Althea's decision to return to the palace felt like swallowing bitter poison, but she knew it was her only choice. In the squalid outskirts of the city, the threat of being captured and bound in iron shackles was far more real and immediate than the distant threat of future execution that she could still fight against.
With Morfida's help, she once again disguised herself in her "ugly" form—the plump body, dark skin, and acne-ridden face. As they approached the grand palace gate, Althea's heart pounded furiously. This time, they didn't use the deserted back door, but the heavily guarded main entrance.
"Stop! Who are you?" one of the guards shouted, his spear raised.
With her head bowed, Althea stepped slightly forward. She deliberately made her voice weak and hoarse. "I... I am Lady Althea, the future Crown Princess."
The guards exchanged glances, confused. Their faces showed clear doubt. The future Crown Princess they knew must have looked like this, but how could she leave the palace without an escort and return in simple clothes?
"I beg you," Morfida whispered with a low, authoritative voice, taking over. "My Mistress is unwell and wishes to rest in her room immediately. Do you dare to detain her here?"
Hearing Morfida's firm tone and the title "future Crown Princess," the guards finally relented. They opened the gate, though their gazes remained full of suspicion. Althea walked in with her heart racing, feeling every one of the guards' stares seemingly penetrate her back.
***
The journey to the future Crown Princess's room felt incredibly long. An unnatural silence enveloped the corridors. Usually, the servants would whisper or glance at her with looks of contempt as she passed. This time, there was nothing.
When she finally arrived in front of her room, a few servants who were cleaning paused briefly. They bowed, but not a single one looked directly at her. There were only faint whispers, barely audible, like the rustle of wind through dry leaves.
"The Mistress is back..."
"She said she'd be gone for a short time, right?"
"Don't ask too many questions..."
There were no questions. No expressions of surprise. No one asked where she had disappeared to for nearly two days. This sudden calmness made Althea even more anxious. This wasn't normal. There should have been an uproar, or at least questioning looks. Their abrupt obedience felt like a thin layer of ice covering something dangerous.
As soon as her room door closed, Althea felt a brief moment of relief, but it was fleeting. She called the nearest servant.
"Please prepare a bath for me. And... bring my meal here. I'm hungry," she commanded, trying to mimic a slightly arrogant tone she had once heard from Anna.
"Yes, Mistress," the servant replied obediently, bowing deeply before turning and carrying out the order without the slightest hesitation. Their absolute compliance actually made Althea's hair stand on end.
After bathing and putting on a comfortable inner gown, her meal was waiting on her table. She sat down and began to eat, although her appetite was gone due to the gnawing anxiety. Every bite felt like sand in her mouth. Her mind spun. Did Caspian already know? What would he do?
It didn't take long to get her answer.
The door to her room burst open with a loud sound, hitting the wall and echoing in the silent room. Standing in the doorway was Caspian.
The light from the hallway lamp silhouetted his tall, imposing figure, highlighting every muscle line hidden beneath his luxurious clothing. His golden hair was perfectly styled, and his blue eyes, usually cold, now emitted a gleam that left Althea stunned and terrified simultaneously. He was the personification of lethal beauty.
His smile slowly stretched, perfect and captivating, yet as warm as polar ice.
"You're finally back, Althea, my love," his voice sounded like flowing honey, soft and deep, echoing in the quiet room. "My Crown Princess."
He stepped in, his movements graceful and full of confidence, like a predator dominating its territory. Every step he took made Althea's heart race.
"It has been too long since we last met," he whispered, drawing closer. The fragrant aura of pine and metal filled Althea's airspace. "I missed you."
As he passed Morfida, who was frozen near the door, his gaze shifted for a moment. His smile didn't change, but his eyes—oh, his eyes—turned into a threatening sea of darkness. It was a freezing stare, full of unspoken warning, more terrifying than any shout. Morfida immediately bowed deeply and hurried out, leaving Althea alone with the man who was both so beautiful and so dreadful.
As soon as the door closed, everything changed.
Caspian's sweet smile vanished instantly, like a mask being removed. His warm expression disappeared, replaced by a bone-chilling coldness. His handsome face now looked like a living marble statue, carved with perfect anger and control. His beauty wasn't lessened, but now it was shrouded in a menacing aura that made Althea want to scream.
He didn't yell. He didn't even raise his voice.
Two more steps brought him right in front of Althea, who sat stiffly on her bed. His height forced her to look up, and Althea could see the reflection of her frightened self mirrored in his ice-like blue eyes.
Two more steps brought him right in front of Althea. The shadow of his tall body loomed, blocking the lamplight, making her feel as if she were in a cage of darkness.
"Where," he articulated in a low voice that trembled subtly, filled with suppressed threat, "did my precious business partner go?"
Althea bit her lip, trying to recall the reason she had prepared. Her body was trembling uncontrollably, but she clenched her hands beneath the folds of her gown, forcing herself to look directly into those piercing blue eyes. Her voice, though slightly shaky, tried to sound calm and logical.
"I... I was ill, Your Highness. As I told you before. And... and my maid, Morfida, heard about a village affected by a strange plague. The symptoms were similar to what I felt. I... I was afraid." She kept a whiny tone out of her voice, speaking more like a report than a defense. "I was afraid that if people knew, they would think I brought a deadly plague into the palace. That would ruin everything for you. So, I... I left to make sure."
She took a deep breath. "Why would I run away? Look around me. I am the ugly, poor bastard daughter of a Baron. I have no future out there. Here, I have everything—luxury, status, protection. You offered me the best deal of my miserable life. Is there any logical reason for me to abandon all this? I left because I was afraid my illness would jeopardize our business agreement."
Caspian listened in cutting silence. His face remained like beautiful, unreadable marble mask. Suddenly, a short, harsh laugh burst from his lips, shattering the quiet in a way that made Althea's heart stop.
"You expect me to believe that?" he said, his voice a whisper yet full of scorn. He bent down until his face was level with Althea's, and beneath the layer of cold anger, there was a brief, unwanted flash of respect in his eyes. This girl is braver and cleverer than he thought. "A girl who is clever enough to survive in this palace suddenly becomes so foolish and reckless as to go alone seeking the 'truth' about a plague? That is highly illogical, Althea."
"Then what about NOW?" he interjected abruptly, his voice rising slightly, emphasizing every word. "What OTHER reason will you give? What did you FIND there?"
This was her chance. Althea maintained eye contact, even though it felt like staring directly into two blades. "I met a physician who handled the cases in that village," she replied, trying to make her voice sound flat and convincing. "And it turns out... it wasn't a deadly plague. Just a severe ordinary fever and flu outbreak. The symptoms were similar at first, but it is not deadly at all." She lowered her gaze slightly, feigning shame. "My panic was unfounded. I am ashamed. But at least, now I know my body is back to being healthy and... normal." She uttered the word "normal" bitterly, referring to her current ugly appearance.
Caspian was silent for a moment, his eyes scrutinizing every micro-expression on Althea's face. His vigilance toward her had now drastically increased. He would not underestimate her again.
"Clever," he whispered finally, his tone of derision replaced by something more dangerous: cold acknowledgment. "Very clever. You built a fragile excuse, then you yourself dismantled it with a relieving 'fact'. You don't just understand the game, you're starting to play it."
His cold finger suddenly traced the line of Althea's jaw with a possessive movement. The touch was no longer just a threat, but a claim. A new obsession to truly master every part of her cunning and courage began to take root.
"But remember this, my love," he whispered, his tone sweet like poison. "I don't need your truth. I only need your obedience. Our agreement is everything. You must not make unilateral decisions again." His finger pressed deeper. "If you are 'sick', you tell me. If you hear rumors, you tell me. I will handle it. You are a valuable asset, and I protect my assets by any means necessary."
He leaned in closer, bringing his perfect face near Althea's ear. "Trust me, Althea. If you disappear again, I will find you. And it won't just be you who faces the consequences. That loyal maid of yours... Morfida, isn't it? Her life will be the guarantee for your behavior. Do we thoroughly understand?"
A coldness more piercing than ice spread throughout Althea's body. The threat to Morfida was the blow that shattered the remnants of her courage. She could only nod stiffly, her fear freezing every muscle in her body.
He pulled back, a false, charming smile returning to his face, a beautiful mask concealing the storm of anger, respect, obsession, and vigilance now raging inside him. "Good. Now, rest, my Crown Princess. Tomorrow, we must convince everyone that we are a loving couple."
He turned and walked out silently, leaving Althea alone amidst the luxury that suddenly felt like a magnificent grave. Her small victory tasted bitter. She had convinced him, but at a cost far greater than she had ever imagined.