Font Size:
Two banquets within a month. One of them, no less, was hers to organize. Her heart raced, and her stomach churned with anxiety.
“You must be tired, Lady Katlyn, and here I am, talking your ear off. I should take my leave now,” Diane said, gently patting her cheeks as she adjusted the strands of hair that had fallen beside her face.
Afrosa stood up, following Diane’s lead, and offered her dinner.
“It’s already late. Why don’t you stay for dinner before heading home?”
“Oh, no, Lady Katlyn, I couldn’t possibly. You must be just as exhausted. It would be too much to impose and stay for a meal. Besides, His Highness the Prince will be returning soon,” Diane replied with a delicate smile.
Afrosa was about to insist again when the sound of low-heeled shoes clicking against the floor echoed from the hallway. She turned her head toward the sound. It seemed Alec had returned after his visit to the Marquis Heslow and Orchen.
“Your Highness,” Diane exclaimed in surprise, calling out to him.
Alec, unfastening the buttons of his coat as he walked, fixed his gaze on Afrosa and Diane. Diane lowered herself into a formal courtly bow, much deeper and more precise than the gesture she had offered Afrosa earlier. She remained in her bow, as if unwilling to rise until Alec commanded her to do so.
Afrosa felt a bit tense watching the scene, especially when the household staff bustling about the mansion came to a halt and also bowed in respect. The atmosphere made her feel like she should bow as well. However, having never learned the court’s etiquette, she couldn’t mimic their movements.
As she fidgeted awkwardly, stealing glances at Alec and Diane, she felt a sudden touch on her cheeks.
Her face was gently cradled, and before she could react, his lips met hers. Startled by the public display, she tried to pull away, aware of the watchful eyes around them. But Alec’s hand firmly held her chin in place, making escape impossible.
The warm, soft pressure of his lips sent a tingling sensation down to her toes. Worried that his tongue might invade her mouth next, she pushed against his chest in a panic. Only then did Alec reluctantly pull away.
“People are watching,” she whispered, her voice tinged with embarrassment.
“So what?” he replied, unbothered.
Alec, who had been pushed away, smirked as he drew his glossy lips into a grin. He pulled the retreating Afrosa into his embrace and, paying no mind to the watching eyes, kissed her on the cheek once more.
Afrosa’s face turned red as she glanced nervously around. Alec chuckled softly before ordering the people bowing in respect to rise. Only then did Diane straighten up with a radiant smile.
“Your Highness,” she greeted.
“It’s been a while, Diana.”
“Indeed, it has, Your Highness. To see you grow up so strong and well—truly a blessing from the heavens,” Diane replied, her voice filled with emotion.
Afrosa was slightly startled, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two. It seemed they already knew each other.
She looked at Alec, who had a relaxed smile on his face, feeling slightly unsettled. Afrosa had intended to introduce him to Diane, but the fact that Alec already knew her name caught her off guard.
Perhaps it was because Diane had never mentioned knowing Alec before. The situation felt surprising—no, to be precise, uncomfortable. Yet Afrosa didn’t want to show her unease. Instead, she silently observed them, trying to suppress the creeping sense of alienation and keep her expression composed.
“Surely the late Empress would also be overjoyed. To see Your Highness grow into such a fine prince would move her deeply,” Diane said, stepping closer as if she might take his hand in hers.
However,Alec didn’t respond much. He merely offered a faint smile, gently stroking Afrosa’s arm as she stood beside him.
Feeling awkward between the two, Afrosa finally broke the silence by once again inviting Diane to dinner.
“Lady Rosabeth, the night has grown late. Why don’t you stay for dinner before heading home? It might be quite dark by the time you return.”
“Oh, perhaps I should, then?” Diane replied, hesitating slightly.
Considering that Diane had spent over five hours at the mansion under the pretext of visiting as a companion, Afrosa couldn’t help but suspect that Diane had been waiting for Alec. If that were the case, arranging an opportunity for them to talk further might be the polite thing to do.
“Yes, the weather has turned colder. Please have a warm meal before you board your carriage.”
“Oh, well… if you insist, Lady Katlyn…”
“It would be better if proper etiquette were observed,” Alec interjected.
“Pardon?” Diane froze, staring at him in surprise.
Still smiling languidly, Alec directed the same admonition toward Diane that he had once given to the Marquis Heslow.
“I’ve never been stripped of my title. Why, then, is my wife being referred to merely as ‘Lady’?”
“Oh, I… I’m sorry…”
“I don’t mind,” Afrosa interjected quickly, shaking her head as she noticed Alec’s smile beginning to fade. Whatever people called her didn’t matter much to her. In fact, being addressed as ‘Princess Consort’ or anything of the sort felt far more burdensome.
“My apologies, Your Highness. And to you as well, Princess Consort,” Diane said, bowing deeply toward Alec, her face now serious and contrite.
Afrosa pressed her lips together tightly, feeling uneasy. Diane had been all smiles just moments ago while greeting Alec. Now, because of Afrosa, she looked embarrassed and uncomfortable.
The thought of causing Diane to feel awkward or ashamed made Afrosa feel self-conscious. I’m nobody, Afrosa thought to herself. How could I even hope to live here in the long term?
“Why don’t we proceed with dinner?” Afrosa suggested hesitantly.
Unable to bear the tense atmosphere, Afrosa stepped out of Alec’s embrace. She wasn’t sure if this was the right way to diffuse the mood, but she couldn’t stand to see Diana’s guilt-stricken face while nestled in Alec’s arms.
“As you wish,” Alec replied with a nod. At last, Diana raised her head, neatly clasping her hands in front of her. Alec, no longer sparing her a glance, habitually wrapped an arm around Afrosa’s waist and started walking.
“I’ll take my leave now. It seems I’ve troubled Your Highness for far too long. I’ll make sure to visit again soon,” Diana said with a faint smile as she offered her farewell.
Alec nodded indifferently as he continued walking toward the dining room with Afrosa in tow. Afrosa, her face pale with guilt, opened and closed her mouth as if to say something.
“I’ll see you out,” she finally said, gently removing Alec’s arm from her waist and approaching Diana.
“There’s no need for that,” Diana protested, but Afrosa shook her head. Alec watched her in silence as she accompanied Diana to the mansion’s entrance.
“Countess Rosabeth,” Afrosa called softly.
“Yes?”
Diana, who was receiving a shawl from a servant and draping it over her shoulders, turned to look at her. Afrosa hesitated before whispering, “I’m sorry about earlier. I’ll apologize on His Highness’s behalf.”
“For what?”
“For His Highness’s…”
“Oh,” Diana interrupted with a small laugh. She didn’t seem upset. After a moment of staring at Afrosa, she shook her head lightly. Afrosa, not understanding her reaction, simply watched her in silence.
“There’s much to be concerned about,” Diana said quietly.
“What do you mean by that?” Afrosa asked.
“His Highness is… quite naïve.”
Naïve? Afrosa couldn’t tell if it was meant as a compliment or an insult. If anyone seemed naïve, it was Diana herself.
With her small frame, gentle demeanor, and downward-sloping eyes, Diana exuded an aura of pure innocence. In contrast, Afrosa’s slightly upturned eyes gave her a more catlike, sharp impression. People often remarked that she looked a bit cold if she wasn’t actively engaging in conversation.
But Afrosa wasn’t naïve. Her relatively short life had already exposed her to more than enough of the harsh realities of the world.
“I…”
“You seem likely to face a lot of heartbreak,” Diana said softly.
She pressed her lips together. Her tongue felt dry and parched. Diana looked at her for a long moment, then bowed deeply once more before stepping into the carriage. Afrosa watched her retreating figure with a hollow expression.
Dinner that evening was unusually quiet. Diana’s untimely visit right after their arrival at the mansion had left Afrosa with no time to rest, and she was feeling rather drained.
Once Diana had left, Alec removed his coat and jacket. Afrosa accepted them and neatly put them away before walking with him, now dressed in casual wear, to the dining room.
“You must be tired today,” Alec said, pulling out a chair for her at the long dining table.
Afrosa nodded as she took the seat he offered. She had expected him to sit across from her, but instead, Alec sat beside her and immediately tried to wrap her in his arms.
Lately, Alec’s behavior was starting to fray her nerves. It was as if he couldn’t bear to go even a moment without touching her, like someone afflicted with separation anxiety. His recent clinginess could only be described as an obsession.
Afrosa glanced at him briefly, then subtly pushed him away. Alec, undeterred, tried to embrace her shoulder and press a kiss to her lips. With the servants moving about the room lighting candles on the candelabras, Afrosa was startled.
“Don’t. Go over there,” she said, pushing against his chest.
Instead of relenting, Alec grabbed her chin. She thought he was playing around, but his face was expressionless, devoid of his usual playful smile. Slightly unnerved, Afrosa wriggled in his grip. Still, Alec stubbornly kissed her cheek and lips.
“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice tense.
“Because I like it,” he replied.
“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
“I want to kiss you because I like you,” he said simply.
Afrosa frowned, her expression tightening. Alec stared down at her curiously, his gray eyes tinged with a subtle intensity. He caressed her cheek and whispered, “They’re watching.”
She glanced nervously at the servants bustling about. “What did she say?”
“Who?”
“Rosabeth.”
“Nothing much…”
Afrosa stared at him, unsure of what he was trying to get at. Just then, the maids began bringing out dishes from the kitchen. She seized the opportunity to brush his hand away and tried to focus on eating.
But Alec leaned in again, clearly intent on kissing her. Afrosa was about to snap in exasperation when he murmured, “I keep wanting to kiss you.”
“Do it after dinner,” she replied tersely.
“Just one more before we eat,” he persisted.
“You’ve lost your mind,” she muttered.
“It’s because I like you,” he said again, smiling faintly. “I like you so much.”
“I like you too, but I don’t feel the need to kiss you constantly,” she retorted.
“You didn’t use to feel that way. It’s not me who’s changed, Rose. It’s you.”
“I haven’t changed,” she said firmly.
“No, you have,” he insisted. “Think back to how we used to be.”
Afrosa’s expression hardened. She didn’t feel that anything about her had changed.
“We used to kiss each other all the time,” Alec said softly, his voice almost nostalgic.