Chapter 24: Chapter XXIV

Fool Me Twice

The age-of-coming ceremony was in a week and everything has been hectic. Since our house is one of the powerful ones, we help the royal family with the ceremony planning. Of course, I am the only one from these four dukes’ families that will be attending it. The male leads will be next year. As for ladies, it is the age of 16 but for men, it is 18. Sexist as hell, this world is.

 

I had to see the male leads a lot for meetings, I ignored them, of course but it was hard looking straight into Zach’s clear blue eyes. He was practically pouting at me through his eyes. I thought this boy was a ladies’ man, not a puppy.

 

At last, today will be the last meeting, but it will be even more crowded as all dukes, counts and viscounts will be arriving. Some with their kids or some not, though most do. They hope to achieve relations between their children.

 

Idiots. That’s how affairs happen! I sighed as Marianne got me ready for yet another but thankfully last meeting. “My lady must be exhausted from all these meetings,” Marianne commented. “Why do you say that,” I said with a hint of sarcasm. Marianne caught it and giggled lightly. 

 

“Do not fret, my lady! It is the last one, I’ll go to the sweets’ shop while you are in the meeting and get your favourite!” Marianne smile, looking like an angel. She really is a blessing, I cried inwardly.

 

“That would be wonderful, Marianne, here” I handed gold coins to her. “My lady, this is too much,” She started but I interrupted her midway, “Buy something for yourself, you deserve it, and the meeting will take quite a while. Also, make sure to take Caleb with you,”

 

She nodded and took it in her hands. “I’ll go to entrance with you, then I’ll head off to the conference room,” I told her as she opened the door. “I will meet you there, my lady, I must grab my cloak from my room,” she told me. I nodded and went ahead.

 

As I walked through the hallway, I saw Fabienne, in the garden below. She appeared to be talking to someone. Probably just a male lead. I ignored the scene and moved on.

 

I stood at the entrance for Marianne, and she came rushing about two minutes later. “I apologise, my lady, I took too long,” Marianne said, looking down. 

 

Her left cheek… why is it red? “Marianne, look into my eyes right this minute immediately,” I ordered. She slowly and reluctantly raised her head. Her left cheek was red and almost swollen. “Tell me, don’t you dare lie, Marianne,” I stared into her eyes. “It’s nothing, my lady, it was just a squabble between me and another maid,”

 

“And who was this maid? Who dare raises her hand against my personal maid? An attack on you means an attack on me,” I spoke coolly but angered. “No, no! Don’t do anything to her, my lady, she’s young,” Marianne pleaded. 

 

“Why are you protecting her? Is she blood related to you?” I asked her. A sister? Does Marianne have siblings? “No, not at all, she came a few months back and has been unhappy,” Marianne explained.

 

“Unhappy?” I asked, then I looked at the time, it was getting late. “Forget it, you will inform me everything about her when you come back,” I walked away before Marianne could reply. I have a bad feeling about this maid, I neared through the door. No male leads were walking towards the door, then who was talking to Fabienne?

 

I opened the door and bowed to the king and Xavier. I really don’t like bowing to this jerk. I took my place beside Sirius; all the male leads were in their spot and looked as if they have been sitting here for a while. Fabienne entered through the door sometime later and greeted the king and Xavier, very awkwardly, as if she just learned the etiquette today and sat beside her father.

 

That’s ridiculous, she’s been a childhood friend of royalty for years now, has she not learned the etiquette before?

The king started listing all the necessities that have already been required for the ceremony. We all contributed in claiming how and when it was done. Then he started listing all the things left and gave the families their respectable duties. 

 

My family is supposed to handle the ceremony’s most important due to the Asterion family being the imperial family’s right hand. We had to organise and put everything into place. 

 

The Calypso family were to handle the budgets and costs of everything. The financial part of the ceremony basically. They did deal with the gold vault of the imperial family.

 

The Ciel family had to send out invites again, and invite other country families to withhold the treaties with them. They always dealt with foreign relations. The Ciel family were always the friendliest after all.

 

Then at last, the Thelonious family dealt with the protection, all knights were from the Thelonious manor. They trained knights, they were closer to commoners because of that. The Thelonious took in poor commoners and trained them, like how Caleb was. 

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Big events like these were always dangerous, especially with such important nobles and foreigners there. The revolutionists and dark mages with their weird monsters were always at work at ceremonies. Not to mention how those fairy-tale beasts existed here too. 

 

The meeting was finally coming to an end, I headed out to go back to my room but a voice called out me, “Lady Astelle!” 

 

It was Fabienne, “Yes, Fabienne?” I turned around to see her running towards me, while there were men around. They all stared at her, but in pity. Ah, right everyone knew she’d die soon. That’s why they’re being respectful.

 

Ugh, main character benefits. “So, what did you think of the dress I gave you?

Did you like it?” She’s still on this, “Yes, thank you for it but I have to leave,” “You have been avoiding us more than usual, my lady,” I heard a voice suddenly in front of me. All of the male leads stood before me, of course they wouldn’t leave me alone. Xavier and Alistair too?

 

It was Elliot who spoke, I replied to his claim with no emotion, “Please do not claim such lies so straight forwardly, Sir Calypso,” I attempted to walk around them. Alistair pulled out his arm in front of me, “When did you get so good at lying, hm?” he smirked evilly. 

 

“When Sir Thelonious learns to respect my space, then would I have learned to lie, but as you can see,” I said and gestured to his arm way too close to my face, “that will not happen any time soon,” I looked into his green eyes. He gritted his teeth and retracted his arm. I heard Elliot snicker, then I addressed him while walking ahead, “Sir Calypso, that goes for you as well, please do mind a lady’s personal space, especially one who is betrothed to another,” 

 

He stopped, cleared his throat and nodded, while not once meeting my eye. I started walking away, before I got too far, I could hear Xavier say, “It’s fine. I can’t really be bothered what happens to her,” 

 

Damn, that stung a little. Astelle, why the hell did you love him again?... Still no remarks from her. I went to cool off in the garden, the flowers remind me of when I met Astelle, it makes me feel like she’s physically with me.

 

“My… lady?” I heard a meek voice behind me. I spun around to see this teenage girl, a maid, looking shyly at me. She’s awfully familiar…

 

It’s her! The one from when I came here first, then at Fabienne’s house! Is she working undercover…? She isn’t doing a very good job at it. “Who are you? I don’t recall having anyone as young as you here,”

 

All the maids were above 18 at our manor. The Asterions didn’t like child labour at all. “Oh yes, I don’t work here,” 

 

A lie, I clearly remember her pouring tea for me, with a clear glare directed at me. “Then how have you entered here? Did you sneak in?” I said, feigning alertness.

“No! No! Marianne helped me here!” 

 

Marianne… helped her? Without telling me? “Are you lying?” I asked her. She flinched; wait is she the one who…

 

“Are you the one who slapped her?!” I exclaimed. Her eyes widened and she started trembling at the sudden raise in volume of my voice. “It was an accident, I promise!” I squinted my eyes at her. 

 

“What do you want? You dare slap one of my own, and face me? Do you really not know about the rumours surrounding me? I can end you and your family right where you stand,” I threatened her.

 

“You have already done so,” she mumbled before leaping towards me, something glinted at me so I narrowly evaded her strike by sidestepping from a dagger. I caught the dagger by the blade. I heard running footsteps close to me, thumps on the cobblestone grew closer as the girl became more panicked and pushed the dagger more into my hand.

 

My hand became colder and colder and the trembling girl was suddenly thrown away from me. Her back hit the ground and her head banged against the fountain that I was sitting on before. “My lady!” I heard a voice scream, but my vision was blurred by multiplying black spots, and the ringing in my ear grew louder. I dropped to the floor but was caught by warm arms.

 

“Astelle!” I heard the same voice scream while shaking me, it doesn’t hurt so why do I have such a reaction? Is it Astelle’s trauma? My vision went black as my head dropped back.

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