After a long debate in the King's study with the wine flowing, King Vallotton and Duke Valent finally reached an agreement:
Yes, they will have a reception for Anatole. No, the welcoming ceremony will not be followed by a parade. Instead, King Vallotton will host Anatole's entourage at the Palace.
It was already midnight when they came to an agreement. But neither of them showed any sign of arguing about anything else.
"I wonder how they could become a king and a duke," complained Count Lavaud as he came out of the study room.
"By bloodline, Count Lavaud," Mariette answered. She heard the insignificant debate faintly inside.
"Thank you for helping me today, Viscountess Tierney. You've been stuck with these old people until late at night. My apologies," said Count Lavaud earnestly.
"No big deal, My Lord," said Mariette. "No one is waiting for me at home. While your wife and children must have been waiting for your return."
Count Lavaud smiled faintly at Mariette. "One day, you will have someone waiting for you at home, My Lady," he said. "I am still as optimistic as His Majesty the King and Duke Valent. We shall wait for the report from Sir Anatole."
The one who will be waiting for me at home, Mariette repeated to herself.
No.
Mariette had heard enough of the vivid visions women at the salon table dream of. They were to marry while still beautiful to a nobleman they met at the ball. Then they will give birth to lovely children. Then on certain days, the time would come when they would wait for their husbands to return with their children.
But Mariette couldn't imagine it. Such a dream of life seemed impossible to Mariette.
Mariette couldn't imagine that a man would ever like her. Mariette couldn't imagine herself dancing with a man who secretly liked her. Mariette couldn't imagine a man even thinking about her.
Mariette couldn't imagine a man waiting for her.
"Thank you for the prayers, Count Lavaud," Mariette said in small talk. "Let's just wait how-"
The sound of something falling then startled them. Mariette and Count Lavaud both searched for the source of the sound. And it turns out that the voice came from Elroy.
"Sir Elroy?" said Count Lavaud doubtfully.
Elroy looked surprised to see the two of them. Soon his face was red with embarrassment.
Mariette notices Elroy's messy hair. There was a trace of something on one side of the man's face. Books seemed to fall around him.
"My apologies for startling you, Count Lavaud, Viscountess Tierney," said Elroy. "You can just ignore me."
"You stuck around in the library all night?" asked Count Lavaud. He started helping pick up Elroy's books.
Elroy looked reluctant. "Yes, even though I fell asleep."
Mariette helped and found a book about curses among Elroy's books.
Their eyes met for a split second. But Elroy immediately looked away.
"Thanks for the help," said Elroy. "I'm holding you back when you're going home."
"Come on, Sir Elroy. Just relax. We are both workers here," Count Lavaud said, patting Elroy on the shoulder.
"You both are going home? How about I escort you? It's already late at night…"
Count Lavaud laughed. "My house is just a stone's throw from here. But Viscountess Tierney…"
"This is not the first time I have come home late. Besides, Sir Elroy looks very sleepy already," Mariette refused.
"Don't turn him down, My Lady. It's later than usual. Moreover, the road is still slippery. What if something happened to you?" said Count Lavaud.
Mariette glanced at Elroy. His expression was full of hope.
"All right," sighed Mariette. "Thank you for your assistance, Sir Elroy."
Elroy's face, which was initially sleepy, brightened instantly.
From the exhalation from the guard's mouth and nose, Mariette could tell it was pretty cold outside. Mariette herself was not bothered by the (possible) cold temperature. Well, she can barely feel it.
But the kind-hearted man named Elroy seemed to be able to sense what Mariette's body was really feeling.
"I know that your sense of taste is desensitized. But that doesn't mean you can let it go, right?" said Elroy as he draped his cloak over Mariette's body.
"We're already inside the carriage. My body will be fine," said Mariette. "How about yourself?"
"I'm a knight. My body is stormproof," Elroy joked.
At this time, normally someone would laugh. But Mariette couldn't do it.
"I'm Sorry," said Mariette when Elroy suddenly fell silent.
"It's okay. I don't know where to joke," said Elroy, then cleared his throat.
"I saw one of the books you dropped earlier," Mariette told him. "There's a book about curses."
"Er, that…" Elroy scratched the back of his neck. "My apologies! I don't mean to be presumptuous. It is just-"
"I already told you not to worry. Take a look for yourself, Sir Elroy. You stay up all night in the library like this."
"I did it voluntarily. I'm not burdened at all. After all, I got a lot of new information," explained Elroy.
Mariette let out a long breath. "Sir Anatole will be back in a moment. He carried a report of important information about my curse. So you don't have to worry anymore."
"Pardon me? Sir Anatole?"
"The expedition to cooperate with other kingdoms was just a cover. What Sir Anatole is really doing is looking for the last wizard."
"That means your curse can be released?!"
"No, not necessarily. The witch died from the plague. Sir Anatole, however, did have a word with the wizard."
"Too bad," Elroy muttered. He stole a glance at Mariette. "How do you feel?"
"You know how I am, Sir Elroy."
They both fell silent suddenly. Elroy seemed to be thinking about something.
"You will still allow me to learn about the curse, right?"
Mariette stared into Elroy's blue eyes. She asked seriously, "Why?"
Elroy's blue eyes stared back at Mariette's olive eyes. The glow in his eyes in the dark looks very shining in the middle of the dim night.
Those eyes… stared at Mariette with a radiance Mariette had never seen before.