In the afternoon, I felt bored in my room; there was nothing I could do in this room…How about the practice and the lesson from Cassius started today, so there was something that I did. I decided to leave the room…I went straight to the first floor and started to search for Cassius. First, I checked the courtyard behind the house, but no one was in there. Then I scattered around the house to search for him. Until I met Adel in the middle of the hallway, our eyes met each other. I ignored her and continued to find Cassius. Yet, I could hear her footsteps behind me all the time after we met in the hallway. Adel kept following me until she asked me,
"May I know why my lady walked around the house? It's like you trying to find something…"
While I was walking, I answered, "Where is Cassius?"
"Why does my lady need from him?" We were talking while we were walking.
"Of course, the lesson and the practice…"
"I thought the lesson would start tomorrow, not today…"
Immediately, I stopped and turned around, "What? Why? So what do I need to do today? I can't go to the palace to do my job, and now it's still noon, so…" Surprisingly, I remembered something, so I walked towards her, "Wait a second, Adel…Do I need to send a letter to the palace about my absence?"
"I believe you don't need to do that…Because the palace will immediately know the reason why you don't go to the palace…"
"That's assuring me…So where is Cassius right now??"
"I believe he is accompanying Valerie…"
"WHAT?" I started to whine about it "ARGHHHHH!!!!!"
"Why does my lady act like this?"
"Because I am bored…There is nothing to do…"
"Well, perhaps you can go to the garden and enjoy the view…"
I immediately had an idea, "Speaking of view, how about we walk around the city?"
"I believe that's not a great idea…"
"WHY?" I leaned my face against hers…
"Because….and I believe, Lady Octavi will not let you go outside from this house…"
"Nonsense…"
~~~~
At Lady Octavi's room, "Rejected," Lady Octavi said while sitting at her desk.
"HEEEHHHHHHHHH…." I exclaimed in frustration, unable to believe that Lady Octavi would deny me the opportunity to explore the city. "But why? I'm so bored here!" I pleaded with her, hoping she would change her mind.
"Deep apology, but to ensure your safety and concern for any danger, I cannot allow you to venture outside the house," Lady Octavi explained calmly.
"Yet, I am the lady of this house, right? So may you obligate my words?"
"As my lady knows, I don't obligate from your words; instead, I am obligated in his grace and madam's words, their words are 'to assist you, and protect you…'." Lady Octavi's response left me feeling frustrated…
"Come on!!! There will be no one who dares to touch me if you two come along with me in the city…Right?"
Lady Octavi sighed, her expression softening… "*exhale* fine…"
I immediately jumped out, "YEAY…"
"BUT!! You need to wear something else besides your dress…"
"Why do I need to do that?"
"Your presence now is a big deal in the capital. It's not just among the palace but among the public. The publicity of your betrothal to the people is like a stab into the people... My lady maybe knows about the rumour between Lady Anna and the Crown Prince…"
"Of course, I know it, or maybe I can say that all the people know it…."
"The rumour is so popular among the public that every corner of the kingdom will have stories and news about them. Yet, these rumours have been changed by your betrothal. So I am scared that the people will have hatred for you…"
"Why do people love and adore their relationships?
"Well, because Lady Anna comes from the peerage of Count, and you come from the peerage of Duke.
"I see…It's like a great tale of Romans…So the public loves it…"
~~~~
In my room, Adel brought me some simple garments—a plain white top and brown pants. She helped me take off my dress and helped me wear the clothes. As I changed into the simple garments, Adel went outside of the room. I looked at myself in the mirror. I saw a reflection of a different person staring back at me. Yet it wasn't that bad…
After that, I went outside of the room, and Adel was already waiting in different attire. She didn't wear the usual clothes, but instead, she wore a simple garment. While observing her, I realised her usual clothes were way different than those of the maid or servant from the palace or Lady Clara's maid. As far as I knew, the maid's attire represented how well their household worked. When I looked at the other servant or maid from a different household or palace, the contrast was way different. Somehow the maids in my family, especially Adel, wore more extravagant clothes than the others.
Suddenly I could hear Adel's voice, "Is there something wrong with my clothes, my lady?"
Snapped back, I replied, "No, there's nothing wrong with your clothes…You just look different…"
"Well, you looked different too, my lady…"
~~~
We walked outside. Arrived outside of the house… I couldn't see my carriage; as usual, it waited for me. Instead, I saw two brown horses, with Lady Octavi holding both of their reins. Her clothes were the same as mine, with plain white garments at the top and brown pants. Even with those clothes, her usual aura was still the same, or because she always wore men's attire.
I walked towards her with Adel following me, as I was in front of her, Lady Octavi said, "For this time, we won't use the carriage, because your family emblem is on the carriage, so people will realise it…Instead, we will ride these horses to maintain a low profile."
"I don't mind about it…" I replied to her.
At once, Lady Octavi helped me mount the horse. As I settled onto the horse's back, she immediately jumped onto the horse behind me as I was in front, and she was behind me while Adel used the other horse. We began to go to the city.
~~~~
As we were walking with the horses around the city…
Yet I found the street was different from the city of Florence, where it was not crowded and seemed to lose some activity or touch. The atmosphere felt quieter and more subdued compared to the bustling city of Florence. Was it why the royals were envious of how my parents developed their city, Florence? Even with the royal palaces, easily be seen, the city we were in lacked the same vibrancy and energy. It made me appreciate the efforts my parents had put into creating such a lively and thriving place in their city. As there was nothing to see or interesting, I asked Lady Octavi who guided the horse, "Can we go to the square?"
She replied, "Is there any reason why my lady wants to go to the square?"
"I want to check the square; is there any difference between home and this capital?"
"Well, if you insist, surely we can go there…"
~~~~
We arrived at the town square, and the first thing I took an interest from far away was the statue at the centre of the square. It was a grand and imposing figure, while the surrounding of the statue wasn't bustling out of people, yet empty. There weren't any people, performers, or street merchants around the statue or in the square, like the square in my home. It was vastly empty.
I asked Lady Octavi, "May we go down?" I wanted to see the statue closer.
Lady Octavi looked at me and nodded her head. She jumped out of the horse first and helped me get off the horse. As my foot stepped on the ground, I immediately walked to the statue, with Adel and Lady Octavi following me, and holding the reins of the horses.
As I was slowly getting closer to the statue, somehow I became familiar with the figure in the statue. It was a woman figure with two graceful wings that extended from her back. After Lady Octavi was beside me, I asked her, "May you tell me who the figure of this statue??"
Lady Octavi answered, "This figure is different than my lady's home city. In the home city, the figure only has one wing or half wings, and it's Goddess Gennaia…Yet, in this figure, it can be said as the opposite of that goddess, it's Delios…"
I never realised it, as back in my city, I had seen her statues at the temples when I was there and met them for the first time. Yet, at that time, I didn't know you, now seeing your statue here, somehow it was different. You had been immortalised by your people, and the people would never forget you, even though you were not alive anymore. Your legacy lives on through these statues, forever remembered by those who worship you.