was even more proof that Cassian didn't care about Isabelle enough. "I see." Cassian turned to Samuel again. "You're dismissed tonight from the dinner."
Samuel's smile weakened.
"I must speak with you in private, Cassian." Samuel pitched up remembering what he has learnt from Isabelle about the king's true intention of the visit.
"I shall speak with you tomorrow." Cassian decided before he left the room. Annette faithfully followed him. He stopped once he reached his desk in his study and he turned to the duchess. "Annette, I expect your apologies."
"Her highness was with the first royal advisor, as I've said!" Annette said defensively.
"Chaperoned by two servants. You insinuated that my wife might have an affair!" Cassian hit the table with his fist which made Annette jump. Once again she didn't recognise the juvenile boy that she was friends with before the war.
"I'm sorry, Cassian. I just didn't want you to get hurt."
"I do not wish to see you for the rest of the day." Cassian decided. Annette nodded with a sour face.
"As you wish, Cassian." She bowed her head and left Cassian alone.
As Artorius readied to departure, his son walked beside him.
"Thank you for letting me visit." Artorius smiled.
"As if I had a choice, dad." Cassian sneered.
"Thank you for letting me meet Isabelle."
"Again, as if I had a choice."
"You must know that I have really loved her from the very first moment. She is much more than what I could have ever expected of my daughter-in-law and princess of Ariadna."
"I've told you about her before and you didn't believe me."
"Because it sounded too good to be true." Artorius chuckled as he stood beside his carriage.
Isabelle run down the stairs, her cheeks flushed as she run up to them.
"Your majesty!" She bowed her head at the bottom of the stairs. "I-… I was worried that I might've missed you! I've brought this for you." Isabelle passed a flat box to the king.
"Thank you, Adeline." The king gleamed before he opened the lid and the herbal smell hit his nostrils with all of its power.
"I have prepared a set of teas for different ailments which I hope will make you feel better. Her majesty should benefit from them too." Isabelle explained.
"That is truly thoughtful, Adeline." Artorius looked at it with excitement.
"I-… I have also made a silk scarf for her majesty. Could you give it to her?" Isabelle pulled out a second small box with a tied ribbon to his majesty.
"Of course. Thank you. Thank you to you both. I shall see you soon."
"Keep well." Cassian replied to his father as he helped him into the carriage. Isabelle stood to the side and once the carriage started moving she waved eagerly goodbye. Cassian stood beside her, alone with her for the first time in a while.
"I'm sorry, your highness, I didn't mean to intrude on your farewell." Isabelle said apologetically as she noticed Cassian standing behind her.
"It is not an issue, Adeline." Cassian forced a smile on his tired face. "Shall we go to the dining room?"
"If you wish, your highness." Isabelle bowed her head before she started walking up the stairs with lightness as if there weren't tens of them. She didn't speak but her presence was enough.
Once they've entered the dining room, Isabelle froze as she realised that no food was on the table. The only thing on the king table was a chessboard with the set of pawns.
Cassian walked towards the table and stood by the end of it, right in front of the chessboard.
"Your highness?" Isabelle wasn't even sure what the question was as she looked at the chess set and Cassian.
"If you're not too hungry as of yet, shall we have a game of chess as we await dinner?" Cassian suggested as he pointed at the seat opposite of him. Isabelle slowly approached it and sat down. Cassian watched as Isabelle knitted her brows into almost a single line, deeply thinking about something, whether it was her first move or the meaning of this suggestion.
"Your highness, will this not be inappropriate for when her grace and sir Asselin arrive for dinner?"
"They won't be joining tonight." Cassian replied shortly.
Isabelle looked up at Cassian, meeting his strong gaze and stormy eyes. Something seemed to trouble him.
"I didn't know, many apologies your highness." Isabelle looked back at the board and made her first move.
Cassian was quick to react with his move. A few moves in, Cassian shifted in the chair.
"I-…" he stuttered nervously which surprised Isabelle who still sat as if her chair was made out of needles. "What governing power types does Ariadna have?"
"Ehhh…" Isabelle was taken aback by the question. "Legislative, executive, and judiciary."
"I assume that you can differentiate them."
"Yes, your highness." Isabelle nodded. "The legislative power allows for the government to make new laws, the executive power allows for those laws to be put into an effect and plans relevant policies, and judiciary administers justice by by interpreting the law, and ensuring the law is upheld, such as through appropriate punishment."
"Very well. What about Galbore?"
"I-… I am not certain. I was not taught about Galbore's government. But from my observations which might not be accurate, I believe that Galbore follows the fusion of power where all three governing powers are joint into a single power."
"I see. Who is the main person responsible for all of this?"
"King Edgar Laureze of Galbore." Isabelle's voice was quiet as if filled with shame. Cassian nodded at her answer as he moved yet another piece across the board.
"Ariadna signed the truce with Galbore 60 years ago. We never signed the peace treaty. My father and grandfather spend decades upholding the calm status between kingdoms. It never was easy. I do not plan to ever invade your kingdom and ever enter any conflict with Galbore." Cassian let out a sigh. "But… what I didn't tell you yet is that I have suspended many trades with Galbore."
Isabelle's eyes rounded as she now openly stared at Cassian. His head hung law in his own shame and her gaze burnt the top of his head. Isabelle didn't know how to respond.
"I have realised today that I should've told you. More so, I should have asked you what you thought was the right course of action."
"Your highness, I am unaware of the politics. It is not a topic I was ever allowed to indulge in and it is not a topic her grace would advise me on in our lessons. I trust that you've made the right decision for your kingdom and your people, whatever it is." Isabelle said as calmly as she could, moving the piece across the board, very clearly choosing to sacrifice the game to give Cassian a winning move.
Cassian watched it and as she finished her move he rubbed his face with a slight realisation of who Isabelle was now. He didn't go for a checkmate but instead he tipped his king over.
"I have stopped any luxurious trades because I won't allow the Queen of Galbore harm the Princess Consort of Ariadna. I thought deeply about it and I have negotiated it firmly. I have decided that this was the only way to uphold the firm boundary and show that this disrespect will not be tolerated but also I have tried to ensure that people of Galbore do not suffer more during the hunger season with lack of our typical agriculture trades. I wanted to ensure that the Galborian royalty pays for the harm they have done to you when you went to visit your cousin with minimal consequences for the people of Galbore who were innocent."
Isabelle sat back and watched Cassian's fidgeting hands. He started picking at his nails. She thought carefully about what Cassian has said, feeling guilty that she was the cause of his decision.
"I didn't mean to cause trouble…" Isabelle mumbled. "I do not think it is necessary to implement any punishment for my sake…"
"Thirty hits… You took thirty hits." Cassian said as anger flowed through him again. "Never again."
There was a heavy silence between them for a few minutes.
"What is a luxury trade?"
"Any non-food trade." Cassian answered shortly, his hands shaking increasingly.
"Thank you, your highness." Isabelle said at last. "Thank you for thinking of my people."
"As much as people of Ariadna are yours, people of Galbore are mine. I have no rule over them but I've promised myself that I will do anything in my power to ensure that my decisions do not compromise them."
"Thank you…" Isabelle smiled, overwhelmed with Cassian's words.
"I cannot win if my princess doesn't fight." Cassian said with the weakest smile as he looked at the chess board. Isabelle moved her hands away and Cassian set up the board again and switched the colours between them.
"I have said that I am a lousy chess player, your highness." Isabelle smiled.
"Make it a challenge." Cassian demanded.
Isabelle played with much more intent to win this time and before long she checkmated Cassian which made him happy. Their third game ended with another win for Isabelle. After they finally had their dinner, which was just them two sitting right opposite each other, they sat down in front of the chessboard again.
"I haven't yet thanked you for the herbs. They have eased my cough tremendously." Cassian said at one point.
"I'm glad that they were of help."
"They truly were. Is there anything I could do to thank you?"
Isabelle had many ideas flash through her mind but she shook her head. "There is nothing, your highness. I am just glad to be of service."
Cassian smiled softly as he watched Isabelle's long eyelashes and blushing cheeks. Her blue hair seemed a deep royal blue in the slightly dim room.
"Your gifts have been moved to the royal quarters, to one of their rooms. I wasn't sure what you'd like to do with them."
"Thank you." Isabelle's cheeks burnt at the reminder of what has happened. "I will attend to it as soon as I can."
"How have your days been recently?"
"I have mostly been in my lessons with her grace. Or with the first royal advisor. I have bothered the royal alchemist too. Beside that I am either in the library or in the garden."
"Do you need anything?"
"No, your highness. You were too generous to me already."
"Hardly." Cassian sighed as he lost another game. Isabelle shifted in discomfort, feeling as if she was upsetting him by winning the game. "Didn't you say that you were a lousy player?"
"I did, your highness."
"Hmm…" Cassian furrowed his brows. "In comparison to whom?"
"My grandfather, your highness."
"Wasn't Gideon the master chess player?"
"Ehh…" Isabelle looked at Cassian in surprise. She didn't expect him to know either the name of her grandfather or f that he was a master in chess. "Grandmaster, actually."
Cassian roared in laughter which at first startled Isabelle but then she smiled as she realised that he seemed genuinely happy, until he winced and put his hand on his chest. "Is your chest still troubling you?"
"Mildly. It is much better nowadays."
"I'm so glad."
"I have heard that you dealt with some of my responsibilities whilst I was unwell." Cassian finally touched on another topic that troubled him.
"I am so sorry, your highness. I was advised that it was the best course of action in the short-term."
"It was. I did wonder how you managed though."
"I might have angered sir Galleon."
"I anger him by just breathing so it isn't that hard." Cassian chuckled. His mood seemed to improve throughout the evening. "Do not pay attention to the moods of the councillors. As long as you're just and reasonable, you will have a solid standing ground with the majority and that's important."
Isabelle nodded in agreement. They spoke a while longer before they've stopped the game with a single win to Cassian and six to Isabelle. Cassian was still not convinced that his win was an actual win as he had a feeling that Isabelle gave way to him. But he was glad to have forced her to spend time with him. He expected more resistance but without Annette and Samuel they've seemed just fine.
Cassian stopped with Isabelle by the door to her chamber. She still acted shy and embarrassed but she was calmer. She was calmer since he forced himself to speak to her more openly about kingdom of Galbore. His mind clouded with thoughts of her beauty and his increasing feelings. Without a single logical reason his fingers reached out for Isabelle's hair. He gently run his fingertips down a smooth strand which changed colour from deep royal blue to silver white throughout its length.
"I'm sorry, your highness. I am yet to try to cover this colour."
"No." Cassian smiled. "So not worry about concealing your looks in any way ever again, unless you truly want to."
"I-…" Isabelle stuttered. "I do not wish to draw the attention, your highness. My black hair shows clearly that I am from Galbore and…"
"I am not a pure blooded Ariadnan. I do not hide my background. Neither should you. Besides, you have been accepted by many as one of the Ariadnan people. The gifts they've brought prove it, don't you think?"
Isabelle nodded, unconvinced that he truly meant his words. Cassian gently run his fingertips across her cheek before withdrawing his hand. He noticed her hands clenched together in nervousness and he retreated a step away. "Good night, Adeline."
"Good night, your highness." Isabelle bowed her head and vanished in her room.
Isabelle wanted to scream when she entered her safe space. Many emotions flooded her at once. Samuel was right that Annette was trying to make Cassian believe that Isabelle is unfaithful. It was hurtful to think that now her husband's best friend did not have any good intend towards Isabelle. She was also very happy about how the king's visit went. Over the last few days she started to feel much more comfortable around the king who showed her nothing less than kindness. And then, there was Cassian. She didn't expect to spend an evening alone with him but it gave Isabelle time and space to remind her of what they started to become before Annette's arrival. He was attentive. He seemed to be more open than usual, speaking to her of so much, including her own kingdom. Cassian informing Isabelle of his decisions on the trades with Galbore eased her mind. She enjoyed playing the games of chess even if she felt that she was going to put Cassian in a rotten mood if she continuous to win, letting him have one more win aside of her initial complete defeat. She didn't want to flaunt her skills. This was not the case with Samuel who she was keen to beat. Things seemed better. But Cassian still didn't wear his wedding band on his finger. Annette was still his beloved (as per Isabelle's believe). Galbore still had luxurious trades suspended. And Isabelle's place in court was still uncertain. She was still Isabelle and not even Adeline.
Isabelle struggled to sleep due to the excitements of the day.