It was Lord Malcolm's second day away from the castle, and it was already noon.Since the previous afternoon, Fiona had not left the large window that viewed the bridge, the only passage connecting the land to the castle.Sitting in her comfortable armchair, she was either reading or embroidering. She did not leave her spot even to sleep in their chamber at night.But Malcolm was nowhere to be seen, and Fiona sighed for the umpteenth time. She felt Malcolm had been gone for days, not just one or two. Evil thoughts began to invade her mind and tyrannize her. What if something had happened to him?No, no, she reassured herself by vigorously shaking her head to banish her unwanted thoughts.The time passed slowly and excruciatingly. This happened every time Malcolm had to be gone for more than a day; for Fiona, it was every time, like time had stopped.Skye also had the same feeling of 'dragging time,' but for different reasons. Her mind could not be calmed by the thoughts that her uncle

Skye tried hard to remain calm and show no emotion. The good thing was that her uncle and aunt couldn't hear her heart, which had begun to thump in her chest.A decree from the King?Years had passed since the last time a decree had come from the King to the castle, and she was a little girl then; there was no matter of her marriage. So she wasn't that interested. But now things were different, she had grown up, and the issue of her marriage was now on the table. She shuddered at the idea that the decree might be about her this time—an order to a forced marriage.Skye swallowed hard."De-" she started to say but caught the hoarseness in her voice and stopped. She cleared her throat. "Decree from the King? A- and what does it say?"The uncle waved his hand casually."No, it's no big deal. His majesty invites us to attend an event that will take place in the King's castle. As it says in the decree, he decided to stage a farewell event to summer and welcome the coming autumn.""Just that

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! NO! NO! STUPID SEAMSTRESS! THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT COLOR! I ASKED FOR PURPLE AND THIS IS GREEN. AND IT'S ALSO AWFUL! LOOK THOSE SLEEVES, ARE SO LONG! MOTHEEEER!!!"Skye was sitting on her bed and pressing her ears with her palms.But she only achieved a little. The shrill sound of Iona's squeals quickly pierced the thickest walls and the heaviest wooden doors. The last few days that the daughter of lords had been returned, everyone had lost their peace with her yelling, screeching, hysterical crying, and the imperious tapping of her foot on the floor. She always demanded something, asked for something difficult or time-consuming to achieve, and wanted it at once.The maids didn't finish their work in time because they were indebted to serve the endless demands of the lord's daughter; as a result, Lady Fiona shouted and threatened to kick them out of the castle. The maids had no right to excuse themselves. It was always their fault.Everyone had lost sleep because of

Lord Malcolm's carriage went across the great gate of the King's castle the following day early in the morning. The steady sound of horses' feet pounding on the cobbled road soothed the fret of the weary passengers. After the big journey they were forced to undergo over rough roads, jolting each time the carriage fell into potholes was a great relief to all, and the view from the carriage windows rewarded them.The road to the castle door was amidst a lush green landscape of various trees, fruit-bearing and not, and colorful, fantastic gardens. Skye caught sight of a round wooden gazebo and thought it would be a great treat if she had the chance to take her tea there and enjoy the lovely view while reading a book, or better yet, she could paint the garden or part of it.There were so many flowers, and as if they had made a secret agreement, they mixed their various scents to create a unique blend.Skye opened the window a crack and closed her eyes as she took deep breaths, enjoying th

Talisha walked up to Hector and put her hand on his shoulder. "Please forgive me, Hector. I didn't want to raise my tone. See, the desperation I was feeling broke out without me realizing it. I can't get out of my mind that Skye got such joy from curtains, sunlight, and a soft bed. All these are granted here." "I understand how you feel about this and I don't mind," he comforted her with a brief touch on her hand. Talisha nodded gratefully and wiped her nose. Her gaze fell on the jumbled bedding on the couch. "Didn't you sleep well last night?" she asked him. "In the condition I see the couch, it looks like you were tossing and turning in your sleep all night." Hector didn't deny it. "I wonder why. Since you had sent your men to follow them unseen throughout their journey here. Skye was completely safe." "I know. That's not why I stayed up most of the night." "What was the reason then?" Hector smirked. "It may sound silly to you, but I couldn't sleep knowing Skye was on her w