"Is there something else you need to tell me?"
As soon as the door closed, the head maid lowered her head. Emerald looked at the two young ladies and they dispersed on cue. After pouring out the warm water into the tub and placing the dress onto the bed, the two quickly exited the room, leaving Radia and Doris inside.
"Leo is here, my lady. The Palace had sent him to be your escort."
She froze-- The Palace knew that Leo, the Duchess's former assistant, was not allowed in the vicinity of the Duke. Did they send him carelessly forgetting about this fact or they sent him because it was supposed to be secret from the Duke? If it was the former, they are trying to offend the Duke. Could it be the latter? Then, there were more question---
After washing her body, Doris helped her to put on her dress.
"Where is Sir Hebet?"
"They are currently patrolling town, My lady..."
If Sir Hebet was to find out that Leo was there, there would be a commotion. She needed to hurry before the Knights of the Arquilie Castle returned. She would rather have it that they found out she left the Castle without permission from the Duke, rather than having Leo get caught entering the Duke's territory.
***
"Leo Laris of Arquilie, Captain of the Imperial Knights, I am here to escort the Lady."
Radia gulped down the scream she wanted him to hear. It has been a long time since the two of them last saw each other. The man in front of her felt like a different person now. He was taller, at least a foot difference from her height. He looked heavier and more sturdy, living up to his rightful title as the Captain of the Royal guard, the Emperor's elite Knights.
The man smiled familiarly and bent his knees, offering her a greeting only used for Royalty.
"I greet the future moon of the Empire."
Her lips trembled, at a loss for words. What did he mean? She furrowed her brows, sensing that was something that she should be worried about. Finding his word hard to believe, she could only think of one possibility-- The Crown Prince, Calisto, the first son of the Emperor must have returned.
She smiled, intending for it to look natural, but it was not the case, her stiff expression felt awkward even for her. She didn't know how to process the news, was she supposed to be happy about it or upset? There was a mixture of emotion building within her and all she could identify was the feeling of anxiousness.
"...let's not waste time. You need to come back before the sun goes down."
Well aware of his disposition in the Duke's eyes, Leo rose from his knees and offered his hands. Emerald sighed, trying to compose herself from the building emotion that was slowly engulfing her heart. She took his hands and only looked at him with trustful eyes, the man only offered her a smile and said nothing else.
As she sat inside the carriage, the man murmured something in a whisper before closing the door behind him.
"Prepare your heart."
From his words which sounded like warning bells, her heart felt like an inflated ball that dropped on the ground. He has just made her anxiety reach its next level. Her hands reached and grabbed unknowingly onto the skirt of her dress. Would it be a reunion she had hoped for? Or will it be a reunion she has dreaded? Radia shook her head as if it was the only thing she could do to shake off the negative thoughts floating inside her mind. There were too many things to be scared of, she thought as the wheel turned and headed towards the Palace.
***
Her anxious heart sang out of beat as her eyes swung to the window. Moist had started forming on her hands as they approached the gates of the central Palace. When the wheel finally stopped, she licked her dry lips in an effort to calm down, realizing her throat had suddenly run dry. The door of the carriage opened and the knight peaked his head inside the carriage.
Suddenly, he looked uncertain with his furrowed brows and hesitantly asked, "...did I not give you enough time?"
It appears that her face was pale enough for him to ask such questions.