The three teens sat in a circle on their rug, facing each other in stiff silence. This was their first real conversation since they arrived, and Juno couldn't help but be nervous.
"It's nice to meet you two," Peony waved awkwardly at the other two, who returned an equally awkward greeting. The girl had, up until recently, lived somewhere else but had moved away to the Capital with her father to open up a herbal stall.
"We sold all types of spices and vegetables. I'm from the Capital." She told them proudly. Her father was Arthur Williams, a man built like a lumberjack with prominent eyebrows but very kind to anyone who needed help.
Their little stall was well-known in the city and was featured in the famous newspaper "The Norian Express" for best customer service and products; Juno remembered reading something like that once.
They looked at each other for a while before Mio spoke up next. "I'm from the Eastern province." The boy offered no more information, but the other two didn't prod him for more. According to Mrs Reeves, Juno's parents had travelled from one of the eastern provinces before leaving him at the orphanage.
"And I'm from the Southern valleys," Juno added, not knowing what was appropriate to share yet, not that he had much going on in his life prior to this ordeal.
As they chatted, they exchanged stories and learned more about each other's personalities and experiences. Juno was pleased to know that they also loved nature and the outdoors.
He spoke about his training at the guild with Max and the various classes he had been assigned. Defence, swordsmanship, locational awareness, and more while Peony shared the different tasks she performed as a maid and how the head maid was a witch.
"She...flogged me because I stayed with the princess instead of shadowing her." She awkwardly played it off with a half-hearted smile. Upon hearing the grim news, the light spirit of the conversation evaporate.
"Let's get down to business," Mio thankfully took the lead in the conversation as they relayed their day in detail.
...
⟪Day 2:
Mio had been correct when he said we were in trouble.
For some odd reason, Princess Luna has taken an interest in him, he refuses to tell us why, but he did tell us that guards had dragged a knight away after he had won a game of blackjack against Luna.
Princess Diana and Daphne had asked to 'play' with the knight. I don't want to know what that implies.
As for Peony, she has already made the entire staff her enemy, likely because of the head maid, who had flogged her.
The marks don't look like they'll form scars. However, I will have to sneak her some healing ointment from the knight's fortress.
Something is causing the third consort's illness; Peony did tell us about the state of Lady Charlotte being dire. She is with a child and is neglected horribly.
Mio and Peony had argued all night on whether they should get involved or not, this is regarding the king's harem, after all, and we were not even supposed to know about the consort.
I understand why Mio is adamant about staying put with everything at stake. But, unfortunately, we have so many eyes on us that this might backfire badly.
Just thinking of it makes me furious; I have decided that even if it kills me, I will save the third consort. I would have wished somebody to do that for me in her situation.
I can tell Peony is deeply affected by what she saw. Her eye bags make her look sombre.
I have only slept for three hours. So I might as well start my first official shift.⟫
...
When Juno opened his bedroom door to the princess's room, he was surprised to see her at her desk, with multiple scrolls rolled out. Her long blond hair cascaded down her thin shoulders and back.
A small candle was illuminating the pale walls with its soft glow. She wasn't looking up, but with how unmoving she was, Juno could tell she was aware of his presence.
The soft flick of ancient paper moderated the stiff silence between them. Juno stood slightly behind her, turned to his right, watching the clouds drift above.
"Did you meet my brother," Vivianne asked in a voice so quiet that Juno thought for a second that he had imagined it.
"Yes, your highness," He replied similarly. Under the pale moonlight, her skin looked like somebody had collected snow from the moon and sprinkled it on her like fairy dust.
Vivianne looked up for the first time since he arrived, her blue eyes meeting his black ones. He stopped breathing for a second; in the end, he averted his gaze, hoping it was dark enough in the room to cover up his furious blushing.
"Steer clear of him if you know what's good for you,"
...
The next day, the castle was already bustling with activity. The staff worked tirelessly to ensure everything was for the critical meeting with the dukes and that the banquet after was smoothly executed.
In the kitchen, the chefs were busy preparing a sumptuous breakfast for the royals and everybody else. The aroma of fresh coffee and warm pastries filled the air, and the sound of sizzling bacon and eggs could be heard throughout the castle.
Meanwhile, the maids and butlers were deep-cleaning the entire main castle and the guest rooms, ensuring everything was neat and organized for the day ahead.
The maids were busy dusting off the furniture, changing the bed linens, and laying out fresh towels and toiletries in every room.
The guards were also on high alert, stationed at every entrance and patrolling the grounds to ensure no security breaches. The Captain of the first division, Tungsten, had a meeting the day prior, assigning the stationed knights to every building in the royal court. That meant that Juno had been awake for almost a whole day.
He entered the room dressed in a maroon uniform with gold trim accentuating his broad shoulders and lean frame. His trousers were a deep shade of brown, tucked neatly into a pair of tall, black boots that gleamed in the light.
His dark wavy hair was neatly combed back, framing his jawline and vivid eyes. His expression was composed, but there was a sense of nervousness and protectiveness in his tired eyes. Juno silently prayed that all would end well.
Vivianne didn't acknowledge his presence as she finished stretching; her lady-in-waiting entered the room to assist her with her dress and accessories.
Peony looked nervous but tried her best to hide it, knowing that the princess was counting on her to make her look her best.
She chose a beautiful gown made of flowing white silk for the princess to wear. The dress was simple yet elegant, with delicate lace detailing on the sleeves and a subtle embroidery pattern along the hemline.
She selected a pair of silver earrings and a matching necklace with a sparkling diamond pendant to complete the look. She also brushed the princess's long, blonde hair until it shone like gold in the morning light.
Juno stepped back into his bedroom, waiting until the princess was decent before he walked out again.
As the princess sat down for breakfast, she looked as regal as ever.
Peony couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and admiration for the princess, who always looked so effortlessly beautiful and poised, even in the most challenging circumstances. She bragged quietly to Juno about her innate talent for decoration.
Mio stepped into the room, dressed in a long, flowing robe of rich, ivory fabric that shimmered in the light. The robe was embellished with intricate gold embroidery that formed a pattern of swirling designs, giving the garment an air of elegance and sophistication.
Underneath the robe, he wore a crisp, white uniform with a high collar, gold-trimmed cuffs, sleek black trousers, and polished leather boots. A gold chain hung around their neck, adorned with a small pendant that glimmered in the light.
Despite Mio's luxurious attire, he wore a tired and reserved expression as he greeted the princess. Vivianne nodded in approval and told him to keep his outfit as she believed it suited him better than the simple one he wore before.
The advisor and the personal guard stood side by side, their contrasting yet complementary attire making them look worthy of standing next to her.
"Aren't you wondering how they got our measurements?" Mio had asked him, leaning in so no one could hear their conversation.
Juno hadn't thought about that.
The court maids left them to attend to other duties, leaving only Peony awkwardly behind the two tall boys. Her braids were very frizzy and messy, and her fringe needed combing.
"The Dukes will arrive at noon. Eat, and let's meet here again to head to the throne room when it's time. I have something to finish,"
...
Once again, the trio stood before the princess, who was studying when they returned. Mio quickly brushed Peony's hair while they were in the canteen, quaffing down pancakes and sausages.
When he finished brushing her curls, he braided her hair into twin braids with red ribbons at the end of each braid. Peony looked at the hair-do with a sullen expression.
Mio had seen Vivianne's disapproval and also believed that she had to have nice hair, considering they were hosting an event for her own sake, not to anger the already hateful head maid.
Her scarf covered the majority of her head anyway.
"No good?" Mio had asked, wondering about what could be the problem.
"It's beautiful", she signed. The ribbons reminded her of a time long gone.
Juno gave her the ointment he had grabbed from the knight guild that morning, wishing her a speedy recovery. Max had handed it over to him without question, and he was grateful for that.
They walked back into Vivianne's bedroom, where she sat with multiple scrolls and maps scattered across her desk.
"Today, Peony will help Miss Nancy with the flower arrangements, and you two were assigned to stick to me." Vivianne had said when she finally decided to acknowledge them.
Technically, she was violating her sick leave, but she refused to lay around anymore. Especially considering the disasters that occurred the previous day. Vivianne arranged her notes, handing them over to Mio. She quickly looked in the mirror to ensure her foundation was covering her eye bags.
When satisfied, she stepped outside with the two boys walking behind her from a respectable distance toward the noisy throne hall.
...
Today, the throne room wasn't as decorated as the boys expected; only a big map was placed on a pedestal with a huge semi-circle-formed table fitting forty people covering most of the room.
Ten chairs for the princesses and princes, ten for their advisors and facing them, ten for the dukes, and ten for their advisors.
Sitting on the throne were the king and queen of the nation, King Arthur the Great and his Queen Henrietta of Nor; they were overlooking the throne room with the guards lining the walls at either of their sides.
The dukes stood up and bowed respectfully as the princess entered the room.
The princess returned the bow and sat at the head of the long table, with her guard standing behind her and her advisor seated next to her.
Vivianne sat down facing Grand Duke Alexander, who had Ophelia's fiance beside him, Sir Cesar, his eldest son.
The meeting began with the dukes reporting on the state of their respective provinces. All of them were suffering from bandits attacking traders and rebellion against the high taxation the church was imposing on them. Unfortunately, some dukes disregarded that taxes were behind the uprisings and unrest.
"It's because they are spies misinforming the citizens," One Duke from the northern provinces suggested. Many nodded in agreement. Mio leaned in to whisper in Vivianne's ear:
"It's obvious because they aren't providing social welfare after collecting the taxes. The commoners feel that they are getting unfairly taxed without compensation." Mio whispered to Vivianne.
"I know," Vivianne grumbled; they were being purposefully obtuse for whatever reason.
One thing that they seemed to forget was the fact that the kingdom of Nor had an enormous slave caste that was vital for its economy and farming.
They practically did everything aside from fighting wars, and the dukes regularly went into their habitations and raided them to keep a sense of fear in them.
That's why Nor couldn't unify the people for so long despite having the biggest land and minerals.
The slave caste was the Nemurian tribe of the southern forest, close to the borders with the Southern Kingdom of Sol which seemed to be awfully cozy with the maritime state of Caspia nowadays. It seemed like mineral weren't their priority anymore.
What did Sol offer them instead? Vivianne pondered.
Princess Luna raised her hand as Vivianne scribbled down the Duke's arguments, ignoring her advisor's pleading look.
The dark-haired princess wore a fitted black velvet dress with long sleeves and a high collar. The dress had intricate gold embroidery along the collar and cuffs.
She was wearing black leather ankle boots with silver buckles and small heels. Her hair was styled in loose waves that fell over her shoulders, and she wore a silver necklace with a black gemstone pendant.
"We have the great honour to ask somebody more well-versed in the thought process of the average Norian citizen right now," Luna said, gracefully gesturing toward Mio and Juno, who froze up in shock at her attention-grabbing words.
The room broke out in murmurs and gasps; the dukes had thought it had just been a silly rumour that commoners were working for the royal family. Evil eyes bore into the boys, who looked at Vivianne for guidance.
"There is no need to consult my subordinates as I speak for them," Vivianne said curtly. Luna's eye's turned to slits, and her mouth twisted into a grin.
"However, I'd also like to hear what my subordinates think might be the reason for the current uprising." Vivianne finished, turning to Mio, who looked back at her as to say, 'Don't blame me; I'll say it like it is!'
"Well, we first need to assess what all of the commoners in each province are experiencing. Juno said, clasping his hands to keep them from shaking.
"If we show them that they can rely on us through social welfare or housing programs. Then, loyalty and satisfaction will rise," Mio stated, his voice only slightly wavering. Even if he was only doing his job, the king was known to be sensitive to criticism.
The Orphanage programs from two decades ago had improved only a handful of lives, but many were still without shelter in the provinces; also, what will those children do when they grow up?
It was still not enough. However, Mio still praised the program to ensure they didn't end up in the dungeon for Lèse-majesté.
"As for the slave caste, winning them over is the key to ending the internal conflicts of our nation. They are our workforce, and we have been ruling them with an iron fist and distrust," Vivianne added, not commenting on Mio's statement.
"What do you suggest we do," Grand Duke Alexander asked, intrigued. He was the Duke of the South; hence, he was the one ruling over the tribe. Vivianne gazed at him with calm eyes.
"I suggest we allow their elders self-govern under you, Duke. Also, allow them to establish travel and trade routes they can profit from. That would end the country-wide shortages of wheat that are predicted to arise this upcoming winter." Vivianne said, but Prince Henry scoffed at her.
"Why not hand over the crown while we're at it?" He said, scrolling deeply. The Nemurians were greedy and untrustworthy; that's what history has shown countless times.
"We can't trust that they uphold their end of the deal," He insisted. The room broke out in shouts of agreement, cursing the slave caste and their arrogance. Vivianne kept her compositor in the face of the loud critic.
"Silence!" The king roared, instantly killing the buzzing. His eyes burned into Vivianne and her two underlings, measuring them with contempt and fury.
"I expected more from you, considering you always have your head buried in your books," The king said sternly. Vivianne averted her eyes, clenching her fists hard until her knuckles turned white.
Prince Oscar raised his hand before he stood up. "Father, Vivianne is correct; the cause of the uprising and spread of misinformation comes from that low-blood tribe. We need to deal with them," he began, his eyes never leaving hers.
A sharp grin bloomed on his face, his canines sharp enough to pierce his lips.
"That's why I wish for you to assign me to finish them off, once and for all, and clear our nation of their curses." Oscar bowed deep, his cape covering him entirely.
"It has been long overdue; bring as many men as you want," The king said, and the room erupted in cheers and triumphed. All except Vivianne, Mio, and Juno, who looked at each other horrified.
"Don't worry, I'll stop him," Vivianne said through gritted teeth.
A/N: Will she?