The letter from Gilbert finally arrived, along with a copy of the signed treaty. I waited to read the letter until later that evening in the privacy of my library. The emperor had not been easily convinced, hence the delay. But it was done. The treaty was signed, and Ivetta’s secret could be revealed.
Don’t make me regret this, Gilbert wrote.
I smirked. He wasn’t talking about the treaty.
A soft knock came to my door, and I folded up the letter and put it back in its envelope as Belle stepped into the room.
“Prince Chevalier,” she said nervously, fidgeting with her skirt. “May I have a word?”
“Go ahead,” I said, tucking the envelope into an inner pocket of my cloak. Tomorrow would be her last day at the palace. This was probably about her choice.
She took a deep breath and looked me in the eye. “I will be signing the King’s Proclamation tomorrow, and I intend to choose you as king. I want to entrust Rhodolite’s future to you. You’re the kind of person who can do anything, and it’s my firm conviction that you’ll become a king who will surpass many generations of kings, past and future.”
I’d expected as much. Her fingers clenched into the fabric at her sides, and she smiled sadly.
“But I’m really going to miss Ivetta. Take good care of her, okay?”
Belle turned to go, and I stood up and followed her out. She turned back and looked up at me, her brown eyes wide with surprise.
“I’ll see that she is in attendance tomorrow,” I said simply as I passed Belle by.
Clause 99 would have to be dealt with. It had been added to the Belle Covenant by Sariel and Jin to dissuade romance between a Belle and the prince she chose to become king, thereby preventing the heartbreak and tragedy that marred the beginning of my father’s reign and Jin’s life, but it would also prevent this Belle from returning to the palace to visit Ivetta. There were several ways I could think of to nullify or eliminate that clause.
Later.
Right now, I needed to talk to Sariel, and then to the doctor. I could slip Ivetta’s new dress into her bureau, too, for her to wear at the ceremony.
Sariel was in his room, climbing into bed, when I entered his room without knocking.
“Prince Chevalier!” He jumped out of bed and stood up straight, his lavender eyes narrowed and unshielded by the glasses he usually wore. “Do you know what time it is?” he asked, irritated.
“Obsidian has signed the treaty,” I said, handing him the envelope.
He gave me an uncharacteristic frown as he took the envelope. “And this couldn’t wait until the morning? Or, rather, afternoon?”
“You’ll tell her after Belle signs the King’s Proclamation.”
He dropped the envelope on the nightstand next to his glasses. “Fine,” he grumbled. “I will agree to play your little game. Now, may I go to bed?”
“Yes.”
I allowed myself a chuckle when I left his room. Technically, all of this could wait until tomorrow. But I didn’t want to wait.
The doctor was already in bed when I entered his room, again without knocking, and he was just as flustered as Sariel.
“Prince Chevalier!” he protested, scrambling out of bed and blocking the door to Ivetta’s room. “I cannot allow you to visit Miss Ivetta at this late hour!”
As if I’d go through his room for that.
“You will allow her to attend the signing of the King’s Proclamation tomorrow,” I said firmly.
He frowned. “Absolutely not! She isn’t ready-”
“Her muscles will atrophy if she is not allowed to use them,” I interrupted his bluster.
He clamped his mouth shut and glared at me.
“Belle will arrive early in the afternoon to escort her. Goodnight.” I turned to go, satisfied that I’d made my point. One more thing to do, and then I’d make an attempt at sleeping.
“I insist that she come back immediately after the ceremony is complete for an examination,” the doctor spouted at my back.
“Fine.”
My last stop was, in fact, Ivetta’s room, after I went back to mine to collect the dress. Of course, I could have simply gone to my room first and given the dress to the doctor, or brought it by the next day. But there was always the chance that she was still awake, and I wanted to see her.
Although she wasn’t in bed when I let myself in through the door off the hallway. An immediate unease rose in my stomach, and I scanned the dark room for any sign of her. The bathroom door was closed. Light shone under the crack at the bottom, and water was running inside. I checked the door to the doctor’s room - still locked.
The unease disappeared. I smirked and knocked lightly at the door, crossing my arms over my chest as I prepared my teasing words about disobeying the doctor’s orders.
The water immediately stopped, followed by a brief silence. She threw the door open, apologizing as soon as she turned the handle.
“I’m sorry, I know I’m not supposed to be out of bed, but I-”
Her wide green eyes met mine, and she stopped. All thought vanished as I looked down at her, standing before me for the first time in a month. She bit her lower lip, staring back up at me in surprise, her cheeks colored with a faint blush. The candlelight cast a soft glow on her silky black hair, loose and cascading over one shoulder of her sleeveless white nightgown. A few scars on her arms were the only visible reminders of what had happened to her, although I knew there were still bandages concealed by the fabric of her dress. My body moved of its own accord, my feet closing the distance between us as my arms wrapped around her to pull her close. I would have kissed her, had she not looked down just in time to prevent that.
“P-prince Chevalier,” she whispered, unresisting and soft and absolutely perfect. “You dropped something.”
I couldn’t care less about the package on the floor. She’d put on some much-needed weight, with no sharp edges to her soft curves as I held her tightly. Her hair smelled of lilacs.
“Um…you can let me go now,” she finally said.
“No,” I muttered.
She sighed and rested her cheek against my chest, her arms wrapping around my waist.
“I have to go to bed, Prince Chevalier,” she murmured after a while.
The warmth in my chest sparked into flames. An image of me scooping her up and carrying her back to bed flashed through my mind, but she wasn’t fully healed and certainly wasn’t in a state to handle the images that followed. I forced myself to release her and stepped back. She started to bend over, reaching for the package, but I put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her.
“I’ll get that. You go to bed.”
Except I couldn’t stop staring at her, even when I engaged in the simple action of picking up the fallen package. Her bare feet padding away from me across the carpet, the fabric swishing gently around her ankles, my eyes drawn inexorably up to her swaying hips…
The doctor was right. I had no business being here at this hour.
I swallowed hard and stood, turning away from her and toward the bureau. My feet felt like lead as I forced them to move. I dropped the package on the bureau and kept up my momentum, heading for the door.
“Belle will be signing the King’s Proclamation tomorrow,” I said coolly, the temperature of my voice in stark contrast to the fire surging through my veins. “Wear that.”
A cold bath before bed, then. Now that she was no longer an invalid, I would have to relearn how to exercise some restraint. Although losing control tomorrow and pulling her into a passionate kiss right in front of my brothers would certainly entertain them.
I had myself back in hand the next afternoon as I gathered with my brothers, Sariel, and Belle’s attendant, Rio, in the throne room. Beauty’s Time was little more than a thorny green stem surrounded by fallen red petals within its protective glass dome. A scroll bearing the King’s Proclamation rested on the wooden table next to it, waiting for Belle to fill in the blank with my name. Now, all we needed was Belle.
And Ivetta.
I thought I had myself in hand, but then they entered the room, and I found it difficult to breathe. Ivetta wore the dress, a simple but pretty commoner’s outfit, matching Belle’s except for the color of the skirt. Belle’s was red; Ivetta’s was green, emphasizing her bright green eyes. Her long, silky black hair contrasted with the white collar and bust as it tumbled across her shoulders and down her back, her scars hidden by the long sleeves, her form giving the fitted bodice and the slight flare at the hips meaning and beauty. She made the dress, not the other way around. And her smile was radiant.
Leon elbowed me in the ribs, and I tore my gaze away from her to shoot him a glare. He was grinning broadly.
Belle left Ivetta next to Rio, an idiotic blonde with friendly blue eyes, and came to stand next to the table, nervous but much more confident than she had been upon her arrival a month ago. I was both annoyed and grateful that she hadn’t led Ivetta straight to my side.
“This has been a tough decision,” Belle started. “Each of the princes has his good points - and his bad points - and I think each would be capable of becoming a good king. However, I think it’s pretty clear to everybody that the faction leaders, Prince Chevalier and Prince Leon, are the best candidates.” She took a deep breath and looked over at Ivetta, who gave her an encouraging smile. They had undoubtedly discussed this, but, based on the nervous flicker in Ivetta’s green eyes, Belle had kept her final decision a secret.
“Choosing between the two of them has been extremely hard, but recent events have led to one becoming the clear leader in times of crisis. So, I have decided to name Prince Chevalier the next king of Rhodolite.” She wrote my name on the scroll and deliberately set the quill down. I smiled, satisfied. This wasn’t a surprise to me after working toward the throne my entire life. One goal was achieved.
The next was in my sights, just across the throne room.
“Thank you for your service, Belle. I am sure Rhodolite has a brighter future because of it,” Sariel said with his thin smile.
Leon held out his hand to me, his broad grin fading into a rueful smile. “Guess you won.”
I took his hand and shook it. “Naturally.”
Ivetta walked over to Belle and gave her a hug. “I’m really going to miss having you around here,” she said.
Belle hugged Ivetta back, but tentatively, afraid of hurting her. “It’s not like we’ll never see each other. Rio and I work in a bookshop in the village. You can always come and visit,” she said, pulling away and giving one of her bright and bubbly smiles.
Rio, ever the faithful pet, took his place by Belle’s side. “You’ve been a big help, Ivetta. Thanks for everything.” He winked. The man had been following Belle around like a lovesick puppy for three years, and thanks to Ivetta’s prodding, Belle was finally looking at him as a possible romantic interest.
“I hope you two will be very happy together,” Ivetta said, smiling brightly.
Belle blushed. “Ivetta!” she exclaimed, glancing around quickly to see if anybody else had heard. We all had, and she turned even redder as the good-natured laughing began.
Sariel tapped Ivetta on the shoulder. “If I may have a word,” he said.
“Of course,” she replied.
I watched them leave, unable to hide my smile. My coronation would still be weeks away. Ivetta, however, would officially become a princess in a matter of minutes.
“What’s that all about, Chev?” Clavis asked, his golden eyes glittering with amusement.
“You’ll see,” I said cryptically.
“She looks fantastic, doesn’t she?” Jin said, casually draping an arm around my shoulder.
I shrugged him off. “Look, don’t touch,” I said coolly.
Leon laughed. “Is that the first order from the new king?”
“He’s not king yet,” Jin said, unperturbed by my icy glare. “How about a drink to celebrate?”
“You just want an excuse to drink,” Yves said accusingly.
Jin shrugged. “Yeah, but what better reason to drink than to celebrate the new king?”
“It’s a beautiful day. Why don’t we have a party in the gardens?” Belle suggested.
“How about it, King Highness?” Nokto asked.
“Do what you like,” I said dismissively.
“Party in the gardens!” Luke exclaimed enthusiastically.
“I’ll tell the servants,” Licht said, sounding bored. “They may as well know before you all make a mess.”
I glanced back at the door where Sariel and Ivetta had disappeared, but I followed everybody else outside. They would have no difficulty finding us. Jin and Leon alone would raise enough noise to make sure of that.
A couple of tables were hastily set up and loaded with alcohol and pastries. My abstinence did not go unnoticed.
“So, what’s the plan with Ivetta?” Clavis asked, grinning slyly.
“Looks like she’s recovering great. Will you be taking her out to celebrate?” Nokto added suggestively.
“She isn’t fully healed,” I reminded them.
Jin threw back a glass of champagne and laughed. “You better stop dragging your feet, Chevalier, or somebody else may outrace you.”
“You’re already drunk,” Yves said, disgusted.
“Nah, I’m not drunk yet. If I were drunk, I’d grab Belle over there and give her a kiss,” Jin teased.
“Not a chance,” Rio said, putting an arm around her shoulder and drawing her to him protectively.
“Both of you, knock it off!” she protested, blushing furiously.
“Look, here comes Sariel!” Leon called.
“Where’s Ivetta?” Belle asked.
“I have an announcement,” Sariel said smoothly, his lavender eyes meeting mine.
I immediately smiled.
“There’s that smile again. This has to involve Ivetta,” Clavis teased.
“Princess Ivetta,” Sariel corrected.
“What?” Belle squealed, her brown eyes suddenly wide with excitement.
“You’re kidding,” Luke said, his mouth dropping wide open.
“Let the man talk,” Leon said, his amber eyes shining.
“Her parents were King Arvon and Queen Evelyn of Garnet. That was a nation destroyed by Obsidian some nineteen years ago,” Sariel clarified, seeing Belle’s confusion. “Queen Evelyn was pregnant when she escaped here to Rhodolite, and, thus, Ivetta is a princess.”
Jin let out a whistle.
“This is all very convenient,” Nokto said, narrowing his crimson eyes.
“My thoughts exactly,” Sariel continued. “But the journal brought here by Prince Leon was written by King Arvon and details Queen Evelyn’s escape plan, and a letter at the end written by Queen Evelyn explains the rest.”
“Gilbert met her parents when he was a child, and he verified the authenticity of the journal,” I added.
“I didn’t know about the journal, but he did tell me his suspicions,” Yves interjected. “After the abduction, when Chevalier made him tell me everything. That’s why he was so interested in her.”
Among other reasons.
“Well, where is she? This party just got even bigger!” Belle exclaimed.
“The doctor wanted to examine her,” Sariel replied smoothly.
Belle took off running for the palace.
“How long have you known about this, Chevalier?” Leon asked.
“As soon as I saw the journal,” I replied.
“And you kept it a secret from her?” Clavis asked.
“That was my suggestion,” Sariel said smoothly. “Since she was in such a fragile state, and the King’s Proclamation was due to be signed so soon, it seemed wise to me to refrain from telling her until now.”
A neat and believable lie, as per Sariel’s usual.
“This calls for another drink!” Jin said happily, topping his glass off again.
“Seriously, Chev, why aren’t you drinking?” Clavis asked. “I’ve never seen you so happy.”
“Then I don’t need a drink,” I said coolly.
My anticipation grew as the alcohol flowed and the minutes passed, and Belle finally returned - alone.
“Where’s Ivetta?” Rio asked.
“The doctor sent her to bed,” Belle said, trying not to smirk as she glanced over at me. “He said she’s to stay on bedrest until tomorrow morning.”
“Really? She seemed fine to me,” Luke said.
“How is she feeling?” Leon asked.
“She said she’s a little sore, but she’s not tired at all,” Belle said, shrugging casually. “But the doctor wouldn't budge.”
“We’ll see about that,” I snapped, heading inside. I had waited long enough.
“Very ingenious, Belle,” I heard Nokto compliment her as their voices faded behind me.
The doctor was sitting on the sofa in his room, reading a medical text, and he immediately scrambled to his feet when I entered the room.
“Prince Chevalier, I hear congratulations are in order!” he said nervously, recognizing my dangerous mood.
“Why are you confining Ivetta to bed?” I asked sharply.
“She is not fully healed, and she should return to activity slowly,” he said, although his words lacked conviction.
“She is also under my protection, and I will not allow harm to come to her,” I said firmly.
“Yes, but-”
“Your concern has been noted. I will send Belle to help her get ready, and she will escort Ivetta to the party in the gardens. When Ivetta is ready to return, I will bring her back. Is that clear?”
The doctor’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. “Yes, your highness.”
I spun on my heel and left for the gardens. Just a few more minutes. I could wait just a few more minutes.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2vLjExbpp
