Autumn feels like it ended too early and before Ultear knows it, winter had already arrived. Winter's the year where the Kingdom is the busiest even though it was the coldest season of the year. Where mostly people don't want to continue working in the cold.
But, Betania Kingdom is different. It got its circumstances different from the other neighboring kingdoms and empires because there's a lot of uncultivated and unexplored land in the Kingdom, where monsters and beasts live. Betania Kingdom needs to deal with them once winter came.
The season of winter, where the Kingdom was filled with white snow and the temperature drop, the beast and monsters will start rampaging through the fertile lands and the nearest villages. In contrast to some kingdoms, where beasts and monsters went into hibernation once the snow started falling, in Betania the monsters and beasts will start acting up and attack the villages. The colder it gets the more ferocious they become.
"My Lady, please come inside. You'll froze to death if you stay for a little longer in the terrace. What are you even doing there?"
"I'm thinking,"
"Then please, continue thinking inside your room. It's cold, My Lady."
"Alright, I get it. Stop nagging me now." Rita sigh as she watch Ultear walk away from the terrace and enter her room. She quickly lock the terrace door as soon as Ultear entered. It was snowing heavily outside and they'll freeze to death if they let the door open for too long.
"What are you thinking, My Lady?" Rita ask as she help Ultear wear a more warmer winter jacket made of Silver Fox tails.
"Kurtis said in his letter that he will be dispatch to the North to help subjugate the monsters and beasts. I'm worried."
"He's just an apprentice knight, My Lady. He won't be on the front lines, right?"
Ultear and Rita stared at each other for a moment.
"No, he will be in the front lines because he's an exceptional and talented knight." there's a hint of boasting lingering in Ultear's voice as she described Kurtis as an exceptional and talented knight.
"Then, you don't have to be worried My Lady since your love interest is an excellent knight."
"...well, if you say it like that then, I guess he must be fine."
"But My Lady..."
"Hmm?" Ultear peek through her shoulder and glance ay Rita, who is busy busy looking for her sewing set. Winter's also the time for women in Betania to start their handwork, like sewing handkerchief and the likes.
"How would you explain your relationship with sir Kurtis to His Majesty?"
"Father?" Ultear titled her head and think for a moment. Oh, right! I almost totally forgot about father!
The King will surely disagree about her daughter's romantic relationship with some commoner Knights. He will not approve. That's for sure. As a father, King Seigrain loves his daughter above all, even Ultear knows about this fact. But as a King, he's indifferent, strict and merciless about the princess.
Although Ultear knows this, still she couldn't understand her father the king. She couldn't understand his peculiar treatment towards her. She's both his daughter and the princess, why differentiate the two? Even how hard she tries putting herself in his father's shoes, she still couldn't understand him. Ultear sometimes think that his father is crazy with dual personality.
Father won't like Kurtis for me and if he ever finds out about our secret affair, Kurtis will be the one to suffer the most. Father might even rob him off his knight title if worst come to worst. And recently, father is really insistent about setting me up with the Verkin young Duke. Agh, how annoying.
The next day, Ultear wrote a letter with Kurtis as the recipient, as always. She doesn't even have any friends in the first place whom she can exchange letters with aside from Kurtis. Considering her status as the princess, noble children her age are either intimidated with her presence or they are trying to leech her off. Either way, she doesn't care at all. For her, one friend is enough. Kurtis is more than enough.
Even though they haven't seen each other, but through the letters they exchange, Ultear felt like Kurtis is beside her all the time. Just reading his letter fill the longing she had for him.
"Rita, be more cautious this time. Father's suspicion about me never ceded at all. He's still wary about me sneaking and meeting someone outside the palace. For now, send this letter as per usual and I'll go meet with the Verkin young Duke for the meantime. I don't want father to restrict my movements, I'll follow his wishes for now."
"As you wish, My Lady." Rita bow and afterwards left the princess's palace wearing a thick winter coat. Rita is not just some ordinary palace maid, she's from the now ruined Assassin clan, Balden Clan. Ultear found her in one of the slave auction houses, the Royal Knights are investigating. The King made Ultear took part in the raid as part of her royal lesson. Ultear then, took Rita under her wings as her faithful handmaid.
"Julia, are you there?"
"Yes, My Lady!" Julia answer from behind the door.
"Escort me towards the drawing room."
"Yes, My Lady!"
Ultear has been thinking how to send back the young Duke back to his Dukedom without sounding rudely or impolite. If it weren't for her father's order, Ultear wouldn't even care if the young Duke waits in the drawing room for a whole day. She couldn't care less even if her actions may imply that she's looking down to the Duke's family.
Who cares? I'm the princess, anyway.
Julia open the door fro Ultear to enter as she announces the Princess's arrival. As soon as she enter the Verkin young Duke stood up from his seat and give respect to her. He walk towards her and politely took her hand and kiss them. Ultear's blood boils with his action but she professionally held herself in when she notice the maid serving their snacks is a spy of her father.
"Greetings your Highness the Princess. I'm glad your doing well, thank you for gracing this humble vassal your presence. I look forward to our time together, today." He put Ultear's hand again to his lips. Ultear smile and slowly took her hand away from him.
What was his name again? Ah, whatever.
"Why don't we sit first as we continue our conversation? The snacks and tea has been serve, Lord Verkin."