Chapter 16: My First Date Is No Picnic!
As I immerse myself in the hot, steamy water of the luxurious bathtub, my muscles instantly release their tension. Lily helps me bathe, gently cleaning my back with a soft cloth. It's been such an exhausting day…! I needed to relax. Letting out a long sigh, I finally feel at ease for the first time today.
"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Lily asks, her brow furrowed.
I gaze at her, realizing how much I've asked of my maid lately without giving any explanation. She must think I'm insane and, to be honest, I haven’t treated her fairly. "Lily, I just wanted to say… Thank you for always sticking by my side despite all my crazy requests," I mutter, abashed.
Her cheeks flush a bright shade of pink, and I melt at how adorable she looks. "It's no problem at all, Your Highness," she mumbles, her lips curving into a faint smile.
She delicately dips the cloth into the basin beside her, saturating it in the soapy water before wringing out the excess. She makes a gesture of bringing the cloth closer to my back but then she stops and stares at me, a glint of tenderness in her soft brown eyes.
"Your Highness,” she begins, drawing in a deep breath. “I wish to confess something to you."
Her sudden seriousness catches me off guard, and I turn to face her, my curiosity piqued. "Go on," I urge gently, giving her an encouraging nod.
"I… I've always admired you! I admired your kindness, your sincerity," she blurts out all at once, her cheeks reddening even further. "Before your... sickness, I felt that we were never really close, though. You were here but always far away.” Her words hang in the air between us as she dips her head, seemingly embarrassed by her confession.
"But now,” she continues, her voice softer than a whisper. “Now that we're close, I'm happy. It feels like a dream that Your Highness can ask all kinds of crazy things from me."
Suddenly, the image of the stern-faced assassin I once was seems miles away from the princess who sits here now, bathed in the soft glow of candles and warmed by the kindness of a humble maid. My heart swells with affection for Lily. I never had a friend before.
"Lily," I start, reaching out to gently hold her hands which are still nervously twisting the cloth. She looks up in surprise, her eyes meeting mine. "I should be the one thanking you. Without you, I don’t know what could have happened to me."
Unable to contain myself, I reach out and playfully pinch her flushed cheeks, causing her to let out a yelp. The sudden movement almost makes her trip, and we both burst into laughter.
As she resumes cleaning my back, Lily hesitates before asking, "Your Highness, may I ask you a question?"
"Of course, Lily," I reply, curious about what's on her mind.
"Um, well...what were you doing in Prince Alexander's chambers? I was worried for you."
I let out a sigh, knowing that she deserves an explanation. "Lily, please keep this a secret, but I went there to ask the Prince to formally announce our engagement tonight."
Her eyes widen in shock, and she stammers, "Wh-what? I always thought you were in love with Sir Tristan!"
"Tristan is an idiot," I scoff, my anger toward him still fresh. "Can you believe he was cheating on me with Cecilia?"
Lily gasps, covering her mouth with a hand. "I'm so sorry, Your Highness. To be honest, I never liked either of them."
I sharply turn towards her in the bathtub, splashing water all over. "From now on, just be honest with me about what you think, alright? I won't get mad," I tell her, squeezing her hands.
“Okay Your Highness, I promise!” Lily nods eagerly, her long ponytail bouncing as she agrees.
I take a deep breath before asking her: "What do you think about Prince Hartley? Our arrangement may be one of convenience, but I value your opinion."
"Uh, I think the Prince of Ironhold is quite scary," she admits, "but he's truly handsome."
"I guess he's not ugly," I agree, feeling a slight warmth in my cheeks.
"Your Highness," Lily says softly, "I'm happy for you. I think he'd be a good husband."
Oh, Lily… I guess you are not always right.
After I finish my bath, comes the worst part.
Choosing. The. Stupid. Clothes!
Lily pulls out one dress after another, holding them up for inspection but I simply grimace at each one. We’re at this for a while and it gets tiresome. I have to select an outfit to meet Prince Hartley in the gardens, and another one for tonight’s event where we’ll announce the engagement. But I just despise all these constraining, frilly, stupid dresses.
"I can’t take this anymore, Lily! I just hate them all!" I moan, exasperated from going through what feels like a hundred dresses. “In fact… I hate them so much I’m going to change my whole wardrobe!” I grumble, surveying the sea of dresses and gowns before me as if they were an army of enemies.
"All of them, Your Highness?" Lily's eyes widen in disbelief, but there's a spark of excitement there too.
"Yes. All of them." I confirm. "I want to meet with the best tailor in Asteria. Can you arrange it?"
"Of course, Your Highness!" Lily beams at me. I thought she might be annoyed, but I guess the prospect of new dresses might be thrilling for her. "May I suggest that you let me choose your dresses for now? I promise to select something elegant yet practical."
I raise an eyebrow skeptically at her and she giggles, tucking a loose hair behind her ear. "Trust me, Your Highness!”
I sigh heavily, defeated. “Fine, do with me as you please.”
After rummaging through the closet, she pulls out a white and turquoise dress, light and airy, with a simple skirt. A matching white cape with a hood gracefully drapes over it. Compared to the frilly, constricting nightgowns that I detest, this dress is simple, and I think I could move easily on it, even hide some knives underneath.
"Alright, Lily. This one will do," I say, nodding in approval.
"Thank you, Your Highness, I knew you would like it! Just wait until you see what I choose for you tonight…" she beams, helping me into it.
***
As I approach the meeting spot, I peek through some bushes and recognize Prince Hartley sitting on the Fishes' Fountain. His back is hunched over, his elbows resting on his muscular thighs. I watch him as he absentmindedly runs a hand through his tousled black hair. He looks worried. Even bathed in the warm light of the afternoon sun, he seems detached from this beautiful setting. His striking yellow eyes are distant, lost in thoughts that I can only guess. I hate to admit Prince Hartley looks absolutely regal, even in this casual pose, and his attire is impeccable.
Summers are long in Asteria, so we still have hours of light before night descends and we must be ready for tonight’s announcement. Still, I hope this encounter doesn’t last long.
"I'm here, as requested," I announce coldly, stepping out from behind the bushes.
Hartley's face lights up, and he smiles warmly at me, making me blush. "So, what is it that we need to finalize? Should we agree on a story about how we fell in love or whatever?" I ask, getting straight to business. "I told Cecilia you wrote me letters..."
But before I can finish my sentence, Prince Alexander stands up and places a finger on my lips to silence me. The unexpected touch sends a shiver down my spine, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
I'm about to complain when Prince Alexander makes a signal with his head, indicating that I should follow him in silence. Is someone around, listening to us? After leaving Lily to take care of tonight's dress, I snuck a knife from the kitchen and managed to hide it in the folds of my dress, just in case I needed it. I mustn't forget that Cecilia and Tristan are trying to kill me, and honestly, I feel kind of naked when I'm not armed. My thoughts are racing as I follow Alexander, careful not to make any sound by stepping on the grass instead of the stone path.
As we turn around a hedge, we find ourselves at a stunning, magnificent Wisteria tree. Its leaves and lilac flowers sway gently in the wind, releasing a sweet, enchanting scent that fills the air. The sight of it takes my breath away for a moment.
Underneath the tree is a lovely picnic spread, complete with sandwiches, colorful cookies, and tea. Everything is arranged beautifully, and there's even a canvas and paints. I stand there, speechless, unable to comprehend what I'm seeing.
"So," Alexander says, extending a hand towards the spread. "Do you like it?"
"What is this?" I ask, annoyed.
Alexander looks at me innocently. "What do you mean? It's clearly a date."
"A date?!" I exclaim. "I didn't agree to this!" My anger surges, and I attempt to leave, but Alexander takes my hand gently, trying to stop me.
"Please, just listen for a second," he implores. His soothing tone causes me to pause, and I look at him, arms crossed, foot patting quickly on the ground.
“Your explanation better be convincing,” I add, glaring at him expectantly.
Alexander's voice is persuasive as he speaks. "This is for your own benefit," he says. "Wouldn't it be more believable if we were seen spending time together, laughing and enjoying each other's company, before we announce our engagement tonight?" He gestures towards the nobles and servants strolling along one of the nearby paths leading into the palace.
I’m unsure, although I can't deny that he has a point. The path is bustling with activity, as many nobles are arriving for tonight's event. They’ll see us for sure. My eyes narrow as I spot Cecilia's servant among the crowd, her unpleasant face scanning the area. That’s perfect! A mischievous grin tugs at my lips as I make a decision. Grabbing Prince Alexander by the arm, I laugh out loud and pat him on the shoulder. "You're so funny, Prince Alexander, haha!" I exclaim, drawing the attention of several passersby, including the old servant. Her eyes widen in astonishment; I can only imagine the report she'll deliver to Cecilia later.
My gaze flickers back to Prince Alexander, whose face seems to have reddened slightly. He's looking away, avoiding eye contact. Annoyed, I snap, "What? Isn't this what you wanted?" Without waiting for a response, I stride towards the picnic setup. "Let's have this picnic, but from now on, I must agree to any further dates," I scold him.
He laughs, a deep, rich growl that sends shivers down my spine. "Very well, I'll add that clause to the contract."
I take off my heels and sit down on the picnic blanket, silently thanking Lily for choosing an outfit that’s comfy for this kind of situation. Glancing around, I realize that Prince Alexander has indeed arranged a picnic in the most idyllic spot of the gardens. The tree above us provides dappled shade, and the sound of water running in the nearby fountain creates a soothing backdrop. The scene is picturesque, almost too perfect. My eyes land on the canvas and paints resting near the edge of the blanket. "Why are these here?" I ask Alexander, curious.
"Actually," Prince Alexander says as he sits beside me, "my aide informed me that you enjoyed picnics and painting in the gardens. So, I thought it might be something we could do together." His voice is placid, and his cheeks seem slightly flushed. The sun of Asteria on his pale skin might be reddening his face.
I give a deep sigh. He's right, Seraphina would have loved this. It's a shame that I'm not her and hate the idea of all these small, stupid sandwiches and little, tiny, silly macaroons. I've never been on a date before; what would I even like to do on one? Going hunting, maybe? Still, I can't deny that Alexander made an effort here.
"Also," Alexander adds with a smile, "I've heard you're quite the painter."
Damn it. That's true. Seraphina did love art, and she was indeed a talented artist. I saw her sketches. But how am I supposed to paint?! I have no frickin idea how to do it, I've never even held a brush before!
"Why don't you paint something for your future husband?" he suggests jokingly, gesturing toward the canvas and paints.
Panic sets in. I can't paint at all! Fumbling with the hem of my dress while trying to hide my nervousness, I grab one of the sandwiches and say, "Eeeeh… Let's eat first!"
I hope that Alexander will forget about the whole painting thing if we focus on food instead.
I can’t risk being discovered for something like this!
Thank you for reading! 🤗 I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The following episode comes next week, but if you really can’t wait, the book is available now!
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