Royally Bounded

Chapter 104

Clara

Christmas was my favourite occasion only because the family gatherings warmed my heart. We handed out presents and had dinners. It was a normal family event without the public eyes, and I could finally celebrate it with Hayden. It was a time I waited for years, and even if he was annoyed at the little decorations, it was funny watching him get hit in the face.

Our large family gathering was at Bruchester Palace with my parents-in-law as hosts. They invited my family over too, and my mother was pleased with the invitation. She had my father and Silas dressed for the occasion. Both of them fitted in branded dress shirts, matched with shiny watches around their wrists.

The palace was decorated with red and green garlands that outlined the doors and windows. A huge Christmas tree was located in the living room, and it was decorated with ornaments, along with holiday themed lights wrapped around the branches and leaves. Various sizes of presents filled the tree underneath.

We gathered around the dining table. My eyes landed over to the missing seat where Ivor usually sat. He should be present with Runova, but it was weird how he was late. His perception on time was even better than Hayden. Not once was he late for meetings or family events.

"Thank you so much for inviting us, Emma," my mother said, sitting in between Silas and my father. She had a satisfied smile across her lips. "It's great to be here with everyone to celebrate Christmas. We can't thank you enough for the invitation."

My mother was born and trained to be a mannered woman. Each time she spoke to my mother-in-law, her voice turned soothing and graceful, like she was raised to sing an angelic song. Her scolding voice against me was a huge contrast.

"Of course, Adelaide," my mother-in-law beamed then glanced at me before looking back to my mother. "Clara is part of our family too. Her family is our family. We can't miss out an event without everyone here."

My mother nodded her head in agreement. While we were talking, Ivor rushed inside, and my eyes widened in shock when Rosie appeared behind him. She gave a nod to my parents-in-law but remained standing as my mother-in-law had a disapproving look. The whole room fell to silence.

"That's great that Rosie came. She's close to Clara's family. Why don't she come sit with me?" Josephine offered and patted the seat next to hers. "I can't see Abbas until wedding day. Everyone here are nearly in pairs, and I think Rosie and me make great company for each other."

Ivor sent Josephine a grateful smile, and she nodded, approaching Rosie to lead her to one of the empty spots. Ivor was seated beside Runova, but he still had a short distant to Rosie. They exchanged glances at each other as my father-in-law spoke.

"Thank you everyone for coming tonight," he grinned, raising his glass. We followed him, but my glass was filled with orange soda instead. "We're grateful to have a full Christmas, especially with everything that happened during the past month. Josephine is having her wedding soon, and we're looking forward for the engagement party for Runova and Ivor."

"Father, I—"

My father-in-law snapped his eyes over at Ivor. It was like he knew what his son was going to say but stopped Ivor from proceeding. Ivor silenced down, not pushing the boundaries.

The table was laid with various dishes. The chefs were hired by my parents-in-law, and they came from the best culinary school in Nascadia. They came out to introduce each dish, informing us about the spices and sauces used.

I tried the grilled turkey that warmed in my mouth. The smoky taste lingered on my tongue, and I hummed in satisfaction, adding in more of the gravy sauce. Xander enjoyed the mashed potatoes, and he had one scoop after another.