Rose knew better than to struggle; he recovered too quickly, and she worried she might be punished for what she had done. "I am sorry, Your Majesty."
"I am not angry," he said, his voice soft. "I am beyond relieved. I was worried I would never see you again. Seeing you in my arms feels like a dream that I might soon wake up from."
"It's not a dream," Rose replied, pulling her hands from her face now that she knew he wasn't mad at her.
Rose had been caught off guard by his presence. She had expected him earlier, right after dinner, and when he didn't arrive, she concluded he wouldn't be coming to her room. She didn't expect to see him by midnight.
She was glad she hadn't fallen asleep yet. His reaction would probably be worse if he had walked in and found her sleeping in bed.
She was glad she had noticed the door handle tilt as though someone was trying to get in but was hesitant. That gave her enough time to flee the desk and hide behind the curtains.
