The Forgotten Princess Rose
Chapter 156

Chapter 156: Chapter 156

"I’m sorry," Madeline apologised.

"You do not need to. I understand why you were with him but I just cannot believe the king is my father. His orders made it impossible for me to go to the town guards. For others like me trying to find our way home to get help. He does not want it to be revealed that there are slaves in his kingdom and for that, I could not help from the guards," Rose explained.

If not for how the king wanted to portray his kingdom to outsiders, Rose would have been bold to try running to the town guards. Many of the other women would have had the confidence to try running away.

Rose didn’t care that the king didn’t know he had a daughter lost somewhere. He was the king. In a way, they were all his children to be protected by him but how the kingdom looked was more important than fixing the problems right under his eyes.

"He has always cared about looks and been a fool that is why he has so many advisors in the background. Still, James will do as he wants. I was once to be one of his advisors when we were younger," Victor revealed.

Victor remembered James as an eager prince ready to make a difference in their younger days but when the years drew closer for him to take the throne and the former king took James under his wing, James changed. Or maybe, his real personality started to show more. Victor had just missed it before.

"I did not want to tell you this. I knew you would be disappointed but I also feared that you would be curious. The queen will either trap or kill the children she has not birthed. There must only be a few alive to be used," Madeline said, knowing how cunning Lilian was. "You mustn’t go there or something terrible would happen to you."

"I have always thought about seeing the inside of the palace but after Zayne warned me of the dangers there, I lost interest. I am satisfied with seeing it from afar and with what I know now, that interest has not come back. I do not want to see the king," Rose declared.

Rose didn’t want to see the king unless it was to throw something at him.

"I am not angry with you. You did what was needed to save your family then and you took me away from the palace before something happened to us. Had I not been taken, I know I would have enjoyed being here with you instead of the palace," Rose said, certain of this.

Rose glanced at Victor who comforted her mother. What was she to call him now?

Rose thought of her earlier conversation about not wanting to get married. She was asked if she would stay here to be taken care of by her parents. It was Victor’s wealth. How long would he be happy watching over her?

Victor noticed her stare and her hesitation to speak. "Is there something you want to ask me, Rose?"

"It was kind of you to take her away," Rose said in place of what was on her mind.

"Well, I loved your mother. I didn’t want to see her trapped in the palace. Other than your birth and Anna’s, nothing has made me more happy than the day your mother agreed to leave with me and marry me. Regardless, I will always see you as my daughter. You are my firstborn," Victor said, seeing her no differently now that the truth was out.

Rose felt like she was his the day she came into the world. It never felt like he had no part in Rose’s existence. There were times he had forgotten that he was only standing in for someone else.

"It is fine if you no longer want to call me father. You have the freedom to decide who holds that title. We will need to know your answer because if you stop calling me father then Anna would be confused. She doesn’t know anything," said Victor.

Rose didn’t want to lie to Anna but she thought of Anna’s interest in the palace. Would knowing what happened turn Anna away from wanting to see the palace or would she ignore it and be excited to have a princess for a sister?

’I don’t know,’ Rose thought. She wasn’t so close to Anna yet to know what Anna would do.

"You are the only father that I have known. My return here has been short and my memories are gone, but for many years before I was taken, you were my father. I don’t want it to change," Rose replied, happy to have Victor instead of the king. "I don’t want anyone to know that I am a princess. It is not like my place in the palace is important."

"We intend to keep it a secret. I am only afraid that the queen knows if you have a memory of her. You have never met the queen and though I have spoken to Victor about her in the past, that shouldn’t be enough to scare you. We’ve talked about looking into the queen," Madeline revealed.

Lilian had many reasons to not let it get out that Madeline shared a child with James. It started to make sense why no one demanded money in exchange for Rose coming home. They just took her and left Madeline as if the plan was also to hurt Madeline over losing a child.

"There are few people I have placed in the palace who can find answers for me. The queen has people who do her dirty work. I only need them to start talking. It would be better if we could find the men who took you but it has been eight years. There is no way of knowing who they were. I will do my best," Victor promised Rose.

"You can lay a trap for her," Zayne spoke up. "Spread around the word that the king has another child somewhere in the kingdom. Don’t say whether it is a son or daughter. The king might not have any interest in it but the queen will move to track down who started it. Follow her then."

The kingdom already had its crown prince but anything could happen. Even when the crown was placed on Henry’s head there were still many in the palace who could support another son and in time place another king on the throne.

Zayne had heard this plan for himself as he had supporters back home wanting him to be the king. He had no interest in doing what they wanted since his brother was a good king. He was only a foolish brother.

"It is risky. If she knew about Rose, she would consider looking here first. We would need to be careful. It will be easy to get some of the palace maids talking. You are closer than anyone I have placed in the palace. I might need to borrow your eyes sometimes," Victor requested.

Zayne chuckled, enjoying how Victor now needed him. "Did it pain you to say that?"

Victor closed his eyes, resisting the urge to throw Zayne out of his manor. Why couldn’t Rose have brought home a more simple fellow?

"Thank you for telling me the truth. If you do not mind, I would like to go to my room. I have much to think about. They have come here for me but I would like to skip dinner as well," Rose said, needing a quiet place to think.

She had to think of what to do from here as well as prepare to learn to become a good lady.

"I will tell the others that you are not feeling well and have dinner sent to your room. I am always ready if you have any more questions," Madeline offered.

"I will need to speak to Zayne for a moment," Victor said as Rose stood up first.

"I understand. I will see you soon. Goodbye," Rose excused herself. Her shoulders felt heavy due to how much news she had to take in lately.

Coming from a family with a nobleman was strange from the start but now Rose had to wrap her mind around being a princess. A princess that no one had ever known and would never know about.

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