Chapter 29

"I can't argue with that. No wonder the Gods do not answer my prayers. They must shake their heads whenever I enter the temple. It's a wonder I am still able to enter the temple," Amelia paused for a moment to look back at Cyrus who caught up to them.

She wondered if a large number of sins are what made the people of the north reluctant to enter temples or anything that had to do with Gods. Hopefully one day she could understand their ways.

Cyrus raised a brow confused by the stare. He was diligently listening to the conversation between the two women and didn't find it surprising Margaret wished to move on to her next life. Life in the castle would get to anyone.

Although he believed Amelia would make a better ruler than the people here in the castle, he would prefer if she were to flee and live her life without any rules. Cyrus didn't want the dirty games being played in the castle to get to her and with Killian not too far away, she should abandon her crown.

Escaping Killian a second time won't be so easy unless he truly became infatuated with Amelia but that was something Cyrus was not going to allow. For Amelia to become a toy for a monster like Killian. She deserved much better. She deserved the happiness Margaret wished for her to have but she wasn't going to find it here in this castle.

"Excuse me for a moment, Amelia. I must say goodbye to an old friend before I leave," said Margaret.

"Okay."

"Princess! Princess!"

Amelia rolled her eyes hearing Gina's cries as the woman ran to her. "It's like a chicken with its head cut off. Did you take the entire table of snacks with you?"

Gina's arms were filled with the snacks left for everyone to take and by the looks of it, she had taken all. "I am not so rude to take all. Everyone else was acting like they did not want any. Was I supposed to let them go to waste?"

Amelia examined Cyrus looking for any of the snacks on him. The only sign he had taken one was the white powder on his lips. "Are you certain you did not want more? No one will be able to dictate how many you have. Wipe your bottom lip, Cyrus."

Amelia would do it but it might start up another scandal about how he was her sex slave.

"I only wanted to taste one. I am not a fan of sweet things. They are not good for you in the long run," he wiped his lip as Amelia instructed him to do.

"I feel like you were directing those words to me but if you don't say my name I don't respect your shadiness. I don't think too far into the future. I only wish to enjoy the snacks now," Gina placed a whole cookie in her mouth to show how much she didn't care.

"If you keep that up you'll choke," Amelia was on the brink of being disgusted by the way Gina was hardly chewing the cookie.

"I won't. It's a tactic to let my suitors know I can hang," Gina whispered to Amelia. "Why am I even telling you this like you understand the dirty talk?"

"Trust me, I do and I never wish to hear a word of it again. I don't think men will see you swallowing cookies and think there's my wife. If they do, it's not the husband you are looking for. Chew the cookies before you swallow them or I will have the task of looking for a new personal maid."

Amelia decided to find another way to entertain herself until Magaret would be done with her conversation. "Uncle!" She exclaimed, seeing a familiar face in the halls.

"I am not your uncle," Leonard Rivers, the king's most trusted guard approached her.

"You scold me as an uncle would to his niece. Would you prefer that I call you my father instead? I'm sure my father wouldn't care. I bet you wish to stick with uncle now," Amelia grinned, enjoying the tired sigh from Leonard.

"I think you like messing with me, princess. Is there no one else for you to trouble?" Asked Leonard.

"No. Their facial expressions are not as entertaining as you are. You should be honored that you are one of the people I like in this castle. Many would love to be in your position. Are you now returning from a trip?" She had not seen him yesterday and there was no doubt in her mind that if he was present yesterday, he wouldn't have let her leave the castle.

"Yes, but I cannot tell you what for. I heard what happened to you yesterday. Are you alright after meeting king Killian? You must have been scared out of your mind."

Leonard saw Amelia as his family due to the fact he had been by her side from a baby. When he heard what the king did, he decided to return earlier to check up on Amelia. It was careless of the king to send his daughter into such a trap just because she insulted him.

"I was so close to peeing myself and now I am certainly going to have nightmares of that man. Meanwhile, my father is celebrating his victory in catching some of Killian's men. My death yesterday wouldn't have mattered as he has another child on the way. Did you know about it? That child," Amelia asked even though she knew the answer.

"It was never my place to share the news of a new royal," Leonard replied, feeling bad for her. The king was already speaking highly of the child he believed to be a prince and started to buy gifts to fill up an entire room. Annabelle's status will rise and Amelia will be pushed out of the castle.

"You are very close to the king, Leonard. Please tell me, why has he always hated me?"