The carriage hadn't come to a complete halt when the doors were flung open and Caius was looking in, his face creased with worry until he spotted Rose hidden in the corner, shielded by Maximus.
"Rose," Caius called.
"Your Majesty," Rose bolted from her seat and accepted his outstretched hand.
She wondered whether he had been told before she arrived or had noticed the carriage's condition, but she figured it was the latter. He usually didn't step out of the castle when she returned.
He pulled her from the carriage and wrapped his arms around her, still standing in front of it. "You're okay," he whispered as she lay against his chest.
It sounded as though he was saying it more to himself than to her. She could faintly hear the fast beating of his heart as she rested her face on his chest. Rose nodded, letting herself relax as he held on to her. It was nice. She was alive.
