Alek didn't like seeing his fiancée talking to her former maid at all. Especially since he couldn't hear what they were talking about. She had helped him understand how to calm Celia down again, but there was still something fishy going on.
The meeting with his aunt had also been more than suspicious. As if the two had known each other for years. But it wasn't possible for a mere maid to know the queen without ever having worked for her. As far as he knew, though, the Fleurets estate had been her first place of employment. So could he really trust her? It was more than clear that she didn't like him. Still, it was hard to imagine that she would want to harm her old mistress. So what was she up to? Women were even more complicated to figure out than the enemy's war strategies.
Luckily, his fiancée wasn't that devious. He'd make sure the two of them didn't have too much contact. After all, Lora didn't want to work for him and the two estates were relatively far apart. It shouldn't be too difficult to achieve.
After it looked like the women were finally saying their goodbyes, he relaxed again.
He would now go to town with his fiancée and give her a really nice gift. Celia and their relationship were now the only thing that really mattered.
+++
"That bloody bastard!" Enraged, Caius plucked some blossoms from the rose bush beside him and crushed them in his hand.
His sister Sarra, who was sitting on her favorite bench again, just rolled her eyes. "Would you please not take your anger out on the flowers? They haven't done anything to you. Besides, I don't want this place to look like a battlefield."
But Caius didn't listen to her at all and threw the crushed blossoms on the floor to finish them off by stepping on them. "Every time he comes, I still get to hear weeks later how great he is and about everything he's accomplished. I got enough of seeing his smug face."
"I, on the other hand, could look at it every day," Sarra gushed, looking slightly dreamily at the flowers her brother hadn't destroyed yet. This time her brother listened to her words and looked at her laughing maliciously. "Oh yeah? Well, have fun with that, because from now on, next to his face will always be Lady Celia's."
Sarra gave him a venomous look. It seemed like she really had expected to be able to marry her older cousin one day. How naive she was. If he were in his father's place, he would have married her off at sixteen to some noble or king from another kingdom.
If he had tried to persuade Lady Celia to marry him after her rejection, he would now be the one his father would be proud of. But who could have known that his father placed so much value on an insignificant woman who had never attended another ball after her introduction to society. Now it was too late. His cousin had beaten him to it.
"Alek is bound to get bored with her soon and then I can take my chances," he suddenly heard his sister say and he looked at her skeptically. But then his expression brightened. But of course! Why haven't I thought of that before? So far, the two of them are only engaged! If he managed to break them up, it would be easy for him to win this naive girl over. And his sister would be a very useful tool in this matter.
"My dear sister, how about I help you win our cousin over?" he asked her with a sly smile on his lips.
Sarra leaned back slightly and looked at him out of narrowed eyes. "Why would you help me? You're always making fun of my crush on him. What do you get out of it?"
"Father's pleasure if Lady Celia does choose me over Alek."
His sister laughed out loud. "Do you really believe that? With or without Lady Celia, Alek will always be superior to you. Besides, you're not even interested in her. You already have two concubines."
Angrily, he clenched his hand into a fist. His whole arm tingled and he really wanted to slap her. His sister should be careful with what she said to him. But for now, he had to hold back and contain his anger. He needed it for his plan. Especially since it had just expanded thanks to his sister's words. "Does this even matter to you? If we succeed, then you'll have Alek to yourself, that should be all that you are interested in."
She considered it for a while, then looked at him uncertainly. However, Caius knew she would cooperate. "Very well ... I will help you. But do you even have a plan on how to separate the two of them?"
Caius smiled. "Oh,my dear sister. How naive you are. Of course, I already have an idea. Lady Celia grew up in a family where no one stands by her. Her sister makes fun of her heritage and her father remains completely silent about her. She probably had no friends in her life. Until now. Because you, my dear sister, will introduce her to society. Become her friend."
Sarra screwed up her face in disgust. "Never! Never will I befriend that...lowly person!"
Caius clenched his teeth tightly and tried to remain calm. "If you want to win Alek over, you're going to have to win Lady Celia over first. For my sake, feel free to taunt her or whatever. Just don't get caught doing it! Just tell the other ladies to do it for you. And if they do, defend Lady Celia. So that she does not suspect you under any circumstances. She needs to spend as much time here as possible so I can get close to her. Do you understand?" Urgently he looked at his sister.
She pushed her lower lip forward in a pout, but then nodded obediently.
Satisfied, Caius extended his hand to her and they sealed their partnership with a handshake. "Don't worry, Alek will be yours in no time." Sarra smiled like a little child at the thought.
He would take advantage of his sister and her feelings for her cousin as best he could. Until he won Celia over and got his annoying cousin off his back. His sister didn't even suspect anything of what he was really planning. No one was dumber than a young woman in love.