Seth Peregrine has been avoiding me.
Silent treatment, It was the thing I hate the most. I would rather have him say his thoughts to my face, even a fist fight would be better than this. Anything would be better than this.
"Is something on your mind, Your Highness?" Lady Ellie asked as she caught me sighing for the nth time this morning. It's been a few days and I haven't even seen a whisper of that husband of mine. I desperately want to throw a tantrum right now and have him come to me but that thought felt really childish at the moment.
"Adulting is so difficult." I muttered before standing up.
"How long-" My question got cut off as a knock sounded on the door. Right, I was lounging in my aide's office and was in the middle of bothering her while she did her work.
"Your Highness, Princess Vivivana wishes to see you." An unfamiliar voice informed me after the knock. Reese went and opened the door to an unfamiliar face.
"Who the fuck are you?" I asked, startling the woman in a plain but formal palace uniform.
"I'm Her Highness, Princess Viviana's head maid." The woman replied.
"And for what reason does your princess seek me for?"
"I… It's… She is worried for you as it has been a while since you both last saw each other, Your Highness." The head maid managed to reply after a little stumble.
"I'm not in the mood. Tell her that I will send for her when I feel like it." I waved my hand but the head maid stood there staring strangely at me.
"But-" Her voice got cut off as Reese closed the door in her face. It was an unexpected but funny sight so I couldn't help but break into laughter.
* * *
Princess Viviana had never felt this insulted. She hurried here to put that woman in her place and see her beloved's face after so long. She was expecting for them to stand at the gates to welcome her like usual but what she found was two six-year-olds, waiting for her in the hall of the guest palace with their servants standing behind them.
"We are honoured to have you with us, Your Highness, Princess Viviana Campbell of Verdant." The young lords bowed. Their etiquette was impeccable and they look a lot brighter than they did before. They began to look a lot like Seth, She can't help but want to pat their little heads. So when she lifted her hand, They avoided it respectfully.
Her hand paused in the middle finding air instead and her face reddened in anger.
"Where is Lady Grace?" She asked in between her gritted teeth.
"Mother is busy with palace matters, Your Highness. You will see her at today's dinner." Noah replied.
"Tell her that I wish to see her immediately." Viviana ordered.
"In that case, we will relay your words to Her Highness." Noah responded politely but his brother beside him was standing absent minded.
Sensing the silence around him, Cleo gathered his thoughts from where he let them wander and leaned in towards Noah, "Are we done? Can we leave? I want to go to the practice grounds. Father said that he will introduce us to the five commanders today." He spoke impatiently. Noah being the level headed and less impatient one among the two, clicked his tongue at his brother in disapproval and nudged him to stand straight. Seeing his brother's expression, Cleo pouted but obediently stood straight, donning the look of a responsible young lord.
"Then we will leave you to rest, Your Highness. If you have any queries, you can ask for the head butler and maid of this palace." Noah bowed before leaving with Cleo and their entourage.
"Nana! Summon her." The Princess bellowed.
Nana, The head maid of the princess' servants. As the closest aide of the beloved Verdant Princess, Nana was a prideful servant. She took pride in her master and her status and also met Grace Finley many times. Nana always thought that woman was not worthy to be in the same room as her master, who is loved and revered by all. If it wasn't for Grace Finely's status as His Highness Seth Peregrine's wife, that woman was unworthy in every way. Sending Nana, the head maid, to merely summon that woman was already giving her more than enough respect. Grace Finely doesn't deserve Nana's respect so Nana was only trying to be polite on the surface when she went to call for her. But what she experienced was not even in her impossible imaginations.
That's not Grace Finely. Nana's mind screamed as soon as she took a look at that strange woman. Shining silver eyes that reflected the world she saw and hair that resembled the never ending field of a fertile soil that would give birth to bountiful thick tall trees. A healthy land lush with nutrients that you feel like you can just pick a fistful of that soil and eat it.
Nana couldn't move for a while after the door was shut in her face. After coming back to her senses, the middle aged woman's face turned red in anger mixed with embarrassment. She walked back furiously and relayed every detail that happened to her master.
Wait till her master puts them in places. Nana thought while clenching her teeth in resentment.
It didn't take much waiting for the dinner time to arrive and Viviana made haste in her impatience to see Seth for the first time in months. But what welcomed her was a sight that wasn't very welcoming towards her.
The twins who were sitting in between Seth and Grace were sitting silently but were stealing quick glances at their parents. Vivana took a seat but no one spoke a word and none picked up their forks to eat the delicious food placed in front of them. Even the servants in the room were tense for some reason.
Seth waited for a while in silence and looked at Grace but as soon as she turned to look at him, he looked away busying himself taking a sip from his glass of water. Seeing this, Grace scoffed.
"It is nice to have you here with us, Your Highness. I was informed of Her Majesty's letter, You are welcome to stay as long as you wish. I hope you find that merchant you were looking for and the Great Sage's blessing to shine upon Her Majesty." Noah was the first one to speak and welcome her.
"This week, there is also a festival in Eonon. Father has looked into it and the merchant you are looking for was sure to make a visit as his presence has been confirmed in the nearby territories not two weeks ago. So I hope you put your worries to rest and enjoy the festival with the rest of us." He added politely after remembering the details his father explained to him and Cleo a few days ago. Noah was at first scared to take on this task but after hearing that it was his mother who recommended them to do this, his courage grew anew. Cleo didn't care from the beginning, his mind was always on the things that brought Noah a headache and the only reason he stood obediently beside Noah to welcome the Verdant Princess was to impress their mother. Then again, Noah couldn't say his intentions were different from his brother.
"You did well." Seth patted his head warmly and Noah blushed. His heart beat faster and giggled as Cleo looked at Seth expectantly for a head pat as well.
"The food is delicious. Let's not delay and eat while it is still warm." Cleo said and so they began eating.
It was a strange experience for Viviana, stranger than the sight of Grace Finely in front of her.
"It's been a while Lady-" A screeching sound startled Viviana and her servants in the room. She cringed at the sound and looked for its source only to find it right in front of her. It was the sound of a table knife scratching on the smooth surface of the plate while cutting meat. It was painfully deliberate.
"Your manners are as poor as ever, My Lady." Vivana wanted to take this chance to embarrass Grace in front of Seth but what startled her was the reply.
"I hate etiquette."
"How could the Grand Princess be with no manners-" Viviana's maid Nana whimpered in fright as a glass shattered right beside her head on the wall behind her.
"Watch your mouth when you speak to my mother." Cleo was ready to skin her when a servant came to pour him a new glass of juice. Everyone in the room was in an odd harmony that Viviana and her retinue felt out of place.
"You can't expect my mother to show you manners when your servant lacks them. How are you going to punish her for her impudence, Your Highness?" Noah asked. Viviana looked at Seth in question instead of replying but he was in his own world along with Grace Finley while they ate in silence.
"If you must preach, I recommend you start with your own." Cleo clicked his tongue and took a sip of his juice like an adult tasting a well-aged wine.
The room fell into another long silence before it was broken by a delighted chuckle, Grace was softly laughing to herself. She then looked at the twins and shook her head smiling, as if she found their behaviour amusing.
The boys were overjoyed at their smiling mother and they too ate with content like Seth beside them who smiled to himself in silence.
Princess Viviana was alone in her frustration. She couldn't stomach a single piece of meat in her welcoming dinner. As soon as the dinner finished, she ran to the guest palace, where she was staying. Even her accommodations infuriated her despite it being one of the most exquisite royal palaces in Valoria. She almost ran to the Grand Princess' palace where she used to stay in her haste, which infuriated her even more.
That night Verdant's royal family got a call from their princess. Right after dinner, the communication orb in the Queen's room lit up to a bright red colour.