The Hidden King's Stolen Wife
Chapter 134: Done Enough

Chapter 134: Done Enough

"Princess Soleia, why are you sleeping here?" Ralph asked worriedly as he shook Soleia’s shoulder gently.

Soleia groaned into her hands at the rude wakeup call, before she realized she had a painful crick in her neck from sleeping awkwardly on the couch. "Ouch, my neck..." She complained, rubbing it carefully.

"Princess?" Sir Ralph prompted, and Soleia realized that in addition to concern, she could detect the faintest upset in his eyes. She could only blink in surprise.

"Has something happened?"

"You should be the one answering that question," Sir Ralph said, crossing his arms. "Why are you not sleeping on your bed? Why was your door open?"

"I must have fallen asleep. I was going to the infirmary, but then I got tired. Don’t look so worried― I felt a lot better after my nap!" Soleia said, hastily reassuring Sir Ralph, whose frown only grew more pronounced at her words.

Rafael was less than pleased to realize Soleia was napping on a random couch, unprotected. He walked right into her room since there was nothing stopping him.

"Princess, this is highly unsafe. What if someone else stumbled upon you and decided to take advantage of you?" Namely, his two untrustworthy older brothers― but he wouldn’t put it past any foreign royalty to not take advantage of Soleia while she was defenseless.

"That is highly unlikely..." Soleia said weakly, but she saw the wisdom in Sir Ralph’s words. The castle is now full of foreign visitors, and Sir Ralph was probably tearing his head out trying to keep her safe. "You’re right, it was careless of me. It won’t happen again."

"Please have some care for your own well-being." Rafael didn’t want to nag, but Soleia’s behavior caused his tongue to loosen. Bad enough that she had entered the forest, then she got tangled up with Raziel, and now she was falling asleep on random furniture with the door to her chambers left wide open?!

It was as though she wanted to give Rafael a heart attack!

Soleia nodded obediently like a chastised child. "Yes yes, I will listen to you from now on."

Rafael nodded. "Good. Now let’s go to the infirmary."

"Why? Is Reitan there?" Soleia asked worriedly. "Did his injury not heal properly? Prince Raziel claimed there were no problems, but I don’t trust him. Have you checked on Reitan?"

Rafael sighed. This princess needed to learn how to take better care of herself. "Soleia, the infirmary visit is for you. You’re also injured, remember?"

"Oh," Soleia said. "Well, I’m fine. It’s nothing good food and rest wouldn’t cure. There’s really no need for that."

Sir Ralph continued to stare at her impassively. His gaze slowly traversed down her body, as though he could see all the bruising Soleia sustained in her struggle against the howlers.

Soleia’s cheeks flushed at his intense scrutiny. "You’ve made your point. I’ll go."

"I’ll accompany you," Sir Ralph said, and she detected his faint smugness through his polite tone as he managed to cajole her. She rolled her eyes, even as she was grateful for his fussing.

They arrived at the infirmary, only to see Elowyn lying down on one of the beds. Soleia couldn’t help but shoot Sir Ralph an unimpressed glance from the corner of her eyes. She would have objected more strongly about going to the infirmary if she knew Elowyn was going to be present.

To Sir Ralph’s credit, he didn’t know she was going to be there either. His face twisted with dislike.

"Princess Soleia," Elowyn exclaimed theatrically and made a show of clutching her belly. "Please, don’t hurt me or my baby!"

"Stop the act, no one is watching," Soleia said, rolling her eyes. "Princess Nessa is not here to be your knight in shining armor."

Rafael was similarly tired of her nonsense. Elowyn smirked, but she still continued to pretend to shudder in fear at Soleia’s very presence.

A physician hurriedly rushed over once he saw Princess Soleia enter. "Princess Soleia! How may I help you?’

"Just a general check-up will do," Soleia said, and the physician led her away to a more secluded corner and drew the curtains, leaving Rafael alone with Elowyn― more accurately, Elinora, that smug heiress he was once engaged to.

"What are you planning?" Rafael demanded hotly, his voice an incensed whisper. "Are you stalking Soleia―"

"My my, aren’t you a protective little lapdog," Elowyn sniffled nonchalantly as she made herself comfortable. "And what makes you think I’m planning anything?"

"The fact that I’m most unfortunate to know who you actually are," Rafael pointed out, narrowing his eyes. He had no doubt Elinora played a part in inciting his brothers’ interests towards Soleia.

"What a hurtful tone," Elinora said, sounding not hurt in the least. "You should be treating me more kindly since we are on the same side."

"We are not," Rafael retorted, appalled at her insinuation. He would be less insulted if she compared him to a slug and found him lacking. "I have done enough for you."

Elinora smiled indulgently at him, beckoning him closer with a crooked finger. Against his will, Rafael bent over, close enough for her to whisper in his ear.

"Oh, but how can that ever be enough? I know you, Rafael Biroumand." Her voice was a soft murmur, but Rafael still tensed up when he heard his name escape her lips. His eyes darted back to the screen, where Soleia was still speaking to the physician.

"You’re a selfish, possessive man, despite your act as a gentleman. If it came down to making Soleia happy or making her stay with you, you would pick the latter," Elinora said definitively, her voice a prophecy in his ears. It echoed and lingered, mockingly condemning him.

"You’re wrong," Rafael insisted, but it sounded weak to himself. Suddenly, he felt as though Elinora had stripped him bare. "I would want Soleia to be happy."

"You’d want Soleia to be happy with you," Elinora corrected him knowingly. She reached out a hand to his arm. "And I can help you with that."

Soleia stepped out from the shelter of the screen at this very moment. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of how close Sir Ralph seemed to be standing by Elowyn’s bedside.

"Excuse me?" Soleia’s incredulous voice rang through the infirmary. "What on earth is happening here?"