Alistair's room was illuminated with a gentle light as the first rays of the morning sun began to penetrate the curtains and illuminate the space. Alaina was at ease as she lay snuggled up against his chest, her breathing being calm and steady. He had pushed her closer to him at some point throughout the night, and she had not objected, instead cuddling into him as if she were in a position where she belonged.
As he watched her sleep, Alistair couldn't help but smile. The soft snores that she sent out made him happy. A sudden pounding on the door jolted him out of his peaceful contemplation and brought him back to the present moment of tranquility that he had been experiencing. He let out a grunt and uttered a curse at the people who had disrupted the peaceful morning. He resisted the need to extricate himself from Alaina's warmth and instead slid into his robe, feeling relieved that the previous level of desire that had been there in his body had dissipated.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw a guard who was waiting for him, nervous and out of breath. "Your Majesty, Queen Jessica has just arrived back home. "She was ambushed on the way back, and her condition is critical," the guard added in a hurried manner, his voice tinged with fear.
After stepping out of the room and quietly shutting the door behind him, Alistair's thoughts were racing. There was a threat concerning Queen Jessica, a person whom he regarded in the greatest respect. The lady who had been at his side through a multitude of difficulties was now engaged in a struggle for her own survival.
"What's up, Jessica?" It was difficult for him to speak beyond a whisper since his thoughts were clouded by incredulity. As he ran towards the crisis, his heart was heavy with the weight of duty, and thoughts of her picture, which was powerful and unyielding, flashed through his head again.
As she stretched out on the giant bed, Alaina roused herself from her sleep. She took a moment to massage her eyes, and she felt more refreshed than she had in a very long time. In the midst of the noon sunshine that illuminated the room, she became aware that she had slept far into the morning hour.
All of a sudden, her thoughts turned to the previous evening. She did not feel any sorrow about the connection that existed between her and Alistair. Not even a touch. On the other hand, she was not going to give that admission to anybody, not even to herself. Releasing herself from the recollections, she made her way towards the magnificent closet and opened the doors, gazing in awe at the large selection of garments. "Oh my goodness," she said in astonishment.
Almost immediately after that, Tita and Finn came in, carrying a bundle of clean towels in their arms. They exchanged looks as they spotted the bed, but neither said anything. Alaina opted not to question their surprise and concentrated on getting ready. They assisted her in getting dressed after she had taken a shower, and then she accompanied them to the dining room.
It was the sound of laughing that caught her ears as she entered the room. Her eyes fell upon a face that she had seen before—Queen Jessica, who had attended the wedding. Jessica made a statement by saying, "You're awake," but her grin was more planned than pleasant. Alaina sat down next to Alistair, who gave her a gentle nod before seating himself.
"Who is she?" As she looked into Jessica's eyes, Alaina inquired with a calm tone in her voice.
"An old friend, Queen Jessica of Aldor," Alistair said with a grin as he presented an old acquaintance. In exchange, Alaina mustered out a smile that was pleasant. "It is a delight to finally meet." It's me, Alaina, and I'm from Blackmoore.
The look on Jessica's face became more serious for a moment, but she soon covered it up with a grin. "Oh, you mean your grand—" Suddenly, she was interrupted by Alistair's piercing glare, which caused her to withdraw into quiet and redirect her attention back to the food she was eating.
Afterwards, Alaina remained positioned by the window, observing Alistair as he made preparations to go. His tone was abrupt when he made the announcement, "I'll be gone for a while." "There is something in the next kingdom that I need to have a look at."
"But the guards—" she started, her fear clearly audible, but he interrupted her with a chilly tone in his voice. Without waiting for her answer, he abruptly turned away and said, "Don't tell me what to do."
A smile appeared on Jessica's face as she observed the game from the sidelines. Without a shadow of a doubt, she was aware of the fact that Alistair was not really attached to Alaina. Not at this time.
Rodger breathed out a sigh of contentment as he retreated to the depths of the dungeon, which was located deep under the castle. A small groan could be heard coming from the female prisoner underneath him as he rubbed against her. His mind was more concentrated on his objectives than on the deed itself. Because of his position as the king's right-hand man, he was entitled to a number of advantages, and he meant to make the most of them.
On the other hand, Bucks's sudden entrance inside the cell put an abrupt end to his delight. "Rodger, the king or queen, he is forthcoming."
The immediate nature of the scenario brought Rodger back to the present moment, prompting him to hastily disengage from the lady and promptly clothe himself.
As Alaina sat down in the magnificent hall of the palace, she struggled to hold back her emotions. Up until this point, she had never experienced rejection in any kind. The coldness of Alistair, as well as his rejection of her in front of a possible concubine and a friend who was only pretending to be her friend, hurt her more than she would have liked to admit.
With the intention of diverting her attention, she focused her attention to a little girl who was standing close. The youngster had hair that was so light that it was practically white, and it was tucked under a cap. She was standing next to a lady who was knitting and softly stroking her hair.
"Who's that?" Tita was questioned by Alaina, who indicated the girl with a nod.
Tita stated, "That's the daughter of one of the slaves," while maintaining a subtle tone of voice. The dungeon is where her father is detained.
"Is that a slave?" When Tita and Finn both shook their heads in agreement, Alaina's interest became even more intense.
During this time, Rodger and Alistair had traveled for a considerable amount of time, across the border into a neighboring country. To what extent can we be certain that she is speaking the truth? Inquiring, Rodger's eyes scanned the area around them simultaneously.
Despite the stress that was hanging on his words, Alistair said, "We can't." Still, the events that had place at breakfast stuck in his thoughts. As soon as he got back, he was aware that he needed to apologize to Alaina. And the awareness that he had been too harsh struck him like a ton of bricks.
A scowl appeared on Alistair's face as he mumbled, "Nothing seems out of place here." The question is, "Did Jessica make up the story?" There was a faint nod from Rodger. "It seems likely, but we'll need more proof."
Suddenly, their focus switched to a couple of security officers who were engaged in a discussion. Rodger said, "Take a look over there." "They appear to be aware of something."
Alex gave a little nod. When the time is right, we will find out.
When Jessica returned to the kingdom, she was sitting in her apartments, getting ready for bed with the assistance of Beula. "Do you really believe that this plan will be successful?" A frown of anxiety appeared on Beula's face as she inquired.
Jessica responded with self-assurance, "Of course," as her mind was already working out the next step she should take. In an effort to spark a conflict between the kingdoms, she had sent one of her troops to provoke King Absalom from his position. In a short amount of time, Alistair would be hers. Because she had put in so much effort, she could not allow anybody, particularly Alaina, to get in her way.
An expression of glee grew over her face as she became aware of the sound of horses approaching her eyes. "They're here," she said with a delighted expression on her face.
During that particular evening, Alaina made her way into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. While she was attempting to fall asleep, her thoughts wandered to her parents, and the sight of their faces brought her peace. It was only when she heard Alistair's footsteps that she became aware of the door slightly opening.
Despite the fact that he seemed to be fatigued as he approached the bed, she was unable to deny the little twinge of anxiety that she felt upon seeing him in such a compromised state. She moved slightly, unaware of the reason why the sight of him caused her heart to pull at her chest.
While he was slipping into bed next to her, he mumbled, "Honey," in a voice that was deep and exhausted. As she listened to his talk, she felt an unexpected heat accumulating in her gut, which caused her heart to beat. Everything seemed fresh, even his proximity to her and the way her body responded to him.
He made an effort to bring her closer, but she stayed still, her thoughts bouncing back and forth. While he was placing a kiss to the back of her neck, he whispered, "I'm sorry." With the touch, she shuddered, but her determination remained unshaken.
"Good night," he said in a low voice, his tone laced with displeasure as he gradually pulled away from her, allowing her to think about what she was thinking.
The fact that Alaina gave him the cold shoulder was more than simply a wall that separated them; it was also a mirror that reflected his own shortcomings. On the other hand, it seemed that none of them was prepared to put it down tonight.