The Forgotten Princess Rose
Chapter 165

Chapter 165: Chapter 165

Later in the night, the Ambroses and Zayne returned to the manor.

Rose kept thinking about Anna as her behaviour drastically changed from how she acted when they were off to the ball. It was hard to focus on her changed relationship with Zayne when Rose believed she had ruined a relationship for Anna.

"Anna, can we talk in private?" Rose asked, thinking it was best it was only the two of them.

Anna nodded her head.

"Good night," Rose told the others. She looked at Zayne and smiled as she felt guilty they could not continue their talk now.

Rose didn’t get to dance with Zayne tonight but she did not mind it. It was better to stand beside him and have him explain what she didn’t know.

Their change in relationship was something Rose wanted to keep from anyone not in her family until she became a better lady. Until she became someone who didn’t need to rely on Zayne for much help.

"If this is about Olivia, you do not need to worry. I am not angry with you and I hope you have not spent the night worrying about it," said Anna.

"I did spend a few moments thinking I have ruined your friendship. There might have been a better time for me to address Olivia so your night would not be ruined. You were so excited at first but you didn’t look so excited during your other dances. Are you truly not angry?" Rose questioned, wanting the truth.

"I am not. I still enjoyed the ball and shortened my list of suitors. I was able to see how one of the men that I considered talked about himself a little too much. I was not as happy as I could be but I did enjoy it. I had to think over my friends," Anna confessed.

"I have known Olivia for many years. She is one of the girls I would find at the parties mother attends. She has always been a little competitive but it didn’t bother me since I wasn’t competing. At least it never felt like she was trying to compete with me. I knew she could be a little mean. I just didn’t see how mean she could be until tonight," Anna said, regretting the times she stayed quiet.

"If you wish to continue being her friend, I won’t mind it. I will just keep my distance since I am not fond of her. You don’t need to end your friendship for me," Rose said, hoping this would end Anna’s worrying.

"But I must. I cannot be around someone who seeks to insult you over a man she hardly knows. What if it were to slip about the brothel? She would certainly judge you then. She must know that it is not easy to insult you and then have me as a friend," Anna replied.

"I have already ended my friendship with her tonight. Strangely, doing so didn’t upset me as much as I thought it would. It is like she wouldn’t be missed out of my life. I have other friends. Good friends that I know would love to meet you. Please don’t think bad of those you have not met," Anna requested as she knew Rose would like the others.

"I will not. And thank you for what you have done for me. It is good to know that you care for me so much to end the friendship for me," Rose said, overwhelmed with emotions due to Anna’s kindness.

Anna held Rose’s hand. "Well, you are my older sister. Please remember this moment for when I want to be spoiled. I enjoy jewels and considering I am so careless to lose a few, it would be nice for my older sister to replace them."

Rose laughed as Anna finally played the little sister role. "Unfortunately, I am the kind to advise you to be more careful."

Anna pouted as Rose was too much like their father. "I think you have been around father too much. Now, enough about me and old friends, what did you do when you left with Zayne? Has he confessed to you or did you?"

"You did!" Anna pointed at Rose.

Rose shushed Anna and grabbed her hand to stop her pointing. "You mustn’t be so loud."

"Oh, father. He would kick Zayne out if he knew something happened with you two. Come," Anna said, holding Rose’s hand to take her to a quiet place. "I cannot go to bed without knowing what you are to him now."

Rose gladly followed Anna as she hoped Anna had answers for what she was to do with Zayne now. Anna was the one more interested in couples and what came after confessions.

"We can speak as loud as we want here," Anna said, opening the door for Rose to enter. "There are no gentlemen allowed here. Well, other than father when he is searching for something he knows I took. So, what happened?"

"Zayne did not confess tonight, I did. He told me of his feelings before we came here. I was hoping you would have some advice for me. This is the first time I have felt this way for anyone. What am I to do now? I don’t want to disappoint him- Ow!" Rose exclaimed, touching where Anna tapped her.

"First you must stop that and be more confident. Your story is quite sad and I know like any other you need time to heal but you must stop thinking you will disappoint anyone. You are Rose Ambrose. He is lucky to have you and you must make him know it. We must not always let these men think they are the only desirable ones," Anna argued.

"You are scaring me a little," Rose said, looking to the door which she might need to run to.

"I have not made it as far as you have with a man by sharing feelings but from what I have seen, you just continue to enjoy each other’s company and do not run from him though I cannot blame you. The man is handsome and watching him court you makes my heart flutter," Anna laughed, knowing it might be wrong but she could not help herself.

"I don’t think there is anything you need to do but I must warn you, no matter how handsome he is you must not lay with him before there is a ring on your finger. I will," Anna started but didn’t know what she could do against Zayne. "I will have father do something if that happens."

"I know what happens with couples. My friend told me what she overheard from her maids. Have you kissed?" Anna whispered, enjoying Rose’s love affair.

"He has only kissed my cheek," Rose answered.

"The brute is a gentleman. That is a surprise," Anna muttered, pleasantly surprised. "Perhaps I disliked him for a moment for nothing. I am curious about one thing. If it becomes serious with him, would you leave us?"

"I do not know," Rose honestly answered. "It has not come to me thinking about that yet. That is a big step which I don’t know if either of us is ready for. I don’t like to think about him leaving."

"Just in case it is something you do, you should sleep in here tonight so I have a good memory of us. I am willing to bet you will leave with him unless he were to suddenly attack the palace and start ruling here," Anna joked. Everyone knew of the truce so this wouldn’t happen.

Anna turned away from Rose to start taking off her dress. "If that were to happen you would be the woman of a conqueror. How crazy would that be? Now that we speak of that, there is something which puzzles me."

Rose approached Anna to help with taking off the dress. "What is it?"

"The tales about him have started to spread. They say he is a feared general who kills anyone who blocks his orders and has survived many wars. He has left the homes of rulers bloody when he enters. Have you seen such violence from him?" Anna questioned, curious about this side of Zayne.

Rose couldn’t think of a time Zayne had been violent. When he killed Graham she had not been around nor did she ask how he killed him. "I have not. I know he must have killed many but he has only shown me his kind side. He cares about those who cannot protect themselves."

"Well, it is possible the rumours were nothing more than stories shared to make him appear more dangerous than he is. I have not seen him hurt a fly since he was here. It’s best to ignore all that talk," Anna concluded.