The King's Rejected Lady

Only Death Can Stop Us Now

"Lillian, leave them to us. We will block the way for the two of you. Just be there for our Lady Tori," A servant from the kitchen staff, Nana, appeared together with the other kitchen staff. They were bringing ladles and other kitchen tools as if those were their weapons. The worry and anger in their eyes reflected the same ones as Rowan's and Lillian's.

Shena stopped them with her shrieking voice. "You can't do that!" She reached out for the two of them, but Chef Elmond and Nana stepped between them.

"Go," Nana turned to them, which earned her a nod from Lillian. Rowan, on the other, dashed immediately toward the Duke's office.

His strides were fast, and his agility was tested.

Just one more corner. Please hold on Tori!

But the image that welcomed him stopped him in his tracks. Unconsciously, his voice slipped as he watched the woman who saved him from being bounded and guided by Duke Castaña's knights. "Stop!"

The party who just stepped out of the office stopped as they heard the desperate plea of a drenched knight as Lillian was in tow with him. Lillian covered her mouth in shock after assessing the situation of her mistress. Lady Tori was being taken to the prison cells of the capital.

"You can't take her! You have to get through me first." The result of the declaration was clear. A lone knight could do nothing against the cavalry of knights from the two Duchies.

I will protect you, Tori. His determined cobalt eyes met emotionless red eyes.

The harsh glare from the sunken eyes of Duke Luwen Rozenreff met with his cobalt ones, but Rowan stopped caring. "Take him away to the dungeon!"

The knights from the Rozenreff Duchy advanced to capture Rowan and Lillian. But the silent Duke of Castaña Duchy spoke for the first time after he stepped out of his friend's office. "Halt!"

Every knight stopped and turned to the Duke, as did everybody except Tori, who was just watching Lillian and Rowan carefully.

"What is the matter, Duke Castaña?" Lady Sabina anxiously asked the serious-looking Duke, who was just staring directly at the drenched knight. The Duke was enamored with the fact that he was just looking at his younger version. Doubts clouded his mind as he remembered a commoner who entranced him at some point in his life. It couldn't be.

"Come with me. I want to talk with you." The Duke uttered the words that Tori had been waiting for. Her red eyes glinted for a split second, which Rowan saw.

"I am not leaving my master's side. I'd rather die than let you take her to the prison cells."

The Duke of Castaña Duchy knew how far anyone could do with determined eyes like that with Rowan. His eyes held no remorse, even if it would mean a guillotine for him. "Then I will grant you the right to guard Lady Victoria while she was inside the cell. In return, talk to me."

"I will talk to you as I guard my master then, Duke Castaña."

His stubbornness caused the Duke of Castaña to grin. Everyone around them did not know that the fondness written on the Duke's face would, later on, cause chaos for the noble faction.

Pieces of puzzles were slowly taking their rightful place. He did not want to assume, but the weird way the Duke stared at him made Rowan hope for something. He hoped to find a way to get Tori out.

The very sight of her bounded wrists caused turmoil inside him. A pair of cobalt eyes darkened even more. He would not let her suffer inside the cell. He would guard her every second.

"It's settled then. Let's go. Go and escort your master." The Duke of Castaña nodded at his knights to make room for Rowan. Lillian did not let herself watch while not doing anything, so she walked side by side with Rowan and went directly to Tori's side.

The Dukes led the group outside the Rozenreff estate. Sabina then followed the two Dukes with her head held high as if she owned everything around her. Tori was surrounded by the knights as her wrists were being bound, while Rowan and Lillian surrounded her as protection. But even with the humiliation that Tori was facing, they could trace no tears or fear on her eyes or her face. Tori was like a blank canvas. Her elegance and grace were intact as if she was not coming to a place full of torture.

Rowan, on the other hand, was like a beast ready to pounce any moment.

The moment they reached the carriages, two carriages were prepared. The Duke of Rozenreff Duchy and Sabina would stay in the Rozenreff estate to prepare for their immediate departure to Trifecta Academy. It was the Duke of Castaña Duchy that would escort Tori.

The first carriage was for Lillian and Tori, while the second one was for the Duke and Rowan. But for the first time since her father sentenced her, Tori spoke for the first time.

Her sweet and calm voice never changed as she uttered the words that made Sabina recoil with controlled anger beneath her smiling face. "Lily, go with Sabina. Prepare me tea for my stay in the prison cell. After all, I am your beloved sister, right sister Sabina?" Tori did not wait for Sabina's reply as she went inside her carriage.

But as someone who was the future Duchess of the Rozenreff estate, being dismissed like that was astounding, as if Tori was still treating Sabina below her. "Of course, Sister Victoria."

Rowan followed Tori inside her carriage, which made the Duke of Castaña Duchy follow too. They discarded the other carriage as no one needed it anymore. The heaves of the horses signaled their departure toward the prison cells.