"It's my turn." Kidaya says rushing after them with her sword swinging in front of them. She ducks under the sword from one of them and uses the opening she found to hit the other on the stomach with her sword. And while that one bends in pain, she quickly places both her swords by each of their necks. "You just died." She says smiling at both of them.
"Damn it!" Exclaimed one taking off the piece of clothes that covered her face. "I almost got you." She says.
"Almost does not kill a bird, Miya," Kidaya says throwing both swords to the other person who catches it before taking off his own mask.
"You did well, but you had an opening I could have taken an advantage of if I was an enemy." He says to her.
"I know, Sam. I slipped, it must be the pothole." Kidaya says.
Miya walks over and hits her brother on the shoulder. "If you had seen an opening, then you should have taken it."
"That hurts, Miya!" Sam yells.
"Deal with it." Miya says walking away. Kidaya laughs patting Sam on the spot Miya had hit him before walking away.
"And I hope you are also ready to deal with me, Kidaya." Came Ralph's voice. "The Gentlemen are all waiting in the picture room, and here you -
"There's no gentleman amongst them, brother. Let them wait an hour more and I will receive them." Kidaya says smiling as she walks past. "Who are you calling on today?"
"No one. I am escorting you to the Graden party." Ralph says taking her hand. "Where are you headed, Sam?" He asks without looking back. "I hope not to see the Viscount's daughter over the fence, again?"
Kidaya laughs.
"At least one of us is trying so hard not to be a monk." Sam says with a smirk. "I'll be back in an hour, Kidaya."
Nodding with a smile. "Alright." Then she turns back to Ralph. "Who is hosting the Garden party?"
"The Princess Lana, the first Prince's wife. She sent us an invitation." He turns just in time to see her brows raise in curiosity. "Try not to do anything extra there, Kidaya. It's the palace."
"Which means lots of people will be there. Now what makes you think I'll do anything extra?"
"Lord Reyes, the man from the Edgare's ball, he has been reported missing."
"Really?" She asks feigning ignorance. Ralph stops and stares at her. "What? Do you think I have him? Oh brother, where ever will I hide a man? The last time we met was -
"When you sneaked out of the Edgare's mansion and went after him. Don't think I do not know."
"Someone else was there."
Ralph gives her a raised eyebrow.
"He was after him too," Kidaya says.
"Did you see his face?" Ralph asks.
Shaking her head, "No. I wasn't interested in seeing it. I gave him Reyes and took a box and paper."
"What's in the box?"
"We haven't unlocked it yet."
"And what's on the paper?"
"Coordinates." And again, Ralph had to pause to look at her. "It's a map and coordinates. I think if we have the right codes, it may tell us the location of Faceless men."
His eyes widen in shock.
"Let me go get ready and receive the Lords, Ralph."
~
"Did you send out an Invitation to the Diamond like I ordered you to?" The second Queen asks her daughter-in-law
Head bowed, "Yes, Mother." Princess Lana says. "I have double checked to make sure -"
The second queen waves her hand causing her to stop in her statement. "I hosted this picnic for one reason and one reason alone, so that the Diamond will come with her brother, and he and Venetia can meet." Turning to Venetia. "Do not disappoint me."
~
"What is going on?" The second Prince asks Harlane.
"Princess Lana is hosting a garden party."
"You mean the second Queen is. We all know Lana will never host a party except the second Queen wants her to." Vaughn says. "I wonder what she is up to this time."
Handing him his tailcoat. "Are you not attending, Your Grace?"
Vaughn passes a scroll to Harlane. "Minister Edgare's guest from the ball is missing. The Emperor wants us to investigate it. I saw Doughlas and Faramus leave the castle earlier, you never can tell what they have already gathered so far."
"Where would you like to go first?"
"The Morgue."
~
"It is equivalent to announcing that she is out in society, and everyone knows she wasn't presented to the court that day." The first Queen says.
Feigning exhaustion, "How was I to know the girl is ready and has someone in mind already." The Second Queen says.
Turning to look at Venetia who stood a few feet away from her, face down. "You want to be out in society? Do you have someone in mind already you would like to be courted by?"
Shaking her head. "Your Majesty, I do no-
"Venetia!" the Second Queen calls causing her to pause in her words.
"Let the girl speak freely, Lisha!" The First Queen rebukes the second queen. Looking back at the Princess, she smiles at her. "Tell me, Princess Venetia, is it something you want? If it isn't, one word from you and I'll prevent such from happening at the garden party."
Princess Venetia glances at her mother who had dagger eyes on her. Gulping an empty throat, she begins to twist her fingers, eyes down.
"I will take it then that it is something you do not –
"She is my daughter, so whatever I want is what she will –
"It is what I want." Venetia cuts in when she hears the heated conversation that was about to begin. "It is what I want, Your Majesty." She lies with a fake smile.
The second Queen smiles proudly. Holding her head high.
The first Queen sighs. "Very well then, I shall let you have it by special pardon. But you can't change your mind later."
Venetia nods in agreement. Sighing again, the First Queen walks away.
The Second Queen turns to her daughter with a smile still on her face. "You did very –
Princess Venetia runs away from there crying. Her maid attempts to follow her, but the second Queen stops her.
"Let her be. You may wait here for her, or find something else to occupy yourself with." She says walking away.
Princess Venetia ran towards the garden and immediately bent over the bench, crying without taking note of the person who was seated at the other end of the bench. Ralph was startled at first when he saw someone run in his direction. He had raised his head from tying his shoelace, only to see the girl bend over the bench and cry.
He began to wonder if it would be rude to try and find out what had got her crying. He knew he would be embarrassed if anyone caught him crying. And with that in mind, he stands up quietly and walks away, but he stops three steps later.
If it was Kidaya crying, he wouldn't be okay with just leaving her by herself. He would be happy if anyone offered her at least a face towel, and tried to find out what was wrong. Agreeing with his new thoughts, he turns around and walks back to where the girl is crying.
He takes a seat closer to her and pulls out his handkerchief from his pocket. Slowly, he places his hand on her hair and begins to caress her hair down in a soothing and comforting manner. The minute he had touched the girl, she had stilled, and as soon as she had raised her head a bit, he stretched his kerchief to her.
Without looking at who was offering it, and assuming that it was one of her brothers, Venetia takes the kerchief and begins to clean her face with it. After she was done cleaning her face, she sniffs and turns to face him.
"Thank you bro-" Venetia widened her eyes when she discovered it was not any of her brothers or someone she knew.
"Don't feel embarrassed or I will feel terrible," Ralph says to her. "I wanted to walk away, I really wanted to, but then I couldn't just walk away and leave you in this state. Do you think I should have left quietly?"
She manages a smile. "I am grateful you didn't." Princess Venetia says, then she sniffs again. "Thank you very much."
He gives her a smile and a bow of his head. "Trust me, I never met you here."
Venetia laughs when the meaning of his words finally dawns on her. "Thank you."
"Are you lost? Do I take you back to the garden party? Or are you –
"I'll be fine, thank you." She says with a slight bow of her head. And nodding at her, Ralph walks away. Princess Venetia daps her face one more time, and that was when she saw that she still had his handkerchief. She had forgotten to return it. She makes a step to head in the direction he had taken, but then she stops herself.
Smiling, she tucks the handkerchief into her pocket and walks away in a different direction.