Royal Chapter 15

(Cafe Royale, Centertown)

"A mail for Lady Evrard!"

The middle-aged mailman shouted as he enters the cafe shop. Amira jolted after hearing her name once again. She was cleaning off tables when the mailman arrived. She dropped the tray of utensils and run to the mailman to get her mail, or perhaps another letter sent by an anonymous rich man.

"You seem lucky, Lady Evrard," said the mailman as he gives her the letter.

"How did you say so?"

"I think you caught a big fish in the sea. If you are intelligent enough of what to do with it, you'll probably be having more than this life but, be careful of consequences."

Amira frowned at what the mailman said before he leaves. She somehow doesn't understand what he is trying to tell her. After a couple of seconds, she just shrugs it off and opens her letter.

---

The letter came in a pinkish vintage paper, with her name at the back and the address of the shop. In front, it has a flower seal of gold. Every single piece of the letter screams expensive and she's still trying to understand why she is receiving a letter from a higher class stranger for almost four consecutive days now.

And, it is not just a letter, but a love letter.

A love letter that tells how much the stranger likes her. It was written like he's another soul of Shakespeare in their time. The stranger made her feel she is worthy enough to be liked and perhaps, loved by another person despite her status in life.

Amira was about to open the letter when someone stole it from her hands. She looks up and sees a woman wearing a purple gown and hat. This woman is not just an elite woman but a candidate to hold the country's fortune, Lady Isobel Fountaine. She is a regular customer of the Cafe Royale.

"Apologies, Lady Fountaine!" she utters even though she has nothing to apologize for. When you're lower than a baron, it feels like you're obligated to be sorry for everything you do involve those above you.

"Who sent you this?" Isobel coldly said while deadly staring at her and holding the unopened letter. She can't fathom how a slave like her receives a royal letter.

"I-I don't know, milady! It just arrived here with my n-name on it," Amira said while bowing her head. She can't look her in the eyes as she will be labeled as rude.

"Don't ever lie to me, slave. Did you know where this came from?" Isobel walks closer to Amira. She lowered her voice to not let other customers in the shop hear her. They are being watched by them but Isobel does not give a damn about it. What matters to her is how come a slave like her be involved with the Matias royalties. It just seems odd.

She disagreed on believing it.

"None, milady. Not a single idea from the stranger," Amira keeps shaking her head, denying everything, which is the truth. She honestly doesn't know who sent the letters, what symbolizes the seals, or even where it came from. All she knows is the man who keeps sending her letters has been their customer before. They have definitely seen each other but when? or should we say, who?

Isobel frowned as she snobs Amira in front of her. She almost slipped of saying that it came from the palace but wouldn't it be more fun to find out who sent the letters in the first place without interrupting that person's plan? And so, she thinks of a bright idea to find everything out in the easiest way.

She took off the seal from the letter and opens it. Amira tried to stop her but she turns around to not let her take away the letter. Isobel reads the letter and slowly, her face curved a sly smile.

"I think I know who is your Mysterious Sender," Amira widened her eyes, nervously asks her, "C-Can you tell me, milady? I will do everything you want me to do in return!"

Isobel smirked and throws her letter back at her, keeping only the seal, and turns around to walk out of the shop without saying a word. Amira was left dumbfounded as she picks up the opened letter and tries to read it.

Dear Mademoiselle,

I am delighted to finally know your beautiful name, Lady Amira Evrard...

Another letter of flowery words to compliment her. It would have been exciting for her to read it, but she can't stop thinking about the Mysterious Sender and how the Lady is related to him after the encounter with Lady Fountaine.

She wants to know. No, she needs to know at all costs.

"Lady Marmee, I need to go home early. Would that be fine?" she immediately asks her, the owner of the cafe shop she is working at.

"For what reason?" talking kindly to her.

"I feel sick. I am sorry but I have to go and rest for a while. I will be back tomorrow." Without even hearing the old lady's reply, Amira gets her things and runs off the cafe shop.

She needs to send back a letter telling him everything that happened earlier. It might either save her or not, doesn't matter. But all she knows, this is her last hope to be finally free from slavery.

'I don't want to live my life like this forever. Please, be my savior, Mysterious Sender.'

---

(Library, The Great Palace)

"I knew you'd be here." 

Luana almost drops the book she is reading when she heard him as he enters the library room. Dominique is all smiles and proceeds to look at the bookshelves, pretending on finding a book to read while waiting for her reply. 

Luana resumes her reading, not minding the prince in front of her. She knew that even though she had to act like she's fine now with their engagement, she needs to be kinder to him but at this moment, she just can't. She's not in the right mood to talk to him, even more, when the news about Dominique and Francis practice duel happened two days ago. 

"How are you? You've been avoiding me for two consecutive days now. Are you mad at me?" Luana stopped flipping pages and stare at him all deadly. She really can't forgive him for what he did to Francis.

"What do you think?" she finally said and went back to reading silently. Dominique walks closer to her, where she is sitting in a chair near the window. 

"What did I do to make you feel upset to me?" he sadly asked. He is still unaware of what is going on with his fiancee's mind. 

They should be on good terms now, just like the day when she announced her engagement in the tea party. He didn't know what did he do to make her feel mad and ignores him after that day. Perhaps, it's not about the tea party. Maybe...

"Haven't you seen Duke Delvaux?" 

Luana raised her head to see him, looking unhappy. The tension between their stares at each other shoots like daggers which can actually kill if they were real. The moment Luana looks at him, he knew that the reason would be the Duke himself. 

'What's so good in him that they cherish him, even Ana would be upset to me like this? Tsk.' 

"Yes, it's about him and it's none of your business. So please, would you leave me alone? I want to be reconnected to peace once more, before you came and ruin it," Luana coldly said. Those words triggered Dominique and now, he's more than upset. Definitely not to Luana, but to Duke Delvaux even more. 

He comes closer to her, gently stole her book away, and pins her in the chair. Luana wide-eyed looks at him in the eyes and moves back, hitting herself to the backrest of the chair. While she's startled about the closeness of her and him, he didn't bother to come a little closer to her, like they're about to kiss. 

"W-What are you doing?!" Luana exclaimed and try to push Dominique away from her but he just stares at her emotionless, holds the chair tighter. 

"Tell me you don't like him, Ana," he monotonously whispers in his deep voice. Luana still uncomfortable in their position is almost taking over by the loud sound of her heartbeat and can't breathe. 

"What the hell are you saying---"

"Please, tell me! So I won't lose my mind and might do something unpleasant out of jealousy," almost shouted at her that frightened her.

'Is this how he gets mad? This is not what I have in mind!' she thought.

"You're jealous? You're acting like this because you're jealous?" She can't believe that someone would be jealous like Dominique. Just what did he found out about her relationship with Francis that made him like this?

"Who wouldn't? When he told me you're his princess and that he misses you so much and---"

"H-He said that?" she absentmindedly cut him which made Dominique frowned and be more in distress.

"And you're acting as you miss him too!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"It's so obvious! If you can see your red face right---"

"It's because you're so close to me! You idiot!" They both went silent, looking at each other after she yelled at him.

Luana is very much aware that she feels hot and embarrassed but what can she do? She tried to push him away but he remained to pin her. How can she tell him that she can't breathe when he's so close to her without actually saying it?

Luana froze when Dominique lowers his head and lays his forehead on her shoulder. She was about to push him away because she's afraid that he might hear her nervousness but he spoke that made her stop.

"Please be honest with me, Ana. I don't like feeling this way towards you. It makes me feel sick. Maybe because I love you so much that I hate losing you to someone..." he sighed before he continued, "Someone who might have the bigger chance you'll actually see and love more than me. If you walk away, everything will fall apart." 

She didn't know what to do. For a moment, her mind went black and all that she feels is pity for this man who does nothing but expresses his love for her. It's shameful that she really can't see it and appreciate it because her mind is clouded is with independence and freedom when there is someone who might ruin his future because of her selfish acts.

Luana found out herself hugging him. It seems like her body has its own mind and moves that she eventually caress his hair and that's when Dominique felt like he still has a chance, that he can still make it right and still worth fighting for. He never knew that a slight touch from her would be this comforting that he doesn't want to let go.

"I'm sorry." This is all she can say after the fight. She feels responsible for his broken heart and finally, had the urged to not let him feel that again. 

"Francis and I were childhood friends. I only see him as a friend, if that's what you want to hear. And I'm being completely honest. I still care about my responsibility to you. I won't walk away, not when we've come this far," she calmly said.

It suddenly felt like sticks and stones were removed from his heart after hearing those words from herself. They both meet calmness and peace after all those screams. Dominique pulls away from her and stood straight. Luana is waiting for his next move when Dominique picks up her book and returns it to her. He slightly smiled at her and said, "I never knew you are that powerful to ease the pain away at just a touch of a hand." 

Luana flustered at what he said and can feel her face hotter and her heart pounds like it's on a marathon. She was left speechless when Dominique bid her goodbye and expects to see her at dinner. The moment his presence is completely gone in the library, she breathes like she's been drowning in water for so long.

'What on earth is happening to me? I'm not liking this...' 

---

"Have you seen my seal?" 

Kadline asks her maid, Julia, while she's searching for it in her drawers. Julia shook her head and Kadline sighed in frustration. She just finished writing a letter that she needs to send to Lucius by afternoon but she can't find her seal to completely finish the letter. 

"Go get me a new one, please." Julia ran off to get her a new seal. Kadline was left at her table thinking why would her seal be missing. It just feels odd.

While waiting for her to return, she decided to roam the hallway outside her room. She is observing outside from the window when a person caught her attention. 

'Why is she here again?' she thought in disbelief. 

The woman is gracefully walking, passing the guards who greet her and just ignores them. Then she stopped when she met Lucifero and Costello on the way. She turns from a grumpy lady to a lively one and greets them both. Judging from their faces and actions, Lucifero was surprised to see her in the palace. Kadline thought she would too if she was the one who bumps her on the way. 

She then gives Lucifero a kiss on the cheek before she passed by them and enters the palace. Kadline was bothered by the lady's appearance in the palace and so, she immediately went down to the living room, hoping to see her. 

She was not mistaken when she found her easily roaming the living room. She found her talking to Lothair, who obviously ignores her, and stops talking when she entered the room. 

"Princess Kadline! How lovely to see you again," greeted her in those fake smiles. 

Kadline smiled back to her and walks closer to them to join the conversation. 

"What brought you here, Isobel?" she asked.

"I was just spending my free time being acquainted with you all again," she confidently said.

"Really? Then why didn't you ask for me too? I'm only seeing Lothair here." A smile has left Isobel's face after hearing it in Kadline's happy face. 

'Why is she being so nosy? Ugh,' Isobel irritatingly thought. 

"Oh, it's a coincidence I found him here."

Kadline turns her attention to Lothair. He just silently observing the tension between these two ladies in front of him. He's not naive and dumb to not notice that something is off between these two and he's not planning to get his self to involve with their petty schemes. 

"Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be writing in your room?" He frowns at her question. 

"I am waiting for Erov. We're going to Centertown." 

"Would you visit the Cafe Royale then?" Isobel asked. Lothair looks at her with curiosity. How did she have the idea that they were visiting that coffee shop?

"It's honestly---" 

"None of your business, Lady Isobel. Looking good today!" Merovecho interrupts Lothair as he just arrived in the living room. 

"Pardon my curiosity, Merovecho. I just want to know if you tried already their coffee, knowing you fancy it so much." 

"I did, now if you may excuse us, we have to go." Merovecho smiled both at them and tells Lothair that the horses are outside already. 

Merovecho pats her sister, passing to her, and told her they'll see each other at dinner. Now she is left with Isobel. Silence is present again not until Isobel stood up and bids her goodbye. 

"I think I should go," Isobel awkwardly said while Kadline is just looking at her.

Isobel didn't bother waiting for her reply and just pass by her when Kadline spoke and she halted.

"What do you want?" Isobel turns around and looks her in the eyes.

"Pardon?"

"Isn't it odd why you unexpectedly visited the palace?" Kadline said, trying to confront her.

"Of course, I'm visiting my fiance and my friends here." 

"Oh, we're friends. Apologies for forgetting it," Kadline slightly smirked.

"What are prying, Kadline? You know I hate people who are not straightforward enough to tell what they want," Isobel annoyingly said.

Kadline went silent. She knew she is triggering her right now and that's not her intention. She just wants to know what she's after because her guts tell her she is hiding something from her, from them. It just doesn't feel right. She feels like a different person after she went back from Germany.

"Nothing, I was just wondering. That's all. I should go too. I have a lot of things to do," she smilingly said, and Isobel just snob her and walks out of the room. 

She bites her lower lips and thinks about what is wrong and why she is uncomfortable. When nothing coming to her head, she shrugs it off and decided to go back to her room and continue what she is doing.

Right after she exited the room, Anne, her maid, rushing from the end of the hallway calls the name that stops her and waits for her to reach her place. 

"An invitation arrived, your highness." Anne extends the royal blue invitation to Kadline.

She took it and reads the back of the invitation letter. It indicates the Matias Royalties and they are invited to a grand party hosted by the Romanovs. She thinks of why would the Romanovs host a party. 

'Don't tell me...' she was shocked seeing the black seal on the envelope that signifies a person she knew all too well.

To: Matias Royalties

You are invited to the homecoming grand party of the Romanovs...

"He's back?!"