Ambition and Destiny

👑Chapter Twenty-six👑

As Annie slowly blinked her eyes open, she was momentarily blinded by the bright light streaming from the chandelier above. Gradually, her eyes adjusted to the illumination, and she found herself in a room adorned with luxurious furnishings. The delicate fragrance of blooming flowers filled the air, but despite the beauty of her surroundings, she couldn't shake off the overwhelming sense of confusion that washed over her.

Henrik, his back still facing her, picked up the delicate white lilies on the table with a graceful movement that he had brought earlier and began arranging them in a beautiful crystal vase. The sweet and cloying scent of the flowers filled the entire room, making it feel more alive and vibrant.

As she shifted slightly in her bed, Henrik noticed her slight movement and approached with a worried expression, setting aside the flowers he had been arranging.

"Annie." Henrik's voice was soft, a soothing melody in the hushed room. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

As his hand reached towards her forehead, she stood firm, determined not to show any signs of fear. Despite the memory of the king's blade pressing on her neck, she refused to let fear wash over her.

"You were feverish all night," he murmured, his thumb brushing against her cheek. "I couldn't let you rest alone."

As if sensing her turmoil, "Don't be afraid," he pleaded with barely a whisper. "I'm here for you."

Henrik's touch was gentle as he brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead. "Don't worry," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "You're safe now."

"A scratch on her forehead and a slight wound on her neck."
Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring his face. The raw ache in her chest threatened to consume her.

"It's not true; "tell me!" She choked out, her voice hoarse. "The king... he's lying... Isn't"

Henrik's gaze softened with empathy as he looked into Annie's tear-filled eyes. He felt the heaviness of his tongue as he attempted to admit the sour truth.

"Annie," he began, his voice gentle yet firm, "I wish I could tell you that the king was lying. But... I'm afraid the truth is as you witnessed back then."

As if thorny twigs wrapped her heart and squeezed it tight till it tore instead of just bleeding.

Her lips quivered as she choked up. "Can you bring me a glass of water? My throat is dry."

Henrik nodded and left the room. She made sure he had walked away enough before burying her face in the pillow and screaming to let all her suppressed feelings out.

Henrik discerned her desire for privacy and stood by the door, keeping watch over the chamber. When he deemed it appropriate to enter, he requested a maid passing by to fetch the thing Annie had requested.

After burying her face into the pillow and letting all her frustration out, Annie stared in front of her with a blank expression, unable to believe that all the things she had experienced were all real, not lies.

Henrik approached her slowly, mindful of her fragile state, and gently placed the glass of water in her hand.

Annie gulped down a few sips of water to quench the burning sensation in her throat. The coolness of the water temporarily soothed her frazzled nerves.

Henrik started stroking her hair to provide some comfort. "You're not alone anymore," he whispered reassuringly.

Henrik sat quietly beside Annie, gently patting her back. Though he couldn't imagine what she was feeling, he experienced how it felt to lose family.

"It will take time to fill the emptiness that Edward left, or maybe adapt to it... Cry, shout, and break things, but never become a prisoner of your pain. Your father would want you to live a life filled with purpose and joy. Remember, your life is worth living not just for him but for yourself as well."

"Thank you, Henrik," she said with a forced smile that barely hid her sad face. "I don't know what I'd do without you." But what she was sure about was that she felt better.

As Henrik observed Annie's pale face, he knew that she needed to eat to regain her strength. With a gentle yet determined tone, he addressed her softly, "Annie, you've been asleep for four days. Your body needs sustenance."

Annie was taken aback by the realization that four days had passed in what felt like only a single day, with the chaos of emotions and haunting nightmares consuming her thoughts so completely that she had completely forgotten about the need for food.

Standing up immediately, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her.

Henrik steadied her with a supportive arm, concern etched on his features. "Easy there," Henrik said, his voice filled with concern. "You need to take it slow."

"Easy there," Henrik said, his voice filled with concern. "You need to take it slow."

Annie managed to steady herself, albeit with a sense of weakness lingering in her limbs. She allowed him to guide her out of the room and towards his wing of the palace, where a warm meal awaited them.

Annie managed to steady herself, albeit with a sense of weakness lingering in her limbs. She allowed him to guide her out of the room and towards his wing of the palace, where a warm meal awaited them.

Annie sat at the dining table, absentmindedly picking at her slice of beef meat. Her usual hearty appetite was subdued by the heavy weight of her emotions. Her mind was preoccupied with thoughts and worries, making it difficult for her to enjoy her meal. Henrik, noticing her lack of enthusiasm for the food, watched her with a mixture of concern and empathy.

"Don't you like the meal? Do you want me to ask them to cook something that suits your taste?"

"The meal is fine; it's just..." She couldn't help but sigh. After a moment of hesitation, she added with a slightly sad tone, "I just can't eat; I can't help it!"

"You don't have to force yourself to eat if your stomach doesn't feel like it," Henrik reassured her. "I know how it is when a lot is going on in your head and the last thing you feel like doing is eating."

Henrik broached the subject that weighed heavily on both their minds. "Annie," he began gently, "there's something you need to know about Felix."

Annie flinched when Henrik mentioned Felix's name. She had been so consumed by her thoughts that she had pushed him to the back of her mind, but the taste of betrayal was still fresh on her tongue. Now, she braced herself to hear what Henrik was about to say.

With a heavy sigh, Henrik continued, "Felix has been placed under house arrest by the king. He's been stripped of his position and is awaiting a royal decree."

Annie froze when she heard this news. She knew that King Alexander was unforgiving, but she hadn't expected him to take such drastic measures with his nephew.

"What will happen to Felix?" she queried quietly.

Henrik nodded gravely, his expression troubled. "Unfortunately, the situation is such that I don't foresee it ending well for him. The king is not content with stripping him of his position, and he wants to set a precedent. He's accused of overstepping his boundaries and misusing his position."

Annie's brow furrowed as she processed the information, a pang of guilt gnawing at her soul. "It's all my fault," she said, biting her tongue. "I have no right to feel angry, betrayed, or anything... He is there because of me."

"Annie!" Henrik exclaimed, trying to stop her from feeling regretful.

"I know it's true," Annie sobbed. "It's all my fault, and now he's facing the consequences. If I hadn't been so stubborn about getting news about my father from him, and if I hadn't agreed to involve him in my problems, none of this would have happened."

"No!" Henrik protested. "That's not what I meant. You're not to blame for what happened to Felix. He was determined to solve the problem, so am I."

"It's all my fault that I was careless and left the will in my drawer."

Annie clenched her fist and said, "The first thing I need to do is convince the king to release Felix from his house arrest. After that, I will go to Felix and apologise for everything I've done."

With a low voice, she asked, "What happened to my father's corpse back then?"

"As for your father's corpse," Henrik answered, his tone becoming more sombre, "the king ordered for it to be preserved and kept in the palace mortuary for further investigations. His Majesty wanted to verify if Sir Peter's report aligned with the findings before Edward had a proper burial."

Henrik leaned forward slightly, putting the main dish before her. "Annie," he said, his voice gentle yet firm, "I understand that you want to help Felix, and I want to help you too. But you need to regain your strength first. Promise me that you'll finish your meal, and tomorrow we'll come up with a plan together."

With a short sigh, she nodded in agreement. "Okay, Henrik," she said softly, "I'll finish my meal."

Henrik offered her a satisfactory smile, his eyes filled with warmth and understanding. "Good," he said, his tone gentle. "I'll hold you to that promise. Now, eat up. I have ordered the chef to prepare your favourite dome cake."