Stained

"Papa! I was already worried because the snow started to fall."

Count Xavia smiled at his only daughter. "Where are your brothers? They didn't go out, did they?"

"They've all arrived. I immediately sent people looking for them as soon as I saw snow falling," said Lady Xavia. "Papa want tea? I just brewed it for the little brothers earlier."

"Of course. Papa will be in the study."

"Okay!"

Count Xavia watched his daughter get the maids, then went to his study. In the hall, he met his youngest son. He was only 12 years old, the quietest little teenager among his siblings. However, he is the most honest about his feelings.

Count Xavia need not fear that one day his children will turn out to be like Aeneas.

"Aeneas Seneca…"

There is no particular reason for Count Xavia to side with Aeneas. All he knows is that King Tristan and Blair can bring badness to the kingdom and once mistreated Aeneas. That reason alone is enough for Count Xavia to side with Aeneas which he thinks is right. He had no intention whatsoever of siding with Aeneas.

But, of course, even Count Xavia doesn't justify Aeneas's actions being 100% right. Because after all, killing his own family who seemed to have treated him well…

"Papa? What's wrong?"

"Oh, that's all right," Count Xavia said hastily. He smiled as he sniffed the air. "The tea smells really good."

Lady Xavia smiled broadly. "Recommendation from Princess Selah. She often hands out concoctions of tea when there are meetings. She said she learned from Prince Aeneas," she told him.

"You sound pretty familiar with Her Highness, huh?"

"Yes! I know people—err—scare her a bit. But she's actually kind, really," said Lady Xavia. "Well, she does often sound sharp. She's also a bit tougher than most women."

Count Xavia smiled at his daughter. "All of Dulcia's descendants are like that. They are tough, not necessarily mean. Moreover, Her Highness… was raised to be a perfect human from the start."

"Yes. Sometimes I am grateful that Her Highness met a man like Prince Aeneas to offset her attitude," said Lady Xavia. She chuckled then. "Actually, I was a bit surprised when Prince Aeneas told me to be good friends with Princess Selah. It turns out that His Highness has been eyeing Princess Selah for a long time."

Is that true? thought Count Xavia.

If it's true that Aeneas was targeting Selah a long time ago, it means… Actually, since when did Aeneas plan this coup? Since when had Aeneas planned to kill King Tristan?

How long has Aeneas harbored his grudge?

I didn't think that under his charming appearance Prince Aeneas harbored such terrible thoughts, thought Count Xavia.

"Princess Selah is pregnant now. If my calculations are correct, the baby might be born by early summer. The first baby in the Palace in a long time. I can't wait for it," said Lady Xavia again.

Count Xavia tried to smile. The baby many people might have been waiting for would be born in this new era of the Balthasar Kingdom. And, a new era anywhere is always heavy.

"Yes, I hope the baby will be born with blessings..." Count Xavia said quietly.

Born and grown with kindness and compassion, free from grudges and violence, so that something like this will not happen again in the future.

***

A thick blanket hugged Selah suddenly. When she thought that it was Aeneas, what she saw was Catalina. Selah was suddenly surprised to see her come out when the air was cold.

"Your Majesty, why are you out when the air is like this?" Selah hastily removed the covers, but Catalina prevented her.

She smiled gently at her. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" she said while covering Selah again. "I saw the snow was falling from my balcony, and I also saw that you weren't moving from the gazebo. Too cold air is not good for you and your baby."

"Okay," Selah sighed. "How about we go in together?" she asked while glancing at Azel who was following Catalina.

They couldn't let Catalina get sick. Aeneas might get angry…

Angry? Hah! thought Selah. He couldn't be mad at Selah when they hadn't spoken for two days.

"Aren't you cold?" Catalina checked Selah as soon as they entered. "Looks like you've been out for quite a while…"

"You don't need to worry, Your Majesty. I can stand cold and heat," Selah told me.

Catalina let out a long breath. "You put up with anything doesn't mean you can push yourself, Selah. I will be very sad if you get sick," she said sincerely.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty," Selah said with a smile. "I just… love looking at the snow."

"It snows a lot more this time than before, huh? When I woke up yesterday, the view from my balcony was all white and clean. Even though it looks boring white, it looks beautiful after a while," Catalina chirped cheerfully. "I love snow. Unfortunately these people often tell me not to stay outside too long. Just now, I had to persuade Sir Azel first to come out to see you."

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty," said Sir Azel.

Catalina chuckled at that. "It's okay. I know you did it because Aeneas told you to." She turned to Selah. "Do you like snow, Selah?"

Does Selah like snow?

Although born in winter, Selah was not born when it was snowing. She also wasn't the type who would romanticize the pure white snow-like people. While looking at the falling snow earlier, Selah was thinking of something else…

About imminent death. About the white snow that might be stained with blood soon.

"When I started learning the sword, I was really bad. It sucks that I always have to increase the portion of my practice. It happens when winter comes," Selah said quietly. She looked out the window and saw the snow was still falling lightly. "Even though the initial training was still using a wooden sword and I was wearing gloves, my palms still got blisters. The blisters are getting worse because winter makes my hands dry. My blistered hand hurts, so there are many cuts there…"

Selah opened and closed her palms. The scars are no longer there because it happened many years ago. But Selah still remembers how she got her wounds.

"Then, somehow, the blisters got worse. My gloves got dirty because the blood from my wound was seeping out," continued Selah. "Sir Hacket–the knight who taught me–then asked me to use the snow to numb the pain. It was then… the white snow in my grasp became dirty. I became sad because of it."

"Why are you so sad?"

"Because I feel guilty for dirtying the snow with my hands. Though Sir Hacket said, it wasn't my fault if the snow got dirty," said Selah after a moment of silence. "Who's wrong is the person who made me bleed."

"Selah–"

Catalina's words were then cut off by Sutton rushing in. Janette trailed behind him, looking worried.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness," greeted Sutton. He seemed to glance at Selah hesitantly.

"Excuse me first, Your Majesty," said Selah, aware of Sutton's gesture. "Later, I will come back–"

"Wait, Selah." Catalina smiled, then took Selah's hands and held them gently. "That pure white snow would not mind being stained with a drop of blood. You are indeed innocent."

A smile crept across Selah's lips slowly. "Yes… Yes, of course. Thank you, Your Majesty."

After leaving the room, Sutton took Selah to a place far away from the previous room. Judging by his expression, something serious must be going on.

"Your Highness… His Majesty King Tristan has passed away."