As the morning came, Isabelle brewed yet another pot of tea for the king and brought it up to his chamber. Her hands shook from nervousness. She was still terrified that she was going to be punished and send back to Galbore. She didn't dare to confront Cassian about the wedding band, or the lack of, whilst the king was present. She didn't even know how to confront him, but she couldn't stop thinking that she might've lost that ring forever with it being returned to her father.
Her thoughts were racing when she knocked on the heavy wooden door.
"Come in." Artorius' voice sounded on the other side.
"Good morning, your majesty." Isabelle said as she walked in, faking the smile. "Father." She corrected herself.
"Good morning, Adeline." The king reciprocated her smile although his smile was true. He invited Isabelle to sit down for the tea with him.
"I've brought you the tea with the devil's claw and willow bark. I've added dried fruit to it as well as honey today. It should be much smoother than last time."
"Wonderful!" Artorius was eager for the tea and the biscuits that Isabelle brought along.
"I hope that you had a good rest." She said pleasantly.
"Very good, my dear Adeline." Artorius smiled. "This knee has been the best in years since yesterday."
"Oh, I'm so glad." Isabelle placed herself in velvet chair. "I had a good think about it and I should be able to derive an ointment to ease off your discomfort. I should be able to have it by tomorrow night."
"Sounds amazing. You have done a better job of this than the royal healers and physicians that have just told me to live with the pain."
"That sounds awful." Isabelle gasped at a thought of telling someone to live the rest of their life in pain and discomfort without even trying to do anything.
"Uh-huh." Artorius leaned back in the armchair, getting himself comfortable. "Cassian never was very fond of sitting for a tea with me."
"Why?"
"He didn't like the stillness. He still doesn't. He doesn't enjoy serenity of a peaceful morning and soothing tea. He always was eager to go outside as soon as he could. He used to dress up and go horse riding or sparring with the knights at the dawn. He hardly grew out of it. If it weren't for a pile of responsibilities, I bet that he still would vanish from the castle at dawn."
"How was his highness as a child?" Isabelle asked curiously instantly regretting it. She shouldn't inquire about him so openly.
"Hmmm… he was a bit of a troublemaker. Especially with that boy, Samuel. If they were left unsupervised king enough, something would've been set on fire." Artorius chuckled. "But he was so smart. He was well versed in everything. But what he never properly got a hang of was people. He struggles showing his vulnerability and he struggled with the finer and more fragile interactions. He can't hold his tongue if he considers someone to be rude or unjust. And then he remains silent when he should voice his thoughts. He always read a lot of books. His tutors were upset that he read so much ahead and that he often finished the year's curriculum in a month at most."
"His highness is certainly very intelligent." Isabelle agreed with a soft smile that now was a true reflection of what she felt.
"My son is stupid though. He doesn't often recognise the hurt he is causing, and he struggled to show his care and love to people around him. He will not admit that he knows every servant in the castle by name because he tries to act as if he didn't care. But he does. He cares much more than people think."
"Was it always the case?"
"I think so. But since the war he has become worse. I was worried about him taking over the responsibilities as soon as he recovered but he is doing rather well."
Isabelle fidgeted uncomfortably.
"I am sorry to hear that." She mumbled nervously. She felt almost responsible for the war that she had nothing to do with. But it was her father and her kingdom that was the cause.
"It was his choice." Artorius replied. "One thing you must know is that once he sets his mind to something then there's no changing it. It was the case with your marriage."
"I-…" Isabelle stuttered as her anxiety grew. Her marriage with Cassian was still a topic she struggled with.
"You must know that Cassian has insisted on marrying you since he came back from the war. It took him a few months to recover, but he counted the days."
"Sir Asselin told me that you haven't said a word about the marriage."
"As I've said, there's no changing Cassian's mind since he sets himself to do something. I didn't see a benefit in fighting it. Every advisor was saying that it was a bad idea but Cassian pressed on. I am glad that he did. I trusted that his persistence was for a good reason."
"I am afraid that the marriage has brought very little benefit to either his highness or Ariadna."
"I disagree."
After the tea, Isabelle helped Artorius walk across to the dining room. Cassian was already inside with Annette sitting closer to him than over the past few days. Annette scowled at Isabelle as soon as she appeared, her disdain growing.
"Good morning." Cassian smiled at Isabelle who curtsied in front of him.
"Good morning, your highness." She said. Her voice was unenthusiastic. She helped Artorius to his chair before she sat down beside the king. Cassian fixed his gaze on her as his father's words still concerned him. Annette was gritting her teeth.
"Anemone tea?" Artorius asked as he sniffed the air filled with the strong herbal scent.
"Yes." Cassian replied shortly.
"Again?"
"Yes."
"And you?" King asked Isabelle with his brows furrowed.
"I do enjoy anemone tea, father."
"Do you not get any side effects?" Artorius' face twisted in worry.
"No." Isabelle smiled. "I find it rather soothing."
Artorius nodded but it seemed that he wasn't satisfied with an answer.
"Do you drink it often?"
"Every day. Since I was a child." Isabelle felt embarrassed for no reason as she said it.
Artorius looked at Cassian as if they knew something that Isabelle didn't. But neither said a word, their silence interrupted by Samuel's arrival. Samuel said his welcome to everyone in the room, his tone clearly colder when he spoke to Annette, before he took a seat on the opposite side of the table to Isabelle, a few seats away from Annette.
"You might want to switch up your tea, Cassian. We've been invited to Valerie in a few weeks." Samuel spoke across the table as he ate eagerly.
"Get Constantine and Benedict down here instead." Cassian grumbled. "They can come prior to the Soeing Equinox and stay until the ball."
"It might be a good idea. We are also expecting King Edgar."
Cassian automatically looked over at Isabelle.
"I will respond to this request myself."
"That's good." Samuel nodded as he loaded his plate further.
Annette was the first one to excuse herself. An ugly glimmer shone in her eyes as she walked around the table. As she passed behind Isabelle, she tripped over nothing. And even as she tripped, her face twisted into a cunning smile. Her hand caught Isabelle's wig pulling it off unexpectedly. Isabelle's eyes widened as she comprehended what has happened. Her blue hair cascaded down, revealing its vivid and unnatural colour.
"I'm sorry, Adeline." Annette mumbled but her voice was far from sincere.
"Excuse me." Isabelle stood up as she mumbled in embarrassment. She bowed her head and half curtsied before leaving the room in a hurry, too afraid to see the reaction of people at the table.
"Did I just see it right?" Annette asked as she still held the wig in her hand. "Her hair was blue?!"
"I told her already that it looked fantastic." Samuel said honestly as he filled his mouth with another slice of buttered bread. "If I remember correctly, she said something about looking like a pond creature."
Cassian was speechless but Samuel's comment brought his attention back.
"You saw it?"
"Yes." Samuel shrugged.
"When did this happen?"
"A few days ago. This is exactly why her highness is wearing wigs. She was worried over it." Samuel explained.
"How did it happen?" Cassian furrowed his brows.
Samuel looked at Annette with his own mischievous smile, watching with satisfaction as Annette's smile vanished.
"Her highness tried to lighten her hair with a serum gifted to her by her grace."
"Why?"
"Because, according to her grace, her highness' hair was too Galborian. So she gifted our princess a lightening serum which didn't quite work as intended."
"Too Galborian?" Cassian repeated before he scowled at Annette. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"I only suggested lightening of her highness's hair because I didn't want her to stand out in the royal court." Annette whimpered.
"Her hair was fine as it was. Never speak of such things again, Annette. Her highness does not have to alter her appearance unless she wishes to. And she definitely doesn't have to conceal who she is."
Cassian stood up, hovering over the table. His eyes darkened as he looked at Annette.
Artorius smiled as he realised that his accusation was wrong. Cassian stood up for Isabelle when he felt it was needed. His fury over this simple incident was clear. Samuel smiled with even more satisfaction.
"How did you see her highness's hair?" Annette asked Samuel angrily. "Even I haven't seen it yet."
"Her highness's wig came off when we were sparring the other day." Samuel shrugged.
"You shouldn't encourage such an inappropriate behaviour in a princess." Annette stumped her foot.
"I have at least two responses to this. One, I don't understand how being able to fight is inappropriate for a princess. And two, since when am I the one to promote appropriate behaviours?"
"Focus on teaching her highness of the appropriate behaviours for the ball. Nothing less and nothing more. It is not up to you to decide what her highness does in her free time." Cassian said sharply.
"Even if her highness spends an inappropriate amount of time with the first royal advisor?" Annette asked with a bite in her voice.
"Your grace, her highness uses my company to escape your horrid lessons. She rather learn from me than you."
"What is she learning from you? How to be vulgar?"
"It is unsuitable to insinuate anything about your princess." Artorius stood up and spoke up at last. Annette's face showed a flash of anger and displeasure at the king's comment. Samuel still smiled. Cassian's face was neutral, not showing what he truly thought or felt.
"Apologies, your majesty." Annette said to Artorius with a curtsy before she left the room.