The citadel had since become tense with everything that was happening. Rumors about Arabella and the king were spreading through the palace and the kingdom faster than anyone could control, and Cilia wished more than anything to leave the palace as soon as possible. She was finally tired of everything.
She still remembered the choices the King had given her. Yet, despite having had enough time to think about them, she still hadn't been able to come up with an answer for him.
Perhaps she simply needed some fresh air she told herself that morning.
Cilia left her bedchambers and made her way into the garden, hoping that walking among the flowers and trees would help clear her head. The garden was unusually quiet compared to the rest of the palace, and for once, she didn't have to listen to servants whispering or nobles discussing matters that had nothing to do with them.
As she moved slowly along the garden path, her thoughts inevitably returned to Arabella.
