Ten Years Later Chapter 43 - The King's Secret

In which the king discovers, through a chance encounter and whispered confidences beneath the royal oak, a secret affection that one of the ladies of the court harbours for him, leading to an unexpectedly tender and unsettling moment. Meanwhile, whispers and jealousy ripple through the royal family and courtiers alike as the delicate balance of affection and intrigue begins to disclose its subtle consequences.