Who came unannounced?

[...I don't know when this letter will reach you, but I hope Baron Tullia will regain consciousness by then.

It's impossible to say that His Lordship is in good condition, but I'm sure he can survive. His injuries need severe treatment right now. The healer said His Lordship would be unconscious in a few days and need full rest for two weeks.

… I'm sorry that my first report was like this, Your Grace. At this time, I will try to investigate the case further. I hope you are not disturbed by this news.

Your Humble Servants,

Sir Hacket.]

If it were just a short distance from Mesina to Tullia, Selah would have gone to her uncle's house by now. She wanted to make sure her uncle was okay. She wanted his uncle to be present at her wedding.

Even though Father is already in exile, why are people still attacking Tullia? thought Selah annoyed.

Who else would dare covet the Tullia Mines–

"Blair," Selah hissed as she crumpled up the letter from Hacket.

Of course, who else would dare? That man must have discussed something with King Tristan yesterday.

"Your Grace?" Janette walked into her study. She approached hesitantly. "There is a guest who wants to see you."

"Huh?" Selah clicked her tongue. "Who came unannounced?"

"He introduced himself as Blake," Janette said doubtfully. "He is waiting behind the door."

"Jeremiah let foreign guests in here?!"

Janette hastily bowed. "With all due respect, Your Grace. You can see for yourself…"

The guest appeared. Guest in a hooded robe. Selah knew who her guest was without even needing to lower his hood. His stature was very familiar to Selah because she had known him for years.

Selah snorted in disgust. "Get out, Janette. It seems our guests want to find death with me," she said. "Then, you don't have to bother serving anything."

"Y-yes, Your Grace. Excuse me…"

Selah approached her guest and lifted his hood roughly. There was Blair's calm face before her now.

"You came here as Blake, right? That means I'm free to treat you," Selah challenged.

"You and your anger never change, huh?" said Blair.

"What business do you have here?" she asked. She watched as Blair casually sat up. "Surely you're not here to confess that you attacked Baron Tullia, right?"

Blair smiled crookedly at Selah. "Where is there a fool who would admit like that?" he challenged back. "I'm here to ask something else."

So it turns out he really is the one, Selah thought. Her hands clenched tightly, trying to keep herself from hitting Blair even though she could have.

But Blair coming here on behalf of someone else was the first time. Blair knew how emotional Selah was and his visit here as someone else meant two things: (1) Blair was going to say something that made Selah angry and (2) Blair was ready to face Selah.

Since he doesn't look like he'll be saying anything about the Tullia Mines, that means Blair will be talking about Aeneas.

That's what Selah thought at the moment.

"I didn't get to see you after you talked to His Majesty," Blair said. His eyes fell on Selah's palm. "Judging by your condition, it looks like something has happened."

"You want to accuse me of hitting His Majesty for his impudent words?" she asked.

"Your wedding is only a few weeks away, right? You already know how Aeneas is. Are you sure you can marry him?"

"How dare you," Selah hissed under her breath.

After everything that was done to Selah and Aeneas… After months since they broke up… After months of Selah being engaged to Aeneas… Only now did Blair ask her?

Selah seemed to want to throw away the fact that he knew about his affair with Evanthe.

"Stop your marriage to Aeneas, Selah," Blair said firmly. "Instead of Aeneas, I can make you queen."

"You say that because you want the Tullia Mines, right?" Selah taunted. "Forget it, Blair. You used to have years to marry me, but you made me leave you."

"So that's it, huh?" muttered Blair. Selah's heart sank hearing that. Did he just say the wrong thing is on Selah? "You've always thought that I was your rival."

Selah furrowed her brows. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"If I shower you with love just like Aeneas did, will you accept my hand back?"

"Huh?"

"I never told you, did I? I love you."

Blair almost pulled Selah's hand into his lap, but Selah quickly brushed it away.

Selah glared at Blair angrily. "If you dare to touch me again, you are dead–"

But Blair chose to pull Selah again. Selah was trying so hard to rebel while trying not to scratch it. Damn it, even at a time like this, Selah still had to be afraid of hurting a crown prince.

"Stop!" Eventually, Selah punched Blair as his hand tore her dress. "Are you crazy?! Come in here on a whim, attack my uncle, and now tell me to break up with Aeneas?! What else is lacking in your life–"

"You," Blair cut in, wiping the bleeding corners of his lips. "You are the one that is lacking in my life. Didn't I tell you I love you?"

"Hah!" Selah snorted in disgust. "How do you want the mine?" Blair was silent. "Get out, Blair. Get out of here carefully before I summon my knights. You have to remember that you came in here as Blake, not as Crown Prince Blair."

Blair stood, then tidied himself up. He took off his cloak and put it on Selah. "You will come back to me. I will make sure of that…"

***

"You are injured…"

Blair snorted in amusement. "This is nothing. Get a healer, Raul. I don't want Aeneas to see my wound," he said.

"Okay."

Blair touched the corner of his lips again. It felt a little sore. But the pain is nothing compared to what he just got.

[You had years to marry me, but you made me leave you.]

Blair knows clearly that Selah is an ambitious woman. Her words earlier indicated that Selah deliberately went to Aeneas' side because Aeneas could put her at the top.

Which means Aeneas plans to be king.

His adorable little brother was intent on kicking Blair and their father.

"Hah! Ha ha ha!" Blair laughed sadly.

What has happened?

Since when did everything go wrong?

"Are you going to kill me, Aeneas?"