Chapter 51

For one thing, she was happy to be able to eat in peace, but at the same time the princess was

worried. When she was in his study, she hadn't paid attention to his health. She should at least make

sure later that some food was brought to his chambers.

They entered the dining room and at the sight of the food Lyana realized again how much she had

missed it. Bread and water wasn't exactly a delicacy, but at least it had kept her alive.

She sat down at the table and started with a light soup. The taste made her sigh softly and for a brief

moment she closed her eyes. When she opened it again, she suddenly saw a person she hadn't

expected. King Ulric.

She was about to get up to greet him, but he held up a hand defensively, so she let it be. "I wasn't

expecting you. Otherwise I would of course have waited", Lyana apologized. She looked at him a

little more closely. She hadn't actually noticed it at the meeting in his study, but he did look a bit emaciated. The bloodthirsty look was gone, instead he looked tired and exhausted.

"It reminds me of our first dinner," replied the king. Lyana waited to see if he would continue with

his sentence, but he didn't even look at her.

To hide her disappointment, she picked up the spoon again and continued to eat her soup. "May I

ask why it reminds you of this specific evening?"

Soup was now also served to the king. "Hmm, you weren't expecting me at our first meal here either." He glanced over at her. "The dress is also the same."

"Just without the mark on my neck, which I used to wear as jewelry", Lyana added, slightly ironic.

But the fact that he'd noticed these little things made her a little happy.

"The mark ..." King Ulric muttered absently. "That's true. Instead, you seem to have taken a liking

to the necklace I gave you."

As if to confirm, Lyana touched it. "I'm very attached to it. It shows me that it is worth saving you.

"With this statement she might have gone a little too far, but the king no longer reacted at all and only concentrated on the food. So Lyana did the same. The silence dragged on until dessert. Only

occasionally did Lyana catch the king staring at her over and over again. But she didn't know how to interpret his looks.

They had just finished their meal when he got up. The princess remained seated for a moment, then

she got up too. While she was still moving, she felt someone grab her hand for support. She looked

to the side and was surprised that it was King Ulric who held her hand gently in his.

Lyanas heart made small leaps, but she tried not to let it show. After all, she didn't know what his

motivations were. His facial expressions remained illegible.

Without letting go of her hand, however, he led her to the door. There he paused for a moment.

"You will surely look forward to seeing your family again tomorrow. As I have been told, your cousin will also do us the honors and show up here. There's nothing better than reuniting two lovers.

"The last sentence sounded slightly sarcastic and also somehow ... hurt. But before she could reply,

he said goodbye and went outside without another word.

Now Baridi came back to her side. "Are you all right, Your Royal Highness?" He asked carefully,

whereupon she could only shake her head. "Not really. I just don't understand him. Why is he suddenly talking about my cousin?"

The valet looked embarrassed at the floor. "Just before you were brought to the king's study, I gave

King Ulric a letter from the Sun Kingdom. It looked like he had been waiting for it, but when he read it ... Well, this time the letter was not from your father, but from your cousin Afram."

Lyana now understood how he suddenly spoke of him. Still, it shouldn't bother him any further.

Unless ... he'd spoken of lovers reuniting, so he knew about their engagement. No wonder he had reacted this way when she confessed that she loved him when he had recently received a letter from her fiancé. The king had to think that she was someone whose feelings could not be taken seriously.

Just like his sister's fiancé. Her own grandfather. For King Ulric, she had to be as bad as he was.

"Baridi?" She almost whispered. "If you see the king later, please tell him what I have already told you. That engagement with Afram and me, that did not happen at my request. It was a political

decision that I accepted because I had no feelings for another man. "

The valet nodded. "Of course. I will do my best."