The Crown and The Rose
Chapter 55: Unrequited Love

Chapter 55: Unrequited Love

The Crown

"We are working on your manners, once we get back to the royal palace, Your Highness," Edward announces to my pure displeasure. "And there is something else that I’d like to talk about with you."

And I know that I am about to be confronted about something I would despise.

"Did everything Nix said that night was true?" He says slowly.

My jaw clenches. This is the thing I was worried about.

That night, Edward was on standby when Nix said all those things about how I was falling in love with someone I was forbidden to and I can’t deny it. Because this is the truth. Vermilion is slowly and steadily dominating my heart and my mind. And as much as I am terrified of this, I am getting attached to the feeling.

The feeling of being around him, to be addressed by him. To hear him call my name. But... his behavior from earlier hurt me worse than the worst physical pain. My heart is being torn apart and I can’t seem to control my secret, silent cry. For the first, I wish Edward wasn’t here with me. At least I could cry freely.

I give him a strained nod, "Yes."

He can’t see my face as I lean back in my armchair on the balcony of my room. The moon has returned to the night sky. Slowly approaching the full moon. Zhen Xin stands by my side silently, not minding the extremely private conversation my servant and I are having right now.

Edward lets out a heavy knowing breath, "I had a hunch that this is a possibility. But Your Highness, I was never sure. You do realize what the consequence of this love between a crown prince of the human realm and a demon lord of the demon realm—between two men, can be, right?"

I bite my lip and clench my unclenched fist. "You are mistaking the situation, Edward." I blink back another tear. I have always had this habit of getting all teary when someone I care about rebukes me. "I love him. He

doesn’t. This is an unrequited love." I take in a breath and get on my feet, "There is no consequence of this kind of love, Edward. You have nothing to worry about."

I turn to him with a smile, trying my best to look like myself. I see a surge of pain flicker across Edward’s dark eyes. "But Your Highness, it will only hurt you. It will gnaw at you from inside."

"Let it be, Edward." I scoop up Zhen Xin in my arms, not minding his relentless protest of being treated like a cat. I smile, "It has committed a sin. Now it shall repay."

Edward’s eyebrows are knitted with worry but he doesn’t push the matter any further because he knows that this is the end of the discussion.

"You are required to the throne room, Your Highness." There is a knock on the door and Phillip’s familiar stoic voice resounds from the other side of the door, "May I come in?"

"Yes, come in, come in." I flop down to my bed. There is no magic circulating through my veins. That makes me run out of stamina pretty soon. I always have to take short breaks after doing something trivial.

Edward walks beside me as Phillip pushes through the door and enters the room. Relief visibly washes over him but he doesn’t smile. I wonder if he is unable to smile or he simply doesn’t smile.

"It is good to see you well and about, Your Highness." He breathes, his eyes smiling a little.

"Thank you, Phillip." I smile at him mildly, "But have you found out where Erick might be?"

Phillip’s expression hardens, "I am gravely ashamed to tell you that, I have discovered no trace of Erick. It is almost like he has vanished into the thin air."

Someone has my heart in a fist and is trying to squeeze the organ out. My face dries. "This can’t be... D-Dit Nix something do to him?"

"This is something only Nix can tell us, Your Highness." Phillip tries to assure me but it isn’t working, "Please don’t worry too much. Can you walk? Or should I inform everyone to discuss the matter in your room?"

Before I can open my mouth and answer his question, Edward beats me to it, "Please inform everyone that His Highness is unable to move. Request them to come here."

Edward’s face is hard. Somehow, all of a sudden he is looking like he is even more serious about protecting me than he has ever been.

Everyone is changing...

Phillip nods after a brief moment, "Sure." Then he leaves.

"I will bring you something to eat, Your Highness." Edward bows and leaves as well.

I drop to the bed and heave a sigh. Zhen Xin crawls over my chest and touches my cheek with his paw, so soft and so comforting. "What is it, Xin-Xin?" This is the nickname I gave him.

Zhen Xin huffs, "I am not a cat, Your Highness." Then his gaze softens, "Have you fallen for Lord Vermilion, Your Highness?"

My cheeks flush and I avert my gaze, "Do not speak of it in front of him."

"I won’t." Zhen Xin shakes his head as he sits on my chest, "You are my owner." Zhen Xin adds, "Temporarily. I do not intend to betray you. Cupid may have sent me here for this one reason."

I tilt my head, "What?"

Before Zhen Xin can answer me, the door flies open and Seraphina bursts inside my room, "Lush, you asshole. How did you get your ass kicked?"

I jolt and then grimace.

If I lack manners then what is she?

"Why are you here, Seraphina?" I sit up.

She drags a chair across the room and sits down, "Erick bastard is missing as well. I am having to stick with that Phillip ass. He will drive me crazy."

"What sweet nicknames you have for us," I comment. Zhen Xin flops down on my lap. Not only he looks like a cat, but he behaves like one too. "So what are we gonna do?" I ask, running my fingers through Zhe Xin’s soft furs.

"Not we, Your Highness." Vermilion enters the room, followed by Typhon, "But we. You are staying out of this."

My eyes widen, "What? No! I want to help too!"

"I said, no, Lush." Vermilion pins me with a glare.

I subconsciously pout.

He is indeed being mean to me.