"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Her Royal Highness Berniss Dumont - Rousseau, Princess of Connick!"
The ruler and his wife (Crowned King Viktor and Princess Consort Irmigard) together with the powerful, "benevolent", and affluent guests from the foreign and local territories—mainlands, duchies, principalities, and manors— directed their heads to the nonchalant Berniss.
A handful of the well-known dukes, marquesses, barons, and lords alongside their respective significant others curled their lips and scrutinized the tardy Berniss.
"My Lord, at last, we can celebrate and enjoy the feast at our table."
"It took her four hours to ready herself?! Incredible."
"Does the King not train up the princess out of decency?"
"She's sophisticated in her garment, without scruples, but is the worst party guest. Tch. A troublesome juvenile of Viktor, no wonder."
Berniss who maintained her composure when she heard of the filthy vermins' grievances gave a curt nod at Mila and to entertain himself with the ladies-in-waiting and maids near the sitting room. Mila looked at her in a worrisome manner. Wrinkling his forehead, he mumbled. "(Will you be okay, Your Highness?)"
Noticing his puppy face, she snorted. "Oh, missy. I live to be great. Think nothing of those remarks!" retorted Berniss, nudging Mila by the elbow. "Go on now, enjoy!"
Mila reluctantly departed from the princess and heaved a sigh in defeat. He never had a slight enthusiasm in terms of interconnecting with the girls because they tended to be talkative and insecure about the topics that were not important under any circumstances.
Not to mention, the baron who took him into his territory and adopted him when he was in the depths of hardships may be attending the sovereign's Coronation Day with his wife or Mila's foster sister who was feeble and bedridden— it was questionable that his sibling would be around the corner of the palace, of course— and he did not wish to bump into that gentleman— Mila was unprepared for it.
'I want to be with you, Bernie,' he uttered, seeing Berniss went away from him. His mouth curled down and the twinkling of his leaf-colored irises evanesced. He felt like he had to accompany the maiden for he figured that Berniss posed an undisconcerted display, once the social circles watched her with scornful glares.
It was as though she left one prospect to exude her royal title instead of her true colors...
Mila shortly facepalmed himself, realizing what he had said. 'Stupid. As if I do have a choice,' Scratching his temple, the waiting-maid recalled the portrait that his superior lass requested him to secure and thought that he must catch a peek of that prince Berniss took a liking. Thinking about the man, the instinctive of his provoked itself out of the blue. Slowly, he examined the attributes of Claus to his curiosity.
Moreover, the ladies whom Mila never met came across his way and there was adversity which lied ahead of him...
***
Berniss strode through the side table and stood next to her twenty-nine-year-old stepmother. The Princess Consort, Irmigard Thys - Rousseau who sported a long blue-green gown made of silk with an embellishment of jewels and ornaments on her velvet tunic and dressed her burgundy locks in a braid deprecated the teenager's delay.
"You're behind schedule..." Irmigard paused, sighting Berniss who ignored her "bickering" on the corner of her amber eye.
She was more in favor of the Connick's visitors than her stepchild regarding the bad situation the princess created since Berniss's spoiled bratty nature upset the milieu. Disciplining Berniss in her hands, nevertheless, could not help and nurture the Masked Princess because Berniss herself never wanted and asked for familial support from her.
And what could she give or say to dear Berniss? Her husband overindulged the damsel after her predecessor's loss. She apprehended Berniss would probably give her a cold shoulder because Irmigard and the monarch espoused in a prompt amidst the broken little girl's sorrow to Elena Rousseau.
The solitary piece she could do as her matriarch was to merely tolerate her faulty character to appease her, despite the antagonistic image Princess Royal installed Irmigard in Berniss's interpretation of evil mother.
Leaning towards her stepdaughter to sink the unbearable tension between them, she stated. "... and I assent you are looking regal as a lily of the valley that flourishes in spring, your-"
"Likewise, Miss Thys." Berniss complemented with an irreverent tone, cooling herself with the aid of a handheld fan. She was further indifferent to personally speak with Irmigard whether they would be exclusively together at Kerstel or on any special occasion. The high-pitch voice of her father's second wife and her strong fragrance from her professedly obnoxious perfume pestered Berniss's insides she would barf.
The 13th King of Connick's half-brother, Louis II tapped the glass with a spoon twice; the companies diverted their interest to the patient king, having a sense of penitence.
They reckoned Louis II paid attention to their murmurings and criticism earlier to his granddaughter which they would not prefer to taunt the Royal Bastard. He used to be a rebellious fellow and was involved in a gang of bandits before he knew he was an illegitimate son of the king— it brought about Louis's reputation into a negative light to his household.
He thus initiated the reception with a cordial greeting to suppress the cynical atmosphere. "A pleasing evening to our dearly beloved visitors, compatriots, family, and friends. We are brought together here in this elated night for it is an honor our invitation from the kingdom has been accepted by yours truly."
"The loyalty of thine own roots to the name of Connick shall prosper in perpetuity and shall generate an eminent period in the Conneasque history, year 953 respecting a new era— the Viktorian Era. " He rose his wine glass up to toast, lifting his chin in confidence. "In reverence to our reigning king, Viktor Rousseau, I pronounce His Majesty's sovereignty among our people and the nation! Enable us to say, All Hail King Viktor!"
"All Hail King Viktor!"
Clinking the glasses, the personages applauded and started to partake in their sumptuous repasts on the tables...
The princess curtsied ere her father. Stooping down her neck, she humbly spoke. "My warmest congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of Your Majesty's Coronation. I am trusting that the people of Connick shall continue to witness growth and abundance in the years ahead under Your Majesty's reign..."
"Skip the formalities, sweetie. Take a seat." Viktor chuckled and motioned his daughter to sit on the chair by his left where Berniss customarily sat down. The father and daughter began to chatter by themselves. It took them forever that His Majesty, Viktor, and Berniss had a moment.
Ensuing the period of mourning of Berniss's paternal grandfather about ten months ago, Viktor went busy with the preparations of the Grand Coronation to plan the ceremony and rarely saw Berniss in their abode. When the moon beamed in the twilight, he would peep by the door and Berniss slumbered peacefully on her bed.
Viktor surely missed his sweetheart to a great extent.
"How is Liza? Has she gone with her partner?" Viktor queried, slicing the hefty steak into half. Berniss first drank her grape wine that was cultivated in the vineyard in Kryger and feigned a gleam on her expression, "Yes Papa! Miss Avet rest assured me she would acquaint me with him when she comes back. Besides that-"
"As it should be," the king took a bite of his meal and resumed, emanating a dark aura in him. The princess felt she talked too much, but still, she said, "But Papa, i-if I may ask since you are now the ruler of our land and gain a power vested upon your rank to control it…" Berniss started fidgeting her fingers, hoping her father would grant her olden dream. "...Will I be free?"
"Surely!" Irmigard, nosily, concluded with a pleasant mood, spinning her wedding ring. "As a matter of fact, you can linger all over Vermaunt and further splendid areas in the castle every commoner can ever dream of. Am I right, Your Majesty?" she took his hand and fondled it by her thumb lovingly.
Irmigard knew in her mind where this discussion of the caring father and daughter would get through and endeavored to terminate it— because an undesired dispute would perhaps arise anytime soon in the reception.
"I could not agree more, my cabbage." the king half-smiled; his wife breathed a sigh of relief as she perceived him curled up his mouth. Seeing them doting in front of her, Berniss averted her gaze from Viktor and Irmigard. She could not help it, but she rather became distant and reserved.
She continued finishing her main course, feeling defeated likewise as in the abandoning ten years of her existence.
'Papa will set me free no more, indeed. I must execute this plan the soonest— a decade of extensive labor and study is reasonable for me to depart from this ragged castle. Condone me, Papa. I gave you chances, but you miserably failed me several times— it sickens me.' she said in her heart, churning her bite and shooting daggers at her father who pampered his wife.
She then directed her gaze onto Irmigard whom she forever scorned in the entirety of her spirit. 'And you, woman—oh yes you witch— I must overthrow you into a desolated wasteland where you shall ask for drops of dripping water and give you up until your last breath. If it is my term to be the king, just you wait and see; I will crumple the both of you into chunks!'
Berniss cut up her steak by force, and smirked, joining into their disgusting narrative. "Silly me, you are exactly right, Miss Thys. I am to be freed."