Everyone's eyes followed the elegantly walking ladies in the banquet hall, especially the one with red hair.
Thus nobody noticed Arthur Hamilton twisting his wife, Charlotte's hands and jeering through his teeth, "Can't you mind your behavior and stop embarrassing me every time? Disgusting woman." He shrugged her away trying to calm down.
Charlotte held back her tears of pain. She took a shallow breath, without daring to make any kind of noise.
Meanwhile, Eleanor appeared in front of Alora and Freya before they could reach anybody else. Her cool mint eyes couldn't stop themselves from looking at Alora's smooth, radiant skin. Up closer, Alora looked like a doll without a hint of a flaw.
Alora looked so surreal that even Eleanor started to believe her as a witch, A witch with a beauty that could sway anybody, even her.
Quickly snapping out of her daze, she flashed a soft smile, "Alora, Freya…" She addressed them intimately. Suddenly there was a pause in her expression, smoothly grabbing the attention on her. It seemed like she was taken aback by Alora and Freya's reaction but she didn't even give them time to react.
She started the 'you guess' game by slowly saying a word for word, "I am- Ele…a..nor Roosevelt Blewett."
As if it was too easy to change the mood, she flashed a bright smile at Alora as she tried to establish a connection with Alora, "Alora, I am sure you remember me."
Eleanor was six and Alora was four when they were playing together, running around in the palace, filling every corner with their adorable giggles. During that time, Eleanor's younger sister, Helena was a baby in a crib and Freya was just born.
Alora watched the gorgeous lady in front of her. Her natural tendency to smile and politely respond was unnaturally controlled by herself. She didn't feel like Eleanor was being real as she appeared, hence Alora's body urged her to look at Freya due to uneasiness.
Anyway, Alora's attention shifted to Eleanor's last words. She dived into her memory lane but other than hearing Eleanor's name, she remembers nothing.
Eleanor was older and the first princess in their generation. So Alora tried to offer a crusty but Freya gripped her arm.
Freya could obviously see through Eleanor was up to something. "Viscountess Caswell."
Freya reminded Eleanor that she was married to an Earl of Caswell and her name was changed to Eleanor Roosevelt Caswell. Not Blewett.
Eleanor gritted her teeth. What if she was married to a guard who was raised to the position of Earl? She was still a princess.
Nevertheless, Freya flashed her a knowing smile. Eleanor didn't marry a guard for love. The news of Eleanor visiting the guard's room at night was spreading like wildfire, staining her and the Blewett family's reputation. Thus Catherine and Edward forced Eleanor into the marriage, labeling it as true love.
Freya wasn't looking down on the guard position, she was reminding Eleanor of her position.
Well, which fool accepts he is a fool?
Eleanor looked at Alora. Her pretense of being cool-headed started to be replaced with fear when she raised her trembling hand to touch Alora's hair, "Alora, you had moonlocks." Alora's silver hair was brighter than any of the princesses she could remember.
Anyway, she wasn't reminiscing. She was igniting the fire, "You weren't looking like this in the past."
As if her words gave confidence to others, the hall started to buzz, elders agreed to it, and youngsters and new royals started asking one another.
Eleanor let her fingers brush the soft silky red waves. She has to comment on Alora's eyes too but her body started quivering just at the thought of looking into Alora's ruby eyes.
Catherine muttered under her breath, "Useless." Her gaze went around in the hall and landed on a young girl who was sitting on the chair and leisurely watching the drama unfold.
The girl met her mother's eyes which demanded her to do as said. Gritting her teeth, the girl stood up and approached the three ladies, "Sister Eleanor, Princess Alora was very young, how could she remember such old times?"
Helena Roosevelt Blewett; a princess who nobody can understand. Sometimes she stood against her parents and greediness, the next moment she could fight for power. She often lets people put their guard down, then viciously stab them with her words.
Freya expected this day, Catherine, her husband, and her daughters targeting Alora. But it was still infuriating to watch them and, do nothing.
She looked at Alora, who was standing stiff, trying her best not to embarrass their parents.
Eleanor added playfully, "My bad. I thought Alora's memory is still as good as in the past."
How could she forget, that Alora was ahead in her studies being younger than her?
Little Alora was amusing every professor, nobles, and royals with her quick-wittedness and adorable giggles.
Alora could sense the mockery in Eleanor's words but her face had a smile of apology for bringing up the past.
Alora couldn't hold back from glancing at her parents. Silently saying she wasn't comfortable talking to Eleanor. Nevertheless, she wasn't asking for help, she knew she had to deal with everyone.
"I heard Viscountess Caswell loves to play Pelmanism to train her memory. We shall play sometime." Alora flashed a reserved smile.
Freya, Eugenie, and Zander's lips slightly arced looking at Eleanor's change in expression. Unfortunately, Alora didn't know Eleanor started to train her memory because she wanted to beat little Alora's speed in Pelmanism - a simple card game in which matching pairs must be selected from memory from the cards that are laid face down.
A faint chuckle echoed in the hall because that was a game created for kids.
Embarrassed, Eleanor gritted her teeth, forcing a smile on her face, "Then I will send an invite very soon."
Helena stood next to her elder sister, in front of Alora and Freya. She started with Freya, "Freya, we have heard a lot about you and your achievements. Every Roosevelt is proud of you."
First of all, Freya didn't like how they were using their names, pretending to be close to them. Secondly, she is well aware Helena was up to no good either. Helena was building a stage to put Alora in another trouble. Thus she didn't bother to respond.
Helena expected at least a smile, after all, everyone liked compliments. Her lips twitched but she managed to handle it with a smile and looked at Alora. "Princess Alora, it's a pity that we didn't hear much about you." A taunt saying she had no name despite being first in line for succession.
Helena continued, loud enough to reach most of the ears that were etched on them. "As the first princess of Linwood, I am certain you have your talent in various fields. Why don't we start your introduction with it?"
Alora could guess what was coming up as soon as she heard 'first princess of Linwood' Linwoods and Roosevelts are powerful mages. She has to be impeccable to justify being their daughter. Unfortunately, she had no magical powers.
Helena, who became thoughtful for a moment, suggested the obvious, "Why don't you honor us by showing your special power abilities?"
Zander involuntarily took a step but Eugenie stopped her husband. Although their daughter was new to the world filled with conspiracies, she wasn't smiling and happily chatting with the Blewett siblings. She was very careful about her actions and words. She was weighing the situation and speaking her mind, which was so unlike Alora.
Alora they knew was a girl who speaks her heart, follows her heart, and smiles through her heart. Eugenie felt like they underestimated their daughter. Thus she was letting Alora handle the things despite knowing it was going to exhaust her and hurt her emotionally.
Freya spoke before Alora, "Second Princess of Blewett. Are you suggesting or commanding my sister?" There was a warning in her tone.
Helena wasn't scared, rather her lips curled up, adapting herself to the change quickly, "My apologies, Princess Alora could also choose the sword fighting and her opponent could be you, princess Freya." She smoothly leveled up the difficulty and put the sisters against each other.
A buzzing voice filled the hall. No one over there was a fool to misunderstand what was going on. Neither Alora.
"Second Princess of Blewett," Alora's soft voice silenced the hall. "I don't think what you suggested is suitable for the occasion. There will be plenty of time to see what I am talented in and whatnot."
Others don't have to know so soon that she wasn't a mage and hadn't learned sword fighting or any other tenacious activities that need physical strength.
Zander couldn't believe the girl who was turning to him to handle the tricky situation and rejections, was handling it smoothly. He was feeling proud of the baby growth in his daughter.
Helena's face darkened. She assumed Alora was too smart and sly, unlike her delicate appearance. Alora embarrassed her sister with the card game, then she pointed out the negligence for suggesting the acts that had violence.
Anyway, she wasn't like her sister to lose so soon, she came up with the ultimate strike that they had reserved for the last. "I guess, I was pretty overexcited earlier." She came up with an excuse without batting an eyelid.
Flashing an amiable smile, Helena continued, "Princess Alora, what do you think about singing or dancing or playing musical instruments? That undoubtedly suits the occasion to be filled with joy."
Catherine furrowed when Helena bypassed all her plans. If they execute this plan, she wouldn't be able to embarrass Eugenie enough times. She gritted her teeth, glaring at his second daughter whose ego was hurt.
Sing!? Alora didn't feel like speaking, much less singing. Dance? She wouldn't be comfortable as no one there looked at her like a normal human being. She was left with playing some music.
Freya wanted to retort as not everyone knows it. For example, she can't sing or play music. However, Alora accepted, "Then I would like to request Duchess Blewett to arrange a harp for me." Catherine was responsible for the banquet so it was manners to go through her.
Catherine forced a smile at Alora and looked at the nearest maid, "Arrange a harp for Princess Alora."
Zander instructed Eugenie, frankly not pleased with the flow of events. "Check the harp when it comes." Eugenie taught Alora so she knows well about the harp and he doesn't.
Eugenie hummed, she was aware that the day wasn't going to be as smooth as Alora was handling it. One to be hurt in the end is certainly Alora who was innocent to face this new world. Despite knowing it, Eugenie was helpless.