The Forgotten Princess Rose
Chapter 138

Chapter 138: Chapter 138

Anna stepped back when she remembered what the blue eyes from all the gossip meant. "You are one of the outsiders? The visitors who came to see the king. You didn’t tell me we had such important guests."

"I was going to tell you of his presence later. Is there something you need, Zayne?" Madeline asked, leaving Rose’s side to go to the door.

"You said I could return when I finished looking at the room and there is some big issue about baking," said Zayne.

"Oh. I am having all of Rose’s favourites made so it might help her to remember. I," Madeline started to walk away but then stopped to look at Rose.

"You may go ahead. I will have a walk around," Rose said, getting up from her seat. "I will walk with Anna to get to know her."

Madeline nodded her head, liking the sound of that. It was important for her daughters to be close again. Anna would be best at showing Rose around and helping her to get settled in. "I will be near the kitchen if you need me. Be kind to show your sister around, Anna."

Madeline smiled when she walked by Zayne to go out the door.

Anna still couldn’t believe her eyes that one of the foreigners was standing before her. If her friends or anyone else found out, they would be jealous. "You are a soldier, right? What are you in your army? I have heard the name Zayne before."

"I am the general," Zayne said, going around the young girl to get to Rose. "You look pretty. Can I treat you to dresses now that you are a lady? A lady must accept gifts."

Rose was suspicious of what Zayne said. "That sounds like something you made up so I would not turn away your gifts. My mother has a dressmaker coming tomorrow to measure me."

"One can never have too many dresses. There are many days ahead of you," said Zayne.

Anna looked back and forth between the two trying to guess their relationship. "Are you two set to be engaged?"

"We are not. Zayne used to be my employer but he fired me today. We are just friends now," Rose said, turning to Zayne who nodded, confirming that it was true.

"Oh," Anna smiled. If Rose did not take the chance then she would make use of the soldier. A general was a title deserving of her time. "I can show you what I like most about the manor. Come with me," Anna said, reaching for Zayne’s hand but he placed both behind his back.

"You are an unwed woman and I would not like to anger your father. You should try to hold your sister’s hand," Zayne said, not in the mood for a chatty young lady. He was lucky to have saved the more quiet sister.

Anna looked at Rose’s hands. She noticed how Rose played with her fingers like she was considering if she wanted to hold hands with her. If Rose didn’t want to do it then Anna would not do it. "It is this way," she said, going ahead of the two.

"You are more against touching than I am," Rose noticed, laughing at Zayne’s position with his hands behind his back. "It is unfortunate that you will attract young ladies who wish to touch you. After all, not many have seen the outsiders."

"Then, if you care for me as much as you say you do, you should hold my hands so they are taken when someone I do not care for tries to touch them," Zayne said, raising his hands for Rose to hold.

"If you need saving, I will but until then, you should hide your hands. She is ahead of us," Rose said, walking fast to catch up with Anna.

Zayne followed Rose to not lose the excited bunny.

Anna looked back at Zayne, still having more questions for him. "What is it like to be a general? Or to be inside the palace? As strange as it sounds to be the daughter of a lord, I have never been inside of the palace. It is boring to have to hear stories from my friends of what the balls there are like and they get to meet the princess."

"The palace is beautiful but it is dangerous so you are not missing out. It is best that you listen to your parents and never go there," Zayne answered.

"Still, it is my dream to attend one of the balls there. I want to marry this season and where best to find a good husband other than the palace? All the good men go there. I want to pick a good husband before they are all taken which is why I had my season planned out carefully," Anna said, sulking over the loss of the dress Rose wore.

"We received plenty of invitations to other balls but I do not know if mother or father will accept them. Maybe if you say you want to go out and dance they would. Please," Anna turned around to hold Rose’s hand. "Please tell them that you want to dance."

"I will," Rose replied, though it wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to attend balls but that was when she wasn’t someone for others to pay attention to. Rose didn’t know the first thing about dancing.

"Wonderful," Anna clapped her hands. "And Zayne, I would like to have a dance with you. My friends would be jealous and it would get the men I want to court jealous. Tell me, what is it like at your home?"

"Like any other home," Zayne replied.

Anna’s shoulders dropped due to disappointment. "Oh. I thought there would be more to tell. Are you married?"

"No," Zayne answered.

Anna smiled as it brought opportunity. She wouldn’t be doing anything wrong if she courted him since Rose did not have a special relationship with him. To marry a foreign general would do good for her if he had the wealth to take care of her.

"Would you save a dance for me?" Anna questioned, her nervousness growing as she awaited his answer.

"If I am present when you attend these balls. I need to return to the palace in a few days. I do not mind dancing though it is something I don’t enjoy,’ Zayne said, peering at Rose. "Would you dance if asked, Rose?"

Anna pouted, walking ahead since Zayne wasn’t answering as she wanted.

Rose tried to avoid Zayne’s gaze. "I must learn how to dance first. If I do learn in time, I would consider it."

"Good because I would like the right sister to be eager to dance with me," Zayne spoke softly to keep it a secret between them. "With my maid it is wrong but now that you are a lady, would you allow me to court you?"

Rose blushed, startled by the request. She was trying to pay attention to Anna but Zayne was distracting her. Her answer was lost in her throat. She was flustered once more to hear of Zayne’s interest in her.

"Time is limited. I cannot wait much longer for you to be ready to be close to anyone as I must leave at some point so I will court you as any man does with a woman they like. I am giving you today to prepare yourself for it," said Zayne.

Rose slowed down, ending up at the back of the group. Anna didn’t seem to hear what Zayne said so it was only Rose who had to be flustered over his words.

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