Charles (pov)

"Yes, your majesty. Brother is coming with us. But.."

I was about to go back when i heard her hesitating so i stopped,

"Yes, Katherine, you can ask for anything without hesitation, you are the mistress of the palace, everything is yours.'' I saw a mocking gaze pass her eyes for a fleeting second then her eyes turned normal again.

It was not like I did not feel bad for her. But i was trying my best to handle everything, it was not like i wanted to get married to her. It was just a political marriage and we both knew that. It might be the reason she did not even ask for affection or physical favour even once.

Though for the first week we did sleep in the same chamber, she did not desire me, there were questions in her eyes, and when I did not answer them, they died one by one.

I closed my eyes as I remembered how strong she was at that time, full of pride and quick replies. But now her strength has been crumbling, I could see the silence was ensuing. I do feel bad for her but there was nothing I could do.

"I was wondering if Sir Edward can also accompany us for today?" my brows furrowed at the sudden request, not because it was difficult to fulfil, but she had never interacted with Sir Edward and Sir Richard was the best which served her already, yet I nodded.

"Sure, I will inform Sir Edward to escort you for today, do you need anything else?

"No, your majesty. I am grateful to your acceptance and worry you always show for me" she replied holding her dress and bowing her head.

She always did that when her part of the conversation was done, as if she was telling me, 'Now I am done, you can leave' I chuckled at the thought and she looked at me confused.

"Is there something worth laughing about, at this moment, your majesty?" she asked with a blank face and I shook my head.

You would not get my humour anyway.

"There is nothing, Katherine. So I will leave now."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Ben, go and ask Sir Edward to come and meet me this instant."

"Yes, your majesty"

I walked to my office, hoping everything would go well with her trip with the duchess, and I was just overthinking. There was something that kept on the edge about the duchess. Like she knew more than I did. The way she looked at the people, as if she knew their future, she knew their miseries. Otherwise I would not have requested Katherine so much to take Rosamund with her. But both are hard nuts to crack. Both are not ready to bend in front of others.

I sat on the chair and opened the files for today. There was another request for the woman to start a business and take part in managing the properties of her husband, and once again it was from the same man!! I did not know what had happened to Cassius these days!!

It was already enough that unmarried women got a chance to manage and own her father's properties, as she had no other source to be dependent on, we even allowed them to be heirs, now he wanted married women to have that power too!

"Your majesty, I think you are so busy with work that you didn't even notice my presence."

I looked above only to see Rosamund coming out from the balcony of my office.

"I would have, if you were not standing in the blind corner of the room. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Ah, you hurt me, your majesty. I specially came to wish you good morning, as you were not in the chamber when I woke up. Yet you are so rude to me, what have i done." she asked as she down casted her face.

I sighed, "I am not being rude, Rose. i am just asking, is there anything you need, i have a lot of work to do"

She shook her head as she looked back at me.

"I am just here to wish you good morning." she replied as she forwarded her favourite flowers to me. A smile bloomed on my lips.

"Thank you for the red camellia, they are as beautiful as you."

"I thought i am more beautiful for you" she replied with a pout, and I chuckled.

"I apologise, you are the most beautiful lady, Rose."

She hugged me, and I felt the tension of morning slowly releasing the body.

"So, why did you leave so early today?" she asked as i went back to sit on my chair and she took the seat in front of me.

"Katherine is going to have a tour of the town with Duchess Marianne. So I just went to meet her and wish happy journey."

I knew she would be angry, but she had to understand that i just could not stay away with her completely, at the end of the day she was also my wife.

As expected, the smile on her face was gone, "I am sure, your majesty, you went to request her to take me with her, and she had denied."

And when i did not say anything, a smirk formed on her lips.

"So when I told you that I would not go with her, you forced me and I relented. But when she denied, you just accepted it, and yet I am the bad one among all three of us.

You were the one who proposed to me, yet I waited for 6 years to get married to you, and even then I was not taken as your main wife. And now when she is here, the difference is clear and as a wife when i feel resented, i am in the wrong." here she was again, accusing me over everything.

"You knew this was going to happen, Rose. you knew from the start. These are the rules of empire, I have not made them and I can not change them for myself. I am still giving you my best, could you not see the difference in the treatment of both of you" i asked for the umpteenth time, pinching the space between my brows.

"I can, I can see that very well, your majesty. I apologize, but I need to go now" she added as she wiped her tears and walked out.