The King's Unbreakable Wife-Chapter 71: Feel something (1)

The third day of the selection was coming to an end and unlike the other two days where the women would all enjoy dinner together, tonight the queen had arranged for dinner to be sent to their rooms. All but for one.

Hazel prepared herself for meeting with Tobias to see the garden he spoke of. She was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t announced to the others that she would be enjoying this time with Tobias.

Hazel liked it this way with everyone thinking that there wasn’t an event tonight and they would all be going to their rooms to rest.

Hazel shared that she would be out of her bedroom with Linda so she wouldn’t come here. There was excitement from Linda which Hazel recognised to come from being excited over the idea of her friend becoming queen and that she didn’t have to worry about herself having to marry Tobias.

Linda was rooting for Hazel because they could continue on their plan to have her wed Edgar when Hazel became queen.

"Just pick one," Hazel muttered, looking at her reflection in the mirror.

She had changed her hair twice now and it still didn’t look right. Normally, she wore her hair down since it was a hassle to try pinning it up into a bun unless a maid was helping her.

Since she came to the palace, Hazel tried as much as she could to keep her maid out of her room. It felt like the woman was watching her, waiting to find something to take back to anyone who would listen.

"This will do," Hazel decided, raking her fingers through her hair to take it out of the bun.

She was just in time to finish up as there was a knock on the door.

Hazel took one final glance at the simple appearance she put together for the night. It had been a struggle deciding whether she wanted to dress up or remain simple so it couldn’t come off that she was trying hard after Tobias confessed to her.

Now that she was aware of his feelings, Hazel found herself overthinking when she didn’t need to. Nothing had changed other than Tobias confessing his feelings but she felt that a lot did. Maybe it was because she was starting to think of how high her chance of becoming queen was.

Hazel didn’t think it was set in stone yet as her mother’s words lingered in her mind that no one was to become queen until it was announced on the last day. Thinking this way, Hazel wouldn’t get her hopes up too high only to be let down in the future should Tobias’s feelings change.

Hazel walked to the door and opened it to be greeted by the same maid. She exited her bedroom, closed the door behind her, and followed the maid to the entrance where Tobias was already waiting for her.

Tobias wasn’t dressed in casual clothes like he was during the other times they had dinner. He was dressed up in clothes she saw the king wear when he addressed the town. Clothes she saw him wearing in every portrait he was in on the palace walls.

Seeing him like this, she saw how much he looked like a prince. Before he could have blended in with other noblemen, but the clothes he wore now with all his badges suited him. She saw why he was on the walls of so many young girls’ bedrooms.

Hazel looked away to not be rude for staring so long. "Prince Tobias," she greeted him. Hazel regretted not dressing up a little bit more.

"Hazel, you look lovely as always. You are dismissed," Tobias said, getting rid of the maid. She had done her job in bringing Hazel to him and now she was not needed for the next hour or two. "Why do you not look at me? Are you certain you are not afraid? Or am I so handsome that you cannot stare for long as you might drool?"

"I didn’t want to be rude in looking at your badges," Hazel replied, turning to face him. "Did you have an important meeting?"

"I got dragged into matters of the court. Something that will bore you. The Henson’s can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Shall we?" Tobias asked, offering his hand for Hazel to hold as they walked. "There is no one around to gossip."

Hazel looked around at the guards standing still and accepted his hand soon after. "You’d be surprised by how often men gossip. It is often more than women. I’ve spent a lot of time around Linda’s brothers."

"I can’t disagree with you there. The court is full of old men speaking of things that do not concern them. Speaking on wives and daughters of other men as if it is any of their concern. They’ll speak about dresses if someone were to bring them up," said Tobias.

"I see. Then I will be avoiding the court. It is already enough that I have to put up with women. I do not want to add men to the list. I would be in a position where I cannot speak," Hazel replied, keeping an eye out for any onlookers.

Tobias almost asked why she couldn’t but then he remembered how the older men in the court and a few of the younger ones following what they were taught by elders had many rules for women. Not talking out of turn was one of them and that had always stopped women from defending themselves.

Tobias had overheard men speaking of the rare times they thought his mother spoke out of place. He urged his mother to voice her opinion as she was the queen, but once again she chose to follow old rules.

"We must hope that most of them drop dead before the selection ends. What could we do if someone were to kill them as they slept?" Tobias asked, his voice lacking any humour in it.

Hazel faced Tobias as she at that moment felt like news of men in the court being murdered would be passed around soon. For a slight second, Tobias appeared to be a different person in her eyes, but he was quick to notice her gaze and revealed that grin which made him come off as innocent.

Hazel looked away from Tobias and instead focused on the path ahead of them. Maybe she had thought too much into what he said and was mistaken.

"Cold?" Tobias asked, ready to offer his jacket. It might be a bit heavy because of the material and how fancy it was made to look with all the badges he had long forgotten what most were for. "You can have my jacket."

"No," Hazel replied, slowly shaking her head. "Have you ever had to fight for your life while in the palace? Did anyone almost succeed?"

"Many times. Being the future king doesn’t make me safe. Many want me dead so the throne could go to someone they follow. No one is safe in the palace. I will not sell you the dream that it is just to get you to stay here with me," Tobias honestly replied.

"Thank you," Hazel said, appreciative of how truthful he was about his home. "You look quite handsome tonight," she complimented him. It wouldn’t be right to go any longer without letting him know. novelbuddy.cσ๓

"That is one compliment I need to note down to remember forever. Would you be so kind as to write it down yourself and sign your name?" Tobias asked only to have Hazel let go of his hand and walk ahead.