Stolen by the Rebel King
Chapter 498: New Father-In-Law

Chapter 498: New Father-In-Law

Daphne shot him a stink eye, her nose wrinkling as she did. However, that charming smile only caused her stomach to flip and turn like performers at a circus show. Her insides churned in all the best ways possible, and Daphne had to remind herself time and time again not to fall for his seductive ways so quickly.

She didn’t want to regret forgiving him just because of lust, but because she knew for certain that she had placed all grievances behind them. Then, and only then, could she make peace with all that had happened and move on with their relationship.

"We’ll see how you perform," Daphne said. She had to muster all of her self-control just to force the words past her lips instead of throwing herself at her husband without restraint.

"You know fully well how I perform in bed," Atticus teased back, purely on reflex. His eyes widened slightly when he realized that he might’ve gone too far with the sexual jokes, but relaxed when he noticed a ghost of a smile on Daphne’s lips.

"I don’t mean that and you know it," she chided. "We need the pearl from Nedour before putting up a hell of a show to convince King Marinus that Cordelia can no longer be wed to other princes and nobility easily. That way, she’ll be able to have the freedom to marry who she loves when she wants to."

"I still think this is a ridiculous idea," Atticus said with a snort. He even poured a little as he continued, "People might think that I’m being unfaithful to you."

"Since when do you care about the opinions of others?"

"I care when it’s yours," Atticus replied earnestly. "Truth be told, I’m worried that you might sway with what you hear even though you know it’s not true."

His comment only made Daphne purse her lips in contempt. Her heart skipped a beat, filled with an indescribable emotion that was fleeting. It made her feel warm and fuzzy knowing how much he cared, but there was always the evil voice that whispered at the back of her mind that it was all an act. The two sides of her were at war― she didn’t know which to believe.

"It’s alright," Atticus said, noticing her hesitance. "I understand your worries. Time will prove that my feelings for you are true."

He then gestured to the door right next to the master bedroom, smiling softly at Daphne.

"Just in case you’re not comfortable with spending the night together," Atticus said. "But if you are, know that my door will always be open to you."

***

Ultimately, Daphne did not take Atticus up on that offer. Their rooms were connected by a thin door, one which Daphne could easily open at any time. However, she needed time alone to collect her thoughts.

That, and she was sure that her tossing and turning through the night would no doubt keep Atticus awake if she hadn’t slept in a different bed. It was a big day for him tomorrow — since he was finally back after such a long time away, he had an endless list of duties to tend to — and she didn’t wish to rob him of his sleep.

By the time they next saw Cordelia, about two weeks had passed. In these two weeks, Daphne had barely even seen Atticus’s shadow. She only bumped into Jonah on the occasion, and even then, he had excused himself hurriedly, more often than not with a towering stack of documents in his arms.

Sirona had been cooped up in her lab ever since they returned from Xahan. From the short conversations Daphne had with Jonah, she learned that Sirona had been experimenting with ways to fix Nereus’s eye with the pearl. However, since resources were limited and she no longer had her magic to aid her, things were moving along much slower than usual. Not to mention, they didn’t even have the pearl yet.

Speaking of which, Nereus had arrived in Vramid one random night, and the next morning, Daphne found him in Zephyr’s room. He hadn’t left since, and the three of them would occasionally explore the streets of town under a disguise. That was how the days passed, and in a blink of an eye, the day arrived for Cordelia and her entourage to be welcomed to Vramid.

Daphne stood at the gates of the royal palace to receive their guests.

Since Cordelia was here as the bride of the king, there was a lot of fanfare. Curious onlookers had peered out, their eyes glued to the carriage as it crossed the town and headed for the royal palace. An endless stream of horses and carriages pulled mountains upon mountains of gifts and offerings, all of which were prepared for Cordelia’s wedding.

In comparison, Daphne and Atticus’s wedding was a much quieter affair― the irony of it was that their wedding was real, while Cordelia’s was a fluke.

"Queen Daphne," King Marinus greeted once he stepped out of the carriage, Cordelia trailing behind him. The older man surprisingly had fiery red hair, a sharp contrast to Cordelia’s soft blue. Daphne wondered if the Princess of Nedour had gotten her hair color from her mother instead.

A little further back was a strangely familiar man. Daphne thought she had seen him before.

"Welcome to Vramid, King Marinus," Daphne said in reply. Her smile was a little brighter and much more genuine when she turned to Cordelia. "It’s good to see you again, Princess Cordelia."

Cordelia merely scrunched her nose in distaste.

"We’ve only not seen each other in two weeks, Daphne," she said. "Now you’re acting as though we aren’t friends? How cold."

King Marinus shot them both with an irritated look that was barely concealed, but Daphne had no care. She smiled, unable to resist her lips from stretching in delight of her best friend’s presence.

"It’s only proper," Daphne playfully said, ignoring King Marinus’s expression. "Come. Allow me to show you to your rooms."

She turned, prepared to head up the steps when King Marinus suddenly cleared his throat.

"Where is King Atticus, if I may ask?" he said, catching Daphne’s attention. "As my future son-in-law, shouldn’t he at least come greet us upon arrival?"