Stolen by the Rebel King
Chapter 384: The Checklist of Possible Suitors I

Chapter 384: The Checklist of Possible Suitors I

"Prince Nathaniel!" Daphne called out. When the Raxuvian crown prince turned around to look, Daphne waved, smiling politely with Zephyr in her arms.

Over the last night, the griffin had recovered remarkably well. Despite the bevy of suspicious clues she found yesterday that linked to Sirona’s secret experimentation with griffins, at least the two healers had made the right call to turn Zephyr back to his griffin form. It had allowed him to heal up wonderfully and by Daphne’s estimation — albeit not a very professional one — Zephyr should be fully healed within a day or two more.

Thus, she decided that it was safer to have Zephyr follow her around rather than have him in a room all by himself, open to sudden attacks and kidnappings. While Daphne didn’t think that those kidnappers would attempt anything in broad daylight, she didn’t wish to take the risk.

She tucked Zephyr neatly in a little bundle before placing him in a huge picnic basket. That was how she ferried him around while she ran her detective errands.

"Queen Daphne," Nathaniel greeted. His eyes then lowered, catching sight of Zephyr, whose head had poked out from the picnic basket like a particularly adorable chicken. "It’s wonderful to see that Zephyr is healing up nicely."

"All thanks to you," Daphne said.

Prince Nathaniel had been so adamant about calling her by the wrong title for such a long time that it almost felt weird for him to switch over. Nevertheless, Daphne brushed it off, pretending not to notice.

"Is there something I can help you with?" he asked. He reached out and brushed a finger across the top of Zephyr’s head, rubbing back and forth as though it was a real pet bird and not a carnivorous magical predator.

Zephyr lazily nuzzled back against Prince Nathaniel’s touch. Surprising, considering how Daphne didn’t think the griffin particularly liked this prince much when he was in his human form. But oh well, she supposed that after going through life and death, Zephyr must’ve felt indebted to Nathaniel. That would be very understandable.

"I do have some questions, yes," Daphne said. She bit her bottom lip, not sure how best to phrase her questions.

"Is it regarding Zephyr?" Nathaniel asked.

He lifted the griffin from the basket, raising him left and right to check his body. When he found none, he carried Zephyr in his arms, running his fingers down Zephyr’s smooth feathers.

"If it is, you have nothing to worry about," he continued before Daphne could reply. "It seems like he’s healing nicely. I’ll prescribe you a tonic for Zephyr’s consumption. Three doses, once after breakfast, lunch, and dinner respectively, and it should trigger his transformation back into his human form."

"Oh, that’s wonderful," Daphne said, her eyes lighting up with stars.

Then, she snapped back, remembering that Zephyr’s health wasn’t her main goal today, even though it was nice to learn that bit of information― his safety was more important.

"Actually," she said, "there’s something else I would like to ask. Were you out last night?"

"Out?" Prince Nathaniel echoed. He cocked an eyebrow in confusion, tilting his head slightly to one side, deep in thought. "Not after dinner, no. I was in my room researching the tonic needed for Zephyr’s transformation. I figured he should be healed up soon and would need it, so I was making sure there wasn’t anything wrong with the final product."

"Did it take very long?" Daphne pressed.

"I was working on it until dawn, if that’s what you mean," Nathaniel honestly answered. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, no, just curious," she said, nervously laughing. "Are you sure you weren’t out? Perhaps... oh, I don’t know... on a date?"

"A date?" Nathaniel reeled back, stunned by her words. "This is the Reawethen royal palace, Queen Daphne. If I was on a date, it wouldn’t be... here?"

"You sound unsure," Daphne pointed out.

"I am just unsure why you’re asking these things," Nathaniel said, shaking his head. "And quite frankly, Your Highness, I feel rather hurt that you would think so lowly of me to date within the palace of my ex-fiancée, while she’s still here with her new husband."

Daphne’s mouth immediately snapped shut, her lips pursed so closely together that they were sucked in her mouth and between her teeth. She had forgotten that the wound was still fresh and raw for Prince Nathaniel. At this point, she was basically rubbing salt right into it.

"I see, I’m sorry that I misspoken," Daphne apologized sincerely, "I had heard... rumors about your behavior last night, so I thought to clarify them with you personally. I just wanted you to know that whatever it is, I support your choice! Everyone has the right to love."

Prince Nathaniel did not roll his eyes, but he came close to it. "Queen Daphne, forgive me for my bluntness, but were the rumors started by your husband?"

"Yes..."

He sighed. "I suppose I should’ve guessed."

"So you weren’t out and about with anyone last night?"

"Why would I be?" Prince Nathaniel shook his head. He placed Zephyr back into the picnic basket before folding his arm across his chest, making sure to place extra distance between the both of them to prevent anyone from misunderstanding again. "As I said, I was working on the tonic the entire night. Did King Atticus accuse me of secretly dating Sir Jonah, by any chance?"

Daphne wanted nothing more than for a hole to magically appear in the ground and swallow her hole.

"Yes," she squeaked out. "Well, to be fair, he said ’a blonde’. I assumed..."

"Again, with all due respect, Queen Daphne, you have a lot of blonde siblings," Prince Nathaniel said. "And that doesn’t even include the servants working for the palace, or even maybe someone else from outside. Why did you think it was me?"

’Because there were always rumors of Jonah and Prince Nathaniel secretly dating,’ Daphne wanted to say. It wasn’t the first time she heard jokes about it from Sirona and Atticus, and Daphne always thought that Jonah had a slight chance of possibly always having a thing for Atticus due to their close relationship.

She had assumed — and that was her wrongdoing — that Jonah might have interests in the other gender than what was the norm. However, it seemed like she was, once again, wrong. Daphne slapped herself internally.

This went horribly. She should’ve never assumed!

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