"Ice, there are some strange rumors going on about"
Acrys whispered.
"I was going to bring up the same thing"
Ellen said cautiously. Aqua knew very well that Ellen was infamous for spreading gossip and laughed internally at the irony of the situation. However what Christie told her shook her to the core. Her identity had been leaked! In an indirect manner Though, it was being spread that the fourth princess of Wales is currently in Ghana.
Wales followed the method of accompanying their young ladies to social events to find good suitors for them. Until that time, they never brought out their women and after the suitor is decided, they don't get to see the woman again. So, the presence of the fourth princess here before her debut was a very big deal.
The women of Wales are known for their beauty and good character, with each being no less than the other. So, the society was really looking forward to Aqua's debut but a sneak peek before that was something they didn't want to miss. Acrys gave her a knowing look, which confused her. she wondered what the source of this news was but decided to not investigate as it would make her look suspicious.
Acrys then announced that he finally found the combination he was looking for. Aqua, Christie, Ellen and Damain congratulated him as he was desperate for it to succeed. He thanked them all for their help. Truth be told, they had started a club for medical care specifically for these types of things.
"I won't be here for a little while"
Acrys said a little lost in thought.
He then turned to the girls and said
"But don't worry I will be back for you ladies before the ball"
with a smirk.
"Where are you going?"
Aqua asked frowning as the boy hadn't completed his seminar materials
yet.
"The east, and don't worry I will complete my work there"
he said cheekily.
Aqua brushed his banter off and left for the cafeteria.
"So far so good, but i want more and more!"
a hysterical female voice echoed throughout the room.
"You will get more my crown princess, just win their hearts for now"
said the mechanical voice.
"But when are you coming back honey"
asked the girl seductively.
"I will be home soon, its just that the security has tightened and the baron won't let me go"
He said annoyed.
"Okay, Shizu will be waiting like a good girl"
she said coquettishly and then cut the call and deleted the call log.
"I really want to see your reactions to my plans ice cube, after all your reactions have always been the best "
she said menacingly as she put on some makeup.
Snow headed to the terrace for her meeting with twighlight as usual. It was already 19:00 by the time she noticed. He explained that today they had to help with the Ghana auction. He said that this happens every year to keep the cash flowing in the empire. Nobles buy things from the imperial inventory and the money received goes to those who need it.
She agreed. He then led her to the palace and said that she had to be the anchor. She asked if her attire was appropriate for it. He simply shrugged saying it's alright.
She put on a grand display of confidence and mystery, amusing the nobles present. The emperor and empress both found themselves proud as if she was their daughter getting praised, they were fond of her no doubt but the recent revelations were causing unease in their hearts. The auction ended and back stage Snow was lost in thought, the annual exams were coming up and the day to day tasks were also becoming more intense. She pondered on how to manage all this when a noble lady came up to her and slapped her.
"Are you crazy?"
Snow asked bewildered.
"How dare a mere commoner like you favor house Benedict?!"
The lady yelled. Snow quickly recalled that house Benedict had bought the previous imperial carriage.
"You wanted the imperial carriage?"
She asked. On getting an affirmative reply. Snow stood up, her power was threatening to surge and the lady felt the tension as well.
"I am merely an anchor for this event!"
Snow said with dexterity.
"If you have any complaints talk to the incharge instead miss"
she said and left the scene. She left without informing anyone. Nobles had a wretched personality of arrogance and selfishness. This made snow sick to the core. She sat on a terrace gazing at the sky and the view. She then accepted the invite after switching to the aeroscreen and held a private council with Luka, Coral and the emperor and empress and the official members of the Wales imperial family. She explained the events that happened before the attacks. Someone suggested her to enter Wales again to see if it was a targeted attack in her presence. The emperor however declined as it would cause loss in life and property as the attack locations were not known. A common consensus was reached that tentatively, snow's presence was a trigger to the bombs. Snow was told to not enter Wales for the time being. She was also told to inform Selina that she would have to gather a raiding- party to find the location of the various explosives. The crown prince, emperor, empress and the other family members were all inflicted with injuries as they all were in the Westalis office discussing the progress of the empire's revitalizing during the attack. The emperor declared that snow and Coral would handle the official duties of the inflicted members until they fully recover. At this moment the conference was switched to a livestream. The duties will be reduced, the ducal families incharge of each island would take charge of their own territory and only submit a final summarized document to the princesses, unlike before where they would have a meeting with the emperor weekly once, informing them of all the activities.
"Ya ahlal islam! Ya ahlal islam! please heed to your religion, do not exploit our trust and be god- fearing"
the emperor said as a commitment to trust and switched the livestream to a conference again. The livestream comments were being flooded with supplications for the ones wounded In the attacks. The emperor invited the head scholars of the R&D sector in the meeting and told them to find any narrations and rulings related to a national response to a calamity. They were to forward it in the community groups as soon as possible. Then the emperor asked what had happened to Aqua's face. She brushed it off saying she was just slapped for a misunderstanding.
"Slapped, the princess of Wales, how dare they?!"
The emperor roared.
"Looks like I will have to intervene"
He said as he invited the emperor of Ghana in the meeting.
"Greetings to the people of Wales"
Theodore said a bit surprised at the gathering.
"I believe you have already introduced me to your family Arskan"
He said playfully.
"why did my daughter get slapped in your territory?"
He replied, ignoring Theodore's remark.
"She got slapped?"
Theodore asked worried.
"I reckon I had entrusted her safety to you"
Arskan continued angrily.
"We really had no idea"
Theodore insisted.
"Did twighlight slap you?"
Arskan asked presumptiously.
"Its nothing of that sort"
Snow said frustrated. As the others were about to speak, she cut them off and said
"A lady with a red dress and lion crest hat, slapped me, she said she didn't get the item she wanted, and took out her anger on me, I just want an apology from her".
There was silence for a moment, Theodore spoke up
"that would be lady Alice from house Leo"
he said with a sigh,
"I will arrange an apology from her"
he said. The tense situation defused. After apologizing to Arskan for his negligence, Theodore left the meeting.
"Son, snow was slapped by lady Alice, where were you when that happened?"
Theodore asked upset.
"I was with the security personnel"
Alex said apologetically. Theodore nodded and asked for Robert to bring lady Alice to the empress. He himself went to the empress and told him about the incident.
"We are degrading ourselves in front of Wales"
Anna said with a sigh.
"Our sons mock their fourth princess and our nobles belittle their agent, of course we owe them an apology, no wonder they would want to curse our son"
she said.
"How about we engage Alex to the young lady"
Theodore suggested with an amused expression.
"Have you gone mad?"
Anna asked with dexterity.
"I want to show them that the people of Wales are amazing people or I at least want to bring out their true colors, besides engagement is the best way to keep an eye on her actions I personally want to go there after retirement if what we are thinking is not true"
Theodore said as he embraced his wife.
"It is indeed a good idea, I want that too"
she said as she slipped away from him and got ready for bed..