890: Prince Liam's Decision

Prince Liam's Decision

Julian looked around him.1

"If this Prince Liam was able to get away from the palace before, and I sincerely doubt that he went out via the front door… doesn't that mean that he must have gone out another way?"

Convinced by the thought, Julian spent the rest of the night and searched through the crown prince's room. He also took the chance to fill his pocket with whatever he thought was useful and valuable, while he tried to find some exit.

However, it proved to be a difficult task. He didn't have a single clue if there was actually a secret entrance or exit, or whether he was actually just wasting his time to get some rest. Julian just knew that trying to go out through the window was not a good idea.

"Come on, surely you left some clues? Traces?" Julian asked, annoyed as he looked through the prince's closet wardrobe and touched around to see if there was a trick door of some sort.

Unfortunately, there was none.

"Ugh, he cleaned up his track well," Julian conceded with an angry huff and sat down on a chair.

When Julian looked at the crown prince's table, he found a rather thick pile and a stack of books all placed on top of each other. There was even a half-written journal of some sort, a quill, and some ink as well.

"Uff… this guy, he seems like the type who might get along with Rowena," Julian said to himself as he eyed the books.

After another moment, Julian chose to check out the books to see if there was any interesting title that maybe Rowena might like to have. Over the past two years, she actually helped him learn how to read which he was grateful for.

The Marlowes were great, but they couldn't afford to give him an education. Luckily Julian was a fast learner as well. He flipped open a book and found a parchment tucked in between them.

"A layout of the castle… and the dungeons."

***

After the conversation with 'Harlow' which resulted in her acknowledgment that 'Julian' was a man and that she felt guilty for holding him back from meeting other people, especially other women, Prince Liam didn't know what to say or do.

"Thank you for the acknowledgment…" Prince Liam said, feeling guilty. "However, let's not immediately just shut this topic off and seal it away as if it didn't happen. If we bury it, I'm sure it will resurface once again."

"Do you want to discuss this more?" Rowena raised a brow. "I'm ready to listen and hear out what you have in mind. I know one way or another that our lives became linked together since you took me in, but you have no responsibility to keep taking me under your wing."

"Uh, about that," Prince Liam just knew that he had to let this conversation happen with the real Julian and not him. The only problem was that the guy was nowhere to be found and he didn't want to admit that.

"I know that I was rather immature and maybe even a bit selfish," Rowena looked down at the ground. "Since I left my old home and came with you, it was childish of me to think that we'd always be together. Circumstances change after all."

"You know, this is a very deep and important conversation," Prince Liam clasped his hands together. "Don't you think that we should have this talk when we're more refreshed and not exhausted? We might say things we regret and it's better to do this in the morning."

"Oh." Rowena blinked and then looked up at him. "Of course, let's just talk about this tomorrow. That's a good decision. We'll also get to discuss the Great Library and decide if we should go together or not… but first, let's rest. Have a goodnight, Julian."

"Have a pleasant sleep as well," Prince Liam smiled and watched Rowena make her way to the floor and then rest down. He also went to his bed and lay down.

After a couple of minutes or half an hour, he soon heard the peaceful breathing of Rowena and would have staggered dramatically onto the mattress, if not for the fact that he was already on the bed and didn't want to wake up the girl.

It seemed like he got himself into a situation that was much more than he expected it to be.

Prince Liam thought that as long as he got away from the palace, he'd be able to find some time to breathe and feel more like himself. Despite his love for his family and acceptance of their flaws, he also wanted to be his own person.

"I just didn't expect that it would turn out this way." Prince Liam muttered softly to himself as he stared up at the ceiling of the inn's room.

Since the conversation with 'Harlow' ended on a difficult note, he suggested for them to talk in the morning once their mind was a little more cleared up and they felt better after resting.

Truth be told, Prince Liam was actually afraid and anxious that the real Julian would turn up, and then there'd be a major fisticuff, an exchange of fists, between the two and he'd be outed as a fake.

However, since it didn't happen and Liam had gotten away by pretending to be this Julian guy, it had actually only meant one thing: The two of them accidentally switched roles.

It didn't take a genius to understand that this Julian was the one who was probably abducted by the royal bodyguard and taken to the palace. Prince Liam hadn't seen anyone else from the palace, so it meant they had accomplished their goal of securing him.

Or at least that was what they thought.

Prince Liam glanced over towards Rowena who was now fast asleep. Despite how uncomfortable it seemed to sleep on the floor, somehow the exhaustion worked in her favor and she slept soundly.

A complete opposite for him. He was so used to the fancy and comfortable life that now he realized how foolish of him to think he could leave the royal palace and survive a life like a commoner.

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