Chapter 68: chapter 68

After the maids left, Amelia stood still for a moment, then turned toward the mirror. She looked at her reflection, but she couldn’t find her old self. The face staring back at her didn’t feel like hers anymore. The dress, the jewels, the way her hair was done—it all felt foreign. Her reflection was a stranger.She took a breath, trying to steady herself, when she heard a knock on the door.She opened it slowly, and there stood Caspian.For a moment, they just looked at each other. Caspian didn’t say anything. He just stared at her like he forgot what he was going to say. And she remained silent too, surprised by the sudden intruder.The silence stretched until she softly said, “Your Majesty,” and bowed her head.Caspian snapped out of his thoughts. His tone was gentle. “Come with me. Let me show you the castle.”Without waiting for a response, he offered his hand. She didn’t take it, but she stepped out of her room and began to walk beside him, her hands clasped in front of her.The corridor was wide and polished, lit by soft golden lights. As they passed, the maids and servants bowed to the king and then to her. She wasn’t used to it. No one had ever treated her this way before. It felt strange, like she didn’t belong in this place where everyone lowered their eyes around her.The castle was so big, so vast, that it didn’t seem possible to see it all in one day. Hall after hall, corner after corner, staircases, high ceilings, old paintings, echoing halls—they walked through it all in silence.Neither of them spoke.Finally, Caspian broke the silence. “You probably hate me,” he said softly. “For keeping you here.”She stopped walking for a moment, then looked up at him.“No, Your Majesty,” she said, shaking her head. “I could never hate you. You are my king.” Her voice was composed, but distant. Like something she had memorized.But Caspian was watching her closely. He noticed the turmoil behind her quiet eyes, the way her hands were clenched, and the sadness in her voice that she tried so hard to hide.He smirked. “You’re going to be my wife, Amelia. I want you to speak openly about how you truly feel about me.”His smirk grew a little. “You don’t have to hide it if you want to curse me.”She swallowed hard, startled by his words. “No, my king, I certainly don’t wish to…” She glanced at him, just for a second, then lowered her gaze again, “Curse you.”Caspian laughed suddenly—loudly, freely. The sound echoed down the corridor. It startled her, made her shoulders jump.He grinned. “That was almost convincing.”Then his tone softened. “You must be hungry after all this walking. Come. Let’s have dinner.”Dinner was nothing like what she had known before. The long table was set with golden plates, silver cutlery, and more food than an entire village could eat in a week. She tried to eat, but every bite felt like sand in her mouth.She sat across from Caspian, speaking only when spoken to, smiling when she was supposed to. He was kind, polite, but she felt like a stranger trapped in someone else’s world.After the dinner, Caspian walked her back to her chamber.When she stepped inside and the door closed behind her, the silence returned. But this time, it felt heavier. The dress was too tight. The food too heavy. The room too still. The people, the walls—everything felt suffocating.She couldn’t breathe.And so, without thinking, she slipped out of the room. Her bare feet padded softly over the cold floor as she wandered through the dark corridor. The walls stretched high above her, the moonlight spilling through stained glass windows. The castle was quiet now, almost asleep. As Amelia moved through the dimly lit corridor, she caught sight of two maids standing near the staircase, whispering to each other. It was clear—they were talking about her.She slowed her steps, unable to stop herself from overhearing.“How could the king choose her?” the first maid muttered. “She’s not of noble blood. She’s poorer than me.”The second maid stifled a laugh. “Oh, I doubt he intends to marry her. He probably just wanted to bed her. That’s why he brought her to the castle. Once he’s had his fill, he’ll toss her aside—just like all the others.”Their words struck Amelia like a slap. A wave of heat rushed to her face, and for a moment, she wanted to scream—scream until the walls cracked and the stars fell from the sky. But no sound came out.Instead, she turned and ran.She ran through the endless corridor, until she reached the large open balcony at the far end. Only then did she stop, breathless, her chest rising and falling rapidly as if she’d been holding everything in for far too long.The air hit her face—cold, real. She began breathing heavily like she had been holding her breath all day.She gripped the edge of the stone railing and looked up. Tears slipped down her cheeks silently. And the stars, distant and silent, simply watched her.No matter how much she wanted to be brave, no matter how hard she tried to act strong in front of others, deep down… she was scared.Terrified, even.The walls around her were too tall, too cold, and the people who lived within them—nobles, servants, guards—looked at her as if she were a mistake. Like she didn’t belong. An outsider wearing a crown too heavy for her head.They never said anything out loud, never dared to whisper a word, only because the king had chosen her to be the queen. That title was the only shield she had. But after hearing what the maids had been gossiping about, she now began to doubt even that.She already knew what they were all thinking—she had just witnessed it near the staircase.She was also scared of Caspian. Not because he did anything wrong to her. He never forced her. Never touched her. But there was something about him that made her uneasy. Maybe because she knew—sooner or later—she would have to surrender to him. She couldn’t keep him away forever. One day, he would want her. Not her company, not her words—but her.And she wouldn’t be able to say no forever.She tried not to think about it, but the fear crept into her bones—colder than the stone floor beneath her feet. She tightened her grip on the balcony railing, trying to steady herself. But her legs gave way, and she sank onto the cold ground, trembling in silence.Lately, her thoughts kept circling back to Ivar. She hadn’t realised how much she loved him until now—now that it was too late. Now that she stood at the edge of a life she never asked for. She could feel it in her chest, in her skin, in her soul—every part of her ached for him.His voice, his warmth, the way he looked at her like she was something worth fighting for.Every inch of her body cried out for him. But her lips remained sealed.Because she knew—if she ever uttered his name—it would lead to something catastrophic. Something dangerous. The kind of danger that could shatter more than just her life.So she stayed quiet.And suffered in silence.