Chapter 213: New Bonds
"I’ll always love you too, Rowan," she replied softly, feeling her heart flutter inside her chest.
When he pulled back to look at her, she tilted her head slightly before smiling. "What do you think we’ll have?" she asked curiously.
"A girl," he answered without hesitation.
Rosalind laughed warmly. "I’d love to see your face if it turns out to be a boy."
"I honestly don’t mind," Rowan admitted with a small smile. "Whether it’s a boy or a girl, I’ll love our child all the same." His gaze softened as he looked at her. "I just know you’ll be a wonderful mother."
Rosalind gently squeezed his hands. "We’ll be wonderful parents," she corrected softly, and the words made him smile even more.
Rowan lifted a hand to cup her face before pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. Then he kissed her closed eyelids, the bridge of her nose, and finally her lips, lingering there for a few quiet moments. Rosalind couldn’t help but chuckle, wondering what had suddenly come over him, but Rowan himself couldn’t begin to explain how much she meant to him. His lips slowly trailed lower, brushing against her neck before leaving soft kisses along her collarbone.
"What are you doing?" she asked with an amused laugh, only for him to continue until he reached her chest before slowly lowering himself onto one knee in front of her. His hands rested gently around her waist as he pressed a tender kiss against her stomach.
"Someone might see," Rosalind whispered, laughing quietly as she glanced toward the open balcony.
Instead of answering, Rowan suddenly lifted her effortlessly into his arms and began carrying her back toward the bed.
"Rowan..." she protested between soft laughs. "The physician said we have to be careful."
"I’m not about to do anything that would put either of you at risk," Rowan said quietly.
She shook her head just as he carefully laid her on the mattress. The bed dipped beneath his weight as he leaned over her, supporting himself with one hand while caressing her cheek. "If there was ever a time for me to cherish you the most," he murmured, "it’s now."
Before she could respond, he leaned down once more, capturing her lips in another lingering kiss.
---
Later that afternoon, Rowan decided to check on Julian, but when he entered the quarters prepared for him, he found the room empty.
"Where did he go?" he asked one of the palace guards standing nearby.
"I saw him heading toward the room where his mother is staying," the guard answered.
Rowan gave a small nod before turning in that direction. He had already guessed the boy would be sitting beside Rebecca, waiting for her to wake up, and when he quietly stepped inside the chamber, he found exactly that.
Julian sat beside the bed with Rebecca’s hand tightly clasped in his own, his face buried against the blankets as silent tears rolled down his cheeks. His eyes were swollen and red, making it obvious he had been crying for quite some time.
"You said she’d wake up," Julian cried quietly as he looked up at Rowan. "She still isn’t waking up."
Rowan slowly walked over before sitting beside him without saying anything for a moment.
"The physician said she’ll have to sleep for a while," he answered honestly. "She’s no longer in danger, and I promise you she’ll wake up. You only have to give her a little more time."
Julian stared at him through tear-filled eyes before lowering his head again.
"Why..." he began quietly.
Rowan waited patiently.
"Why should I believe you?"
For a brief moment, Rowan found himself completely speechless.
The little boy looked away as he rubbed at his wet eyes. "Mother tells me the people in the palace aren’t good people," he murmured. "She says they’re liars."
Rowan’s lips parted slightly. "She must have formed that opinion because of what happened to her," he said gently, and deep down he couldn’t blame Rebecca for feeling that way.
Alaric had abandoned both her and their son without ever acknowledging them, leaving her to carry every burden alone. After everything she had endured, it was understandable that she no longer trusted royalty or anyone connected to the palace.
"I’m not asking you to believe me," Rowan continued quietly. "I’m only giving you my word that your mother will wake up."
Julian remained silent for several moments as he thought about those words before lowering his eyes once more.
Not knowing how else to comfort him, Rowan decided to gently change the subject. "I heard you’re from Westmere," he said. "What’s it like there?"
Julian’s expression gradually softened, and although the sadness remained in his eyes, he slowly began talking. "It’s a nice place," he said. "I have friends there."
A faint smile appeared on his face as he remembered them, but it disappeared almost as quickly.
"But most people don’t like talking to us," he continued quietly. "Sometimes even my friends aren’t allowed to play with me, and that makes me sad." He hesitated before adding, "Mother gets even sadder than I do."
Rowan felt his chest tighten as he listened. It wasn’t difficult to imagine the loneliness they had endured all those years, living among people who judged them without ever offering kindness. Festivals, celebrations, neighbours... they had likely been excluded from all of it simply because of circumstances beyond their control.
"But I always try to make Mother happy whenever I can," Julian said with quiet determination.
"That’s very thoughtful of you," Rowan replied warmly. "I’m certain she’s grateful to have such a wonderful son."
Julian looked at him before a small smile finally appeared on his face.
"Westmere may not have treated you kindly," Rowan continued, "but I hope you’ll find happiness here."
Julian looked at him thoughtfully, his expression caught somewhere between lingering sadness and cautious hope. "I didn’t think you’d be like this," he admitted after a while. "You’re... my uncle, right?"
Rowan hesitated for only a moment before giving a slow nod.
"That man said you killed my father," Julian said honestly.
"I thought that meant you were a bad person."
Rowan stiffened.
"But..." Julian continued quietly, "I don’t think you’re a bad person anymore."
Rowan looked at the little boy, unsure how to respond at first.
Then he spoke carefully. "I didn’t kill your father. In the end... it was his own choices that led to his death."
Julian lowered his head again. He didn’t know whether he should mourn the father he had never known or resent the man who had abandoned both him and his mother. From everything he had seen since arriving at the palace, Rowan seemed kinder than the things he had heard. He had searched for them, rescued them, comforted him, and promised to protect his mother. Somehow, Julian no longer found him frightening, and he realized he couldn’t bring himself to hate him.
"But who was the man who told you those things?" Rowan asked gently, already feeling his suspicions growing stronger. "Do you remember what he looked like?"
Julian looked away as he tried to picture the man’s face. The room where they had been imprisoned had been dark, making it difficult to see clearly, but he remembered visiting their house before everything happened.
"I can’t describe him very well... but if I see him again, I’ll know it’s him." Julian said.
Rowan’s jaw tightened almost immediately. Whoever that man was, he was almost certainly connected to the conspiracy Rowan had been trying to uncover.
