<h4>Chapter 469: Judging him for his life</h4>


    As Sage and Katelyn reached the grand hallway just outside the royal chamber, where Amelie and Gabriel were staying, Katelyn stopped abruptly.


    "You’d better leave with my brother," Katelyn stated. "I have to speak with Amelie alone."


    Sage met her gaze, a challenging half-smile ying on her lips. "Well, that depends on Gabriel," she stated. "If he wishes to leave the side of his wife or not."


    They both paused right at the gilded chamber door. Katelyn nodded once to the guard posted outside, instructing him to announce their presence.


    While they waited, Katelyn leaned in, her voice dropping to a persuasive murmur. "You two are friends," she asserted. "And you should be able to do this for me."


    Sage considered the request. "Alright," she epted the challenge, her eyes glinting. "I’ll handle Gabriel."


    The guard, having received permission, stepped back and bowed low, gesturing for them to enter.


    They swept into the drawing room. Amelie and Gabriel were seated on a plush sofa. As Sage and Katelyn walked in, Amelie rose instantly from her seat. Gabriel, however, remained rooted in his seat.


    "Kate, you’vee with Sage to see us," Amelie observed, a light, teasing tone in her voice, though her eyes held a spark of knowing curiosity.


    "No, Amelie. I didn’t call him to the pce," Katelyn quickly countered, meeting her friend’s eyes with a smooth, convincing lie. "He surprised me with his sudden visit."


    "And I decided toe here," Sage chimed in, stepping closer to Gabriel’s seat, his gaze fixed solely on the prince. "I have been wanting to talk to Gabriel for some time."


    Gabriel didn’t need any further confirmation. He arched one skeptical eyebrow, a clear signal that he knew the pretense was for his benefit, but he yed along instantly. He rose fluidly to his full height.


    "I will leave you both, then," he announced, moving to Sage’s side. He nced pointedly at Katelyn and warned, "Don’t trouble your sister-inw, Kate."


    With that curt instruction, Gabriel turned and walked briskly from the drawing-room, Sage falling into step beside him. They left Amelie and Katelyn alone in the chamber, exactly as Katelyn had intended.


    "Are you two going well or not?" Amelie asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched Katelyn intently.


    "Well, we are going well," Katelyn replied. She walked toward Amelie, gently taking her hands, and lowered herself onto the plush sofa, guiding Amelie to sit beside her. She leaned in, "I can’t see Noah."


    "He’s taking a nap," Amelie replied, her expression softening instantly at the mention of her son. "Ashna is with him."


    Katelyn offered a faint, mncholy smile. "Oh. Babies have none to worry about," she asserted.


    Amelie recognized the deflection. She gently squeezed Katelyn’s hand. "What is going on, Kate?" she pressed. "Are you still unsure about Sage? If you are, then just say no. You don’t have to go through with this for any reason."


    Katelyn leaned closer, her eyes betraying a deep, nervous worry. "I am referring to the trouble going around us," she murmured, her gaze sweeping thevish room as if the problems were visible on the walls. "Brother Nick’s marriage went into ruins. And I heard that his inws, Juniper’s family, were not trustworthy either. Look at the chaos it caused."


    Amelie considered this, then straightened, a strength emanating from her. "Well, if your mate is loyal to you, then other forces don’t matter," she asserted. "Even when I initially married Gabriel, his mother and many others in the council didn’t approve of it." She offered a soft, reminiscent smile. "But he chose to stand beside me."


    Her expression then shifted to one of genuine confusion regarding Nick’s situation. "I have no idea why Juniper did it. Maybe she was always like this, so consumed by her own greed that she forgot her genuine love for Brother Nick," she opined sadly.


    Katelyn gripped Amelie’s hand tighter. "I fear the same thing could happen to me. That I could be choosing someone who will ultimately betray our alliance and our bond."


    "Why?" Amelie countered immediately. "Look at him, Kate. Sage is not the type to hurt you ever. He is fiercely loyal, and he genuinely cares for you. You know that better than anyone."


    "Yes, he cares for me. But his family isn’t that great," Katelyn asserted. "He has a stepmother, and she is a kind of treacherousdy. She is of all smiles and maniption. His father only wants me to be their daughter-inw because I am a princess; it’s a simple power grab. Sage could not take his own stand in front of them. Then, how will he do it for me? How will he protect <i>us</i>?" She wrung her hands. "And I don’t want to forget how he was involved in so many casual rtionships in the past, which suggests ack of seriousness, ack ofmitment."


    Behind the heavy velvet curtain and the marble pir near the entrance, Sage had slipped in moments before, intending to give Katelyn a message. Instead, he ended up finding that she had no faith in him.


    A burning heat rose in his chest. His hands clenched tightly into fists, his knuckles white against his skin. Without making a sound, he spun on his heel and walked swiftly out of the chamber, consumed by anger and hurt.


    Oblivious to Sage’s presence and departure, Amelie sighed, trying to inject some perspective into her friend.


    "Why are you judging him for his life?" Amelie suggested gently, leaning in. "Maybe he is fighting daily for it, Kate. Fighting his family, fighting his reputation. If you have so many problems with him, then just tell him now that it cannot work for any of you." She gave her a firm look. "I told you not to walk with prejudices in mind."


    Amelie ced aforting hand on Katelyn’s shoulder. "If you are truly in love with him, then shouldn’t you be the one who should be his strength and give him support to solve his problems, too? Love is supposed to be a partnership, not another obstacle to ovee alone."