Emmelyn couldn't believe her eyes when she saw her brother, Killian Rosehill, was walking with Ellena Greystorm through the entrance. He was wearing a regal outfit, looking perfectly in place, among all the nobles in the ballroom.
However, the man was only 26 years old but he looked like he was a man in his thirties. He almost looked like someone else. Emmelyn wondered why he changed so much.
Maybe his life in the past year had been really hard that he looked cold and older?
Seeing her usually happy-go-lucky older brother turned into a cold man made Emmelyn feel sad.
"Your Highness," Ellena curtseyed as soon as she reached the crown prince in the middle of the ballroom. Her expression looked calm and her beautiful long lashes fluttered sweetly as her gaze met his.
There was no hint of jealousy in her eyes. It was either because Ellena no longer felt attracted to the crown prince, or she was just a damn good actress.
"Lady Ellena, it's good to have you here," Mars said out of politeness. He turned to the man standing next to Ellena and asked her with his eyes, who he was. "And your friend is..?"
"This is Lord Killian Snowden. He is visiting from a faraway country, so I decided to ask him to come with me to attend the royal ball. I hope Your Highness doesn't mind," Ellena explained.
Killian bowed down his head to show his respect to the crown prince. His gaze accidentally met Emmelyn's as he raised his head to see Mars. He greeted the prince politely. "Your Highness."
Emmelyn's heart skipped a beat and she suddenly couldn't breathe.
Killian didn't seem to know her. His gaze looked cold and his expression flat. How was this possible? Was he pretending not to recognize Emmelyn?
That must be it.
Oh, Emmelyn had so many questions!
Why was Killian here? What was he doing with Ellena?
How did they know each other?
Oh my god...
Emmelyn hit her chest several times, to force herself to breathe. Her action immediately made the prince startled. He turned to Emmelyn and held her waist.
"Hey? What's wrong? Are you unwell?" He instantly went into a panic. "You can't breathe?"
Emmelyn looked at him with a blank expression. Her brain quickly told herself to protect Killian at all costs. She had lost all her family members. She couldn't afford to lose the only one she had left.
Emmelyn didn't know why her brother could come to the enemy's den... and moreover, he was here with Ellena!
This looked really wrong.
What was he thinking when he saw Emmelyn with the enemy? Was he pretending not to recognize Emmelyn? What was he planning?
Did he come here for revenge? But how?? The Rosehills were gone and they didn't even have an army. What kind of revenge could he get?
"Lady Emmelyn, are you sick? Let's get you out of here..." Mars wanted to lift Emmelyn but the girl spontaneously pushed him away. She forced herself to look fine.
Emmelyn waved her hand and faked a smile. "I-I'm fine, Your Highness... I just need to sit somewhere... My legs are tired..."
Emmelyn nodded to Ellena and Killian and walked briskly toward the king's table. Mars quickly turned to Ellena and excused himself.
"Lady Ellena, Lord Killian, please enjoy the ball. I'll see you around." He marched toward his parents' table to chase Emmelyn and managed to catch her before she arrived there.
"Are you okay?" He whispered as he grabbed her arm gently. "Do you need some air?"
Emmelyn shook her head. She smiled as if nothing happened and feigned a headache. "I'm fine, Your Highness. Thank you for caring. I just need to rest for a bit. My legs cramped and I am having a headache."
"Oh, let me ask John to get Mr. Vitas here," said Mars. He looked around to find the royal butler, but Emmelyn stopped him.
"There is no need to trouble Mr. Vitas. Let him rest. It's already late," she pleaded with him. "I think I'll be fine if I can just get some glow wine. Please?"
"Hmm.. okay." Mars finally relented.
He helped her walk to the chair at the monarch's table and made sure she sat comfortably before he waved to John to come. Once the butler came, he ordered John to bring a jug of glow wine for Emmelyn.
"Are you all right?" Queen Elara also noticed Emmelyn's change of attitude and she immediately assumed Emmelyn was feeling discomfort because of her pregnancy.
"It's nothing, Your Majesty..." Emmelyn smiled. She pressed her temple, pretending to relieve her headache. Mars poured half a cup of glow wine into her cup and gave it to her. Emmelyn took it with a grateful look. "Thank you, Your Highness."
She sipped her wine while stealing a glance toward Ellena and Killian.
She saw them walking side by side toward Duke Preston's table, seemingly while talking in a low voice. They looked quite close...
"I have never seen the man who came with Ellena," the queen said. She turned to Mars. "Do you know who he is?"
Mars shook his head. He was wondering the same. Ellena didn't say anything about the man's origins. She only mentioned that his name was Killian Snowden and he came from a faraway country.
"Didn't Lady Preston said that Ellena is meeting a friend from her travels?" King Jared said. He turned to the Prestons and raised his cup. Duke Preston smiled and raised his cup too.
King Jared then looked at his son intently. "Maybe we should hope that Ellena and that man have a special relationship so you don't have to worry about hurting her feelings when you reject her love?"
The king glanced at Emmelyn and smiled to himself. He knew his son must be in love with this beautiful woman sitting beside him.
However, Mars must have been holding back in front of other people because he was still cautious that his relationship with Emmelyn would cause a problem with the Prestons.
Wouldn't it be good if Ellena could find another man to love so she would leave the crown prince alone?
Mars would be able to comfortably choose another woman to marry, for example, Emmelyn.
Meanwhile, Emmelyn was furious when she heard the king wish Ellena would fall for Killian.
[No. Not my brother!]
[Not in a million years!]
[I will never let her touch my brother with her claws!]
[Ughhh!!]
Emmelyn bit her lip and gripped her cup tightly.
"I don't know what to think, father. I will send people to investigate them tomorrow," Mars replied. "I will talk to Ellena later and find out who is the man and what is their relationship."
[Oh no... don't investigate my brother...] Emmelyn's face turned pale.
She couldn't let Mars find out who Killian Snowden was. At least not until she could talk to her brother.
She gulped her wine and put her cup on the table. She must make sure it was really Killian and talked to him.
After she knew what was going on, she would know what to do.
"I need to go to the restroom." Emmelyn rose from her chair and touched Mars' arm. "Which way is the restroom?"
"Didn't the maid take you there in the last royal ball?" the queen asked her.
Emmelyn laughed nervously, "Uhm.. I'm sorry, I seem to have a short memory loss lately. Just show me the way, I will go there myself."
"Let me take you there," Mars offered.
Emmelyn quickly brushed him off with a chuckle. "No... you are not to take me to the restroom. I'll go get one of those maids. See you later."
She curtseyed and walked away toward one of the maids, standing on the corner. She pretended to ask for the maid's help to take her to the restroom.
Gosh... that was close! She couldn't let Mars follow her around. Killian might sneak out and see her. They badly needed to talk.
"This way, Your Highness," said the maid, motioning Emmelyn to follow her.
Emmelyn walked gracefully, away from the ballroom. Once she was out, she told the maid that she could go on her own.
"Thank you. I think I remember the way from here. You don't need to wait for me."
"But Your Highness..."
"Go."
The maid had no choice but to comply. Emmelyn walked away from the ballroom and once she saw that nobody was around, she hid behind a pillar and caught her breath.
Gosh.. she hoped Killian would follow her so they could talk.
She must know what happened to her brother in the past two years and how did he end up in the capital. Emmelyn waited for a while, but Killian still didn't show up.
Emmelyn became conflicted. Was it really her brother though? If it was Killian Rosehill... why didn't he come out and look for her?
Was it actually a stranger that looked like her brother?
But, if it was a stranger, why did he have the same name as Killian? It's too much of a coincidence, wasn't it?
Emmelyn let out a long sigh.
Killian was still not there.