When Arin Helev walked out of the chamber, Sophie quickly ran to him. The young King sighed when he saw her. "Didn't I tell you to wait at Morin's chamber?"
Sophie Lamiya glanced at Antony who just followed the King out. Then she shifted her attention to the King again. "What did you say to him?" she asked, almost panicked.
"You can ask him," the King simply said and pointed his chin at his right-hand man. Then he walked past Sophie and went to Morin's chamber.
Sophie stood still at her place and Antony walked closer to her. "That was quite a shock," he pointed out yet his voice was calm.
"I'm sorry. I thought that it will be better if I tell him sooner but... I don't expect him to have that reaction."
"What reaction?"
"Didn't he reprimand you? He look quite angry when I left the room," Sophie said, confused.
The Captain laughed. "His Majesty is your cousin but it seems like you don't know him well at all. He's indeed angry but not because of our relationship. He doesn't like that we keep him in the dark."
Sophie processed what Antony said and her eyes grew wide. "He accepts?!"
Antony nodded. "He even told me to join at dinner."
With that said, Sophie suddenly turned around and started running. Stupefied, Antony went after her. "Where are you going?"
A few seconds passed and the guards watched as Sophie rushed inside Morin's chamber and hugged the King who was sitting on a couch from behind.
Even the King was startled by the sudden action but when he realized what happened, there was a subtle smile on his lips.
"What are you doing?"
"Thank you so much, Arin!" the younger cousin exclaimed with a huge smile on her face.
Hearing this, the King broke free and turned to his back where his cousin stood. "Do you see me as an evil brother who will try to separate my sister from the one she loves? If you have confidence and tell me right from the start... " He briefly glanced at Antony who was standing a few steps behind Sophie and added, "You won't have to wait."
The King shifted his gaze to Iria who smiled at his words. While he talked to Antony, Sophie told the Queen what was going on and she seemed to be quite amused by it.
"It's time for dinner now," Arin said. "I also invite Antony to join us. I think we should progress the talk."
Iria nodded when he heard her husband. "Alright. Then let's head to the dining room."
*
"I'm happy for you, Sophie," Iria uttered with a smile while they were having dinner. "You will start a new chapter of your life and I'm sure that you will be happy."
"You know, when Arin offered to help me in fulfilling my dream a year ago, I realized that it required so much courage to decide to be different," Sophie said with that same old innocent smile on her face. "That's why I admire you even more than before, Your Majesty. I ended up choosing a normal path because I don't have that courage."
"But I'm glad that you choose this life," Iria promptly stated. "The reality of your dream life is very exhausting. It will only exploit you just like it torment me."
"If you think it is that bad, is there at least one positive result it caused in your life?"
Hearing the question, one thing immediately crossed the Queen's mind and there was a smile on her face. "Of course, there is."
"Then what is it?" Sophie asked, curious and excited at the same time. The three men in the dining room also paid all their attention to the Queen.
"If I wasn't the Masked Commander, I won't meet your cousin," Iria replied and added, "That means there will be no Arin Helev in my life."
That was one thing she never wanted to think further.
"I like your response," the King chimed in with a satisfying smile while Sophie chuckled.
"I used to think that my cousin is the only one who is hopelessly in love but... I was wrong," Sophie Lamiya remarked. "But don't say that often, Your Majesty. Your husband will love it too much."
Iria laughed while the King sighed. Then he looked at Antony. "How can you like her? She is just a brat," he bluntly uttered.
"I think it suits her well," Antony simply said. "That's her charm."
The young King clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Good for you. You also suit each other well than I thought."
*
It had been a while since they finished dinner.
The King and Queen were sitting on a couch in their chamber, talking about many different things.
"You worry about Sophie, right?" Iria asked. "I think I have become better at seeing through you."
Arin nodded. "Antony is the Captain of the Royal Guards." He let out a breath and continued, "As the main duty of the Captain is to protect the King, the past Captains rarely live past their prime. I will never want Sophie to become a widow because of me."
"But you can't bear to stop her from marrying him."
The King nodded once again. "She is so happy. How can I do that?"
Iria quietly stared at Arin's troubled face for a while before she leaned closer and gave him a brief and gentle kiss on his lips. "Why don't we hope for the best as Vienna and Hanson did?" she muttered when her face was still very close to his. "The same goes for us. It's how we spend each day."
Hearing her, Arin flashed a smile and nodded. "I really like your response today."
"It's your fifth time saying that," she pointed out with a chuckle.
"It can't be helped. I'm so happy to be that one positive outcome," the King frankly said. "I always want to be that kind of person for you and it feels like a dream come true."
"But your dream is still to be fulfilled, remember?" she reminded him. "I think you delay it long enough, Your Majesty. Stop worrying about the price.. You should just go for it."
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