Preparation (2.2)

-Palace: Drawing Room-

After Seraphine's eventful Lunch, the servants guides her to the Drawing Room where the Marchioness has been waiting for her.

"May the Afternoon Sun give Blessings to her highness, Princess Seraphine."

"Good Afternoon, Marchioness Vivian."

Seraphine and the Marchioness greeted each other, the Marchioness gave a curtsy to Seraphine while she nods, at her.

"Shall we begin our lesson immediately?"

"Sure."

Seraphine and the Marchioness began their lesson in etiquette and how to receive the crown.

But since Seraphine is not allowed to bow down to the Marchioness. Vivian only gave a visual demonstration of how she should act on receiving the crown.

"Lower yourself slowly, your head should look down at the Emperor's knees, not his feet, afterwards raise yourself bit by bit, make sure that the crown will not fall on your head, then carefully turn around towards the crowd."

"Noted!" Seraphine eagerly says.

"You should practice this alone in your room when you have time, Princess."

"I will"

"Now then, let's practice for three more times then, have a bit of break"

Seraphine internally cheered, she smiled and nodded at the Marchioness. The lesson began again.

"Impressive on how you quickly catch on the lessons, Princess"

"Thank you"

'Gabriel always scolds me on my posture and how I should walk, so it's easy for me to follow what the Marchioness is instructing.'

Seraphine said in her mind, the teacher praised her on her posture on the first day and even now, the book placed on her head never fell off.

"Very good, Princess" the Marchioness then claps her hands and smiles "let us have our break" Seraphine inwardly sighs and takes the book off of her head.

The two sat down and were served Tea by Zeno and Mary Ann along with the three young maids.

Zeno and Mary Ann are always behind Seraphine, while the three younger maids station themselves at the side of Marchioness Vivian, ready to assist at any moment.

"Marchioness Vivian, I was wondering if you could tell me more about the noble's that are betraying the Empire, that got my interest piqued."

"Hahaha, I see that you are more interested in politics than social affairs"

Seraphine blushed, and awkwardly laughed, she nods admitting to what the Marchioness said.

"But unfortunately, I do not have any more information regarding the noble's betrayal, the two things that I know of is; the Prophecy abandonment, the second one that I have heard of is, the enemy empire offered stability of Celestia Continent once he conquers this land"

Seraphine looked at the Marchioness with a raised brow.

"And?"

Seraphine ushered for her to continue, the Marchioness gave a faint smile at Seraphine.

"That's the only information that I have at the moment, I apologise if I cannot provide any more"

"Can I ask you what this stability is? stability for what?"

"Celestial Continent has been suffering from, Famine, Droughts, Lightning and Dark Poison Fog"

"Poison Fog?!

"Yes, the problem of poison fog is from the Sky Kingdom"

"Why does poison fog occur there? What about the people? Do they wear masks every day?"

"I am not one of the living resident of the Sky Kingdom, but what I do know is; the poison fog gets thicker in the afternoon and evening, you can barely see the Sky Kingdom at those time of day"

Seraphine's expression hardened, she was thinking of how she would solve the problem of the Sky Kingdom.

'Can I even solve THAT problem?'

"The Sun Empire here in the capital has famine, the Terra Queendom has a drought, the Terra Queendom is the supplier of crops all around the Empire, but without rain, the crops do not grow"

"It doesn't rain even once?!" Seraphine exclaimed, shocked at what she just heard.

"No, the snow doesn't even come in Terra Queendom any more, that is how abnormal things has gotten without the Prophecy to maintain certain things"

"..." Seraphine became silent.

"The crop that does survive, is not healthy, and does not have enough nutrients like what you normally would have in vegetable and fruits"

Marchioness Vivian continued her explanation of the disasters that are happening all over the Sun Empire.

"That's horrible"

"Lightning Problems are occurring in the Star Queendom, at morning, Lightning will strike every so often, while in the afternoon and evening it gets worse, Lightning will strike non-stop while thunder will rumble every 3-5 minutes, everyone is tense and easily surprised in the Star Queendom"

"I would also be tense, lightning is unpredictable"

"I only heard of those problems from the noble ladies when we have our annual tea party. they are very saddened that there is nothing the royals in their respective Kingdoms and Queendoms can do."

'Does the Marchioness know that I'm the Holder of the Prophecy now?' Seraphine thought, but then she noticed that she didn't mention the Moon Kingdom, so she asked.

"What about the Moon Kingdom? You didn't mention it"

"I haven't heard any problems from the Moon Kingdom as of late, I guess the Holy Beast Monocerus, is maintaining the Selenian Flowers in spewing out toxic fumes"

"A flower can do that?!"

"Yes, the Selenian Flower is the most beautiful of all flowers in the continent but it is also the deadliest, the flowers surround the Moon Kingdom, it absorbs the light of the Moon and glows at night, attracting fireflies and cotton moths"

"Is the Moon Kingdom alright? You said the flowers surround it"

"The Moon Kingdom is fine"

"Thank goodness"

'At least mom's Kingdom is safe from the disastrous things that are happening in this world.'

"Let us stop discussing this topic," the Marchioness says "why don't we continue with our lesson?"

"Okay"

Both of them stood up and continued their practice, after several attempts, the Marchioness look satisfied that the Princess would not make a fool out of herself on her coronation day.

A thought crosses Seraphine's mind, she wonders why, the Marchioness isn't asking her where she came from, and is just accepting that she is a Princess out of the blue.

'It's strange'

"While I was watching you, Princess I remembered that there will be a ball after the coronation, why don't we practice dancing in addition to our etiquette lesson?"

The Princess zones back to the words of the Marchioness.

"But who will be my partner?"

"You have a very handsome butler at your side, princess, why don't you make him your partner?"

Seraphine stiffens, she slowly looks at his butler who comes forward with a smile, his hands behind his back.

"It would be an honour dancing with her highness"

"That's-"

"Wonderful!"

Marchioness Vivian added, not noticing the voice of the princess.

"I will need to excuse myself for a moment"

"Oh, sure"

"Thank you, I will be back soon"

"I will set up the gramophone, please sit and wait, princess"

Seraphine sat down on the couch she thinks of the conversation earlier.

'What can I do to make all of that to stop happening?'

She racks her brain for solutions but nothing comes to her mind, she shakes her head and cups her cheeks.

'What use is a power when you don't even know how to activate it? I have awareness but what about control?!"

"Princess, another cup of tea?"

Mary Ann offers she nods and sips her tea, she slumps her shoulders relaxing.

"Thank you" She thanks, Mary Ann.

The Princess looks around the room while she waits for the Marchioness to return, her eyes land on the fencing épée decorated on the wall.

"It's a fencing sword" she nonchalantly comments.

"It is an ornamental decoration, Princess" Mary Ann replied.

"It doesn't look ornamental to me" she leans forward taking a good look at the sword "I wish I can see it up close, it's too high to properly see"

'I wish it could just float towards me'

The moment she said those words in her thoughts, the fencing sword floated, the maids were all shocked, Zeno is too preoccupied in picking suitable music to notice what was happening behind him.

'Am I doing this?!'

Seraphine questioned herself, the Fencing sword is floating uncontrollably from side to side.

"Drop!" Seraphine stood up trying to catch the floating sword, but then to her shock it suddenly shot forward towards Zeno, she caught the hilt of the sword before the sharp tip poked the aid.

"Hm?"

Zeno stopped what he was doing, and turned around, he looked surprised at the scene in front of him.

"AHHHH!"

Seraphine screamed in dread, her face turning pale, Zeno pushed the blade of the sword away using the back of his forefinger.

"Are you trying to kill me? Princess?"

"No! Of course not!" She immediately replies.

He chuckles, Seraphine's vision suddenly became hazy, her body felt heavy for unknown reasons. She drops the fencing sword on the floor, her legs caving in.

"Princess!"

Zeno immediately grabs her waist, she wraps an arm around Zeno's neck to support herself.

"Thanks, Zeno"

"Are you alright?!"

"I suddenly felt dizzy" she squeezed her eyes shut, then opened it after "I'm fine now" she reassured, Zeno gave a look of concern.

The aid steadies her while she tries to stand up straight again, when she found her footing, she took the fencing sword with her and sat down again.

She busied herself inspecting the sword, not a moment too soon, the Marchioness arrived.

"Let us start"

She urges. Zeno nods at her and starts the music, the Drawing Room is spacious enough to dance so there will be no problem in dancing.

Zeno plays the gramophone and the music started playing. Both Seraphine and Zeno get into dancing position.

Seraphine puts a hand on Zeno's shoulder and holds his left hand, while Zeno places a hand on her waist then holds the princess' left hand. Seraphine's hand is on top of Zeno's while the aid's hand is under the princess.

The two started moving to the beat of the music but Seraphine couldn't help but wonder what that sudden dizziness she felt when Zeno chuckled.

'I felt a sudden chill when he chuckled, what was that? and then the dizziness came after.'

"Princess, is something on your mind?"

'You are on my mind, but not romantically, I feel uncomfortable around you and then the mystery deepens when you suddenly chuckled and then I felt dizzy'

"Eyes on mine"

Seraphine complied and looked into his ruby-red eyes, both of their eyes reflected the individual's eye colour.

'He is undeniably handsome…'

"Very good, Princess!"

Marchioness Vivian, claps her hand delighted at the two dancers.

"That concludes our lesson"

Zeno releases his hold on her but not before kissing her left hand in which he was holding, he lightly brushes his lips on the knuckles of the Princess, Seraphine looks wide-eyed at the aid's gesture.

The maids swooned at what they saw except for Mary Ann who gave a side glance as a warning to the younger maids. Zeno then steps back and bows.

Seraphine couldn't help but blush, at the aid, she clears her throat and nod.

"Tomorrow is the final day of practice, our lesson will only be short since you need complete rest before your coronation"

"Thank you for teaching me, Marchioness Vivian"

"It is a pleasure teaching you, Princess"

The Marchioness gave a curtsy before she exited the Drawing Room.

"Tomorrow is the Final Day…"

"Princess, it is time for dinner" Zeno reminded.

"Okay"

She was about to exit, but then she looks back at the fencing sword on the couch.

"What is it, Princess?"

"Can you place the fencing épée someplace that is reachable?"

"Of course, but what is the reason?"

"I don't want an accident like that to happen again, I'm sorry by the way"

"It is fine"

Zeno complied and placed the fencing sword beside the hearth tucking it away.

"Thanks, Let's go and dine with uncle"