**Chapter 6: Threads Unraveling**

The courtroom's atmosphere, once charged with tension, now lay in the aftermath of a reluctant concession by the king. His proclamation, veiled in disdain and resentment, echoed through the regal chamber. "Very well," he declared, the weight of his words revealing a deeper displeasure. "I grant this commoner the status of a noble, with immediate effect. However, his new estate shall consist of a ten square kilometers." The court then become silent.

In the midst of this silence, Eric found himself grappling with the weight of the king's decision. The titled nobility, with their vast expanses of land, might scoff at the seemingly meager ten square kilometers, but Eric sensed the unspoken truth behind the royal concession—the king's disdain for his newfound son-in-law.

The king's dismissal of the court served as a stark reminder to Eric of his outcast status, even among commoners. The nobles departed without acknowledging him, leaving him to observe his wife and supposed in-laws in silence.

As he witnessed the final exchange of glances between the monarch and Amelia Falcon, Eric's heart sank. Rose, the woman he had married in a distant village, departed without sparing him a single glance. The indifference in her gaze cut deeper than any sword, leaving Eric to navigate the treacherous waters of a relationship strained by the disdain of both king and wife.

Summoning every ounce of courage, Eric approached Rose as she left the courtroom. His voice, a careful blend of politeness and desperation, cut through the lingering tension. "Ma'am, please spare me some of your time. We need to sort this out."

The space between them felt like an insurmountable void, echoing the emotional chasm that had widened between husband and wife. The ensuing silence, pregnant with unspoken grievances, demanded careful navigation. "Are you aware, ma'am, that you're pregnant?" Eric ventured, broaching a topic loaded with uncertainty.

Rose's reaction unfolded like a symphony—astonishment, repulsion, and a resounding slap that echoed through the chamber. She accused Eric of forcing her to carry what she deemed a bastard child, and the weight of her words struck him like a physical blow. Anguish and anger waged a fierce battle within him, and for a fleeting moment, he teetered on the edge of retaliation.

Yet, a sudden clarity halted his hand mid-air. He couldn't bring himself to harm the woman he loved, even in the face of her vehement disdain. Tears welled in Eric's eyes as he grappled with the enormity of Rose's accusations. Vulnerable emotions spilled over, laid bare for all to witness. "Rose, No Mam" he whispered, the pain resonating in his voice. "I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted any of this."

The echoes of their tumultuous encounter lingered in the courtroom, Eric's plea hanging in the air like a fragile thread. The fragile bond that tied them as husband and wife faced an uncertain fate, the tapestry of their love unraveling amidst the turbulent currents of resentment and despair.

As the grand doors of the courtroom closed behind them, Eric felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him. The once-vibrant tapestry of their love, woven with shared laughter and whispered promises, now seemed frayed and tattered.

Desperation gnawed at Eric's heart as he took a step closer to Rose. His words, carefully chosen, carried the weight of a man clinging to the remnants of a love slipping through his fingers. "Rose, please, let us talk. I know this is difficult, but we can't let it end like this."

Rose's gaze remained cold and distant, her silence a formidable barrier between them. The emptiness in her eyes mirrored the void that had emerged between their hearts. Eric, undeterred, persisted, his voice a plaintive melody in the cavernous emptiness of the corridor.

"Rose, please," he implored, using the name that once held warmth and familiarity. "We promised to face everything together. Let me in. Let me understand what you're going through."

The weight of unspoken words lingered in the air, and for a moment, Eric thought he saw a flicker of hesitation in Rose's eyes. Yet, it was swiftly replaced by a steely resolve. She spoke, her voice laced with a bitterness that cut through the fragile hope Eric harbored.

"There's nothing to talk about," she declared, each word a resounding verdict. "This was a mistake—a nightmare I never signed up for."

Eric felt the weight of her words settle upon him like a shroud. The woman he loved, who had once shared dreams and whispered secrets, now stood before him as a distant stranger. The corridor, witness to the unraveling of their connection, seemed to stretch into an infinite expanse of isolation.

In a last attempt to salvage the fragments of their relationship, Eric reached out to Rose. His hand, trembling with uncertainty, sought hers. "Rose, please. We can find a way through this darkness together."

Rose, however, recoiled as if his touch burned. "Don't," she spat, her eyes ablaze with a mixture of anger and revulsion. "You lost that right the moment you dragged me into your wretched life."

The cruel reality of her words struck Eric with a force that left him reeling. The distance between them, both physical and emotional, widened into an unbridgeable chasm. The man who had once held her in the tender embrace of love now found himself cast into the shadows of her disdain.

As Rose turned away, leaving Eric standing alone in the cold corridor, he felt a profound sense of loss. The tapestry of their love, once vibrant and promising, now lay in tatters at their feet. The threads that had bound them were frayed, and the future they had envisioned together seemed like a distant mirage.

As Eric stared into the emptiness she left behind, the echoes of their shattered connection reverberated through the corridors of his soul. The man who had dared to dream of love and happiness now stood alone, engulfed in the cold silence of a kingdom that had become a prison of shattered dreams.