Chapter 22: Chapter XXII

Last but not least

I woke before the sun was even out, Marianne had nudged me awake and immediately took me into a freezing bath. “If the water is cold, your pores stay closed and no dirt can go inside,” She lectured.

 

“Marianne, if you want me to get a cold, then just say so,” I told her sarcastically. She huffed, “My lady is still too young to understand why you need to look perfect today!” 

 

“I am? Am I not getting ready for the prince?” I asked her. Her eyes, which were looking into my eyes, widened. She cleared her throat, “Clearly, I underestimated you,” she mumbled, while scrubbing my body with lavender soaps. Lavender was a supposed favourite of Astelle. It reminded her of her mother.

 

I took in the smell and hummed. It is nice, but I get a very bittersweet feeling from it. I yawned; I didn’t sleep as much as I wanted. “My lady, do remember not to yawn in front of the other nobles with you, it is extremely rude,” she worried. I hummed in acknowledgement. Better if I do yawn, that way my disinterest will be very clear.

 

Marianne sighed, knowing all her words are going right past me. She now dressed me into a dark forest green gown. Like pine tree leaves green. It looked good with Astelle’s lavender hair. Marianne, then took a lock of said lavender hair from one side and braided it. 

 

She then took the end of the braid and joined it to the other side of my head and added a small white hair ornament to decorate it. “Every time I look at my lady, I can’t help but say, wow my lady is gorgeous!” Marianne gushed like she always did when she prepared me for the day. I sigh affectionately and thank her. 

 

I ate breakfast with Father and Sirius and in half an hour I would leave to the Alden household. Count Alden and his wife are nice but nervous wrecks, so I should take something to their house as a gift to calm them down when they see me. Or that would make it worse… It’d be funny though, so I will.

I went out to the courtyard and headed for the knight dorms, of course, Caleb is in a separate and fancier room than the other knights’ rooms. I knocked on his door, but he didn’t reply.

 

This boy! Not again! I rushed over to the training grounds to see him sparring with another knight. “Caleb!” he flinched at my loud voice. The other knight immediately ran away at the sound of my shout. “What have I told you about rest?”

 

“To do it… my lady,” he mumbled. “And is this rest or you’re just stupid?” I glared at him. “I’m…stupid?” he looked down. “You’re asking me?” I retorted.

 

“No! No! I am stupid! I’ll go rest now!” he started to walk away. “Come to the entrance of the mansion in half an hour, until then, rest,” I said walking away from him as he stopped to listen to my instruction. 

 

In half an hour, I just closed the main entrance door to see Caleb standing alert in uniform. “Wonderful, you are here early, let’s go,” I said walking to the carriage and Caleb was close by. “Where are you heading today, my lady?” 

 

“A tea party at the Alden’s estate,” I replied curtly. “But, my lady, if it’s a household, you do not require a knight…” he said sounding confused. “I need a knight everywhere I go, or have you forgotten I am,” I said going into a whisper that I knew he could hear, “targeted,”

 

He looked stern, “then why are you going?” not knowing how to answer without telling him that I need to know the female lead’s motive, I’ll use something that everyone knows about. “The prince is going to be there, and of course, I have to go and I have been invited by a childhood friend,”

 

He said nothing, I looked back to him and he looked solemn, “My lady, your childhood friends…” he started. He shook his head, “Nothing,” he sent a smile, but it was sad. Does he know they all hate me? 

 

We finally reached the carriage, he sat at the front after helping me into the carriage. The coachman’s endless chatter was the only sound I could hear the whole ride to our destination. The door of the carriage opened once we arrived. 

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I reached out for the hand that was supposed to help me, but this hand wasn’t Caleb’s like I expected it to be. No, this hand wasn’t like Caleb’s caramel skin colour. I looked up to end up staring into the ocean.

 

These eyes were sky blue, but so warm. The cloud white hair blinded me, “Astelle, you came,” the final male lead to meet, Zachary Ciel. A kind boy to the female lead but ignorant to the villainess. So, why is he now holding my hand so gently?

 

Oh, right he’s a gentleman. All the ladies love this kid. “Ah, Sir Ciel, pleasure seeing you here,” I took my hand out of his grasp after I got out of the carriage. “Astelle, I have said this many times, call me Zachary or Zach, calling me Sir Ciel is far too cold of you, you know,” he joked but still requesting.

 

“Pardon me, but I am not comfortable with that,” I rejected his request. His smile wavered before widening again, “I understand,”

 

Still kind to Astelle at this point then. Caleb watched the exchange carefully, “My lady, I will go with the coachman to park the carriage somewhere and come right back,” 

 

I nodded and Zachary looked confused, “Is this your knight I’ve heard so much about?” he asked me. Of course, everyone knows him by now, nobles love rumours and information and spread it around like fire. “Yes, he is,” I gave short answers. “Why should he come back? You are safe here,” Zachary reassured. 

 

“Am I?” I stared relentlessly into his ocean eyes. He opened his mouth and closed it. “You may go inside before me, Sir Ciel, I shall wait for my knight, I will arrive shortly,” I told him facing away from him. He looked down, “Astelle, I have one question to ask you, after you answer, I will take my leave,”

I turned to face him again. A question? What question?

 

“Do you hate us?” he asked, smiling sadly. Huh? Isn’t it the other way round? What should I say? I don’t have an opinion of them exactly. Astelle must hate them though… she did die many times because of them. Dying alone is even worse and she had to experience it about 52 times.

 

“Isn’t this the wrong question?” I asked back, if you can’t answer, ask a question back. He hummed questioningly in reply. “Isn’t it you all who hate me, you, Xavier, Elliot and Alistair, do you all not hate me? For hating that girl?” I looked into his eyes and his smile had disappeared. His eyebrows showing that he was upset, “Is that what you think?” he asked back.

 

“I know it, and you do too,” I told him, “But I do not care, whether you hate me or love me, we can never go back to the past so Sir Ciel and Sir Calypso can just stop trying to make amends with me, I have noticed,”

 

He opened his mouth to reply but I interrupted, “Both his highness and Sir Thelonious have given up hiding their hatred for me and make it painfully clear that they despise me, so you can as well, I could care less about your opinion of me,” I waved back to Caleb as he waved showing he arrived.

 

Zachary was stunned silent, “You can go ahead, I will arrive shortly,” I said to him. As he started walking away, I spoke up, “Please do pass that message to Sir Calypso as well,” his eyes creased as if he was holding something back. 

 

He nodded without a word and left. Caleb was looking at me, with his eyes open. “You are upset,” he said without formality. “You are not seeing me clearly, let us go,” I denied his claim.

 

But I now know the answer to Zachary’s question. Astelle did not hate them.

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