To Love, Once Again

Chapter 46

A pudgy hand, warm and sticky with tears, squeezes her hand as Sera and Leo walk back to the cottage, holding hands.

This was the first time Sera had held hands with a child, and his soft palm and chubby fingers were adorable, so small in her own petite hands. Leo would look up at Sera from time to time as they made their way out of the garden, and smile, showing his small pearly baby teeth.

Somehow, they had stumbled upon a tea party of noblewomen. The sparkling gems that wink on their necks, vibrant hues of their dresses, and hats crafted with impeccable artistic sense matches to the trimmed perfection of the garden surrounding them.

"Wow, look at the mistress, trying to worm her way back into the King's good graces"

Was Sera the one trying to worm her way into Lucien's good graces?

The girl who spoke titters, her breasts pushed so up and out with a corset that they looked to pop like balloons at any moment. Each one of the noble ladies were decked out in their best tea clothes. It was clear they were waiting for a certain someone to come upon them during a stroll in the gardens.

Of course, everyone would want to catch the King's eye. The prestige and power that came with it had been the source of many a secret assassination and underhanded dealings under the table.

In comparison to these girls, it came as no surprise that Sera looked a mess.

The rose bush had torn at her white clothes, small branches and leaves still caught in her hair and skirts. Sera's arms were faintly dotted with red marks, from where the thorns had pierced her.

"That's the King's mistress?"

Fluttering her fanciful lace fan, a young noblewoman whispers to another in disgust.

"Look at her. If she hadn't been the Summoned one, King Lucien would've never married her"

"Then that would mea... that's the prince?"

"Those clothes are much too simple to belong to the Prince. Perhaps it's her love child with another servant" Another girl raises her eyebrow, eliciting shocked gasps and laughter from her cohorts.

It's improper for a noble to arise from their seat without a servant's escort, so the women crane their necks, trying to get a glimpse of Leo, who sits kicking his legs out on the white stone bench, ignoring them. He didn't care about some other ladies. The ones who looked the prettiest were scary to him, with their thick perfume and red smiles. He preferred people like Bea and his Mama(though Mama did dress like those ladies sometimes, it looked good on her, she looked good in anything), who showered wonderful hugs and kisses on Leo that made his heart feel warm.

All the women seated there were young, but unknown faces to Sera. These were the girls that debuted in the 5 years she'd been gone. For them to be here, having tea in the Royal Gardens, was an honor. An honor that the select few invited by the high-class noblewomen who were close with Lucien's late mother had.

"Wait here" Crouching down to bring herself to eye-level with Leo, she strokes his soft cheek and sits him on a nearby bench, one of the many that dot the Royal Garden for visitors.

"Greetings to my ladies." Sera gives a simple servant's curtsey.

One of the debutantes almost tilt her head in acknowledgment of Sera's greeting until her friend holds her by the arm and gives it a slight shake.

A finger covered by white lace gloves points to where a fork laid on the white cobblestone ground. The finger belonged to a golden haired, green eyed beautiful woman, her face artfully enhanced with makeup, her carefully chosen hat and dress matching perfectly with her green eyes.