Chapter 42 - Amidst Royal Courts: Paths of Destiny

In the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, Serena meticulously adjusted her uniform while Aviva diligently tidied up the room. Their routine was interrupted by a gentle rap on the door, prompting Aviva to pause her task and open it. There, standing with an air of solemnity, was Dominic, clutching a letter in his hand.

As Serena approached, Dominic's eyes met hers, he greeted her with a respectful, "Good morning, Miss Serena." He extended the letter towards her, "This is the document for Aviva's new job, as you requested Prince Victor." Dominic explained.

With a mix of anticipation and gratitude, Serena accepted the letter, carefully breaking its seal. As she scanned its contents, her heart swelled with a sense of fulfillment. It was an offer for a laundry job in the palace—a humble position, yet a step towards independence for Aviva.

Dominic, sensing Serena's approval, inquired, "Is this okay?"

Serena's voice trembled slightly with happiness for aviva, as she replied, "Yes, this is okay."

With a nod of understanding, Dominic bid them farewell, leaving the room filled with a newfound sense of hope. Aviva, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, closed the door behind him.

Turning to Aviva, Serena extended the letter with a warm smile, her own eyes shimmering with pride. "Here, take this. From now on, you'll no longer have to endure solitude in this room. You can earn for yourself, paving the path for a brighter future."

Aviva's hand shook as she reached for the letter, her emotions overwhelming her. Before, she was merely a slave without the freedom to earn her own keep. Now, the opportunity lay before her, a symbol of her newfound agency. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the letter, then she turned to Serena, her heart brimming with gratitude.

"Thank you, Serena," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. And in a spontaneous gesture, she wrapped her arms around Serena in a heartfelt embrace. Understanding her feelings, Serena gently patted Aviva's back, silently conveying her support.

After their heartfelt moment, Serena prepared to leave for her duty. However, before she could open the door, another knock echoed through the room, causing Serena to pause for a moment.

As Serena opened the door, she found Alexander waiting outside, his expression reflecting a mixture of contemplation and concern, his gaze shifted between Serena and Aviva. "Can we talk privately?" he asked, his voice hesitant.

Serena nodded, acknowledging the need for discretion. Stepping outside with Alexander, she waited patiently as he closed his eyes briefly, seemingly collecting his thoughts. When he spoke, his tone was grave, tinged with a sense of urgency.

"I'm hesitant to burden you with this, but I believe only you can resolve this problem," Alexander began, his words carrying a weighty significance.

Serena's brow furrowed with intrigue as she leaned in attentively. "What's the matter?" she inquired. "Please, tell me the details."

In the midst of their conversation, Alexander hesitated, his words hanging in the air like a delicate balance. "The thing is... Prince Oliver is a bit sick..."

Before he could finish, Serena's voice cut through the air, her concern palpable. "Don't tell me that it's because of his heart," she interjected, her eyes widening with worry.

Taken aback, Alexander's gaze flickered with surprise. "How do you know about his heart condition? Who told you? This is a secret known to only a select few. Everyone believes he was cured in his childhood. How did you come by this information about his heart disease?" His tone held a mix of curiosity and suspicion, almost leading Serena to an interrogation room. But recognizing her significance to Prince Oliver, he held back.

With a calm demeanor, Serena met Alexander's gaze. "Prince Oliver confided in me about his condition. You have my word, I won't breathe a word of it," she assured him, her sincerity shining through.

Alexander's tension eased slightly, though the weight of his concern lingered. "If he trusts you with such sensitive information, then I suppose I can trust you too," he conceded, a sense of relief coloring his voice.

Then in a low voice, Alexander revealed, "Prince Oliver's condition took a turn for the worse the day before yesterday, just after your last meeting with him."

Serena's concern deepened as she asked, "What happened after I saw him that exacerbated his health?"

"Let's not delve into the details right now," Alexander responded, his voice tinged with urgency. "I have an important task for you, one I hope you'll undertake for Prince Oliver."

"Of course, I'll do anything to help him," Serena assured him. "What do you need me to do?"

Alexander explained, "The physician believes that Prince Oliver needs a calm and happy atmosphere to aid in his recovery. There's a dish called Royal Garden Delight that he particularly enjoys. If you could make it for him, it would surely lift his spirits."

Serena's brow furrowed with uncertainty. "I've never heard of this dish before, let alone know how to make it."

"That's not a problem," Alexander reassured her. "I have the recipe with me. You just need to follow it."

Serena nodded, but her curiosity got the better of her. "Why didn't you just ask the kitchen to prepare it? Why come to me personally?"

Alexander hesitated, his gaze drifting momentarily. "This recipe is not something I can entrust to anyone," he admitted quietly. "It's a family recipe passed down from the previous queen, who used to prepare it for Prince Oliver. I obtained it from a servant of Prince Oliver's mother. It's precious and should not be shared with anyone else."

Serena absorbed the gravity of the situation, feeling the weight of the task ahead. "I don't know if I'll be able to make this dish correctly," she admitted.

"I believe in your culinary skill," Alexander affirmed with trust in her skills. "And even if it's not perfect, Prince Oliver will still like it," he thought.

Serena processed the weight of Alexander's request, and her eyes filled with commitment. "Where is the recipe? Give it to me. I'll try to make it correctly."

Alexander, understanding the gravity of the situation, reached into a hidden pocket of his clothes and retrieved a folded paper. "This is the recipe," he said, passing it to Serena. "But please, don't let anyone see this. I already informed Madam Edith that today you're preparing a dish requested by Prince Oliver, and you can't be disturbed until it's made."

Serena nodded, taking the paper and unfolding it carefully. As she read through the recipe, her mind focused on the task at hand. "Okay, then I'll go and cook this immediately," she affirmed.

But before she could take a step towards the kitchen, Alexander's voice halted her. "There's one more thing," he added, his tone serious. "After you've made the Royal Garden Delight, bring it yourself to Prince Oliver's chamber."

Serena nodded without hesitation. "Okay, I understood," she replied, not asking any questions.

As Serena made her way to the kitchen, Alexander let out a sigh of relief, his thoughts drifting to Prince Oliver's chambers. "I hope eating your favorite dish while talking with her lifts up your mood and makes you happy," he whispered to himself before setting off to carry out his duties in Prince Oliver's quarters.

Prince Victor, enveloped in the labyrinth of his thoughts, paced the expanse of his chamber with an air of profound contemplation. He grappled with the intricacies of the sovereign route conundrum. Each crease upon the map strewn across his table bore witness to his fervent deliberations, the countless times it had been scrutinized and then laid to rest, only to be revisited once more.

With a heavy sigh upon his lips, Prince Victor decided to seek solace and guidance from his father, the venerable King of Aurelia. With Dominic, trailing behind him, he made his way towards the sanctum of the king. Arriving at the imposing doors that guarded the chamber of the monarch, Prince Victor stood poised, his demeanor reflecting the gravity of his intent. An attendant ventured forth to secure the king's audience, and with a nod of approval, Prince Victor entered.

"Father, there's a matter of great importance that weighs heavily upon my heart," Prince Victor began, his voice tinged with apprehension.

The king, engrossed in the documents sprawled before him, offered a casual acknowledgment, his attention momentarily diverted. "Speak," he commanded, his voice blending the paternal authority of a father with the regal dignity of a king, embodying the dual roles he held with effortless grace.

With a flicker of urgency in his gaze, Prince Victor broached the topic that had consumed his thoughts. "It concerns Sophia and the matter of the sovereign route," he ventured, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. The mention of these pivotal elements roused the king from his contemplation, his countenance suddenly alight with interest.

"Are you here to dissuade me from arranging Sophia's marriage to the crown prince of Elysia?" the king interjected, his tone tinged with a hint of skepticism. Hope flickered briefly within Prince Victor's chest, only to be tempered by the unyielding certainty etched upon his father's features.

"If you are here to persuade me otherwise, then abandon such hopes. Sophia must marry the Elysian prince, Orius, and that is my final decision," the king declared firmly.

Prince Victor struggled to find his voice in the face of such an unyielding decision, but with a surge of courage fueled by his intent to protect his sister, he pressed on. "Father, if this concerns the sovereign route, surely there exists an alternative solution," he implored, urgency lacing his words. Yet, his father's expression remained unchanged.

"Did you not seek my counsel precisely because you found no solution to this quandary?" the king countered, his voice laced with a hint of reproach. Prince Victor faltered momentarily, the weight of his father's words bearing down upon him like a heavy cloak. His gaze flickered downward for a fleeting moment, a reflexive response to the king's probing question.

In the heavy silence that followed, Prince Victor's shoulders sagged imperceptibly, a subtle acknowledgment of the burden he now carried. The air in the chamber felt thick and stifling, suffused with the weight of unspoken tension. With a quiet exhale, he balled his fists at his sides, a futile attempt to anchor himself amidst the swirling uncertainty that threatened to engulf him.

As he shifted his stance, his movements reflecting the inner turmoil, Prince Victor found himself grappling for words, his thoughts ensnared in the tangled web of indecision. Each syllable weighed heavily on his tongue as he struggled to articulate the complexities of his emotions in the face of his father's scrutiny.

The king then turned back to his seat, his attention returning to the documents spread out before him. Prince Victor stood in silence, the king leaving no room for further discussion on the matter. Yet, the weight of concern for his sister Sophia's future clung to him, refusing to dissipate.

"Father, there must be something that we can do," Prince Victor pleaded once more, his voice tinged with desperation.

For a fleeting moment, the king's gaze softened, a brief flicker of paternal concern crossing his features. "If such a solution existed, would I still entertain the prospect of betrothing Sophia to the crown prince Orius?" he said, regret lacing his words. Yet, even with this admission, the king stood firm in his decision.

With a sigh, the king's tone softened, his eyes momentarily closing as he waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Just go, Victor. Do not disturb me further," he murmured quietly, the weight of his words heavy with finality. As Prince Victor grappled with the seemingly inevitable fate that awaited his sister, he steeled himself to make one final attempt to persuade his father.

"Father, grant me but a month to venture to the borderlands, to assess the situation firsthand," Prince Victor implored, his voice echoing with urgency. "Perhaps therein lies the key to a resolution that safeguards both our kingdom and Sophia's happiness."

Though reluctant, the king acquiesced, his paternal instincts tempered by the weight of his duty as a monarch. "Very well, one month shall be granted unto you," he relented, his tone firm. "But heed this, Victor, time is of the essence. Upon its expiration, Sophia's fate shall be sealed." And with those words hanging heavy in the air, Prince Victor took his leave, his mind already racing with plans and possibilities as he walked toward his chamber for the preparation of his journey to the borderlands.