The Forgotten Princess Rose-Chapter 304

"Is it always going to be like this with you making yourself busy?" Zayne asked, standing behind Rose where he failed to get her attention.

"It is only this once. I do not know if I will have friends after today. I invited Mary so if it doesn’t go well at least I have her. I offered to prepare something for you so Finn could visit then you wouldn’t be alone but you didn’t want to do it. Now you are sticking to me," Rose said, waiting patiently for the moment he would leave her be.

"Who wants to ruin a good day by having Finn around?" Zayne replied.

"No one," Mary answered as she entered the room with Krystle right behind her. "It is good you have made it home safely general."

"I made it back home for my wife to be busy preparing our garden for her new friends. Trying to get her full attention is a battle I am losing. I can’t be around today so do me a favour and look after her today. Give me any names-"

"No!" Rose stopped Zayne in his tracks. "You cannot hurt or ruin anyone if this gathering does not go well. I will not get along with every lady I come across and I am perfectly fine with it. It will hurt me going forward if everyone has to face your wrath. What if people who would have made good friends don’t come around because they are afraid?"

Rose tried her best to get Zayne to turn around to leave but it was like pushing a wall. She was helpless so she looked to Mary for help.

"My apologies. I am not strong enough to get the general to budge. It is a lost cause so you should give up. I do think for men as tall as the general that throwing something and then running works," Mary suggested.

Zayne moved, ending the massage Rose was giving him as she pressed her hands to his back. "And here I thought I treated you well by not suggesting my wife throw something at me."

Mary smiled. "You have treated me well but I am here as a friend to Rose. I have to be on her side with answers at a moment like this. I am not here as your soldier right now."

"That is right. Mary is here as my friend so you cannot judge anything that she does today or try to order her around. You must go find something to busy yourself with for the next couple of hours. You will not want to be here when your mother and sister arrive," Rose said, knowing this should be enough to get Zayne to leave.

Zayne placed his hand on his chest feigning hurt over the way Rose treated him. "Seeing how fast you are to get rid of me hurts."

Rose wasn’t falling for his trick. "You will survive. You have survived wars. I do not want you around to distract the ladies or to make them nervous so you must go. You will have my attention in a few hours. Must you be so needy?"

"Yes," Zayne answered.

"You must go!" Rose said, finally getting Zayne to walk away. "I do not know what to do with him sometimes."

"You say that but your face says something else. It is fun to see the general be so carefree with you. It almost feels like I could beat him with his guard let down a little. I must train to try. Have you thought again of learning to use a sword?" Mary asked.

"I have not and I will not. I know it must not be as easy as it looks and I don’t have it in me to take anyone’s life. I have tried before but I always hesitate. I am grateful for Zayne being so protective since he will kill anyone who comes to harm us. Your dress is lovely but you do not need to wear one if it is making you feel uncomfortable," Rose said after noticing how Mary kept pulling at the dress.

"I have not seen any ladies sitting at a tea party wearing pants unless they just came from riding horses. It is my mother’s dress so it pinches me in places it should not. I can last the day with it," Mary said but she was counting down the hours for when she could take it off.

"We are close to the same size. I have dresses I have never worn which should be more comfortable for you. You can pick any one of them to get changed into now," Rose offered.

"Your guests will be arriving soon. I don’t want to bother you."

"It is fine and Krystle can take you to help you get changed. I have to thank her for my appearance every day. I will not start the party until you have returned. You will move freely in a different dress. Maybe you would be able to move your legs more if you had to fight someone," Rose said, knowing how to convince Mary.

Mary looked down at her dress. "Then, I will be quick to get changed. Thank you."

Rose looked to Krystle who was already moving to escort Mary to Rose’s room.

While the two were going upstairs, Rose headed to the door to see her guests arrive. Aside from Catherine and Paige, Rose was awaiting the arrival of three ladies Catherine wanted to introduce her to. She was nervous but Rose tried to be positive that the day would go well. She trusted Catherine’s judgement.

Rose was happy to see Catherine’s carriage arriving first. It was nearing the hour she set for everyone to be at the estate so it shouldn’t be long before the others came.

Rose walked down to greet Catherine and Paige as they got out of the carriage but was surprised to see only Catherine. "Catherine," she greeted with a hug first. "Paige will not be coming?"

"Paige will never miss any chance she is given to come here. She will be coming in her carriage since I might not be returning to the palace tonight. Fear not, I am not staying here. I will be visiting a friend who is ill and staying the night at her home. I must be at her side now," said Catherine.

"Oh. I did not know you had such arrangements. I do not mind if you need to leave to be with your friend. That is more important."

"She wouldn’t like it if I skipped my plans with you and she doesn’t want anyone to treat her like she is dying. I will be here with you. That looks like Paige," Catherine said, noticing the carriage coming through the gates followed by another. "Are you ready to host?"

"I am. I’m sure it will be even better than the dinner. I practised too many times how the day should go. I am prepared for some mistakes to happen but I will not allow it to get the best of me. Which lady is with Paige?" Rose asked after seeing someone exit the carriage behind Paige.

Catherine frowned, annoyed with what Paige did. "She isn’t one of your guests. Excuse me for a moment, Rose. I must speak to Paige alone."