Jennifer didn't mind standing up for several minutes as she waited for her father, the Great Duke, to digest her words. The silence made it possible for her to think how to best approach his reaction.
"Why have you not said anything before Jennifer?" Asked her father with a hint of coldness in his voice.
She looked straight into his blue eyes, a color she shared with him, and kept her a calm appearance. The warm sunset, which made his blonde hair shine, turned his figure more daunting than usual.
"Lucreatia didn't want to worry you, papa." She said finally, her eyes now on the ground as a gesture of repentance.
He didn't say anything in reply, but the coldness of the room didn't disappear. "I think she was worried that you would cause a scene at the palace." A dry laugh was the only answer Jennifer got for her words. In surprise, she made her eyes turn back to the duke's figure.
But the duke no longer looked at her, instead, he turned his attention to the sunset.
"To think my daughters would perceive me as a fool..." he glanced slightly at her. There was only a hint of ice in those warmer blue eyes.
Jennifer tightened her grasp on her beautiful ocean blue dress, as those eyes watched her, in a careful manner.
"I am no fool to start a war with a royal princess... there is no need." His tone was calm and collected and his eyes were back at the window, watching the sun rest for the day. "Princess Odette won't be a problem for much longer." A chill started to fill the room they were in.
"Papa..." was the only words Jennifer was able to let out.
He didn't turn or move, instead, her father just stayed quiet for a while. But Jennifer knew he was looking at her through the reflection. She felt it.
"Still, won't be prudent to have your sister go with you to Princess Odette's palace." An irrefutable order disguised as a wandering thought.
"Yes, papa." She said her gaze back to the ground.
Seeing that they had discussed everything that there was to discuss, Jennifer gave a small bow and said goodnight to her father. However, before she could open the door, her father threw a question that made her stop in her tracks.
"Have your sister been wearing her bracelet?" He continued to avoid looking directly at her, yet Jennifer knew he watched her intensely through the window. His indirect glance burned on her.
"Yes, papa."
And with that, she left in hurry to her room.
During her walk, she remembered when she heard, for the first time, about the bracelet ... It had been some hectic days due to Lucreatia's sickness, and a man, dressed in brown robes and distinct purple eyes, came one day to cure her younger sister. Curious about his ways, Jennifer did a bad thing... she spied on her father and the strange man talking, on the night he came.
Her mama was a very wise woman and when Jennifer was really young, she told her about a secret place that would allow her to see the Duke's office in secrecy. Only a child could enter through the narrow hole that led to the hidden room. A small and dark place, which Jennifer never had wanted to go to before, yet on that day her will to know was strong enough to overcome all her insecurities over that place.
"Use this on Lucreatia." Said the man, taking seven rocks from one of the many pockets in his robe and placing it on the Duke's desk.
The Duke glanced at them from his seat before giving a questioning look back at the man.
"It will suppress her power after she has her first blessing. The temple won't realize it." He answered pushing the rocks to the Duke.
Her father took one of them and let them bask under the moonlight that came through the big window behind him. The way the rock behaved under the light was mysterious and pretty.
"Make it as a bracelet, it would be perfect." Said the man before he took another object from another pocket. A diamond. "And this you use in the ceremony. Your sister won't be able to detect anything. This diamond doesn't store holy power it reflects it away." He said pushing it also for her father to see.
The Duke took it as well and, for the first time since the start of the meeting, he smiled.
"Perfect, Emanuele."
Jennifer arrived at her room to see that her tea had been left on her side table. She would meet Lucreatia after having some rest and drinking some tea. Besides her sister had seemed excited to talk with Fanny alone. Something, she would have to look into, but not today. Today happened too many things, and she was tired.
As Jennifer took a long sip of her now cold tea, she watched the moon greeting the new night. Bright just like that night when the man came.
Her mind wandered to her and her sister's blessing and how her nervous father had left them alone to avoid his sister. It had been too perfect, better would have been impossible.
"When the day comes, make sure you have your diamond hit your sister Lucreatia's diamond. Her light will transfer to yours. Just be careful not to get caught, you only need a light touch."
Her mother's words had been right, she saw it in Aunt Belladona's eyes.
Well, her mother was right in more things. She knew father would ask for that man's help and that he would give him that diamond. It was the only way Father could prevent the Temple from understanding Lucreatia's power.
A power, the Temple now thought it belonged to her. Another sip and another long look to the moon, the silence was golden to her after such a hectic day. Upon catching her reflection on the window, she let out a smile.
Things were finally starting to go her way.
ACT I END
Sooooo what do you think of Jenni's point of view?? I would say she is a complex character which I enjoy writing about!
But and you, what did you think? Is it a good ending for the Act? Where are you expecting it?
Hope to you your views! And also what is in store for Act II? I can guarantee some fun things at least!!!
Also the Act I has ended! But don't fret Act II will come soon right after a special chapter to celebrate the end of Act I! Not sure if it will be released next Wednesday or Sunday, still thinking about it... But next week for sure and then we are ready for Act II :)
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