The King's Unbreakable Wife-Chapter 55: Surprise (1)

A knock on the door woke Hazel from the deep sleep she fell into on the balcony. The book slipped from her hands, startling her even more as she forgot where she was momentarily.

Her dinner had arrived not long after the guard left and after eating, she fell asleep before she could get by the first page of the book.

"How was I that tired?" She mumbled, pressing her hands to her face.

Surprisingly, sleeping in the chair was comfortable thanks to the warm blanket. Hazel picked up the book to place it on the table and unwrapped the blanket so she could stand.

Thinking the person outside was a maid who came to collect what was left of her dinner, Hazel lifted the tray to take it inside so no one would have to see the flowers she was given.

Hazel entered the warmth of her bedroom and placed the tray down on the large table inside before going to the door. She wondered if the others had returned by now or if they were still outside enjoying their dinner together.

"I- Oh," Hazel said as the maid did not stand before her. "I am not in the mood for whatever you come to speak about," she told Helena.

"I am not here to argue with you. You were alone all night so I thought I would see how you were. Forgive me for feeling worried," Helena said, turning around to leave. She should have stuck to her original plan of retiring to her room without seeing Hazel.

She wasn’t welcomed and given that she was upset that the prince did not show up for dinner, Helena didn’t want to argue with Hazel now to misplace her anger.

However, before Hazel could close her door Helena said, "The prince didn’t show up tonight."

Hazel left the door open a little to listen. She had a feeling Tobias was not going to show after reading his note, but now it was confirmed.

"Everyone now knows that he asked you for a dance and you declined. They don’t know why you did it and some are calling you crazy. I thought that was going to stay a secret-"

"Good night Helena," Hazel bid her sister goodbye, closing the door to end the conversation. Hazel was curious about what happened since Tobias didn’t show but it wasn’t worth listening to Helena questioning her about other things.

Hazel had to face foolish questions and stares in the morning as everyone would be looking for any reason the prince was present and someone might wrap her up in it.

Hazel locked the door as a precaution in case Helena was bold enough to pull open the door and storm in.

"Is this the scandal he wanted to do?" Hazel wondered.

It was yet to take attention from her, but anything could happen by morning.

Hazel yawned, ready to go to bed. She was too tired to think about what might have happened at dinner and too tired to think about what would happen on her third day in the palace.

Her time in the palace was going by quickly and now she didn’t know what to make of the selection.

...

The third day of the selection quickly came after Hazel retired to her bed. Now she stood looking at her appearance in the mirror as she finished getting dressed for breakfast. She had succeeded in staying inside as the queen instructed her so there should be no need for her to stay in any longer.

Hazel liked staying in her room last night to look out at the garden and not have to be around the others who wished to know why she didn’t dance, but she didn’t want to spend all her days here when there was more of the palace she wanted to see.

Once satisfied with her look, Hazel walked to the door to leave to be early for her return to the group. Just as she opened the door, her maid was already outside with her hand up ready to knock.

"Good morning," Hazel greeted the woman and ended it there since she wouldn’t get a response for anything else. She had grown accustomed to the woman only coming to wake her, escort her to her room if needed, or bring what she wanted when she rang the bell in her room.

The other maids were standing at the other’s doors and knocked in one beat to Hazel’s ears. Soon all the doors started to open and then women came out one by one.

"The queen has prepared breakfast in the garden for everyone. The prince will join you. You have time to spare," the maid said as some of the women had been rushing back to their rooms to fix their appearances when they already had hours to prepare.

"I am fine as I am now. I’m sorry I didn’t wake right away when you knocked on the door last night for my plates. I was more tired than I realised. I hope it didn’t make you go to bed late," Hazel said, not expecting an answer. She only wanted to apologise regardless of getting a response.

"Good morning," Linda greeted Hazel. "I hope your night was better than mine."

"It might have been. I fell asleep before I could get far into my book. It might have been the wind and just eating that caused me to fall asleep so fast. What happened last night?" Hazel asked.

"Aside from the prince not showing up and having to eat dinner with women who could not keep their thoughts to themselves? I had to eat without anyone to hold a proper conversation with. I should have stayed with you. I am not leaving your side," Linda said, hooking her arm with Hazel’s so they could walk together. "Do not mind their stares. They are jealous."

"What stares?" Hazel asked as she had already ignored the curious gazes around her.

"I should have known you wouldn’t care," Linda replied.

Linda and Hazel walked ahead of the group, ignoring the chatter behind them as they walked.

The closer they all got to the garden, each woman wondered if the prince would be present now.

The women arrived before Tabitha and possibly Tobias so they went to the already-prepared table to find their seats.

"Hazel, how long do you plan to go on without giving us an explanation?" Jasmine asked, wanting to use the time the queen was not here to get an answer. "Why were we led to believe that your sister was the only special one at the ball and we are all curious why you thought so highly of yourself to not dance with him."

Hazel ignored Jasmine’s questions and searched for the best seat. She did not want to sit anywhere near where the queen and prince would be.

"Hazel!" Jasmine called again.

"It amazes me that you think I will answer your questions," Hazel said, taking a seat at the far end of the table.

"You should if you want to avoid gossip growing. I see that you are smart enough to know where the queen would prefer you sit now," Jasmine said, thrilled to see Hazel was not near the queen’s chair.

Hazel looked at Jasmine after she sat down. "I’ve figured it out. What you remind me of. Should you focus less on me and walk around the garden, you will find a pond. There you will see something like you which cannot keep its mouth closed for long."