Chapter 18
Sera was already up by the crack of dawn, dressing up with the help of Adna.
"Are you sure I should not go wake the coachman up? The temple is pretty far away from here," Adna asked, worried.
Sera shook her head vehemently and sat down on her dressing stool, giving way for Adna to braid her hair.
"Father has become annoyingly paranoid after Garran's incident, and though I understand him caring for me, I feel uncomfortable going out with too many people," Sera stated. "It puts me under the spotlight, and people behave weirdly and sycophantically when they see that."
Adna nodded understandingly, a smile playing on her lips.
"But why do I feel that that is not the only reason?"
Sera giggled in response. "You are right. I also want to see him — it's been almost a month since I saw him."
Adna smiled. "He was becoming cheerful the last time I went to visit, and the motel owners are treating him well."
Sera smiled sadly. "I am happy to hear that. I pray he never goes through what he went through at the alley again."
Adna nodded in response, remembering the pitiful young demihuman they had met in the alley a month ago.
"So what race do you think he belongs to?" Sera's eyes shimmered with curiosity.
Adna shrugged. "Perhaps he's a spirit-born. Those are the kinds that are mostly half-human."
Sera hummed in response, her thoughts trailing off.
After several minutes, Sera was done dressing. Wearing a hoodie over her dress, they moved out. Sneaking out was easy since the maids were the only ones at work at that time of day, and the rest of the family was asleep.
Sera sighed when she saw the door was wide open, and they carefully moved there.
"We can wear our hoodies when we make it past—"
"Isn't it scandalous for a betrothed princess to be seen sneaking out at the crack of dawn?"
Sera yelped in shock and heard Adna follow suit. They had been caught. Even though it was not going to be a big issue, the fact that she was going to be lectured didn't sit well with her.
She felt her face being hit with a billow of cold air. Even though the weather was quite chilly since it was dawn, she already knew who it was.
"We are not sneaking out. We're merely going for a–a morning walk."
"It feels nice that the princess wishes to keep herself in shape. However, I did not think that you would need a bag for that."
Another voice echoed beside Veyron, and Sera noticed that Minos had also appeared.
She frowned slightly when she noticed how red his eyes had become — as if he had been crying the whole night. Come to think of it, she didn't see him yesternight, but this was not the time to ponder about that.
"High Steward…"
Minos smiled politely and stared at her as though waiting for her to say the truth. Sera gnashed her teeth in anger when she saw a smirk form on Veyron's face.
"Perhaps those are new clothes — in case she hugs a thorny tree."
Veyron's tone dripped with sarcasm. He took one look at Sera and went through the gate, leaving the latter burning with fury.
"High Steward, we wanted to make a quick trip to the temple. We wanted to pay our respects to the Archbishop."
She forced a smile on her face. The fact that they had been caught didn't sit well with her. Now all she had to do was wait for his 'judgement'.
"It's nice to see you religious."
Sera smiled as she heard those words; however, it dropped the moment she heard the next.
"However, I don't think it will be appropriate for you to miss your lessons."
"Lessons? I thought Miss Thalebrook would stop coming after my marriage was announced."
"Well, that was how it was supposed to be; however, His Majesty wishes for you to learn something about governance," Minos replied.
He paused, waiting for a question or anything, but hearing none, he bowed his head and left.
Sera had a scowl on her face. She was not happy that her father had not even told her about it, especially when they met the previous night. She exhaled tiredly and rubbed her head.
"Should I prepare some hot milk?" Adna had a thin smile on her face. Internally, she was also not happy — once she was ready to meet the young demihuman, but she did not have a say.
"I would appreciate that."
With that, Sera returned to her room with a sullen expression.
In Minos's study, he sat behind his desk holding a thin piece of fabric in his hand. Its edges were uneven, as though it were rudely torn. His face bore a visage of melancholy as he clutched the clothing.
"I will save you, Evelina, even if it costs me my life," he muttered through gritted teeth.
As the sun broke through the veil of darkness, it seemed as though he had finally made a decision. Opening his drawer, he picked out the bronze envelope he had received some weeks earlier, with a fiery passion burning in his gaze.
Outside, Thalebrook's soft footsteps passed through the halls, going to the parlour. Her face was cold as ice, and her hand was balled into a fist by her side. Once she reached the door, she paused and exhaled, changing her expression before she opened it.
"Good morning, Your Highness," Thalebrook's warm voice echoed in the room.
Sera was seated, reading a book.
"Good morning, Miss Thalebrook." Sera smiled. "I thought last week was going to be our last meeting."
"I also thought the same. However, I received a different command yesternight." Her voice turned cold when she said the last part of her sentence.
Sera blinked and checked her expression, but everything was well with the Governess.
"How was your weekend, My Princess?" Thalebrook inquired.
"Boring, I must say. I missed your stories so much that I almost travelled to your house," Sera stated, a grin tugging at her lips.
"Oh really? Then guess what? I came with a whole lot this time," Thalebrook said, a sly smile playing on her lips.
"I can't wait." Sera smiled at her Governess, who had helped her transform over these few months. Honestly, she thought it was a waste of time when they began. However, later on, the Governess proved to be someone who could understand another without being told.
The lesson went on, and Sera gave her attention to everything taught, trying to become a better wife.
Outside the palace, a polished carriage stopped, and Carrissa got out of it. She walked elegantly into the palace, attracting ogles from the servants who were working around.
"Why does the merchant president's daughter frequent the palace this much?"
"I heard from the prince's maid that she is the one helping the prince in his exercise."
The maid cleaning the fountain whispered, looking sideways for the sudden appearance of the butler.
"Really? She is destroying all her paths to marriage, or does she think the prince would marry her?"
"He must. No one would want a woman who spends hours in a man's room alone without a chaperone."
"I heard she was the childhood friend of the princess. Apparently an—"
"Are you done?"
A cold voice asked behind them, and the maids froze, feeling cold sweat on their backs.
"You are both fired," Derek stated coldly. He turned his back when the maids lunged at his legs.
"We are sorry, Sir! We—we will not ever gossip again."
"Sir, my mother is ill, and I need the money. It was not me; rather, she started it!"
Derek heard them throwing the blame around, but he didn't bother with them anymore. He jerked his legs and left them.
Carrissa, not knowing what harm her appearance had caused, entered Garran's room with a smile.
"Young man, your favourite person is here!" she announced as she entered.
Garran was seated quietly on his bed, with a maid tending to his wound. He smiled gently and dismissed the maid.
"Aren't you too full of yourself? Whoever told you that you were my favourite person?" Garran asked, an amused smile playing on his lips.
Carrissa scoffed and pulled a chair closer. "If it isn't me, then who would it be?"
"My sister, of course," Garran responded almost instantly, as if it were the most normal thing to do.