The King's Lover-Chapter 523: Wedding

The throne room was dim. Only a handful of torches burned along the walls, their flames low. Candles were placed on surfaces, but unlike during the late King’s wake, no one held a candle, and the throne was in full display.

The long carpets that led to the throne had been straightened and freshly laid, with dried rose petals covering every inch of the thick carpets. Rose could smell the flowers before she noticed them.

A priest stood near the steps—not in grand ceremonial robes, but in plain white vestments and a high hat with strings across his face. But they didn’t hide the older man’s features.

Thomas stood behind the King, and Rylen stood some feet away, but he was close enough to witness the wedding.

Caius was dressed formally but not extravagantly. No crown, only his circlet around his forehead. No mantle. Just dark, structured garments befitting a king.

It really is a wedding.

Rose refused to believe her eyes. How did he arrange everything so quickly? Also, wasn’t he on bad terms with Rylen? How was he here? She had too many questions but none as consuming as the fact that they were about to get married.

"Lady Rose," Maximus suddenly called. "We have a long way to walk. May I take your cloak?"

Rose snapped out of her shock and slowly nodded. Everyone in this room was looking at her. Caius stood at the very front, waiting for her.

Rose blinked hard as she carefully took off the cloak, not wanting to ruin Chelsy’s work. Her eyes were suddenly blurry, and her vision was hazy. Blinking seemed to make it worse.

Maximus accepted her cloak and put it over the arm away from her, then stretched out his other elbow to her. He said, "Your Ladyship, may I ask for the honor of walking you down the aisle?"

At this point, Rose was certain there were tears in her eyes. "Yes," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion.

However, she couldn’t nod, because holding her chin high was the only reason the tears weren’t pouring down her face.

Maximus nodded as Rose slipped her arm around his elbow. There was no music as they walked, but there was a beat in her step that all could see.

It felt as though she was walking on clouds, and the closer she got, the easier it was to see Caius’s face. He was equally brimming with joy.

I am really getting married!

Rose lost count of how many times she said these words in her head as she approached Caius.

The King couldn’t stay still, and his eyes didn’t turn away from her from the moment she walked through the door. His palms, which lay by his sides, clenched and unclenched as she got closer.

Eventually, she reached the bottom of the stairs, and Maximus pulled away. She would have to climb up the stairs to the top where Caius stood with the priest, by herself.

Rose forced herself to take the stairs slowly, but all she wanted to do was reach the top as quickly as possible. She could see Caius fight the urge to reach out and touch her.

Rose got to the top and stood across from him, facing him. He met her eyes as she stood in front of him, and Rose nearly faltered as waves of emotions gushed through her.

"May the procession begin," the priest said.

Rose nodded, and Caius smiled at her. She had so many questions to ask and too many things to say, but right now was not the time to ask or say anything.

They were getting married.

The priest began to say the vows, and Rose and Caius were made to repeat after him. The whole time, Caius didn’t look away from her. He gazed at her with nothing but love in his eyes, and Rose had to fight the urge to cry too many times.

"Do you, Rose Vallyn, take Caius Ravenor, son of Gaius and by right King of Velmount, to be your husband for as long as you may live?"

"Yes, I do," Rose said with sparkling eyes.

"Do you, Caius Ravenor, son of Gaius and by right King of Velmount, take Rose Vallyn to be your wife for as long as you may live?"

"Yes, I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife from now until the end of your days. You may kiss the bride."

Caius closed the gap between them. He had been itching to touch her since the moment she walked through that door, looking confused. He had enjoyed seeing the light in her eyes when she realized that this was their wedding.

---

Gayle had only just returned to the castle when he noticed things were a little too quiet. He knew it was late, but it was too suspiciously quiet, and there were more guards than usual.

None of the guards said anything as he walked around to investigate. They bowed as they saw him approach but didn’t speak.

He noticed there were more guards closer to the throne room, and he headed in that direction, but Gayle didn’t get close enough before the guards barricaded his path.

Gayle glared at them. Not only was he the King’s uncle, he also had the title of Prince. They couldn’t stop him from passing through.

"Get out of my way!" he yelled darkly.

One of the guards stepped forward. He was clearly a higher rank than the rest. "Please pardon us, Your Highness, but His Majesty has given strict orders not to let anyone through."

Gayle narrowed his eyes. "Why? What is going on?"

"I do not know, Your Highness, but please return to your room. A guard will make sure you get there safely."

Gayle narrowed his eyes at the guard’s tone. Not only was he being chased off, but one of them was going to follow him back to make sure he went to his room.

"That won’t be necessary," Gayle said and stepped back, wanting to seem less confrontational.

He wanted to know what was going on, but he wouldn’t if he was taken to his room.

The guard, however, wasn’t taking no for an answer. "I insist, Your Highness, and I shall see to it myself. As an important guest of His Royal Majesty, I cannot regard you without respect, Your Highness."

Gayle narrowed his eyes at the guard. He couldn’t get away from this. He couldn’t believe his nephew would dare treat him like this. He was convinced now more than ever that he needed to know what was happening in the throne room.

"Very well," Gayle reluctantly said.

The guard bowed and followed closely behind him and didn’t go away until Gayle was behind the closed doors of his bedchambers.