CHAPTER 33: NOLAN NULLIFY THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN HIS FAMILY AND THE ROYAL FAMILY

The garden of the royal palace glowed under the soft embrace of evening. The roses swayed gently in the breeze, their perfume lacing the air with sweetness, while fountains trickled in the distance like quiet music. It was here, in this sacred place of peace, that matters of the heart and crown were often laid bare.

Mr. Nolan walked slowly along the cobbled path, the Queen’s guard steadying his arm. His cane clicked lightly against the stones, each step measured with dignity. His frame was still proud, though wearied by time and the burdens of duty. Tonight, he carried yet another weight—the truth that could alter not only his life, but the lives of two princesses.

Ahead, beneath the tree, sat Queen Elizabeth. Her silver hair shone like a crown of its own, her bearing regal and unyielding. Beside her, perched with youthful grace, was Camilla—the lost granddaughter, the true heir of the crown. She leaned over a chessboard, her laughter soft as she debated her next move with her grandmother.

Nolan’s chest tightened at the sight. He had been instrumental in helping find Camilla, and the joy of her restoration to the royal family warmed him, even as his heart prepared for the storm he must unleash.

"Mr. Nolan approaches," the guard announced.

The Queen looked up, her eyes brightening with unmistakable gratitude. Camilla turned too, her smile shy but genuine.

"Bring him here," the Queen said warmly.

A chair was drawn for Nolan, and he bowed his head deeply as he sat.

"You honor me, Your Majesty," he said.

"It is I who must honor you," the Queen replied, her voice firm yet kind. "Without you, my Camilla might still be lost to me. Now she is here, the true first princess, the heir our kingdom so desperately needed. I owe you a debt beyond measure."

Camilla blushed faintly, lowering her gaze. "Grandmother says I have much to learn. But I... I am glad to be home."

Nolan inclined his head. "It is enough that you are safe, my lady. The kingdom will thrive with you at its heart."

The Queen’s eyes softened. "Still, I sense you have not come here merely to bask in our joy. Speak freely, Mr. Nolan. What weighs on your spirit?"

Nolan’s hand tightened on his cane. He drew a long breath, the garden’s calm failing to steady the storm in his chest. "Your Majesty, it concerns the engagement—my supposed bond to Princess Kiara."

The Queen’s gaze sharpened instantly. Even Camilla looked up in surprise.

"You know," Nolan continued carefully, "that the agreement drawn between our families many years ago stated that I was to wed the first Princess of this kingdom. At the time, Camilla was lost, and so Princess Kiara stood in her place. For duty’s sake, I accepted. But with Camilla restored—already married to Mr. Sinclair Luther—the terms cannot stand as they once did."

A silence fell like a veil over the garden.

The Queen’s expression grew unreadable. "You would ask me, then, to dissolve the engagement with Kiara?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Nolan said, his voice steady though his heart raced. "I must speak the truth plainly: I do not love Princess Kiara. Binding myself to her out of obligation, when the very foundation of that obligation no longer exists, would be unjust to us both."

Camilla’s lips parted slightly, her eyes flicking between them in quiet shock. "But... Kiara loves you."

Her words struck like a bell tolling in the distance, heavy with sorrow.

Nolan closed his eyes briefly, pain flickering across his face. "I know. And it is that truth which grieves me most. She has given me a heart I cannot return. To marry her would be to chain us both to misery."

The Queen’s fingers drummed lightly on the arm of her chair, her silence more daunting than words. At last, she spoke. "Do you understand what you ask? Kiara is not only my granddaughter, but a princess who has carried herself with grace, even when Camilla’s absence thrust responsibilities upon her shoulders that she was never meant to bear. And now, when her cousin has returned, you would abandon her?"

Nolan’s voice grew firmer. "Not abandon, Your Majesty. Free her. She deserves a love that will cherish her, not merely tolerate her."

The Queen studied him for a long time, her eyes glinting with something sharp—testing, weighing. Then, unexpectedly, she turned to Camilla. "What say you, child?"

Camilla hesitated, her hands folded tightly in her lap. At last, she lifted her chin, her voice trembling but true. "Grandmother... if the engagement was always meant for the first princess, then the arrangement was never Kiara’s by right. It was only given to her because of my absence. And if Mr. Nolan does not love her, then binding them together would wound her more deeply than releasing her ever could."

Her words lingered in the air, innocent yet wise.

The Queen’s lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes softening only slightly. "You speak boldly, Camilla. Boldly, and perhaps rightly." She turned back to Nolan. "You must understand—Kiara’s heart will break. She loves you. And in her eyes, your rejection may feel like betrayal."

Nolan lowered his head, guilt shadowing his features. "If she must hate me, let her. Better her hatred than her lifelong suffering."

The Queen leaned back in her chair, the chess pieces between her and Camilla forgotten. "Very well. You have spoken with honesty, and with honor. I cannot force a union where love does not dwell. The engagement between you and Princess Kiara shall be dissolved."

Relief washed through Nolan like a rushing tide, yet it was bittersweet, laced with the knowledge of Kiara’s pain. He bowed deeply. "Your Majesty, you have granted mercy to us both. I thank you."

Camilla gave him a sad smile, her eyes glistening. "It is better this way. Perhaps, in time, Kiara will understand."

The Queen exhaled, her gaze drifting toward the horizon where the sun sank low. "We can only hope."

After stating what he wanted Nolan got up from his sit and left the royal mansion with a smile on his face.