Primrose could almost feel the weariness behind those words. Caring for someone who had been sick and suffering for so long was never easy. It wasn’t that the ill meant to be cruel, but when pain consumed them day after day, their moods darkened, and patience wore thin.
Then the woman’s eyes turned to Primrose, softening with surprise and warmth. "Oh my, is this Her Majesty the Queen?"
[She’s so beautiful ... and she looks like such a kind woman,] the maid thought to herself. [I heard she’s human, like me, but I never imagined His Majesty could truly fall in love with a human.]
She must have seen the way Edmund helped Primrose down from her horse. His touch was gentle and protective, and he never let go of her hand. To anyone watching, it was clear that the mighty King of Beasts loved his wife deeply.
Primrose had noticed it, too. Their bond grew stronger day by day, to the point that the palace’s soldiers and maids no longer seemed surprised to see their ruthless king become as sweet as a puppy whenever his wife was near.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you," Primrose said with a gentle smile. "I’ve come to visit Lady Lorelle."
The maid’s eyes lit up at Primrose’s words. "Of course, Your Majesty. Lady Lorelle will be glad to see you." She stepped aside and gestured toward the cabin door. "Please, come in."
Primrose gave her a small nod of thanks before glancing at Edmund. His expression was calm, but his grip on her hand remained firm, as though he was silently bracing himself for what awaited inside.
Leofric was the first to move, striding toward the door. The wooden floor creaked softly as he pushed it open, revealing the dim interior of the cabin.
"Lorelle, I’m home," he called gently as he stepped inside. His footsteps carried him toward the main room at the back of the cabin. "I’ve also brought Edmund ... and his new wife with me."
There was a pause, followed by the sound of a faint cough from the back room. Then a weak voice drifted out, "Edmund ...?"
Leofric pushed the door open wider, revealing a modest bedroom lit by a single lamp. On the bed lay Lorelle, her frame so thin it looked as though the blankets might swallow her whole.
Her skin was pale, her lips drained of color, yet her eyes still held a faint light as they turned toward the doorway.
Primrose’s heart clenched at the sight. Even without knowing her well, it was painful to see someone so frail, clinging to what little strength remained.
"It’s been such a long time since you visited me, Edmund." Lorelle tried to smile, though her lips trembled with the effort. "I almost thought you had forgotten me."
[He only came to see me once last year,] she thought bitterly, her blue eyes lingering on him. [Oh ... he looks a little older now. At last, I’m not the only one who keeps aging.]
Primrose’s gaze softened as she noticed the faint wrinkles lining Lorelle’s face. She looked older than Primrose had expected, surely nearing forty.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Mind-Reading Mate Why Is the Lycan King So Obsessed With Me