Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair) novel Chapter 784

Soon, an old steward led in a woman dressed in a pale pink gown. She had a soft, round face, and the dress clung a bit too tightly around her plump figure, especially around her midsection. She wasn't extremely large—just enough for the ill-fitting gown to accentuate her roundness.

Even with the extra weight, her natural beauty shone through. Her features were delicate, her skin was fair with a healthy glow, and her eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky.

The steward had already informed her of their guests, so she entered and greeted them politely, "Greetings, Prince Rafael, Lady Carissa. My name is Chaya Kingsley."

Her smile was bright and sweet, suiting her softness. It was the kind of smile that instantly made people feel at ease.

"Chaya—what a lovely name," Carissa remarked, observing her thoughtfully.

There was something different about Chaya, unlike the other concubines' daughters. She didn't have Celeste's seductive allure, Carmen's prideful strength, or Cecilia's quiet sorrow. She was just sweet. Her eyes were full of light, as if untouched by the darkness surrounding her.

She returned Carissa's compliment with a cheerful smile, saying, "We all have nice names. My dad may not be good for much, but he does have some knowledge. Chaya—sounds nice, doesn't it? But the meaning's not great. Just a shadow, hidden and unseen. But I've lived quite a life here in Willowbrook Estate. Well, that's enough. If you're here to take me away, so be it. I can die with no regrets."

Hayden laughed. "My dear girl, if they were here to take you away, they wouldn't have come with gifts in the evening. They'd have shown up with the Capital Guard in broad daylight."

"Oh," Chaya said, her gaze drifting to Carissa, admiration glinting in her eyes. "Commander Sinclair, you truly bring honor to us women. If only I could be like you… but no, I couldn't handle all that work. I'd rather stick to eating, drinking, and having fun."

Carissa laughed as she turned to Hayden. "Seems you've picked up a real gem here. She must keep you well entertained, Great-uncle."

Hayden waved his hand dismissively and pretended to be annoyed. "A gem? More like a freeloader! She can't sing or dance, yet has the nerve to say I smell like an old man. I'll feed her up until she's as round as a pumpkin. Then, she'll lose the right to complain about me!"

Sitting down, she added, "I've known since I was a kid that I'd eventually be sent away. My mom told me as much. She always said, 'If you can bear it, bear it. If not, you'd be better off cutting your losses and ending it. Life's tough, but if it's unbearable, then don't suffer through it. Life's too short for that'."

Chaya smiled as she spoke, but her words hit a little heavy.

"Funny thing is, though she told me that, she never really lived by it herself. She had it rough, but never let herself give in to death. I came here intending to put up a fight, but now, life's just too comfortable. So, I'm not going anywhere. I'll enjoy this while I can. And if one day Prince Hayden decides I'm fattened up enough and wants to get rid of me, I wouldn't say anything against it."

She chuckled, eyes sparkling with a kind of strange optimism. "But for now, I'm safe. Seems like I got lucky again."

Hayden chuckled along, a warm, grandfatherly fondness glimmering in his gaze.