“You didn’t know because you never asked.”
Those words seemed louder than anything else in the hall.
Adrian slowly stepped down from the throne.
Everyone watched.
Then, in front of the entire court, he lowered himself to one knee.
“I humiliated the body that gave me my son,” he said.
His voice trembled.
“And now I learn that the same body is carrying two more of my children.”
Isabella remained still.
Adrian reached toward her hand.
She gently pulled it away.
“Do not think kneeling once will erase what you did.”
“I don’t.”
He stood again.
Then turned toward the court.
His eyes moved across the nobles who had laughed.
“You all joined in because I showed you that cruelty was acceptable.”
Nobody spoke.
“But the greatest shame belongs to me.”
The four young court ladies lowered their heads.
A servant approached Isabella with a royal cloak.
She wrapped it around herself.
Adrian moved as if he wanted to accompany her out of the hall.
She stopped him.
