"John..." William spoke filling the distressing silence with his hoarse voice that echoed in the room.

"I didn't expect you would do such a thing. You knew how important it was for me and your mother. What will you two tell to your sons? That their parents met and fell in love thanks for an agreement because none of them wanted to be involved emotionally?" William scoffed resigned.

John swallowed down the lump of sadness in his throat and sighed. He knew his father was right, as always but he couldn't go back in time and change things.

"The most important thing is that we ended up together and we are deeply in love with each other. Doesn't matter how we reached that purpose." John tried to deflect, and convince his father but the truth was that John didn't know what to say nor how to justify what he did either with him or with all the villagers that now will be furious, especially the ladies.

William took another resigned breath, it seemed like his breath became heavier in his lungs and he couldn't even suggest something because he didn't even know how to solve that situation. People in Scotland were very strict when it came to Kingdom and the timing wasn't the best either since the news of William being alive had been spread so they might think it was all planned and William accepted such a deplorable agreement.

William gave one last resigned breath, "you own people an explanation." He said and John nodded, he didn't care what people thought, he never did, and if he did he wouldn't have even had the idea to form a fake attachment with Roselyn in the first place as well. The only thing he cared about was his father and if talking with the villagers and justify himself would make his father happier then he was doing it.

"I will send a letter to all the villagers to invite them here so you and Roselyn can apologize in front of them," William said with a still tensed irritated tone of voice. It was not like John could oppose his father's will so he limited himself to nod and accept his father's decision. William was now again the King of Scotland and his son's actions and bad behavior would affect him and he had to pay the consequences of the village's malcontent.

The door budged and footsteps echoed from the hall, after few seconds Roselyn and Ethan walked shily into the kitchen and John frowned almost glowering at both of them for having interrupted his conversation with his father.

"Good afternoon..." she cleared her voice and gazed at William. "I wanted to came because I think that I am just as guilty as John and I owe you some apologies," Roselyn said trying to modulate her voice and not sound as frail as she truly was but instead try to pretend she was willing to face the consequences even if she could see her reputation and her relationship with John hang in the balance.

"It's not your fault Rose, I am the one who had the idea and who proposed you the agreement too. If it wasn't you I would have asked someone else." John intervened, he couldn't accept Roselyn to take the blame for something he fully orchestrated. Moreover, he didn't want his father to dislike her just for that.

"I know John very well, I am sure he would have done it anyway with someone else if you wouldn't have accepted." William nodded smiling at Roselyn who felt slightly relieved to see John's father wasn't mad at her.

William caressed the back of Roselyn's shoulder and then he glanced at John. "He had never loved anyone not even did he allow any woman to be able to lower his wall. That's why I wasn't surprised when I learned that he was the one who had the idea to form a fake attachment."

John's face seemed impassive like if those words didn't hurt him, probably anyone else would feel slightly moved by being called emotionless by their father but John didn't, he knew he was right and had never felt the slightest inch of love for anyone else besides his father in all his life.

"As I said to John I will invite everyone here so the both of you can apologize in front of everyone and hopeful the villagers will believe that your bond is now true although it began as an agreement," William said, his gaze darted between the two of them, and just when he saw Roselyn smiling, he nodded.

"However, I'm glad to know that even if it was a bad idea at least it led John to experiment for the first time in his life a deep true connection with someone and maybe what loving truly means." William's voice was calm and John smiled joyfully finally meeting Roselyn's gaze and holding her hand.

"I did." He whispered, "If there is one positive thing about the terrible situation we got ourselves in is that I met Roselyn."

Roselyn felt her heart-melting when she heard John's words and her eyes narrowed when a bright wide smile formed on her face.

The couple smiled at each other and William scoffed amused, "I can't be mad at you after all if you hadn't made the agreement, you probably would be single by now and maybe I wouldn't be alive." William opened his hands gazing at John tilting his head to the side and walking closer to him.

He hugged his son and covered his head with his hand as John laid his head over his shoulder.

"We will fix this with the villagers," John whispered and William smiled even though he couldn't be seen by his son.

"I am sure you will," William replied whispering back to his son as they extended the embrace for few more minutes before departing.

"Meantime we need new maids and a new fierce to protect the castle, then we will think about sending the invites and set a date for the meeting," William said and both his sons nodded.

"I will send a letter to call all the maids that escaped and offer them a huge salary to indulge them to accept the work," John said.