CHAPTER SIXTEEN

*

The guards that were stationed at the door ushering one to the balcony only a moment ago had left it, orders from the king to leave them be a moment to talk between themselves, get to know each other without them lurking at the corners.

Sissie Veronese ventures into the hall where the tiny banquet is being served and the handmaidens going to their respective corners.

''Come sit Sissie, surely you must be excited about this alliances for the Princess as we all are?''

''Aye my Lady, very'' she smiled. What is she to say? She isn't? It wasn't her place. Just because they asked for an opinion does not mean that they actually do want to hear it.

''How is the Baron fairing this days Sissie?'' The King turns to her as he broke a bread to eat.

''Very well My King, he is looking like the sun and his face is radiant.''

''The Baron was sick?'' Duke De Beaumont inquired

''Aye, puppy's boil, scared the old man, he had a slight stroke, but he is much better and his health is better than new, but rest was required and no much stress is expected''

''Aye, send him my regards, as to the Baroness as well''

Sissie nods.

''I wonder what they are saying to each other?'' Brianna says with a smile ''I bet they are having such fine time getting to know each other'' she clasps her hands together.

''I believe so too Brianna, there is no telling how they can suddenly admire their looks and would come out and insist the wedding be done by the morrow'' Donna is hopeful ''Oh, my beautiful girl would look divine in her wedding dress, i already have sent word to the designer to be here by the end of the morrow so we can pick out rare silks and jewels to match the royal fittings for her dress''

''Oh, is it Lady Trianna?''

''Aye, her hands are magical'' The women are talking excitedly.

Theodore chuckles inwardly as he leans towards Adrian ''I bet that they are clawing at each other's throat at the moment and one of them is dangling from the balcony or with a knife slicing the other's throat''

Adrian shakes his head ''Do not think the worst, they may indeed be having a swell time, see..it is as quiet from their end as it should be''

''Right, the quiet the more reason we should make sure they didn't die like Romeo and Juliet albeit with different motives'' Theodore says with a smile. He looks away from Adrian and he and Sissie's eye meets.

He frowns and then looks away ''Such a dreadful choice of colour for a hair''

''Whose?'' Adrian inquires

''The Baron and the Baroness's spawn. She would look less frightening if she had allowed her natural hair colour remain, i see her and i think Lady Codiella.''

''Oh Lady Codiella gave Williams the fright of his life as a little child''

''She was every boy's nightmare, going around the town and scaring little ones like that was her job on earth. I wonder, did she have a family'' He asks

''Aye, two boys, they were called the one-eyed twins, remember them? They were always glued together, sharing a muffin or a pie, quiet and awkwardly poised"

''The ones whose eyes were never equal?''

''Aye Theo, they made faces with them too''

Theodore laughs ''Oh my Adrian, whatever happened to them or to her?''

''On time, Mama told me that they took them and left, into the hinterlands without nothing much other than a few crumbs of bread, water and a blanket, that was the last they ever saw or heard from her again''

''You think she might be a witch like they say?''

''You watch too much fiction, Theodore, over at the state? Witches are just a made-up characters to scare kids. It is not true. She may have moved and took her boys away''

''Aye.'' They bought turn when laughter erupts from the table.

''And a grand wedding it would be'' The King joins in

''See how they be planning a wedding that has not even been finalized'' Theodore shakes his head and drinks wine ''What if they hate each other? No one is considering that possibility are they Adrian?''

''Because they would not. i am hopeful for the best. Stop talking Theo, here, fatten yourself with the thighs of a royal chicken'' He pushes a plate piled to the brim to Theodore who smiles ''You came for the food did you now? Then fatten yourself, you may not see such when you get home as there is luxury here to afford it.''

''If you insist!'' he grabs a leg of chicken ready to take a bite when he then looks up only to meet Sissie's eyes again. He drops the Chicken. ''I rather not''

''Why?''

''I think that may be Lady Codiella's granddaughter''

Now Adrian looks at Sissie, a smile plays at the corner ''Scared of her are we Theo?''

''I just don't like her staring at me the way she does with her frightening red hair much like Lady Codella's. I could never close my eyes whenever she drops by to plead for a tomatoes, always the yellow one, with her basket and her red scarf to match her looks''

Adrian is laughing, a thought ringing in his head ''Theo, i think i have found your antidote''

''Whatever do you mean?''

''I would speak to your father that i have found you the perfect bride and they would surely love their new daughter-in-law to be..oh this is wonderful, i should introduce you both''

''I will kill you first my Lord, do not joke like that. Whatever did i do to you to think up such absurd devilish thought?

Adrian takes a drink of his wine and is laughing ''You should see your face Theo, you cannot even lift a chicken for fear of Sissie Veronese. Oh wait till i tell Willy boy that i have found the woman to tame your wagging tail between your legs. He would be excited to see the slut within you be laid to rest. I should tell Papa, even the King, they can put a good word and by the end of the week, surely you would join Williams as a married man to wonderful wives''

''What do you want?''

Adrian is laughing ''Oh, nothing, nothing'' He continuous to laugh, Theodore notices that Sissie's eyes didn't leave him

''Adrian,, this is not funny anymore, help me, why does she stare so?''

''She may be Codiella's spawn, she must have found her soul mate and do not want to lose sight, surely you must understand the stare of a lover? We should talk to her'' he turns away from Theo and then leans in ''Lady Veronese?''

''Stop it!!"' Theodore pulls him back ''Do not be a reckless fool Adrian..''Theodore cautions him.

Adrian laughs some more as he forks meat into his mouth. they turn when he hears his name.

''Aye, we would have the finest wine from our province, Adrian knows the wine maker makes good wine, fit for royalty. Right my boy?'' Duke De Beaumont turns to his son who has meat in his mouth, which he quickly swallows

''Aye my lord, my King, the finest taste in all the land, surely it would be good for the wedding toast'

Other members of their family nod and speak in agreement.

''Very well, that would be wonderful. I am thinking'' He rubs his mustache

''What my King?'' Donna is curious

''Now that the Princess would be married; i wonder if we should give them the north of the Kingdom. She is still the Princess of Worcestershire and Williams a Duke, but i wonder if it be proper to send her off to the Province of De Beaumonts''

''Well, ordinarily, a lady be taken to her husband's not the other way around'' Donna offers. ''I be married to the king and the next day i was ushered with my handmaidens gifted me and i made my home in Worcestershire, leaving my home town behind''

''Yes, but she is the Princess, surely you must want her near you..where you can you know..see'' Duke De Beaumont suggests

''Ofcourse, i would miss my daughter but..De Beaumonts is not far off, surely i can take a coach to her anytime i so please, but it would be wonderful to have her near so'' Donna, the Queen states.

''Yes, they should remain here, in the palace. It is huge enough to house four generations'' Brianna, the Duchess observes the obvious

''A little clan of people too'' The King adds, they all laugh

''Excuse my lord, your highness-es..but ultimately it would be their decision where they desire to be after they be wedded, is it not?'' Adrian throws in

''Yes!'' The King nods ''But, i would want to make sure all is well before i send her to the Province of De Beaumont''

''If the King desires to have his daughter and the young Duke close, who are we to suggest otherwise'' Duke De Beaumont turns to his son

''Aye, very well, your wish my Lord'' Adrian bows briefly.

''Williams would not like that either'' Theo adds leaning towards Adrian as he straightens his head

''You and i are far in thoughts what he may or may not like Theo'' Adrian says taking another sip of his win.

*

Sissie is staring at the men talking. She had heard him mention the Princess, screwing her face she had to stretch her ears to see if she can pick up on their conversation to be able to hear what they were saying.

It wasn't working.

Their eyes meet, she didn't look away. If she did, it would look as though she was scared of staring at him, she wasn't scared of staring, infact, she liked to make people feel uncomfortable when they stare at her.

She continues to stare at the trio and even smiled when he seemed uncomfortable with her stares.

She continues to look.

They say, if you stare at enough at people talking you would be able to read their lips, and all she was getting was something about ''The Princess and the Duke having a horrible time, or..maybe he said good time'' she wasn't clear.

Their eyes meet again when he was about to bite into his large chicken thigh, the look he gave her made her frown.

Now, she didn't need a soothsayer to know that they were talking about her now, what..was it about her hair or the way she was staring.

She didn't stare away when the Duke's son, the one named Adrian begins to hide a small smile, his eyes looks mischievous.

Now what in the Devil's hare where these two planning now, hope it has nothing to do with the Princess or her?

''Sissie, who would be walking out for the Debutante ball next week?'' Donna turns to her ''Do you have a young lad who fancies you or you would be amongst the one who would be chosen on that day by available bachelors?''

Sissie turns away '' Surely, it is not a must that one who fancies me should take me out on the hall dance''

''Why? You do not wish to be married?''

''I very well wish to be my lady, but, unlike others..i choose to ..'' she wonders if she should say her own picking, then again, the Queen would assume that it was she who was making their daughter rebellious, she smiles ''I choose to allow he when he is ready to come forth''

''Ah, and if he doesn't, you be a lonely lass then?''

''I have capable hands for the dance my lady, my long distant cousin can fit the role of a dancer in that regard quite well, a good legs he has got in the ballroom stance..i bet he would be the eye of many ladies''

''Aye, very well, but i believe the Baroness should be fishing for a match, you are no longer a child, be married like my daughter soon enough and you both can gush about motherhood and run matters of your home in delight''

''Aye, the thought is pleasing my lady'' Sissie smiles eating

''But if i may my lady,'' Adrian asks as he distracts them causing them to turn to him '' we can suggest available lads for her if she desires, infact, i have a good lad right here by my si- hummph!!!'' He exclaims as he slouches, coughing a little.

Theodore nudges his stomach under the table. Then he quickly pats his back ''There there my lord, the food got into the wrong place, Tsk...table manners should be taught properly, you shouldn't talk while eating, it is dangerous. I heard a man died once with a large bone stuck in his throat, it was a pitiable sight and to think you have little wee princesses at home and another on the way, there there'' He pats Adrian back ''Drink water'' he shoves his glass of wine to his lips and made him drink water.

''Don't talk Adrian, be careful ''His mother the Duchess says with a frown.

The Queen sighs ''I wonder what is going on with the-''

Everyone heard the scream at thesame time.

''The Princess?'' The Queen exclaims

They all jumped up and are rushing towards the balcony with the guards taking the lead.

They shove the door open and are ready to attack.