The Forgotten Princess Rose-Chapter 249

Late in the evening, Catherine arrived at the palace to see her son. She had much to talk about after what she witnessed at Zayne’s home and by now Gage must have heard the gossip of his brother returning with a woman.

Before Gage heard the wrong story, Catherine was here to tell him what she saw. They had much to celebrate. After seeing the couple interact, she was certain Zayne had fallen in love.

Catherine hurried to the throne room where Gage had to be speaking with men from the court. She needed to pull him away from them before they started to plan where to send Zayne next for another victory.

"Announce me," Catherine told the guards standing outside.

The doors opened for Catherine to enter and her name was announced to end whoever Gage was speaking to.

Catherine stumbled upon two soldiers speaking to Gage. "I need to speak to the king alone."

"Mother," Gage said, surprised to see her here. He flicked his hand for the soldiers to leave. "I thought you would be giving all your time to Zayne. What a surprise to see you here."

"Sending away the spies in your brother’s army?" Catherine asked.

"It is not his army, it is mine. I am the king or have you forgotten?" Gage replied. He was curious about what news she came to share with him. "You have good timing to stop me from hearing what Zayne was up to. I only heard he returned with a woman. A little unlike him, don’t you agree?"

"It is. It is more than just a woman he has returned with. Zayne has come to us with a lovely wife," Catherine replied.

Gage laughed since this couldn’t be the same brother he knew. "A wife? Don’t be a ridiculous mother. This is Zayne we are talking about. I have narrowed down the women he should consider marrying. Lucy is one of them. You liked her."

"I said she is a lovely young woman. I never said that I liked her for him. Zayne is already married so you should get rid of that list. They are planning on hosting a small dinner for us to meet her. I expect that you will be there," said Catherine.

Gage couldn’t believe this was real. "You are serious about this? How did Zayne come back with a wife? Did he get her pregnant? I have never placed him so careless."

"I asked her already and she said she is not pregnant. You must not ask when you see her. If you trouble her, you will put Zayne in a bad mood and you know how he is when he just came home. He loves her so we must all be on our best behaviour. Don’t you have much to thank him for?" Catherine inquired as the victory was thanks to Zayne.

Gage turned away from this mother. "What do I have to tell him when the kingdom is singing more praises for him than me? A headache is coming with the court thinking the people will soon chant for Zayne to be king. I wanted to join him."

"The king needed to be here. He was to go there on behalf of the kingdom. You’ve fought beside Zayne and did well. You proved you are a king who knows how to use a sword. Do not dwell on it," Catherine tried to cheer him up.

"But Zayne still shines more on the battlefield. I can be standing next to him and the men look to him for guidance. I am just lucky that he does not want to be king. Who is the woman he returned with? Is she a princess?"

Did Zayne go and get himself a woman with power from that kingdom?

Gage wasn’t worried about Zayne fighting him for the throne before but the court was starting to get to him. He wasn’t ready to give up the throne even though Zayne would make a good king.

"No. She is the daughter of a lord and she has quite the story but I will let you hear it from him. Promise me that you will not question it and be on his side. Get rid of that list and go see your brother when he invites you to his home. He’ll need a break-"

"I already have somewhere I must send him. There is trouble already," Gage said, sorry for Zayne but he had no choice.

"Send someone else," Catherine suggested. "He has just gotten married and his wife is here without anyone. You cannot part them so soon. I know you can pick someone else. Other talented men can take his spot. Let him enjoy the early days of his marriage and let us enjoy that he is here safe."

"This was discussed when Zayne left-"’

"Well, change it now. I am telling you that your brother just came back from war and he is married. You should not send him out so soon. Think of his safety and his wife. She will need to part from her husband soon. If you love him, get someone else," Catherine tried to reason with Gage.

A day hadn’t passed yet and Gage already had plans for Zayne.

"Don’t you hear? He’s the untouchable general so he will be fine wherever he goes. It will not be a trip as long as the last. She knew who she was marrying so this will prepare her for what is to come. I do care for him that is why I send him with enough men to get the job done. I’m a little busy now," Gage said, dismissing his mother.

Catherine wasn’t ready to move. "This is why he was closer to your brother. You let your jealousy get ahead of you sometimes. He’s not competing with you and you already know it. What do you get out of sending him away so fast? He would kill anyone for you and this is how you repay him?"

"I send him because he’s all I can trust. I know he will go out, get the victory and come home. I’ve given him the chance to step away from being general but it is what he wants. Who was present to see that they consummate the marriage?" Gage questioned, still not believing the marriage was real.

Catherine shook her head. "Why must you always be this way each time he returns? You care for each other but you try to push each other’s buttons. I’ve warned you not to upset him now. Consider sending someone else in place of Zayne. No one asked you for something when you got married."

"I had a kingdom to rule after I got married. I only saw my wife at night," Gage responded.

"That was your choice. Your father made time for me. Just because you made yourself busy doesn’t mean to do the same to Zayne. Think about what I told you before you see him. I know when I am not wanted so I will leave. Goodbye," Catherine curtsied then turned to leave to find her daughter.

Gage had yet to believe his mother that Zayne was married. He had to see it for himself and see what kind of woman Zayne welcomed into their kingdom.