What If?

31

"They are so pretty!" Ces squeals twirling with a dress. "So befitting of our Princess!" Hannah agrees. Lily was also nodding in agreement as she sorted through them.

"But it's to much. I don't need anymore." I say looking at the room that was completely engulfed by dresses. They were dresses befitting of an actual princess. The ones I always received before were always quite plain and dull at least that what the other maids would say but I didn't really care. They ended up getting rid of them anyways since Lucas began making me many dresses with his magic that were all very pretty but not ever overdone.

I liked the dresses he made for me rather than these ones. But it's the first time I've received such things from Claude so I'm thankful. They were pretty.

"Princess, The Young Master of House Alpheus is requesting an audience right now." A maid announces.

But I still haven't written to him yet. Why is he here? On such short notice too. Well mind as well just say what I have to say now anyways.

"Okay, I'll be there in a moment. Prepare some tea please." I smile at her placing down the dress I was holding. "Oh and also some sweets too, please!" I say quickly as she turned around. "Yes, Princess." She giggled before walking walking away.

"How rude to show up unannounced all of a sudden." Lily says hanging up a dress. How silly she actually looks upset.

"It's fine, Lily. I have some things I need to talk about with him anyways." I tell her.

"He is like the biggest bachelor of the Empire." Hannah smiles.

"Tall, handsome, well-mannered, sweet, gentle he even is the future Duke of Alpheus. Princess is so lucky." Ces gushes with a dreamy look on her face. Hannah nods her head in agreement having the same look on her face.

"He is also engaged! No longer a bachelor!" I tell them, laughing.

"It's only time before the Alpheus House announces that the engagement is broken. She will have to have a lot of luck to even be able to marry a baron." Ces says rolling her eyes.

"Ces!" I almost yell. How could she say such a thing? What exactly is going around about her that she can say such a thing out loud?

"She's right, Princess! Everyone is talking about how they are surprised she is still alive! She manipulated an entire Empire with even the Imperial family. That's treason! You were even put on trial and almost killed for her. Nothing but disgraceful! Oh yeah and only half human really!" Hannah agrees with Ces again.

"That's enough. She's still a noble from her mothers side. Besides it's not like she knew at the begining. She just wanted a family like how I did." I scold them both.

In all honesty I didn't really like Jeanette, either but she doesn't deserve to be shunned by the entire Empire. It's not like all the other nobles haven't done despicable things to get where they are they just haven't gotten caught.
I'm sure of it that they all did their best to get close to her before but now that this happened they didn't hesitate to turn their backs on her. That is why I am helping her.

"I'll be leaving now." I tell them before making my way out to meet Ijekiel.

As I approach a servant opens the door for me and I walk through it smiling at the servant for their kindness.

As Ijekiel turns around towards me and sees me enter he smiles.

"Greetings Princess. Thank you for having an audience with me today." Ijekiel bows slightly to me. "Yes, have you been well?" I ask him.

"I've been quite fine, Princess. It was quite a relief to see you have returned safely." Ijekiel smiles.

"Please take a seat." I say gesturing with my hand towards the chair at the table. The table was by the window and overlooked onto the lake. This is where I prefer to have tea inside.