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Once again I was hiding in the corner at a ball. The King had gone off to speak with the Baron, about the war no doubt, and I was left alone, without a single person that I knew. After our dance, I hadn't seen Sebastien, I wondered where he'd disappeared to. More so, I wondered why he'd lie to me, did I perhaps know him from somewhere else? I shook my head, dismissing the thoughts. I turned at the sound of a door creaking open, to find Clara rushing to another room in tears, being consoled by her mother. A moment later, the Baron and the King emerged from the same room, the Baron looking cross, and the King, unfazed. He made his way over to me, and I cocked an eyebrow.

"The deal did not end favourably." he sighed, coming to a stop beside me.

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you once we return home." he shook his head, extending his arm to me "But enough about business, let us enjoy the ball."

"Must we enjoy it through dance?" I whined.

"We must." he smirked, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me back into the crowd.

"Everyone will stare, as they did before." I remarked, as we began to waltz.

"They're staring at your dress, love, it's eye-catching."

"Odd compared to theirs." I shrugged.

"Some would say odd, others would say gorgeous."

"If you insist, you would know better than me what goes through these rich people's minds." I shrugged "Anyways, the stares are exceedingly uncomfortable."

"Would it please you if we went somewhere more private?" he said mischievously.

"It would please me if you asked in a less seductive tone."

"You think my voice is seductive?" he smirked.

"Je - Je n'ai rien dit de tel!" I retorted, blushing intensely, "Let us go, I'm tired of your ceaseless teasing."

"But, my dear, you're so easy to tease." he mused, pulling me through the crowd and through a set of ornamented doors.

After a few more moments spent walking through hallways we at last found ourselves in another, vacant ballroom.

"Secluded enough for your tastes?" the King asked.

"Nowhere in this mannor is far enough from the Collins, but I suppose this will suffice." I joked, "Anyways, will you tell me what happened? With the Baron, I mean."

"Someone's impatient." he laughed.

"I'm just curious."

"He asked that in exchange for money and assistance, I accept his daughter's hand in marriage... And I refused." he shrugged.

"Why? That deal would've benefited you tremendously!" my eyes widened, though I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me.

"When I marry, darling, it will be for love, not money, status, or anything of that sort."

"I suppose I can understand that, though it can't be easy to find love as a King. I mean what with-"

I was cut off as the King wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me into a passionate kiss. My heart fluttered, and once again, I was unable to resist. After a long while, we at last pulled apart, both gasping for air.

"W-Why did you do that?" I asked hesitantly.

"Rosalie, I have found love, and whether or not you choose to believe it, I've found it with you." he professed in all seriousness.

"I... You said... You love me?" I demanded, my voice shaky.

"I do. And for no amount of money will I marry any other woman. I love you."

"I-I-" I fumbled over my words, my heart hammering in my chest, "I'm sorry - I have to go - I'm sorry." I ran from the King, back through the ballroom doors.

I didn't know where I was running, but I ran. Soon I found myself standing outside the mannor, unable to steady my heavy breathing. I felt as though the weight of the world was crushing down on me, but I didn't know why. The King loved me... Why was that making me feel so trapped? The calm night air brushed against my face, but offered me no comfort, no answers to the questions that riddled my mind.

"Rose?" I turned to find Alice approaching me.

"Alice." I allowed a soft smile to curl my lips.

"What are you doing out here? You'll catch cold - Rosalie?" she stopped short as I allowed a tear to escape the corner of my eye.

"I'm sorry I just... I just..."

"What's going on Rose? You can tell me." she urged, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

I sighed, unsure of whether I really could tell her. But then I met her gaze, and saw a look of sincerity, and I knew that I could trust her. That she wouldn't abandon me. So I gave in, and told her everything that had just happened. My fears for what my future with the King was, while she listened intently, never commenting. When I was finished, there was a brief moment of silence before she spoke.

"I think... You should do what your heart tells you. And as stupid as that may sound, it's the truth. If you want to be with the King, then be with him. But if you don't think its right, you don't have to." she spoke softly, her voice soothing me.

"Alice, I don't know what I want. The King is dear to me, but I don't think I could ever let anyone into my life like that, I couldn't place my trust, my happiness, my future into the hands of another person." I lamented, turning away from her.

"If the King truly has feelings for you, Rose, he'll give you time to sort it out. But its late, and you look exhausted. Come on, you can sleep in the servant's quarters with me tonight." Alice said as she grasped my hand, pulling me back towards the mansion.

That night I slept restlessly, thoughts of what the King had said, still rushing through my mind. I hardly slept, and after what seemed like an eternity, it was at last morning. We swiftly packed our things before leaving the manor, the King and I in separate carriages. He hadn't approached me at all that morning, likely sensing that I needed time to think, and I did. I still hadn't come to a decision, in fact, thinking about it only confused me more.

And so, I did what I always did. Ignored it. A few days passed by, and I avoided the King, and he made no effort to speak to me. I didn't know if he'd just given up, decided to give me space, or, worse yet, reverted back to his old ways. But I couldn't bring myself to talk to him, I couldn't speak to him without an answer.

I sighed, closing the book I'd been trying to read for the past hour.  It was of no use trying to put my mind to anything, when the only thing I could think of, was the King. Suddenly, a sharp knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Come in." I called, before the door opened, and Anne entered the room.

"How much longer are you going to stay locked in here?" she asked, taking a seat on my bed.

"I haven't locked myself in here." I argued.

"You've barely come out these past few days, and you don't talk to anyone except Alice." she remarked, "What happened at Ivywood?"

"Nothing. I've just been feeling under the weather lately, its nothing out of the ordinary." I smiled, trying to dismiss the topic.

"Rose, I know you're just trying to avoid the subject, and I can't figure out why you don't trust me enough to tell me what's bothering you. But, if you insist, then." she shrugged, standing back up, "Dot and Darwin were asking for you. They're in the gardens with Anthony and Samuel, if you wanted to see them."

"Thank you." I whispered, as she left the room.

A few moments later, I was outside in the gardens, the cool afternoon air feeling good after so much time spent indoors. I laughed as Darwin tackled Samuel to the ground, while Anothny and Dot sat making flower crowns on the opposite end of the yard.

"Hey guys." their heads shot up as I approached them, and the smiles widened on their faces.

"Rosie!" Dot jumped up, enveloping me in a hug.

"Why were you hiding in your room for so long, Rose?" Darwin asked, wrapping me in a hug himself.

"I wasn't hiding! Why does everyone think I've become a hermit?"

"Likely due to the fact that you haven't seen the light of day in almost a week." Anthony laughed.

"I've just been thinking."

"A dangerous pastime," Samuel added, causing me to stifle a laugh.

"Dangerous indeed, when it comes to Rose." the King's voice emanated from behind us, and we turned to face him.

"Your majesty!" Anthony and Samuel bowed in unison.

"You don't mind if I borrow Rose for a moment, do you?"

"They do. Or rather, I do." I said, before the other two could utter a word.

"Why don't you want to go with the King, Rosie?" Dot asked innocently.

"Yeah. Are you guys in a fight?" Darwin added.

"No, not at all." I responded.

"Then why won't you talk to him?" Dot persisted.

"Yes, indeed, why won't you talk to me, dear?" the King smirked, and I glared at him.

"Fine." I said flatly, before turning to the twins. "I'll see you later."

My heart was racing at a mile a minute, as the King led me to his study. I still didn't know what I was going to say to him, I couldn't give him an answer, I hardly knew how I felt about him. Before long, we were inside the study, and I closed the door behind us, turning to face him.

"I'm sorry. I don't have an answer for you." I blurted.

"I'm not asking for an answer, Rose." the King's tone was serious.

"What is it then?"

"I love you, and you know that. But you don't need to pretend that you're thinking or confused, I know you don't return my feelings. How could you, after I imprisoned you here for so long?" he shook his head, sighing, "But that doesn't stop me from loving you. And because I love you, I want you to leave."

"What?" my eyes widened, and I was unsure as to whether I'd heard him correctly.

"You can't be happy without your freedom, I don't want you to be stuck here as a prisoner." he said.

"You - You want me to leave? Are you serious? After everything, you just want me to go, and have that be the end of it?" I couldn't believe what was happening, "I trusted you, told you about my past, let you in, and now you're giving up on me? Sending me away?"

"I just want you to be happy."

"Bullshit. You know I'm happy here. This is the only place that has ever felt anything close to home for me, and now you're sending me away from it. Dieu, I was so stupid. I never should have let you in, anyone in. In the end, all people do is throw you aside the moment they no longer have use for you."

"Rose I-"

"No. Don't speak, you've already said all that you have to. You want me gone, then fine, I'll leave." I opened the door to the study, stepping out into the hallway, "Goodbye."

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