The scarce rays of sunlight gingerly seeped through the long, thick, heavy curtains that mimicked the color of the night sky, barely reaching the silhouette of a tall man standing in front of the farthest wall in the dark and stuffy portrait room.
Euris Ruan, dressed in the distinguished black and blue royal uniform, carefully adjusted his long, flowing, dark blue mantle. He ran his big, weathered hand over his carefully styled, shoulder-length black hair, moving it away from his face.
The King fixed his piercing green eyes on the towering portrait resting on the floor, concealed beneath a voluminous sheet of thick white fabric. With one precise motion, he unveiled the beautifully painted picture ensconced within the wide, intricately carved golden frame.
It portrayed a young woman, captured in a moment of timeless beauty, standing in a meadow with a generous bouquet of wildflowers cradled in her pale hands.
The woman emanated an unparalleled beauty. Her long, dark crimson waves of hair cascaded down her form with an almost living vitality. Her eyes gleamed like precious gems, filled with the warmth of sunlight, their golden brilliance creating a captivating contrast against her porcelain skin, drawing the attention of onlookers as if they possessed a hypnotic allure.
Adorning her head was a regal flower crown crafted from exquisite pink and white peonies, interwoven with vibrant red poppy flowers. The long, colorful silk ribbons gracefully danced around her figure, responding to the gentle caresses of the wind.
Her dress, with its simple yet elegant design, flowed lightly around her. The pristine white color mirrored the purity of her appearance, while the tight red corset, adorned with a myriad of colorful ornaments, stood out like a vivid bloodstain against her stomach and chest.
Euris shifted his gaze over the woman's exposed shoulders, relishing the flawless whiteness of her skin. His eyes then lingered on her full, red lips as he softly whispered,
"You never smiled when people were looking, Yuliana. He was the only one who saw you smile. Tragic princesses, both of you."
The room's stillness dissipated as the King detected the sound of approaching footsteps, accompanied by a low female voice that began,
"Here again? I suppose if it were socially acceptable, you would have glued this picture to your person, Your Majesty."
Euris turned around and beheld his wife, Queen Fleur Ruan, striding confidently towards him, her curly red hair ablaze like flickering flames whenever she stepped into the light.
As the distance between them gradually closed, the man stretched his thin lips into a subtle smile and replied,
"You, on the other hand, never come here unless requested. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Gazing casually at the painting beside the King, Fleur positioned herself in front of Euris, her dress's ample skirts draping over the portrait. In a composed voice, she explained,
"Count Crueder has sought an audience once again. I suggest we see him promptly. If King Zelon were to visit his granddaughter in the Temple and discover that there is no granddaughter to visit, we would face issues far more serious than dealing with an annoying, low-class nobleman."
Euris sighed and absently scratched his short black beard, allowing a few moments to pass as he contemplated his decision. Observing a disapproving wrinkle forming between the queen's eyebrows, he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders and eventually responded,
"Alright. Send a messenger to his mansion right away, inform him that I will see him tomorrow."
"Very well, Your Majesty."
Fleur respectfully inclined her head in a reserved manner, then turned on her heel, making her way back toward the exit of the portrait room. However, midway, she abruptly halted, turned her head slightly to the side, and injected an unexpectedly cold tone into her words,
"She had better be confined somewhere in the dark, cold basement awaiting ransom than in the hands of that man. I have enough stains on the surface of this family; I do not wish to add more dirt to it. You should have disposed of her. Just as I have."
***
"Help? I'm sorry, but I don't understand..."
Aideen arched her thin eyebrows, utterly bewildered by what she had just heard.
Sensing her confusion, Tillian ruffled his blonde hair with his gloved hand, his deep red eyes fixed on the magus. In return, the magus kept carefully observing the princess's face, a wide smile gracing his youthful features. Then, the duke let out a long sigh and began to explain,
"Your Highness... I wish to propose a deal."
"A deal?"
Aideen's confusion only deepened as the duke's words struggled to provide the answers she sought. Tillian continued,
"Yes, it is a rather simple deal. I want you to stay in this castle with me and take lessons in magic from Ahspid. I will provide you with everything that is needed, including my personal protection from anyone who would try to harm you from this moment onward."
"Pardon me, Your Grace," Aideen leaned slightly over the table, seeking to shorten the distance between her and the duke. She paused to gather her thoughts before moving forward, "How is it possible for me to learn magic when only those who were born with it are able to do so?"
Tillian failed to provide her with an answer as Ahspid suddenly burst into laughter, causing both the princess and her maid to jump in their seats. The sudden movement resulted in Bella dropping her knitting on the floor.
Clicking her tongue annoyingly, the woman began to gather her things, while the mage made an effort to compose himself and chimed in,
"You are adorable, Your Highness! Yes, you are right – only those born with innate mana can use magic, but!"
Ahspid rose to his feet, resolutely striding around the table. He then stood right in front of Aideen, whose big sparkling eyes focused blankly on his towering figure. Curling his lips into another sly grin, the mage asked,
"Have you ever tried learning magic, Your Highness?"
Aideen's response was a mere timid shake of the head.
"Then how do you know you can't use it?"
The princess shifted her eyes to the side and clenched her fists on top of her knees. The man's question made her wonder whether he was a madman or just a simpleton.
Throughout her life, she had been continuously berated and humiliated. She was told she was useless, told she was worthless. So how could it be that, after twenty-two years of her unwanted existence, she would suddenly find herself in possession of something regarded as an invaluable gift, something that could neither be stolen nor bought with money?
For the first time in years, she felt like laughing.
"I see you are struggling to believe our words, Your Highness."
Having observed the evident suspicion on Aideen's face, Ahspid shrugged his shoulders and walked away, throwing the final nonchalant remark in her direction,
"Well then. Both you and I will have to stay here until your learning is completed. So... Although I am delighted to be in the company of royalty, both new and old, I would much rather not spend the remainder of my life catering to someone who does not want to get stronger."
Somehow, the mage's words managed to pierce the princess's heart like a sharp thorn. Although she still struggled to comprehend how it was possible for someone like her to have anything special about her, she could not help but wonder if life had finally offered her a chance to find that out.
Still rather shy and somewhat intimidated, Aideen turned her head toward the duke and said,
"Even if you say that I can learn magic... How can I stay here, Your Grace? I am a married woman and––"
"I want you to become my wife instead."