Todos los capítulos de The Secret Of My Royal Prince: Capítulo 41 - Capítulo 50

The final hours of the year passed underneath a sky crowded with stars.Across Aragon, towns and villages remained awake long past their usual hour. Fires burned in courtyards, music spilled from taverns, and families gathered around tables laden with food. From the smallest village to the grandest estate, people waited for the same moment.At Evercrest Castle, the celebration had grown louder as midnight approached. The great hall was filled with nobles, household guests and members of the royal court. Musicians played lively tunes from the gallery while servants moved between the tables, keeping goblets filled and dishes replenished.Jeremy had scarcely stopped moving all evening. He carried trays, delivered messages and helped the other servants keep pace with the demands of the celebration. Yet every few minutes, he found himself glancing towards the great clock above the entrance.Eleven forty-five. The final quarter of the year.Beyond the tall windows, the castle grounds were a

The celebrations had not ended, but the castle seemed slower after the long night. Servants moved through the corridors collecting glasses and clearing away the remnants of another evening of music and dancing. Guests slept late in their chambers, while the royal household prepared for another gathering that evening.Kelvin, however, had little interest in celebration. He walked alone through the royal wing until he reached his father's chambers.Softly, he knocked thrice."Come in."Kelvin opened the door and stepped in. The room was dim despite the morning light outside. Heavy curtains had been drawn across the windows, leaving only a narrow band of winter sunlight across the floor.King Alistair lay against several pillows. He looked weaker than he had only weeks before."Father." Kelvin stopped at the bedside.Alistair smiled faintly. "You came.""Of course." He pulled a chair closer and sat.The silence between them was not uncomfortable. It was the silence of two people who had

In the days that followed, Evercrest slowly returned to its usual rhythm.The decorations from the New Year celebrations were taken down, the visiting nobles gradually departed, and the castle settled into the familiar routines of court life. Yet, one thing refused to disappear with the festivities. The unanswered questions surrounding the night Kelvin had collapsed.Then the rumour began quietly.At first, it was nothing more than a sentence exchanged between two ladies in one of the eastern corridors, spoken softly enough that the passing servants could barely hear it. Then another person heard it. Then another. By midday, the words had travelled farther than anyone could have expected.Valerie believed she was carrying the prince's child. No one knew exactly where the claim had originated. Some said Valerie had confided in Lady Margaret of House Briarwood. Others insisted she had spoken directly to one of the queen's attendants. The details changed with every telling… the rumour di

By morning, the rumour had become more than a whisper. It had acquired shape, certainty, and a hundred different versions.Some claimed Valerie had spent the night alone with Prince Kelvin. Others insisted she had been seen leaving his chamber before dawn. A few had already begun speaking of an heir as though the child had been born and named.By breakfast, the servants were careful with their words. By midday, the nobles had stopped being careful at all. And before the afternoon bells had finished ringing, Kelvin received a summons from the royal council.The council chamber was colder than usual. Perhaps it was the weather. Perhaps it was the silence that greeted Kelvin as he entered.King Alistair's chair remained empty at the head of the table, leaving Queen Vivienne seated in his place. Around her sat the kingdom's most influential advisers, each wearing an expression of solemn concern.Among them sat Lord Cedric Ravaryn.He appeared as composed as ever, his hands resting loosely

Two days later, Beatrice Holloway left Evercrest on official business.The assignment was simple. Several records requested by a regional magistrate needed to be delivered and signed before they could be entered into the royal archives. It was hardly the sort of duty that demanded much thought, and Beatrice welcomed the opportunity to spend a few hours away from the castle.Evercrest had become crowded with secrets lately, and she found herself grateful for the road.The afternoon was already beginning to soften when she finished her business and started the journey back. Her horse followed the narrow country road at an easy pace. The countryside was quiet. Fields stretched towards the distant hills, broken occasionally by clusters of trees and small farmhouses.Beatrice had almost begun thinking about the documents awaiting her return when a lone figure appeared further along the roadside. Nothing about him seemed remarkable. He carried a worn satchel over one shoulder. At first, she