Love's Unexpected Awakening Elowen's Choice novel Chapter 41

Chapter 41 The Royal Invitation

Elowen couldn’t help but take another long look at him.

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Piers had no patience for Daphne’s theatrics. “Hurry up and apologize!” he snapped at her.

Daphne flinched at his tone, her shoulders trembling as she stammered toward Elowen, “I-I’m sorry…”

“And?” Piers pressed, his voice still sharp.

Daphne shuddered again, her face flushing crimson with humiliation. “I shouldn’t have slandered you!”

Only then did he relent, turning to Elowen with a respectful nod. “Duchess of Duskmoor, I owe you an apology as well. My sincerest regrets. Is there anything else you require?”

Elowen accepted gracefully. “Nothing else, thank you.”

He gave a short nod and gestured toward the palace gates. “Then please, proceed inside.”

He shot a stern glance at Daphne. “She will remain under my watch, waiting outside the gates until all other guests have entered. Consider this my recompense for my earlier mistake in misjudging you.”

Order was restored at the palace entrance.

Elowen settled back into her carriage as it rolled through the towering gates.

After a short journey, they reached the carriage park, where dozens of coaches already stood. Elowen alighted and continued on foot.

Maerwyn’s birthday banquet was to be held in the Gilded Hall, but Elowen was in no rush to go there directly.

Following Cassian’s instructions, she first made her way deeper into the palace complex to inform the King of his awakening.

Meanwhile, carriages continued to stream into the palace grounds.

Daphne arrived at the Gilded Hall much later than the others, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen from crying.

Maerwyn, seated and chatting with Alaric, noticed Daphne’s distressed state from across the

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Chapter 41 The Royal Invitation

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Curiosity piqued, she called out, “Lady Daphne, what’s wrong? Has someone upset you?”

Daphne’s gaze flitted almost imperceptibly toward Alaric before she lowered her tearful eyes.

Her maid, bursting with indignation, answered for her. “It was Lady Elowen!”

Alaric, who had been lounging listlessly, his attention elsewhere, felt a subtle shift within him at the name. His brow twitched slightly, and he lifted his gaze.

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Daphne chided her maid with a delicate sob. “I’m sure Elowen didn’t mean any harm! And if Lord Piers chose to side with her over me, well, that was his choice to make. We cannot blame Elowen for it.”

Maerwyn’s interest deepened. “So she did bully you?”

She cast a thoughtful glance at Alaric. “And Lord Piers was involved? Does he fancy Elowen, then?”

Alaric’s frown deepened.

“Come here!” Maerwyn beckoned Daphne eagerly. “Tell me everything! What exactly happened?”

In the Gilded Hall, the birthday festivities were underway.

The hall was filled predominantly with ladies of the court, clustered in small groups, their laughter and chatter weaving a tapestry of merry sound.

The moment Elowen stepped through the doorway, that tapestry unraveled. The voices hushed, one by one, until an unnatural, heavy silence blanketed the entire hall.

Elowen felt the weight of their stares-mocking, scornful, derisive.

She didn’t need to guess the cause. Daphne had clearly been here first, sprinkling her own embellishments onto the story.

In her past life, such scenes had been all too common. She was almost numb to them.

Besides, mere looks could not touch her. As the Duchess of Duskmoor, her status was exalted, surpassing even that of today’s birthday girl, Maerwyn. Her seat was at the very top of the hall, beside the Queen herself.

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Chapter 41 The Royal Invitation

If they wished to look at her, they would have to look up.

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“Elowen, my dear, you’re here.” As Elowen approached, Isla greeted her with her customary, benevolent smile.

“Your Majesty.” Elowen offered a slight curtsy.

“Please, sit. We’ve been waiting for you,” Isla said warmly.

No sooner had Elowen taken her seat than Princess Maerwyn, seated nearby, spoke up with a sly grin. “Lady Elowen, mind if I ask-why did you come into the palace so early, yet show up here so late? You didn’t sneak off to meet someone, did you?”

Elowen lifted her gaze to meet hers and asked calmly, “What are you implying, Your Highness?”

“I’m merely curious,” Maerwyn retorted, her tone deceptively light. “Is it such a difficult question to answer? Or perhaps… you were meeting a secret lover?”

In her past life, Elowen had arrived late for a different reason.

Maerwyn had posed the same insinuating question, her words dripping with the implication that Elowen had been off rendezvousing with some random man.

Back then, fearing Maerwyn’s displeasure, Elowen had offered only soft-spoken explanations, enduring the veiled barbs with a fragile, forced smile.

She had no intention of enduring such treatment now.

“A secret lover?” Elowen arched a delicate eyebrow. “Surely, Your Highness, you do not customarily refer to His Majesty the King as such?”

Maerwyn froze. She went to see Father?

Her expression remained dubious. “Why would you need to see Father?”

“His Majesty is deeply concerned about Cassian’s condition. As his wife, I went to provide the King with an update. Is there anything improper in that?”

Elowen’s voice was gentle, yet each word carried undeniable weight. “If you doubt my you are welcome to seek an audience with His Majesty and ask him directly.”

word,

All color drained from Maerwyn’s face. She was terrified of her father. And she had just alluded to him being a secret lover… If this ever reached his ears, she’d be confined to her chambers for months!

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Chapter 41 The Royal Invitation

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“Elowen, please forgive her. Maerwyn is still just a child,” Isla stepped in at the perfect time to smooth things over.

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