"A letter? From his highness?"
"Yes, my lord. It has the royal seal of the crown prince"
Sebastian frowned. There was almost nothing to be gained associating with the crown prince and the rumors that he was on his side gave Sebastian such a headache. Neither his father nor Natalia said anything about the rumors but now that he had traveled to the southwest, the rumors have wildly changed. This letter could be the crown prince's official appeal to get Sebastian on his side. With his sister's prediction, there was no way he could do that.
As Sebastian ripped the letter open, the door opened once more. Natalia stood at the door with a slightly panicked look on her face, her breath uneven. Sebastian knew his sister was calm, regardless of the situation but when it came to those she cared about, she was like a hurricane.
"Do you wish to read it first?" he smiled, extending the letter to her. She stepped forward, taking it from his hands. She read through it with an almost inconceivable speed, returning it without a change in expression once she was done. He read through the letter too and his smile changed into a frown.
"His majesty is summoning us back to the capital?"
"If I'm correct, it should soon be the Queen's birthday. All nobles have to return to greet and congratulate the royal mother. This is a private invitation from the crown prince. He wants me to stay in his villa for the duration of the party. Should I turn him down?"
"Without a good reason, we can't turn him down. He's a twisted man"
"He's always been like that" Sebastian chuckled, throwing the letter into the pile of letters he had been receiving for the past few days. It would soon be carried out and sorted by Gerald. It was like treason to dispose of the crown prince's letter so even if he didn't want to keep it, he had to.
"If the King is summoning us back, doesn't that mean you'll have to go too?"
"Yes, I'll have to go to the capital with my husband as a married couple. Since we haven't had any party or any other guests, rumors of the duke and the princess won't spread for now. But if that's how it is, you will have to accompany her back to the capital"
"If that is what you wish, then that is what I shall do"
Sebastian was pleased that she finally smiled. But these days, Natalia's smile didn't ever reach her eyes. No, her eyes were vacant, a show of her empty soul and heart. His sister had waited her whole life for a good marriage, a good home, and comfortable life, only to be awarded a selfish duke who loved another but refused to take her as his wife. There was nothing Natalia did to deserve something like this. She was just unlucky.
"It's custom for a newly married couple to visit the bride's home but I haven't brought it up to the duke yet. I'll have to inform the head butler to at least pitch it to him. If he doesn't agree, then I have tried my best. I'll make up something to please father"
Even now, she was compensating for other people's fault. Even though she's the most innocent and most pitiful there, she was viewed as the villain in a land where no one would bother to love her no matter how sincere she was. The sense of defeat that hung around Natalia was too painful to see.
"I'm sorry…..Natalia"
"For what, Bastian? It's not your fault"
"No, if I had fought harder against your marriage. If I had done something..."
"Both of us would've died. Isn't it good that we're still alive?"
Sebastian could see his own weakness. It was horrifying that he couldn't protect the one person he wanted to protect. There was only one Natalia in his world yet he couldn't give her happiness.
"Bastian, happiness is a far fetched goal for pawns like us. I've accepted my fate but I cannot accept you blaming yourself for what isn't your fault. You shouldn't die with regrets, no, you shouldn't die at all, my dear brother. Even if I cannot smile, I want to see you smile. Only then would I be reassured that you are still here with me, breathing and living"
"I'm supposed to say that to you"
"Now that we're going to the capital, we'll see each other often. You'll be less worried about me then, won't you?"
"I'm worried about you all the time. The capital is a much bigger battlefield. If you return with a lukewarm atmosphere with your husband...."
"The duke has always been a quiet person. It would be easy to make excuses and give curt words to overly curious ears. I'm not the flower of the capital for nothing" she said with confidence. Sebastian chuckled.
"A letter…..from my brother?"
"His lordship asked us to deliver it to you"
Alana's relationship with her brother the crown prince was non-existent. He treated her like a bug that could easily be squashed under his feet, a meaningless existence even though they were born of the same father. To receive a letter from him, it would mean she was finally regarded as a pawn.
"Oh, it's almost time for her majesty's birthday. I have to return to the palace"
It was compulsory for nobles to wish her majesty on the occasion of her birthday. Since she was so favored, she had a weekly celebration every year. Endless balls every day and a chance for high society to mingle. In her past life, Alana took this chance to socialize, to find a place for herself in high society but it quickly became clear that she wasn't welcome there.
The fact that the letter was delivered to her in the duke's mansion by Sebastian's servants meant two things. One, her brother didn't know where she was and thought she was staying with the young lord Adamantine. Two, she was so despised that the lord didn't bother to deliver the letter himself. Alana laughed, scorning herself.
"Right, I didn't think it would be easy. I'll return with him and try my luck again. This time, I'll repent for my sins"
There was a knock on her door. The servants of the young lord had long gone and there was only the letter left in her hands. If she let Fredrich know about the letter, there was no way he would sit still. However, it wasn't like she could keep it from him. She was in his house after all.
"Your highness, it's time for lunch"
"I'm not hungry. Thank you, Wilbur"
"You skipped breakfast, your highness. You shouldn't….."
"Are people around here not fond of listening to royalty?"
"Of course not, your highness!"
"If I said I'm not hungry, then I'm not hungry. Leave me be"
"Yes…..your highness"