Page 91 of The Wild Prince's Favorite
He hadn’t managed to gather a smile this time, not even a fake one. Alezya hadn’t understood and was just staring at him, trying to decipher his emotions...
“Your Highness.”
He glanced back. Lorey was also coming up to them, but she hadn’t run like Alezya had, instead walking elegantly in the snow. Kassein frowned, wondering what his sister’s partner wanted with him.
He was prepared for her to lecture him or something, but instead, Lorey’s eyes briefly went to Alezya.
“...There’s something I have been meaning to tell you,” she whispered.
For her to be speaking in a low tone surprised him the most. He glanced back at the firepit further behind her. Kiera was stillbusy loudly chastising his men over their poor meat-roasting skills... while being brought copious amounts of alcohol as a bribe.
“You waited until Kiera couldn’t hear?” he guessed.
Lorey gave a little nod.
“Yes... This is about what she said earlier, about Alezya.”
Noticing her name, Alezya seemed more curious than before, her eyes riveted on Lorey with a slight frown. Lorey kept going, ignoring Alezya to stare at Kassein with a more serious expression instead.
“I didn’t want to mention it in front of Kiera, as she’s already suspicious of your protege’s intentions. Truthfully, I do agree with some of her points. It is hard to know what has happened to her before... but I do not think Alezya bears any ill intention. Not from what I’ve seen in the bit of time I’ve spent with her, anyway.”
“What’s your point, then?”
“Truthfully, I am saying this out of concern for you, Your Highness. I do like Alezya, but she has a past, and not everything about it, obviously, will be safe and pleasant to uncover. I think you should be prepared for it, Your— ...Kassein.”
He frowned. Lorey was the type who always carefully respected the rules in the presence of anyone but Kiera. She was well aware of their difference in status. Despite having grown up close to the Imperial Family, like Tievin, she was careful to respect the protocol in all circumstances.
This was one of the extremely rare cases where she didn’t, and Kassein felt like this was her attempt at showing genuine concern. As if she was a friend or even a sisterly figure. After all, just like Kiera, she was a few years older, and she wouldn’t have done anything behind his sister’s back if she didn’t genuinely believe it was for his sake.
“...I understand,” he muttered. “I know.”
“No,” she said. “I’m not just spouting this out of the blue without a proper reason.”
She tightened her arms around herself and glanced back, before taking another step closer.
“...I don’t think Kiera noticed,” she whispered, “but when we bathed earlier, and when I washed her, I noticed stretch marks on Alezya’s body.”
“Stretch marks?” He frowned. “...What of it?”
“This is just me making an assumption here,” Lorey whispered, “but... they were the same kind of markings a woman who’s been with child would have.”
“...With child?” Kassein repeated, stunned.
Lorey slowly stepped back.
“As I said, she probably has a past we know nothing about. I thought it would be better if you could fully prepare yourself for it.”
Kassein was speechless, too shaken up to speak. A child? Alezya had been... pregnant before? He wasn’t an ignorant man. Even if he hadn’t been there or too young to witness her pregnancies, he knew his mother, who had carried eight children, had such marks too. This was the kind of mark that happened if a woman carried a child for several months...
“Good night, Your Highness,” Lorey said, going back to her usual gentle tone. “Good night, Alezya.”
“Lorey,” Alezya said, acknowledging some form of greeting too.
She turned around and left, probably to go back before Kiera grew suspicious of her absence. Kassein took a second before he moved again, slowly resuming his route to his tent.
He was lost in his thoughts. Lorey’s revelation had hit him hard, shaking him to his core. If it was true, if she’d had a child... Did that mean she had a family back there? Was that why she had been so insistent on going back? If she had a family, why hadshe been rejected by her tribe? And what had happened to her child?
...What of the father of the child? Was he waiting for her?
