Kidaya smiles proudly. Swimming in those few minutes after he realized who she was. It wasn't anything great, but she drowned in that few minutes of his realizing how he had been a bit of a fool. She would ensure she never forgets this moment, one in which she had made this proud man go silent in realization.
A few feet away from them, Lady Erskine watches with a big smile adorning her face. She nudges Ralph with her shoulder. "I can bet half this entire estate that he is mesmerized by her beauty. I tell you, this is love at first sight." Lady Erskine says.
Ralph laughs. "Try not to bet your castle on a losing game, Aunt Erskine. Especially not this particular castle which is my favorite. I can assure you, the Prince is lost in some other things than love." Ralph says with a scoff. He knew exactly what was going on, and how right now, the Prince has realized a little mistake he had done.
"Have my seat, Your Grace." Lord Willsmoth offered standing up.
Snapping out of his shock, he nods his head and takes the seat the Lord was offering. Kidaya smiles at her cousins and they all sit back in front of the second Prince.
~
"How did it go?" Harlane asks opening the door to his private chambers for him.
"I have to give mother some accolades, she picked quite a diamond this year." The Second Prince says pulling out his curat from around his throat.
"Does that mean she is as beautiful as they all say?" Harlane asks catching the curat the prince had thrown into the air.
"Cunning I'd say. Beauty is far from it."
"Does that mean you've been foxed?"
"That too." He turns to face Harlane furiously. "How is it possible that that rude girl is Diamond?"
"Rude girl?"
"The one from the Roxbury ball?" The Prince stated. Harlane stares at him in confusion. "The one who purposely ran into me in the middle of the hall and faked a fall."
"Ah ah! That one?"
"That one." The Prince affirms.
Harlane smiles. "I see she is as beautiful as they say then. Of course, she ought to be diamond. Her -" He pauses when he sees the Prince's glare on him. "How is it possible that she is the diamond?" Harlane quickly cuts in, faking annoyance as he stares back at the Prince.
"Draw me a bath, there is somewhere else I must be."
~
"Did you see the way he stared at Bloom for minutes unable to say anything?"
Laughing, "Of course Mama, I saw it." Joan says.
"Me too," Eddna added. "I am sure he is telling all the other Princes about you right now." She pushes Kidaya jokingly. "You are a lucky Lady, Cousin."
Rolling her eyes, "Oh come on Eddna, the last thing any Lady should want is that man. He is the most arrogant man I have ever met."
Lady Erskine laughs. "That is how love starts, soon, it will be his praises you will be singing." She had forced Kidaya to join them on their promenade in St. Borris's park. If the girl has finally started receiving callers, she wanted her to participate in everything else. Not that she worried the girl would be unable to find a husband this season. Especially not with the Duke and Prince already fawning over her. "The ball this ev-
"Lady Erskine." Came a voice, followed by a bow in front of them. Eddna and Joan gasps in surprise even before the guest raises his head.
"Your Grace!" Lady Erskine exclaims as she pauses in her steps. It was the Duke of Wethingham, Prince Trenton. The girls stop with her and they all offer a curtsey to him.
"It is a pleasure to meet you again, Miss Simon." He says to Kidaya, his hand behind his back as he offered her a bow.
Smiling, "The honor is mine, Your Grace." Kidaya says with another curtsey.
Smiling back, he stretches a bouquet of flower towards her. Lady Erskine almost floats with joy at the gesture.
Still smiling, Kidaya gets the flower from him and sniffs it. "Hmmm! Hibiscus." She says. "Thank you very much, Your Grace." She says just before she hands the flower to Joan who was by her right.
Smiling, the Duke unfolds his other hand from the back, revealing two more bouquets in his hand. He hands one to Eddna who blushes and gets it from him, then hands over the other one to Kidaya again. Lady Erskine felt like bursting into different shades of rainbow, especially when she turned around and realized that the entire park was watching them.
"Thank you very much, Your Grace." Kidaya says again.
"Does that mean you forgive me for not calling on you his morning?" he asks her as they begin to stroll together while Eddna and Joan follow behind with their mother.
"Pardon?"
"I had something unexpectedly urgent I had to attend to this morning, so I couldn't call on you. Does this mean I am forgiven?"
Kidaya chuckles. "Well, if you put it that way, then yes. Who am I not to forgive a royal."
*
"Mother!" Princess Venetia exclaims in shock.
"You will thank me later for this, Venetia. Now stop throwing a tantrum, I already feel like throwing one myself because I did not make you debut this season. Had I known Lord Vanderburgh was taking a bride this season, trust me, I would have made you come out in the season too." The Second Queen says.
"And why is that?" the First Prince, Prince Doughlas asks his mother, crossing his legs.
"Because we need his money." The second Queen says picking up her tea cup. "He is the richest young Lord in Vianto and two more empires after here. Can you imagine what great things his money will do for us, you especially? Things have been too calm for my liking, it's like the calm before a storm. What better way to protect ourselves than use that kind of money to make a invincible fortress around us."
"So you want Venetia to be courted by him?"
"I want Venetia to seduce him." His mother points out.