[Percival]
The audience with his majesty was already done and we are now in his highness office. He looks so troubled about the issue today. Well, his engagement was cancelled. It looks like the lady was in her right mind now.
To think that the Ducal family will request to cancel it. I saw everything what Lady Vassenton done to his highness when she was staying here in the palace.
Even though she was clinging into his highness, she's doing her part to finish and make amends on the work.
"Do you think that woman was planning something again? It does not feel right!" he keeps on blurting out that ever since we came back to his office.
"Your highness, why don't you visit their house if you're really curious if she was planning something. You can visit tomorrow since you do not have any special schedule." I suggested.
"That's great! She keeps on following me, it makes me creep every time she appears in my sight." He said while frowning... "Ever since the incident it feels like she's doing that on purpose, keeping herself drowned on the lake and pretending to be sick"
We give a cold treatment to the lady when she started living in the palace. His highness did not glance with affection towards her since day one.
The way that the duke plead to cancel the wedding it seems that they are serious. But just to make sure, I'll investigate more about those matters.
...the next day...
"Where is Lewis? Is he not coming with us Percival?" He asks me.
"I'm here, I just double check the carriage to make sure your safety your highness." Lewis said.
"Let's go your highness." I said and guide him to the carriage.
The carriage is now heading to the Vassenton's Manor. We did not give a word that we will be visiting today. This is a great chance to check if they were really planning something or not.
After an hour of travel, we arrived at the manor of the Duke Vassentons. We talked to the guards that we came to visit the lady. They let us enter the vicinity as courtesy since it is his highness.
The Duke and Duchess greet us. I did not see the Lady we came for.
"Welcome to our humbly manor your highness Maximillian Castellane, Baron Percival Findlay and Grand Knight Lewis Forrest." The Duke and the Duchess said and bow their heads.
"May we know the reason of your sudden visit?" Duke Ramon ask.
"We came here see Lady Luciana." His highness said with authority.
They ask someone to call the lady and we are guided to the dining hall since it's already lunch time.
We walked on the hallway and saw portraits of the Lady when she was younger and a few paintings hanged beside the portrait of the lady.
"As you see, this is the work of my daughter. She paints them." The duchess said. "She used to love to paint, but then she stops it and we do not know the reason why. The las art she makes is this one." She said and pointing out the painting.
It is his highness who was busy reading book under a tree. The scenery was surreal and the image of the crown prince was drawn well.
I remember this time; the lady was hiding on the bushes with a pencil and a paper on her hand while looking intently on the crown prince from a far. So, the sketch she makes that time was for this painting?
"Ahhh, please sit down and feel comfortable while we wait for my Lulu to arrive." Duchess Liana said and sit.
We sit down and quietly wait. No one dares to talk. Too awkward.
"E-e-ehheemm. So, what does the sun of the empire crown prince Maximillian do here?" A voice echoed on the room.
"What is your business in this manor that you need to call me for?" She asks us.
She walks and sit beside her mother. The look to us. A dead gaze and a chilly atmosphere.
This girl's eyes are different from the eyes that sternly looking to the crown prince before.
I answered her. "We are here to visit you milady."
"You do not need to visit here just to check if I'm dead or alive. You do not need to concern yourself from visiting me." She said while giving us a none reaction face and dead gaze.
"Please do not say that my daughter." The duke and the duchess reprimand her.
"Does that matter? I don't see a reason for them to visit here in the first place." She spoke.
"We are just concern about your health milady." I answered her. This is new to me.
His highness was not saying a word so I look at him... He looks so surprise and taken aback with her words. This is the first time that the lady gives his highness a cold treatment.
"Let's eat first, please serve the food now." The duke said so we eat in silence, only the sound of the utensils is heard.
"Is it true that you wish to cancel our engagement?" The crown prince asks question.
"Yes, that's true so don't bother yourself coming here anymore." She said with a poker face.
She changed, where did it start?
"Then may I know the reason why you wanted to cancel our engagement? You wanted this before, right?" He's out of line again. Tch.
"Why? You ask? It's simple your highness. You do not love me and this is just a political marriage so its doe not bother you at all if this engagement will be cancelled, right?" She spoke. It back fired to him.
"Then do not come to the palace begging that you wish to marry me sooner or later, okay?" He said and look intently on the lady.
"Yes, of course. I won't follow you or bother you anymore." She said and continue eating.
"So, Lady Luciana. You need to deliver a report about all the matters you have handles while you were in the palace." Pertaining to the work load she's done before falling on the lake.
"I'll manage to make a report, give me five days to finish all and hand over it to the pertinent department." She says while looking at her food.
Once we are all finish eating, there were a long awkward silence in the room.
"Well then, It's a bit late now and won't be seeing you all off. I will go back to my room and rest." She said and retire herself on the dining hall.
"Please pardon our daughters approach towards to the crown princes and it's close aides. It seems that she's still upset about the incident that happen to her." The Duke explain and beg for forgiveness.
"What exactly happen to her? She changed a lot compare to the last time we saw her." I ask the duke.
"We do not know either, although as soon as she open her eyes from sleeping without waking up for a few days, suddenly she she acted like she does not remember anything at all. Like a person having an amnesia and keep telling me that she does not want to die and do not wish to live in the palace anymore." Her mother said.
"We are sorry on what happened to Lady Luciana." I apologized in behalf of the next ruler.
"No, we are the one who should be saying sorry. Please forgive our daughters deed to you, your highness. As well as to the Grand Knight and Baron." He sincerely apologized.
"Please do not mind it. Then we will be off now. Thank you for having us here even though we came in without prior notice." The Crown Prince Maximillian smiled and head off the the carriage.
"Plant a spy on the Ducal Manor so we can observe if they plan something evil deeds again." The crown prince ordered us.
"What do you think Percival?" He ask me.
"Indeed, she changed quite a lot compared to the last time we have seen her." I honestly say to his highness.