"Ride close," Caius said.
Rose simply nodded, but she didn't ride any differently than she already was. That was because she was riding as close as possible, as she had done for the last twelve miles. After she had finished eating, the crown prince had kept an eye on her, and to do so, she had to be right next to him.
It was uncomfortable, and Rose missed the moments when she was at the rear of the party, minding her own business and enjoying the scenery. The crown prince made her too nervous, and she hated that she was painfully aware of him. Every movement from him made her want to run away or curl up in a ball. She was terrified of him and what he was capable of.
They were close to the capital, according to what Rose heard. She was unsure and could barely see her surroundings, as it had been dark for quite some time now. Thankfully, they weren't riding in complete darkness. The torches from dawn had been turned on after the sun set.
Rose was tired, and her arms also hurt. For someone who had never ridden more than a few meters before now and was currently riding for two days straight, Rose was beyond exhausted. It didn't help that she had slept on the cold floor the night before.
"We are close, Your Highness," one of his men announced.
Caius didn't respond to this, and Rose had to squint her eyes to see ahead of her. But as she did, her eyes widened. She could see light at the top of the fence. It was still a bit far off but clear enough for her to see. Rose suddenly felt energized. Even though she hated this trip and would rather be home with her parents, she was glad she had come to the end of the journey.
A loud bell echoed, and then the sound of a horn. It was startling and even louder than the bell. Then a voice announced the presence of the crown prince just as the doors of the capital were thrown open. Hearthdale, the heart of Velmount. Located right in the middle, it was the official residence of the King of Velmount.
Caius sped right through the gates, and Rose followed after him. He stopped abruptly, and she almost bumped into him.
"What do you think you are doing?" a foot guard holding a spear yelled at her. "Get out of the way, you—"
It was just a glance, a simple glance, and the guard crumbled to his knees, his head bent. "Your Highness."
Caius casually got off his horse just as a carriage pulled up. They were still right at the entrance, the gates still open as the rest of Caius's men rode through.
"Get off," Caius ordered Rose.
She got off the horse immediately, staggering as her feet touched the ground. Her vision spun, and she held the horse for balance. It was the horse she had stolen from the baron. She hoped her father wasn't charged for it. It was a very good horse; even if they sold the house, they couldn't afford it.
She shut her eyes tightly as she stood to her full height. She didn't want to think about home. It made her nauseous. Her sick mother. She knew they were terribly worried about her. Ander—she wondered what he would do when he discovered she wasn't coming back. The wedding was in four days, and there would be no bride.
Rose jerked as she saw the crown prince's gaze on her. She pulled her hand away from the horse, praying she wouldn't fall. He turned his gaze toward the carriage; a guard was holding the door open. Rose looked around, a little lost.
"Get in!" he said as he sat inside.
Rose hopped, scrambling toward the carriage. The dark made the colors a bit unclear, but Rose could see the gold shining off the carriage. She was hesitant to get in, but she couldn't anger the crown prince. Lifting her dress, she raised a leg and got in. The door shut behind her, and Rose jumped. Caius narrowed his eyes at her and leaned back on his seat.
Rose stood with her back bent in the carriage. She couldn't possibly sit on the plush, velvet-cushioned seats with gold embroidery. The walls were silk-lined with the royal crest embossed, and the floor was carpeted with small footstools on each side of the seats.
Suddenly, the carriage moved, and Rose had to stagger for balance. A yelp escaped her lips, and she quickly sealed it.
"Do you intend to stand the entire journey?" Caius asked with irritation.
Rose slowly shook her head and dropped her rear onto the seat. She had thought of sitting on the ground, but she suspected that would only annoy him. She hated that she had to sit across from him, but there was no way she would sit beside him.
Rose sat with her legs together, her hands on her knees. She wanted to make as little contact with the seat as she could. She couldn't dirty them. She also kept her head down. The space was ridiculously small, and even though it was dark, with the only light coming from outside as guards rode with them holding torches, Rose knew he could see her clearly.
He didn't stop staring, and she wilted under his gaze. She could feel him undress her slowly. It made her want to turn her head to the side and throw up. Rose couldn't help but imagine the horrors that waited for her in the castle.
What if she ran away?
She had thought about it several times during the journey. She had thought about turning her horse around and fleeing, but she didn't even know if her father was safe yet. And if he was, the crown prince could get them again. Right now, her only chance was to do as he wanted and pray he would tire of her quickly.