It had been a tough night for both King John and Miss Roselyn, he had terrible nightmares about his dad dying in his arms and telling him he hated him for not having kept his promise of avenging him. He woke up in the middle of the night screaming, in a cold sweat, scaring all the servants that gathered in his room in no time to check if everything was alright. After they saw it was none less than one of his usual nightmares that haunted him after bad days, they made some herbal tea and then left his room.

Roselyn wasn't having a good time either, from the opposite part of her room. As the thought of having caught feelings for him wasn't relaxing her at all. It was like all her secures fall down. She liking him so early wasn't a thing she expected from her rational being. Her heart sank like a stone at the thought of what she may have to bear, live the whole life with someone who doesn't have mutual feelings, wasn't it worse than a life prisoner of a man who loved you?

What was it worse, being the one that doesn't reciprocate the other's feelings or living a one sided relationship?

Maybe that was the price to pay for having been too impulsive in her choices?

When she finally fall in a deep sleep, she just enjoyed it for a few hours before the familiar noise of maids' brooms beating against the door woke her up.

The only thought that didn't let her demoralize for the little sleep she had was the fact she had to go with John and Kathy with a trip out.

She was thrilled about meeting her close friend, but she knew she would ask her about the romantic fairy tales she was living with John. She took a long breath of relief to express her discomfort about the whole situation.

Maids walked in without asking her for a consent, the old maid took her blankets away, "hurry." She said in her usual scolding tone of voice. The lady woke up from her comfortable bed. The little sleep was making her feel even more easily irascible, and it was hard not to talk over the old maid that surely would not play easy on her on such an important occasion.

Roselyn choose one of her favorite dresses for the occasion, and added to her look a gold necklace.

Walking toward the dining room to have breakfast, she found John already there.

A shake with her head to clear her heart for ponding at his charm. Maybe it was the night filled with his presence, but he looked even more charming than the usual days. Like if he could read her thought he smiled, "good morning." he said as his gaze followed her while she sat on the chair on the opposite side of the table.

She smiled shy, feeling like a complete idiot when she met the reassigned gaze of the blond maid whose rolled her eyes, staring at the hopeless lady that did not know what she was getting herself into.

"We are going to pick up your maid then we can go." He said, taking a sip of wine, having Roselyn hide her shook to see someone drink early in the morning.

"Hmmm" She nodded, finding the comfort in a bite of chocolate muffin.

"It was a gracious gesture of you, miss Roselyn, to ask the chief to prepare the chocolate mousse." The old maid stated, a blink of eye was unconsciously taken by the laid who doubted her good intention after their turbulent past.

The maid's eyes were fixed on her. After a few seconds of the time necessary to acknowledge that she wasn't indeed getting any response from the couple, the maid persisted, "you two seem to get along very well."

Roselyn's cheeks betrayed her tentative of trying to ignore her pettiness, turning red but perceptible enough for the maid to notice and clung to something. She smirked, her tone rang mercilessly. "How sweet of you Roselyn. I am glad to see you're falling for each other."

For a second, silence lapsed over them both just to be abruptly broken by the cough of King John, whose choked on his wine as soon as he realized the words that had been spoken.

"None of us is catching feelings. Please don't run my day and waste my time by hazarding such inconsistent guesses." He spat. His voice was a pure harsh scold, but the maid wouldn't let go so easily. She cleared her voice. Her gaze was still on Roselyn, whose pretended she didn't hear the old woman suppositions and took a quick sip from her coffee. Not to risk choking on it.

"Your highness, please don't hurt miss Roselyn's feelings." Hearing the sentence, silence broke into the room. Roselyn's eyes glanced up to glower at the maid, who was offering the proudest mischievous, toothy smile. The blond maid widened her eyes, just picturing the consequences of such a tactlessness.

King John stood up in an abrupt sudden movement that shook the table, some glasses on the table fall staining the ancient raffinate tablecloth, but no maid dared to lift a finger to clear.

Everyone froze, scaring at the King's reaction.

John's eyes darted forth to the border maid and back to Roselyn. The poor lady clenched her fists under the table and only God knew what she wished to do to that woman who was becoming more and more devilish every day.

"Roselyn." John's voice was low, but in the silence it sounded so keen. The lady's heart hearing him calling her name raced. All the servants' and maids' eyes were on her, making her feel even more pressurised.

Even the worst place on Earth would still be a better place to be in that moment. She glanced up to meet his pleading look. "Please, Roselyn. Tell her you won't fall in love with me. So she can let us alone."

She swallowed, gazing at her friendly maid who raised her eyebrows trying to show her support, a pain on her chess. Her mouth dried, so she took a sip from the nearly glass filled with wine.. She had never drunk before, and the unfamiliar taste of alcohol burned into her throat before she swallowed it down.