The Forgotten Princess Rose
Chapter 118

Chapter 118: Chapter 118

"How many festivals have you attended, Alex? I can count how many I have attended on one hand. My father only likes to send me out when there are men he wants me to use my charm to bring to his side. Still, coming outside the palace with you is lovely. I wish you would smile," Kiara requested once more.

Alexander remained focused, looking around for any danger lurking. As soon as she found the general, she could leave his side and be protected by the man he wanted her to marry.

Kiara sighed, bored of the festival already. What fun was any of this when Alexander did not want to speak or at least pretend to look happy? She was better off talking to the maid who walked behind them.

She could force Alexander to speak to her and act more excited but she had already forced him to be here. Kiara wouldn’t have to if he had just accepted her offer to join her. She was kind when she first asked him but he forced her to use her power. Shouldn’t he know by now just to say yes?

Kiara noticed how some young women ignored her as they rushed by her to see something. Her family was the other way so the only thing worth seeing had to be Zayne.

Kiara sighed once more, walking toward where she didn’t want to be. Zayne was easy to spot despite his mask because of his height. She faked her best smile but it didn’t last long as she noticed a woman beside Zayne.

"Move," Kiara pushed one of the guards coming to stand before her out of the way. "Did he bring a woman along with him?"

Kiara wanted to laugh as her father’s plans were going to fail fast. There wouldn’t be any union between her and Zayne but her father would try his hardest to convince Zayne to take both women.

"Which lady is it?" Kiara wondered. She didn’t want Zayne but she was still curious about who he had chosen over her. It had to be a woman from a noble family or she would find Zayne to be a fool.

Alexander stared at the general. He didn’t know what to make of the man yet since he wasn’t in the room when the meeting happened. Alexander pitied the general as he would have to put up with the princess soon.

Alexander looked at the young woman Kiara was trying to compare herself to. The woman wore a mask just like everyone else so it was hard to make out which family she came from.

Just as Alexander looked away to search for danger, his gaze went back to the woman beside the general. The mask came off and another was placed close to her face. He could be mistaken but that face was quite similar to the person he had been searching for.

It was only when she smiled did he knew that he had to be right. That woman had to be Rose.

"Rose," Alexander whispered, moving without thinking to go near her to better confirm it.

Kiara reached for Alexander, confused as to why he was heading toward Zayne without waiting for her. She was certain he heard him say a woman’s name. How cruel did he plan to be to her?

Kiara followed Alexander to see for herself if he also knew the woman Zayne was standing with.

"Rose," Kiara heard Alexander say the name louder and then her world stopped as he hugged the stranger.

Kiara had been longing all day to hold Alexander’s hand yet it was some stranger that got a hug from him. Kiara couldn’t find the words to say right now. She could order him to step away from the woman but she was so angry that words were not coming out.

Luckily, there was someone around who shared her dislike of Alexander hugging Rose.

Zayne removed Alexander from hugging Rose and stepped in between the two. "You must be out of your mind to approach her like that."

"Rose, it is me. Alexander," Alexander introduced himself, taking off his mask to show his face. He didn’t care about the foreign general. All he wanted was to hear this woman confirm that she was Rose.

Alexander had feared that with him out of town he would not see Rose but here she was standing before him. Or was it someone who resembled the girl he once knew?

"Alexander," Rose said, surprised to hear that name. Alexander didn’t look anything of the boy from her past. He had done a lot of growing over the years. "Alexander?" She repeated, not believing that he was standing before her.

Rose stepped back to be further behind Zayne as she thought of how Mathias greeted her. The hug was lovely but she couldn’t help being wary.

Kiara was fuming inside but she needed answers so she had to speak. "Well, this is a surprise. My guard seems to know the woman you are with. The kingdom isn’t so small as many say. My father asked that I join you and show you around the festival. Your companion can stay with us."

Kiara needed Zayne to move so she could get a better look at the woman who ruined her night. What was the relationship between Rose and Alexander? Was this the woman he loved before?

Alexander could not understand why Rose was not coming to him and hid behind a man so dangerous. It took a moment but Alexander realised his mistake. Kiara would be obsessed with Rose after he hugged her. He was too excited in the moment to think of the princess.

Alexander stepped back to take his previous position with the princess. At the very least, he knew where Rose was now. No one could convince him that this wasn’t Rose. "My apologies princess. I moved without thinking."

"Don’t apologise. After all, you gave us all a good show. Who is your companion, general? I think I have seen her before but I didn’t get a good look before she placed her mask back on. Introduce us," Kiara ordered Zayne.

What daughter of some pathetic family was aiming so high? Who could be so bold to get the attention of the two men who were to belong to the princess?

"Tell your father that I prefer to be alone," Zayne replied.

"That is something I wish I could tell him for you but I am afraid that I cannot. Show me your companion-"

"Do not upset me with your jealousy," Zayne interjected, keeping Rose out of the princess’s view. He was more concerned about the princess seeing Rose than Rose speaking to her old friend.

Kiara’s smile fell as she was no longer interested in acting like her father wanted. She had to get to the bottom of the woman in the middle of these two men. Alexander had never hugged a woman so it was obvious he cared for Rose.

"Alexander, what is your relationship with the woman you hugged? Tell me now," Kiara ordered Alexander. She couldn’t command Zayne but she could command Alexander. "Speak or I shall have her ruined."

Rose wondered if she was the only one confused as to why the princess wanted to know who she was. She was not the important person here.

The situation was all too confusing as Rose was still getting over the shock of seeing Alexander and now she had to hear of the princess ruining her.