"Thank you, I will be more careful in the future," Anastasia said, feeling embarrassed. She had t this man twice and had been careless both tis, so she was not surprised by his words.
Ernest nodded and turned to leave. He had drunk a bit too much at the wedding yesterday and had not expected to run into Anastasia so soon. His heart was beating fast, and he genuinely wanted to make her acquaintance. However, knowing she had arrived with the crown prince, he thought it best to avoid unnecessary attention. It would not be good if anyone saw them talking, so he left.
Moreover, he was in a good mood knowing that she did not forget their last encounter. Although he knew that since she married the crown prince there was no future for them, he could not stop liking her.
Anastasia, on the other hand, did not understand why, but after Ernest left, her mind kept replaying the mont he had saved her.
Although he looked a bit tired compared to the last ti she had seen him, she was still deeply struck by his handso features. She could not comprehend how a man could be so striking.
Anastasia was lost in thought until she heard that the soldiers were ready to leave. Walter ca to find her at the tent and escorted her to the prince, who appeared to have just finished addressing the troops.
Anastasia walked over. "Your Highness, may God’s hand guide your sword and shield you from harm. Duty calls, and you must answer, but know that I shall keep watch for your safe return. My prayers will rise with the dawn and set with the sun until you stand once more at our threshold," she said.
Her voice was low, but the soldiers had keen hearing, and they all heard the princess’s words. Many of them began to believe that Anastasia and the prince shared a good relationship.
Indeed, it must have been difficult for her to see her husband go to war so soon after their wedding night.
Even the prince was sowhat moved by her words. He believed the princess might like him a great deal, for her eyes reflected emotions of care and love.
It seed she had been careful not to say anything too emotional since others were present.
What no one knew was that Anastasia had rely recited a line from a play she had read so ti ago. She felt the scene in the play mirrored her current situation, so rather than composing words of her own, she had modified the dialogue and spoken it to the prince. Even the emotions in her gaze were as described in the play.
"The carriage for the royal palace is here. It will take you back," the prince said in a warm voice. As her husband, it was his duty to see to her well-being.
"Your Highness, I will watch you leave before heading back," Anastasia replied, continuing to follow the lines from the play.
Hearing this, the prince was satisfied. He briefly took her hand as though to comfort her. "I will be back before you know it," he said before mounting his horse.
Anastasia stepped aside and watched as the prince rode away with the army.
"Your Highness, shall we return to the palace now?" a maid from the palace asked, noticing that Anastasia was still gazing in the direction the prince had gone.
Anastasia was montarily surprised by the maid’s form of address. Then she rembered that she was now the crown princess, and her status had changed.
"Let’s head back," Anastasia replied.
As she watched the soldiers depart, her eyes caught sight of a familiar face. Though she still did not know the man’s na, his features were sohow engraved in her heart.
Seeing him ride off, she had no idea why she felt a sudden worry for his safety.
---
After returning to the palace, Anastasia first went to see the queen. However, she was inford that the queen was occupied with state affairs on behalf of the king and could not et her.
Hearing this, Anastasia realized she needed to study more if she was to fulfill her role as crown princess properly.
With nothing else to do, she decided to visit the royal library. As crown princess, there were only a few places in the palace she did not have access to.
Just as she stepped into the royal library, a strange sense of familiarity washed over her. But she had never been to the royal library before.
Anastasia found the feeling unsettling. Just as she was about to push the thought to the back of her mind, fragnts of a dream she had long forgotten suddenly resurfaced.
Her face turned pale.
Her dream had indeed mirrored reality far too often.
In her dream, the duchess had poisoned her, rendering her unable to bear children after marrying the crown prince. The sa had nearly happened in reality; except she had been more cautious, and fortunately, the poison had been discovered in ti for treatnt.
Now, standing in the library she had never seen yet sohow recognized, Anastasia cast aside all doubts. She decided to take the dream seriously.
Though she was unsure how to change her fate, since she was already married to the crown prince, she resolved to push those thoughts aside for now.
She needed to read more and gain a better understanding of the kingdom’s affairs. The dream was not a complete roadmap for what lay ahead, so she could only face each challenge as it arose.
---
Days passed, and Anastasia spent most of her ti in the library. She also did not forget to visit the chapel and pray for the prince’s safety.
Her days were comfortable.
Four days after the prince’s departure, the queen finally had ti and sent for Anastasia.
"Your Majesty," Anastasia greeted with a bow as she entered the queen’s hall.
The queen observed Anastasia and found her pleasing to the eye. Though she had been occupied for the past few days, she had heard that Anastasia had diligently studied in the library and sought guidance from the available teachers whenever she encountered difficulties.
The scholars in the library had even praised her as talented.
What pleased the queen most, however, was that Anastasia had visited the chapel twice a day to offer prayers for the prince’s victory and safe return.
"Sit," the queen said with a smile, first inquiring about Anastasia’s well-being.
"I am well, Your Majesty. I appreciate Her Majesty’s concern," Anastasia replied.
The queen nodded, satisfied.
She knew that the prince had not spent his wedding night with his bride and had instead gone to his mistress. This behavior was absolutely unacceptable. However, the prince could not be blad. Dorothy was the one at fault.
The queen would never allow her son to be consud by lust; a behavior unbefitting of a future king. She had already decided to deal with Dorothy and the rumors before the prince returned.
"I have heard the rumors about my son taking in a mistress..." The queen paused, observing Anastasia’s reaction.
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