Chapter 4

"Kyaaaaaaaa!" Sally makes an ear-splitting shriek the very moment she lays eyes on me. "My poor Lady's clothes! My poor Lady's hair! And your complexion!" She points out every detail that distresses her.

It breaks my heart to see my poor, kind maid look so distressed.

"I'm sorry, Sally. I know you worked so hard to make me presentable." I apologize to her as I take off Cyrus’s coat and hand it to the butler with an express instruction to have it cleaned and returned to his palace by tomorrow evening.

In the meantime, Sally puffs her cheeks and takes me by my arm, supporting my weight as she does. "That is not important, Milady! Who on earth did this to you? Was it that Wench of a Rose?!" She cries out like a warrior in a warzone.

"Could you help me to the bath, Sally?" I gently ask her.

"Of course, Milady! Right away! You'll catch another cold at this rate- May the good Goddess forbid it!"

Sally has been my maid for a very long time. A daughter of a poor country-side Barony, she was closer to a commoner than she is nobility.

But I adore her all the same. With her fluffy dark pink curls and chocolate brown eyes, she is my second greatest confidant in the entire world.

Even if some of her insistent nature lands me in these infernal shoes...

She helps me to my room, where a small army of maids help me undress from all the sophisticated regalia. All the pieces of jewelry are packed away where they belong, the corset and the crinoline are both taken away, and the dress?

I could hear the maids utter about it would be facing the furnace.

The poor dress. Neither the dress nor the dressmaker deserves this treatment.

"Will you tell me now?" Sally whispers as she places a bathrobe over me. "It was her, wasn't it?"

I hoped she would let it be. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be the case.

"No, someone just unfortunately tripped, and I became the unfortunate victim as I was resting my feet."

A white lie surely won't hurt. I much prefer not to listen to thirty whole minutes of someone complaining about another.

"Oh my! My lady's poor feet!!!"

Ah, she noticed my swollen feet.

~~~

"Huuu…" I can't help it if I sigh out loudly from relief after my bath.

"Milady, that wasn't very polite." Sally chides me for my actions, but I can hear the laughter in her voice.

I don't say anything in return. I just giggle along before taking a seat on the chair in front of my vanity mirror.

"But, his Highness really is the perfect gentleman." Sally sighs a little dreamily. "He brought you home and even wrapped you in his coat! Oh, he's so thoughtful!" She gushes as she brushes my hair while drying it thoroughly with the use of wind, produced from a magic stone.

I merely hum along, never giving any concrete answer to her thoughts about Cyrus. She understands that I don't mean anything with how I act and that I enjoy hearing her many different inputs on just about anything.

It's a pleasant sort of lull that I have gotten very accustomed to.

But the peace is broken by a knock on the door, and the butler comes in after my allowance. He brings with him an armful of flowers wrapped in a bouquet.

"Oh my! How lovely!" Sally gushes towards the flowers the butler brings. "Is that for Milady?" She asks.

"Yes, it is." The butler nods with a soft look about him.

Ah…

I see.

"Is it from his Highness?" Sally asks, eager.

"No." I answer, much to their shock. "Those are from Father, aren't they?" I ask and notice the way Sally has gotten stiff.

The butler's expression hardens instantly, and he nods his head. "Yes, Milady."

I knew it.

Standing up, I approach the butler and take a look at the flowers.

The flowers are a mix of beautiful and vibrant colors. All neatly chosen and neatly arranged together into the most beautiful eye-catching arrangement.

It’s perfect… but it’s too neat.

You simply couldn't feel any sincerity from it.

It was the type of bouquet you'd see displayed in front of the flower shop. The pre-decided kind of bouquet to attract their customers.

Definitely something Father would send.

What gave it away the most, though, was the soft look the head butler gave me. I’ve known him for so long it was easy to tell that he’s forced the execution, and I couldn't help but notice how it differed from his usual expressions.

He could never truly hide it when he's displeased over something.

"… Duke Opal had one of the Duchy's knights bring it along with a letter."

"Did he now?" I ask and bring my hand out.

He relinquishes the letter, and I take hold of it.

Taking it out of the envelope, I can't help but smile bitterly at the contents written.

There's a lot of pleasantries, sure, but what gets me is the last line.

[I will pray for your swift recovery.]

It has been days since I recovered from my recent bout of a fever. Thinking of the estimated time it takes to get from the Capital to the Opal fief…

He wrote this after I recovered.

Either the news traveled slowly, which I doubt is the case- as the Empress would have diligently informed him of my condition, or he just didn't care to look at the letter until just a few days ago.

I was sick for a week, and he should have been informed about it on the very first day through a letter sent with magic.

And yet, I only receive a get well gift and a letter days after I've recovered?

Good grief.

"It seems to be a gift to wish me a swift recovery." I give an exasperated smile.

The head butler, Andrew's expression hardens even more, and Sally stands nervously, barely containing her emotions.

"M-maybe he had been busy, Milady!" She urgently says, trying to cheer me up- the sweet girl.

Busy huh… oh yes.

"I heard Neige caught his first fox, and Blanche was regarded highly by her etiquette teachers recently. Step-mother planned to throw them a party and invited the nearby aristocrats."

Neige and Blanche, my younger half-siblings born from my Father's second marriage...

"Ah-!" Sally cries out at her mistake, but I only kindly smile at her.

"It's alright, Sally. The party must have been what took his attention, I don't mind." I assure her.

"Milady-" Andrew starts, but I stop him with a raise of my hand.

"Andrew, please find an appropriate vase to put the flowers in, and then find an appropriate part of the castle to decorate with it," I instruct. "Sally, that will be all the assistance I require tonight. You're both dismissed, so please rest well. Good night."

My words are absolute in this castle, and both Andrew and Sally bow to me.

"Good night, Milady." They say before they excuse themselves.

Finally, I am alone, and I walk over to my bed.

Taking a seat gently at the edge, I hold the letter in my hands.

My Father.

…

My Father…

Duke Cloud Absolut Opal.

When I think about it now… I can count the number of times I see him in a year, with only one hand.

He comes to the capital many times in the name of business and politics, but rarely does he come to visit me in the palace.

Neige and Blanche, I see more often, with Neige coming to visit much more often when they visit the capital. Neige is the older of the two, and often I am proud of how steady-headed he is. He thirsts for knowledge more than anything, and every time I see him, I know the Opal Duchy is in good hands.

Only…

He is younger than me by two years… but my mother died when I was four.

Meanwhile, Blanche is the youngest, born only a year after Neige. She is pretty, charming, and lovable. The problem lies in the fact that she knows full well that she is, and she exploits it more often than not. The times when she visits my Palace are terribly stressfull.

Luckily, they both live within the Duchy; they don’t quite come to the capital for anything other than the Social season- or to attend the academy.

Neige is already enrolled, but Blanche is starting this year, I believe.

It isn't as bad as people might think. I don't have as large of an ill-will towards them as I should. I won't lie, I have some childish contempt, but I've grown numb to my father.

After all, I was introduced to them when I was ten. I was old enough to understand that my half-siblings aren't at fault.

There was no use in wasting my effort in hating two children who haven't done anything. Nor in hating a woman I have never met.

Cyrus says he's proud that I don't judge someone for their origin. The Empress commends me for taking it all more maturely than most.

Callisto is the only one that tells me that I should be angrier than I am.

"… Let's think of something else."

Yes, let's see…

Trying to think of something other than my family, I can't help but allow my mind to wander about Cyrus instead.

The Crown Prince of the Empire, the next heir to the throne.

My kind and gentle Fiance. A man of many talents and a man befitting the throne of Luminous.

I've known him for a long time, and I can still fondly recall all the times I spent sitting between his legs and listening to him read me a story.

He never fails to pat me gently on the head with every chance he gets, and that habit hasn't changed even after all these years.

Cyrus is older than me by four years, and he is older than Callisto by two.

A great number of people have admired him, and constantly expressed their belief in a successful reign under him.

His greatest strength and his greatest flaw are in how emotional he can get. If he has someone he deemed close to his heart, he will grow as fierce as a lion.

Yes. Cyrus is kind, and he is just. I am the envy of many because I will be married to him, and many others cannot wait to see us be wed.

The Empress believes we are truly perfect for each other.

It's possible that I won't ever find anyone more perfect than he is. I certainly won't find anyone more capable of letting me live a calm and peaceful life for however long I may live.

I am… Lucky to be engaged to him.

But he has never treated me beyond a precious sister, and neither have I ever treated him more than an older brother or a man I respect.

Yes… I am-

My train of thought fades away when I spot something sparkling around me. Turning to look at it, I find little orbs of light filling my room.

They shine much like a diamond, beautiful and with a myriad of rainbow colors. They don't shine because they reflect light- no, they shine from a light they hold all on their own.

They are beautiful, and I have always been fond of the way they just- erase all traces of the darkness when my mind wanders too far.

They float around with the gentle night breeze that I distinctly remember wasn't there before.

Suddenly I'm reminded of my earlier thoughts, and I turn my head towards the door leading to my balcony.

There I find Callisto smiling at me, his dark black hair reflected in the moonlight, eyes vibrant.

Seeing him, I'm helpless against my earlier sentiments. Hearing his voice, my chest tighten with a slight twinge of pain.

I'm sorry, Your Majesty… and I am sorry dear Goddess.

I am not in love with Cyrus.

"Hey, Ann..."

I am in love with someone else.