The Author's Will

62 | White Aster

Irene glanced to her left to see Mikael observing her keenly. He seemed to be watching her for a while now, and it caught her slightly by surprise.

"Ah- I'm just a little nervous," she smiled, trying to conceal her tension, or at least make it less obvious. "A lot of things are going to be changing with the prince finally showing his face, so it has me a bit worried."

Mikael stared at her for a moment, but his gaze was rather gentle. "Don't think about it too much, and just enjoy yourself with Isabella as always."

Easier said than done.

"What about you, Mikael? Aren't you excited about seeing Daniel again?" Irene asked him, remembering how much he used to prattle on about his brother at the start. But ever since news of Daniel's disappearance spread throughout Laydel a few years ago, Mikael never brought him up again.

"I'm practically dying of excitement." He spoke in the most monotonous voice, and Irene tried not to heave a sigh from his sarcastic response.

More importantly... Irene glanced at her purse, sat upon her dress and matching in its teal colour to her skirt. She remembered the handkerchief she received from Daniel when they encountered by chance not too long ago, and as of now, it was neatly folded into her bag so she could return it to him.

Honestly the thing that makes me the most nervous is having to face him myself. She thought, remembering how their previous encounters were rather abnormal. Irene only hoped he wouldn't try to get revenge on her for being horribly rude to him in the past.

Come to think of it, I called him things like "weak" and "dying rabbit."

...I am doomed.

Just as she thought this, the carriage abruptly came to a halt. Irene jolted out of her thoughts, and almost stumbled forward, but her brother held an arm in front of her to keep her in place.

She glanced up at Rayvis, who had been napping but woken by the sudden halt, noticing the intimidating look of confusion plastered to his face. "What was that?"

Before Irene could say anything, Rayvis opened the carriage door immediately and stepped out to check what was wrong. Both Mikael and Irene blinked at the open doorway for a moment, bewildered.

Why did the carriage suddenly stop?

Irene gulped.

We haven't even arrived at the ball yet and there's already trouble?

"Mother, are you alright?"

"Sarah- what's wrong?"

Irene's heart froze.

Without wasting a breath, she lifted her skirt and leapt out of the carriage. Mikael's eyes widened watching her do that, but he followed after her immediately.

Something wasn't right.

Irene hurried to the front compartment of their carriage a few metres away, where Rudien and Sarah sat together. Both her parents and brother were standing outside, but the sight of her mother's figure stumbling forward caused a great wave of worry to settle in Irene's stomach.

"What's going on?" She asked, alarmed at the sight of Sarah's eyes screwed shut, as though she were suppressing agonising pain. Her gloved hand clasped over her mouth, as though nauseous - and Rudien held her toward his body, protectively.

"Get her some water." The duke firmly instructed the startled driver, who immediately nodded and hurried to find some in the carriage.

Irene held her breath, watching as her brother used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his mother's brows. She had turned pale and looked quite unwell, and this sent a wave of dread through the princess' stomach.