Rose heard the sound of the portcullis lifting as they approached the castle, followed by the sound of the draw bridge dropping to allow the carriage through but Rose kept her head down. Not once had she looked up since she got into the carriage. She could hear sounds and people's voices as the carriage passed through the town, but Rose remained stiff and unmoving.
The sound of gravel was the next thing she heard as they went through the castle gates. Rose felt her stomach knot even more. She was really here. The ride from the gates to the front of the castle felt both too long and too short. When the carriage finally came to a halt, Rose was both mentally and physically exhausted.
The door was thrown open, and a trumpet was blown. "His Royal Highness, Prince Caius Ravenor, Heir to the Throne of Velmount!"
Caius stepped out of the carriage, and a high-ranking servant quickly undid his cape and stepped to the side.
