It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Leander's foot tapped on the carriage floor. Artemesia didn't move unnecessarily.
Finally, he decided to address the tension.
"...My Lady?"
She responded a moment later. "Yes?"
"Did I… do something to offend you?"
"...No."
"Then… Why are you so silent? It scares me."
Lady Montclair finally looked up and met his eyes.
"I… do not know what to say."
He frowned, but quickly nodded and looked away.
A nightingale chirped somewhere nearby. The sound of water rushing filled their ears.
Artemesia decided to speak.
"I… It was unnecessary."
His head perked up, "Pardon?"
"Your Highness needs to work on your words in the heat of the moment. Revealing it publicly, our involvement, was not a smart move-"
Tia halted.
The way he was staring at her so intensely.
Before she could complete, he spoke up, "Ah… I get what bothered you."
She held her breath.
"Not my words," he repeated slowly, "but the emotion associated with them." He tilted his head, staring at the night sky.
She didn't speak. Didn't correct him.
Means he hit the nail right on the head.
"Tia," his voice was a soft whisper, "I will keep repeating these words, until you find it in your heart to accept them one day."
Artemesia went quiet once again. Once again, she had nothing to say.
. . .
"Unbelievable."
"I'm afraid it's the truth," Leander shrugged.
Morning light pooled on polished floors of the Emperor's study. In the middle of the room sat a large table, and behind it was Gregor Halycra.
He came in early today, to check up on his Father and give a few unofficial updates, while conveniently leaving out some details.
The Emperor's hand curled into a fist as he stared at his son.
"I sent a spy to infiltrate the Estate just in case, but it looks like even stricter measures must be taken."
The blond arched a brow, "You sent a spy? Why, because you weren't invited?"
He sighed and leaned back, "I have spies everywhere, Leander. Even on you."
"Oh, great. Next thing I know, my cat is an agent working for my Father."
"Who knows? Maybe it is."
"She, Father."
A moment passed in silence as the Emperor was lost in thought. Leander was cradling a very grumpy Skylar in his arms
"Their title has gotten to their heads," Gregor finally spoke, teeth gritted.
Lee sighed, "I believe so. They need to be neutralized before they stir any more trouble."
The father exhaled deeply, and rubbed his temple. "Just when I thought I had free time."
The Prince raised a brow, "Hold on a minute, I never said you had to neutralize the threat."
"Oh? Do you think I can simply entrust a foolhardy prince with the task of bringing down a duchy?"
"I am not-"
"This is a task that cannot be done by one individual alone," Gregor interrupted as the blond shot him a dirty look. "Even if I do it-"
"-which you will not be doing-"
"-I will need assistance," he scowled at his son, "so how do you suppose you will do it?"
Leander mirrored his father's expression, and put a hand on the desk, leaning down, "You misunderstand me, Father. The objective is not bringing the duchy down, but neutralizing it. Enough to drive them to their own destruction."
The Emperor scoffed, "Bold moves, but," he laced his fingers and leaned forward as well, "do you think it's that easy?"
Lee smirked, "Who said I was doing it alone?"
Gregor paused, processing.
"...Huh?"
Leander suddenly straightened and turned, "I will be sending you an official report on the matter-"
"Wait-"
"-through my secretary, although the details of my plan will not be shared," he opened the door to the office.
"Leander-"
Thud.
Gregor was frozen.
The room went silent for a moment.
Then,
"Do you know what you're getting yourself into, you reckless prince?"
He shook his head and sighed.
. . .
Clink.
"It's bland," Celestia set her cup down, brows furrowed.
Thalia gave her a look, "Yes. I did not sweeten it. You need to cut down on the sugar, Mother. It's not good for your health."
The brunette put a gloved hand to her chest, "Excuse me? Are you implying I'm getting old?"
"I did not-"
"Is this how I raised you? To manipulate your Mother when you've grown?"
"Please, Your Majesty," Sabrina interrupted, pinching the bridge of her nose, "The Princess is right."
The Empress pursed her lips, and sighed. "I never thought I'd get to see the day my own family turns against me."
A few days ago, Celestia felt the need for another gathering, to keep in touch with High Society. So here they were, enjoying tea in the Palace Courtyard.
The winter breeze chilled their noses, and complemented the warmth of the herbal tea that bloomed in their chests.
Some noblewomen giggled at the spectacle. "It's so sweet, Her Highness cares so much for you, Your Majesty!"
"Is that so? I never thought of it that way," Celestia raised a brow, exchanging a glance with the Countess sitting beside her.
"By the way, have Your Majesties heard about what happened at the Blackridges?"
"Oh. The banquet they held yesterday?" Thalia questioned.
"What happened?"
The women looked between each other, "You haven't heard? That's strange. His Highness Prince Leander was supposedly present too."
Sabrina paused, "...What? What was the Prince doing there?"
"He got invited as well, though I doubt the invitation was only extended to humiliate His Highness." A baroness scrunched her nose in disgust.
"They didn't even follow proper protocol! A friend told me he sat on a crude wooden chair as he gave his seat of honor up for His Lady!"
Celestia's brows flew up. Sabrina's eyes were wide, and Thalia was rendered speechless.
"Brother attended the banquet, and went with a partner as well?"
"Who, exactly, was this Lady of his?" Sabrina voiced.
"Why, none other than the Lady of Montclair!"
. . .
The Lady Montclair in question sat at her vanity, staring into the distance.
She didn't realize it in the heat of the moment, but she had made a very dangerous and bold move.
Aligning herself with the Crown, accusing a Duke's heir of infidelity, and declaring rivalry against the Blackridges. Publicly.
Not only that, she was positive Leander's public image had taken a hit as well. Right now, they needed to see him as an innocent and harmless princeling, not someone who had a spine.
And definitely not someone who was willing to put his reputation on the line, just to save her from disgrace. That framed him as emotionally incompetent, reckless and impulsive.
Artemesia also knew Leander wasn't stupid. He knew the consequences of his actions the moment he stepped down the podium.
Yet he went through with it anyway.
She leaned back, forcing herself to breathe. Slow, and steady.
Their steps needed to be very careful from this point on. One wrong move, and both of them could go down, one after the other.
Tia rubbed her chin.
Suddenly, she flinched. A shout from outside.
"ARTEMESIA!"
For a second, she was frozen.
Then, in a blur of movement, she was bolting down the stairs, her forehead slick with sweat.
The last time her brother raised his voice was during their father's last moments. He had never shouted for Artemesia like that, and it was a sound she did not want to hear again.
Tia stumbled down to her Brother's bedchamber, tripping over her skirts in the process.
Thedosia was sitting on an armchair, holding an open scroll in one hand, her eyes wide. Jonathan stood right beside her chair, his jaw dropped.
"Are you alright?!" she ran inside, her chest pounding and her lungs robbed of breath.
"T-The-..." the Duchess was at a loss for words, but Jonathan completed for her.
"Why the hell is the Imperial Family asking for your hand in marriage?!"
She froze.
A smirk, and a curly blond head surfaced in her memory.
We're being watched, Artemesia.
May the chessboard shift in your favor.
. . .
VOLUME I: To Set the Stage
( E N D )
call it a season, a volume or whatever