章節 62: Cassian’s realisation
Samuel listened to her wish and left her alone, finding Cassian l in one of the corridors.
"Cassian." Samuel approached him. Cassian was disheveled, still in his night clothes. His large blouse was askew on his brows shoulders, revealing part of his muscular and still bruised up chest. "Cass."
"Sam." Cassian turned around, dark circles around his eyes. He seemed worse than usual.
"Isabelle is safe and in the castle." He said in hope to bring relief to Cassian.
"Where is she?" Cassian asked instantly.
"Cass…" Samuel started carefully. "Isabelle asked for solitude. She seems alright. She was calm. Or at least as calm as it goes."
Cassian nodded at Samuel's words.
"Did she say anything?"
"Not much. She's hurt but I think that she knows that it was all Annette." Samuel put his hand on Cassian's back in a friendly manner. "I suggest that you find yourself a quiet corner and wait there until Isabelle is ready. She can decide if she is ready to talk to you."
Cassian nodded. After a moment of thought, he retreated to the study where he paced between the four walls. His heart was breaking for Isabelle and it was lost without her.
Cassian switched between tears and overflowing rage where he wanted to tear everything apart. At breakfast he awaited Isabelle in the dining room but she did not come.
Isabelle relinquished her solitude. She watched as the carriage with Annette rolled down the courtyard and towards the gate from the first floor of the castle. She felt a pit in her stomach. She was the one that should have been send away not Cassian's friend who loved him.
Isabelle pitied them more than acknowledging her own hurt over what she saw. She was still of no importance in the castle. She was still in the way of everyone and she was still hated by others. Annette was graceful, beautiful, perfect to be the princess of Ariadna. Not like Isabelle, a fraud that stood beside Cassian. She wasn't Annette nor even Adeline.
She looked out through the stained glass in the shape of lilies. She felt broken and conflicted.
"Adeline…" Cassian's voice startled her. She looked over to where it came from to find Cassian, with his clothes askew and his hair dishevelled. He had deep dark circles around his eyes that were reddened, just like the top of his nose.
"Yes?" Isabelle looked at him coldly. His knees buckled under the gaze.
"I am sorry." Cassian dropped to his knees before her, more vulnerable than she ever saw him before.
"I do not think there is anything that you would owe me an apology for." Isabelle tilted her head and looked at him. Her eyes were filled with sorrow but now also they were full of challenge. Cassian looked up at Isabelle perplexed.
"I beg you for your forgiveness. I... I never had any relationship with the duchess of Balmore beyond our friendship some years ago. I believe that she purposely tried to make it seem otherwise. She wanted to get between us and I didn't realise her intent until it was too late. I'm beyond sorry for being blind and stupid. I know that my actions were disrespectful to you, hurtful. I know that I acted blindly and without enough of consideration of you. I can only reassure you that what you've seen was the only time that she ever was in my chamber and I have put an immediate end to it. I have never laid my hand on her in any way. I have never even considered it. Our marriage is sacred to me and I will never allow for anything like this to happen again." Cassian took a deep breathe in, trying to swallow back his emotions. "My friendship with the duchess is over. She has been banned from the castle and she's out of my, and king's, mercy. Her connections to royal family are completely severed."
"King?" Isabelle repeated, her eyes widened. She didn't expect the king to know of it already.
"My father warned me of her and I didn't listen to him. As I've said, I was blind and stupid. After the events of last night I sought his advice in repairing the damage I have done. He was clear that his support for you, as my wife, is his priority. He was more than willing to stand behind my decision to severe ties with the duchess and her family. He also made it clear that he will only forgive me if you will. And I will understand if you cannot."
"If what you say is true, I don't think you owe me an apology, never mind forgiveness." Isabelle answered carefully. She was still hurt but she didn't expect Cassian to kneel and beg her. She didn't even expect him to notice that he hurt her. No one ever did before.
"However unintentionally, my actions led to a misunderstanding that was disrespectful and hurtful to you. I owe you much more than apologies." Cassian continued. He looked up with his blue eyes at Isabelle as he gently grabbed her hand. "I will make amends. Just speak a word and I will do it."
Isabelle took a step back looking somewhat petrified.
"As I've said, I do not think this is necessary."
"How is it not?"
"First of all, you have a right to do as you please. If you want to be with a duchess, it is completely in your right." Isabelle said quite sternly. Her voice surprised Cassian. He did not hear her decisiveness in a long time and right now she was acting like a princess.
"Second of all, I am aware of what has happened. I knew of her grace's intent beforehand."
"Did you? How?"
Isabelle smiled.
"Because I saw her enter your chambers before. You weren't there on either of those occasions. I spoke to Sir Asselin and we found out what the duchess has done."
"What?" Cassian turned red, part in embarrassment and part in anger.
"Last night wasn't the first time that her grace was in your chamber. The first time I have seen her in royal quarters, she has left her jewellery behind. The maids found it and brought it to me because they assumed that it was mine. Annette wished for me to think that you two had a relationship. She never realised that I saw her sneaking into your chamber to leave them there whilst I knew that you were downstairs. Annette asked me a few days later if I saw her earrings. The very same earrings that she purposely left in your room. She was flaunting it." Isabelle's cheeks burned in embarrassment. "The second time, she left her undergarments in your room and I think that she ensured that I was near when the maids found them."
"Why did you not speak to me?" Cassian sounded hurt.
"Why would I?" Isabelle asked as she furrowed her brows in confusion. "Annette was your friend and I doubted that you would have listened to me over her."
"That's not true." Cassian shook his head. "I will always listen to you over anyone else."
"But you didn't." Isabelle said quietly. "You listened to Annette every chance you had. I-…" she didn't say her exact words. It reminded her of the days and weeks that went by where she barely spoke a word during meals and was spoken over by Annette to a point where she stopped talking.
Cassian looked at her speechless. It was true. His father even pointed it out. Annette cut off Isabelle on more than one occasion and he didn't defend her. He let her voice drown.
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