𝚂𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 ✔

Chapter Forty

I reached over and took one of her hands in mine, "Tonight shall go by fast and easy, so do not worry too much."

Her brown eyes met mine for but a moment before she looked down, "I-I will do my best to stay out of everyone's way."

My heart ached once I realized what was wrong. She too had lost something in the attack, but I had been too self-absorbed to have even noticed. I glanced over at the other two, Sheera's bruises that enveloped her neck were visible, and Rheda, despite her strength, had done nothing but fidget the entire ride.

None of us were truly healed from the events of that day, all putting on a brave face and swallowing our traumas. Though, why they had even stayed was beyond me, because all three of them had no interest in winning nor feelings for Thomas. So why?

A knock on the carriage door announced that it was time for us to exit. However, we all sat there quietly for a moment, looking at one another as if silently coming to an understanding.

Tonight was not something we had to face alone. We all had one another to lean on and to protect, and that filled me with a strength I never knew I needed until then.

"Shall we?" I smiled at the three of them with misty eyes.

"Indeed." Rheda's face softened, as a reassuring warmth seeped from her green eyes.

"I cannot wait to see the look on the Dampierre's faces when they see us all dressed in our best." Sheera laughed, "The anger in their eyes will be more than enough payment for forcing us to attend such an ill-timed Ball."

"I agree." Merona's eyes twinkled at Sheera's excitement. "You three alone are enough to outshine Castellana."

"Us four." I reminded, "Nothing she could ever wear could possibly compare to the kindness and beauty you exude, Merona."

"Thank you, Emma." She softly replied, her face lighting up a bit.

I took a deep breath, memories of the day I had first arrived flashing in my mind, as that familiar drop of my stomach hit me. I had come so far, yet there was still a long way ahead until I finally succeeded in what I had come here to do.

To wed a prince, but which one would it be? Tonight would answer that very question.

I knocked back on the door, and the coachman opened it.

The yard had been lit with braziers and large candle lamps, casting a warm hue across the floral arrangements and bushes.

The Dampierre estate had been larger than I had expected, though still not as grand as either of the palaces I had seen. The large, intricately designed structure stood about four levels high, five if you included the main floor. The architecture was not that of Myrcian design, and the exterior appeared as if it had recently been built within the last fifty years, as there were hardly any signs of wear and tear.

It had a circle drive, with a large fountain surrounded by an assortment of flowers in the center. Off to the left of the main building was a smaller one, presumably used as the servant's quarters, and to the right, a ways behind, stood what appeared to have been a greenhouse.

I was in awe of the grounds, as they were laid out completely differently than those of the palace, and hoped I would have gotten to at least catch a glimpse of their gardens.

"This must be what the people in Vitalis like." I thought to myself as we neared the steps.

Once we made it to the large pale green doors, a footman stepped in front of us. "If you four ladies will follow me, I shall show you all to the Ballroom."

"Of course, thank you kindly, good sir." Rheda nodded her head in thanks.

We followed the footman through the great hall, where many guests stood around chatting with one another as their eyes watched us cross the large room. If the families that the Dampierres had allied with had been the majority of the guestlist, then it was safe to say they were in full support of Castellana winning the Courting, and completely against the rest of us.

However, what I could not understand about the whole thing, was how these families with old blood supported a family that hailed from Vitalis, Myrce's enemy. If she married into the royal family, would that not have strengthened the hold Vitalis had on Myrce? And What if their desires did not stop at just that, what if they had their eyes set on the throne itself?

But to acquire that, was to have the heir, Henry, killed. Would they have been so bold? Surely it would have been far too obvious if he were to have tragically died soon after Thomas and Castellana's wedding.

No, it had to have been more than that. Something else was at play. I was just not completely sure of what exactly it had been at the time, but I was going to do everything I could to figure it out.

I needed to watch them, to see who exactly backed them and who they were overly friendly with, and this Ball was the perfect setting to do such a thing without anyone having a second thought.

Whatever their plans were, they all started with Castellana winning the Courting.

So, if saving Henry required preventing her from winning, then I was willing to do almost anything if it meant keeping him alive.

Even if, in the end, that required me to let him go.