Liam’s POV:
A few days had passed after my walk with Olivia and our conversation that reconciled us and I felt lighter because now we weren't fighting anymore. Every day we managed to see each other even for a few minutes at a time, and those moments became my favorite moments of the day. I was like a lovesick puppy and even my soldier friends noticed that I was different, and they often even made fun of me because of my change, but I cared very little about all this fuss, if at all. If I could see that beautiful smile of the girl that I loved at the end of my day it would all have been worth it.
The atmosphere between us was so good that we didn't fight for practically anything else, and when the little fights happened, they were meaningless and most of the time weren't offensive: they were just teasing the other. We were both in a healthy relationship dynamic where we laughed at each other, but respected and got to know each other. I had recently thought
Liam’s POV:"So...?" I asked them still waiting for a straight answer because they were still looking at my face with smirks. I know that they were pondering about the task they would give me, but I was losing my patience waiting for their answer.After a few more moments Steppenwolf finally broke the silence and said, "We need you to steal from the Palace an object that is of some importance to the monarchs," and after he said that several faces around us smirked once more."And what kind of object would that be?" I asked curiously."Well, we haven't decided yet, but it has to be important to the king, the queen, or the princess. It could be relevant documents or some money, or even a piece of jewelry or a relic. If it's an object of value, that we can sell it, it would be even better!" Steppenwolf said excitedly."So, are you talking about jewelry or something?" I asked him to confirm he was hearing right."Well, Tresoria intelligenc
Caroline's POV:"Here you go," I told Liam half grudgingly and handed over the handkerchief that wrapped the jewelry. I thought if I put it in a handkerchief it would have a touch of mystery, like I was actually handing something stolen. So I looked around and kept whispering, "I just hope this is your first and only attempt to rob the palace. I won't condone this kind of behavior."Liam opened the handkerchief and looked at the brooch. His eyes gleamed at the gem's opulence. He smiled at me and said, "Thank you so much, Olivia. You saved my ass, and I'm sure this brooch will be of great value to the cause."I crossed my arms in a disdainful tone and told him, "Huh, I hope this is worth it, because I don't like the fact that you're joining this cause at all." I said 'cause' with as much contempt and suspicion as I could.After that, I couldn't help but ask, "So what happens now?" I was too curious to pretend to not want to know anything.Liam thoug
Caroline’s POV:If I really was being responsible, I would have stopped that afternoon and figured out a way to tell Liam my secret. I needed to be honest with him and he needed him to hear from me who I really was. Lucille was right, I was wasting precious time deluding myself and thinking I could carry on this farce indefinitely. If I was really responsible, but I wasn’t because as soon as I read Stephan's note I ignored the gift and this cloud that was hanging over my head and didn't think of any way to tell Liam about me.The next day I would only have time to meet him in the middle of his shift at some interval. I was buried in state meetings with my father and the Lord Councilors. We talked about everything: from agriculture to industry and education. The lords were believers that a radical reform must take place in the kingdom. Rebel attacks were more and more frequent in the provinces and there was more and more revolt. The scenario was definitely n
Caroline's POV:My body still trembled for several minutes after the shelter door was sealed. I felt exhausted and terrified. It was official: I had just killed a man. As much as there was an entirely plausible justification for it—in this case, it was either him or one of us, or both—I was still completely shaken. And of course, I wanted to curl up in a corner and cry. The only reason I didn't do it was because Liam was on the floor of the shelter, and he didn't look too good.I took a few breaths trying to calm myself down and decided to deal with what was most urgent right now, and sure enough my recent trauma was nothing compared to the wound Liam had sustained. I had never been interested in any first aid medical care, but I knew that whatever I did, I should have the kit handy, so I went to the shelter's shelves to look for what kinds of resources we had available.This shelter was intended for employees. I knew that if I was in one of the shel
Liam's POV:"Hold Him!" was all I heard the king say. I was still sleepy after Olivia made a makeshift bandage on my leg from a gunshot wound, so I wasn't processing anything very well. In a few seconds some of the soldiers accompanying His Majesty came out of the formation they were in and lifted me up so that I could be arrested.The King when he saw me with my pants ripped was livid and still held Olivia by the arm, looking at her menacingly: "What does that mean?" he snapped at her. She looked scared and completely in shock. Before she could answer anything, the king continued asking, "And why is the heiress to the kingdom of Tresoria dressed as a maid?"What? Heiress? This was not the princess. This was one of her maids.When Olivia didn't respond, the King turned again and said to me, "What's going on? Explain yourself soldier!""I... I..." I started to babble, not having any explanation for the questions he was asking me.Olivia then
Caroline's POV:If I'm honest with myself, I'll admit that I didn't sleep that night. In fact, I neither slept nor fed after the doctors released me from the hospital wing of the palace. There was a torment consuming me inside and I was terrified that Liam wouldn't even want to listen to me after what he'd discovered. And all I could think about was all the chances that I'd had to tell him the truth. Every time we were alone. It had taken me too long to be honest with him, and now maybe it was too late.As soon as the first rays of sunlight hit my window, however, I got up and dressed simply, not like a maid, but like a princess. I had to be the princess again, but I didn't want to overwhelm the difficult conversation I would have by showing opulence. Anything that showed the gap between Liam and me would only further aggravate the situation, and I was seeking compromise to solve the matter and get his forgiveness.I headed straight back to the hospital wing. Th
I didn't have much to do to prepare myself for the king's arrival. I didn't have to straighten my clothes as I was wearing hospital pajamas. I didn't have a lot I could do with my looks either. The king, after all, was coming to visit someone who was convalescing.The princess in turn appeared to be impeccable. Apparently, there wasn't a hair out of place on her, and she kept her posture calm as if welcoming the king was something she did every day. Come to think of it, she actually received the king every day. He was her father. The feeling of having lost my Olivia to this princess hit me hard, and it still made my throat close with tears and unspoken insults. However, this was not the time to think about this.If it weren't for the eyes of the girl who was with me in my room, I'd say her model daughter mask was the example for every young woman in the country, but I knew those eyes. Well, at least I thought I knew them. What she had told me a few minutes ago seemed s
Caroline's POV:For the two weeks following the invasion I was mostly shut up in my room, suffering in silence. After the first visit I made to Liam, the nurse on duty kept telling me that she was sorry, but the patient was resting or was in physical therapy, or whatever excuse could be said. After the third time, I got the hint and stopped asking about him in the hospital wing.I considered for a second or two to exercise my authority and show my credentials to see him. After all, he was dismissing the princess heir to the kingdom of Tresoria, but honestly, I didn't think that would be a good approach. Anything that threw my title or my possessions in Liam's face or demonstrated the difference between us would only further damage our relationship, which was obviously already hanging by a thread.Obviously, there were several appointments the Princess of Tresoria had to attend. I had left several of them aside with all the recent developments, so I took the oppo