Chapter 34

"Please forgive me for asking, but is everything all right? You look a little pale. I hope the ladies haven't been rude to you."

Celia smiled slightly and just shook her head. "Not at all, I'm just a little tired. This is my first invitation to tea with other ladies my age. It's a bit unusual." She tried to put a little more space between herself and the prince unnoticed. I should have asked in class how to get out of awkward conversations instead.

"Well, I've never been to a tea party, but I've heard the battlefield is a less dangerous place," the prince said jokingly and Celia laughed in an artificial way. She had come to see the princess and not to have a chat with her annoying brother. However, this made her realize more and more how right her decision had been. "I think that's a slight exaggeration."

"Only a slight one? Has something happened after all? You can entrust all your worries to me, Lady Fleuret," he offered her, placing his hand on his heart as if he were seriously worried.

What hypocrites. "I am most grateful to Your Royal Highness for the open ear, but that really is not necessary." Not now and not ever.

Suddenly the prince moved closer to her again and Celia flinched slightly. "Oh please. You don't have to be embarrassed in front of me just because I'm the prince. And I've long since forgotten the rejection of my marriage proposal. So if any of the ladies were rude to you, even if it was my sister, you can confide in me."

Had he just badmouthed his own sister? What kind of brother would do that? Celia could feel the anger building up inside her, threatening to explode at any moment. But just as she opened her mouth, she heard a familiar voice.

"Thank you for the offer, dear cousin. But I think that if my fiancée is in a bad mood, then I am the right person to talk to."

Celia's heart leapt for joy when she saw Alek's face. Had he been worried about her after all and gone after her?

Smiling, he took her hand and helped her up. "I thought I was early, but it seems I'm just in time to pick up my fiancée from her first tea party." 

The prince seemed anything but amused and grimaced. "So it would seem." Then he stood up and, without any question, took Celia's hand and placed a kiss on it. "Hopefully we can continue our conversation another time. I commend myself." With that, he walked away and Alek immediately pulled out handkerchief to hand to Celia. She accepted it gratefully and rubbed the back of her hand clean with it. 

"I didn't think you'd come to pick me up," she admitted, trying not to look too happy. 

Her fiancé opened his mouth and then closed it again only to start again. "There was something else I had forgotten in my office here. So it came in handy."

She wasn't sure if he was serious or if it was just an excuse. Either way, he had saved her from a very unpleasant situation. Besides, she really didn't feel like going back to the rest of the ladies. Too bad she still had to say goodbye to her hostess. 

Alek seemed to notice that she was a little exhausted and carefully put his arm around her. Then he made a gesture with his hand and in the next moment the princess's maid reappeared as if from nowhere. "Tell my cousin that my fiancée is not feeling well and that I am therefore taking her home early."

The maid nodded obediently and disappeared. Celia hadn't imagined it would be that easy, but being the Grand Duke did have its advantages. It was just too bad that she couldn't see the princess one last time before she left. The pearl dress was a unique sight. 

They left the castle and Alek asked her to wait a moment, as he still had to fetch the carriage. So she waited patiently and enjoyed the sight of his broad back. 

"Lady Celia!" she suddenly heard and turned around. She couldn't believe her eyes, but the princess was actually coming towards her, accompanied by two maids. She gestured to the women to wait and walked the last few steps to her alone. "I'm glad to see that you are still here. I thought I had missed you."

"But not at all. I'm very sorry that I wasn't able to say goodbye in person. It was a bit sudden for me too," she assured the angel who was standing opposite her. 

The princess smiled sympathetically and just shook her head.

"Of course I understand that. I'm glad you were able to make it at all today. I hope the other ladies weren't too brash. Of course, I've already reprimanded them, so hopefully they'll behave better next time."

Celia had almost forgotten about that, but she was still very grateful to Princess Sarra. "Thank you very much for that. But the only thing I regret is that I didn't have the opportunity to compliment you on your dress sooner. I have never seen anything like your pearl dress."

The princess blushed slightly and was about to wave it off when she accidentally undid the front of the scarf, covering her décolleté. Only now did Celia get a glimpse of the whole dress and was enchanted. 

The princess quickly held the front of the scarf together with her hand. "I'm aware that the neckline is too daring," she explained immediately and her face reddened so much that even her ears took on color. 

Ignoring proper etiquette, Celia took the princess's hands in hers and released them from her shawl. "Why should it be too daring? I love this cut and it looks so incredibly good on you. Is it so wrong for a woman to stand by her own body? You wouldn't believe what I would give for a dress with this cut!" Maybe I could finally seduce Alek into a kiss.

The princess looked down at herself in confusion. "Then… you don't think it's not appropriate for me as a princess to walk around like this?"

Celia had no idea how she could even have come up with such a thought. "Why should I? If you, as a princess, have the courage to wear this cut, the ladies will follow suit, including me. You could pave the way for a whole new fashion, so to speak. Your taste is very unique. To be honest, I wish I had a taste just half as good as you." 

At that moment, she heard the approaching horses and finally let go of the princess's hands. "I'm afraid I have to go now, but I hope we'll meet again soon." 

"I hope so too," replied the princess, looking somewhat thoughtful. A new reaction that Celia immediately had to commit to memory. So this day came to a pleasant end after all.