[Last night…]
“MOTHER, I’m going to marry Sonata Florin,” Diether said while he was having tea with his mother in the garden. It was already late at night, but since both of them couldn’t sleep, they decided to have tea together. “Father said he’ll pass down the Grand Duke title to me if I married Lady Florin. It’s the only way for me to enter Mount Ashira.”
He could always trespass illegally.
However, the king was a sly opponent.
[People think His Majesty is fond of me, but the king is still the king. I’m sure His Majesty wouldn’t hesitate to cut me off if I offended him.]
“I’ll do whatever it takes to find Celeste.”
“I understand, son,” his mother said, who was already aware of Francine’s vision, said while nodding her head. “You should propose to Lady Florin using the blue diamond ring that your father used when he proposed to me.”
The blue diamond ring was a family heirloom.
Only the Hexfords possessed a blue diamond ring in the entire kingdom. Hence, the previous patriarchs of House Hexford– including his father– used that ring to propose to their partners.
But not Diether.
[Celeste loves pearls, so I proposed to her with the rarest gold pearl in the world.]
“As you already know, my marriage with your father is a loveless marriage,” his mother said calmly. “You and Lady Florin would suffer the same fate. Hence, it’s only right if you proposed to her using the same ring that your father used when he proposed to me.”
The blue diamond ring was supposed to be the Grand Duchess’ symbol of power.
But since Celeste didn’t receive it, people thought Celeste was nothing but a temporary wife for the successor of House Hexford.
Of course, they were wrong.
[I didn’t give Celeste the blue diamond ring because it’s nothing more than a sparkling jewel to me.]
Just like how Sonata Florin was nothing but a means to get what he needed.
“You’re right, Mother,” Diether agreed with his mother’s suggestion. “I’m sure the blue diamond ring would suit Lady Florin well.”
***
[A few hours before the royal banquet…]
“YOUR MAJESTY, will it be alright to take away the spotlight from you tonight?”
“Why would you do that, my dear nephew?” King Seymour asked, pouting. “You know how much this uncle of yours loves attention, don’t you?”
[So childish.]
He made the right decision by going to the king’s office first before heading to the banquet.
[I knew he’d scold me if I took away the attention from him without informing him in advance.]
“Dear nephew, what are you planning to do?”
“I’m going to propose to Lady Florin.”
The king gasped, then his eyes twinkled as if he was excited. “You’ve finally come to your senses, my dear nephew!”
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His Majesty even stood up from his seat to pat Diether’s shoulders.
“Good decision, my boy,” the king said proudly. “You won’t regret marrying Lady Sonata. Your father and I wouldn’t choose a lady who doesn’t meet our standards. Hence, rest assured, Lady Sonata is truly fit to become the next Grand Duchess.”
He doubted that, but he didn’t want to ruin the king’s mood.
[I need to get on His Majesty’s good side for now.]
“You should enter the grand hall after the ceremony, my dear nephew.”
Diether knitted his eyebrows. “Your Majesty, please don’t be ridiculous. It would be incredibly rude of me to arrive later than the direct members of the Royal Family. Even if I’m your nephew, the nobles would still criticize me for such discourtesy.”
“Who cares? As long as I allow it, they don’t have the right to criticize you,” King Seymour said casually, squeezing his shoulders. “You should definitely make a surprise appearance, my dear nephew.”
***
AND THAT was how Diether ended up proposing to Sonata Florin after his dramatic entrance.
He even got down on one knee as he offered the blue diamond ring.
[It’s embarrassing, alright. But with this, I could finally repay the debt I owe to Lady Florin when I humiliated her during our engagement ceremony.]
“Make sure to put the ring on my finger properly this time, my lord.”
“Is it safe to assume that it’s a ‘yes?’”
Sonata Florin laughed softly, then she nodded. “Yes, Lord Diether. Marrying you sounds fascinating, so let’s do it.”
[Lady Florin doesn’t look like it, but she’s as carefree as the king.]
Diether stood up, then he put the blue diamond ring on Sonata Florin’s finger– properly this time. “Should we seal this with a kiss?”
“You sound desperate,” Sonata Florin said, cupping his face between her hands. “I can’t wait to hear why you’re suddenly willing to marry and kiss me now.”
Ah, as expected.
[This lady is quick-witted.]
Diether’s thoughts were interrupted when Sonata Florin suddenly stood on her toes, then she placed a gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth.
But since she covered his face with her hands, it probably looked like they kissed on the lips.
[It’s only for show.]
“Is this enough?” Sonata Florin asked teasingly. “Will you get what you want now?”
Diether sighed and nodded. “Let’s talk later.”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” King Seymour said in a loud and excited voice. “With this, Commander Diether Hexford and Lady Sonata Florin are now officially engaged!”
***
“THIS will be a loveless marriage.”
Pfft.
If Sonata wasn’t sipping her tea, she would have laughed already.
Of course, she already knew from the start that this would be nothing but a loveless marriage.
[For now.]
Anyway, right now, Sonata and Diether were having tea in the royal parlor.
It was the same room that she used when she talked to the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess after her fiancé ran away in the middle of their engagement ceremony.
“As you already know, I need to marry you in order to receive the Grand Duke title from my father,” Diether continued in a solemn voice, placing his teacup on the saucer. “Lady Florin, you also have an ulterior motive for marrying me, don’t you?”
“Well, marrying you guarantees my safety while I’m here in the Zerua Kingdom.”
“I’ll guarantee your safety even after we divorced.”
She laughed softly. “How long do you picture us married?”
Diether flinched, but he still gave her an honest response. “One year should be enough.”
Pfft.
This time, Sonata burst out laughing.
“What’s funny, Lady Florin?”
“I didn’t expect you to be naïve, my lord,” she said, then she sipped her tea before she asked: “Or should I say innocent?”
“Excuse me?”
“One year is plenty enough for two people to fall in love with each other.”
Diether’s eyes widened in shock, as if he was flustered. “Are you interested in me?”
“Right now? Not yet,” Sonata said sincerely. “But who knows? I might slowly fall in love with you the more time we spend with each other.”
“I have no intention of falling in love with you, Lady Florin.”
“I know– it’s painfully obvious you’re still in love with your first wife.”
“Then why did you say something like that?”
“Because I know what that contract is for,” Sonata said, pointing at the envelope on the table between them. “You’re going to make me sign a contract that forbids me from falling in love with you, right? And you probably wrote in one clause that we’re bound to divorce after a year.”
Once again, he flinched. “Are you a ghost?”
That meant she got it right.
“I’m not going to sign that contract, Lord Diether,” Sonata said firmly. “It’s stupid. I may not like you romantically at the moment, but it can always change at any time. If that happens, then I don’t want to be bound by a stupid clause in a contract that says I can’t fall in love with you.”
“Lady Florin–”
“But even if I fall in love with you, I won’t force my feelings on you,” she said, cutting him off. “I will divorce you once I confessed and you rejected me. I will not trap you in our marriage.”
“Can I trust your words, Lady Florin?”
“What does your gut say, my lord?”
Diether fell silent for a moment, then he stood up and extended his hand to Sonata. “Should I call you ‘Lady Sonata’ from now on? You’ll be ‘Sonata Hexford’ soon, so I should get used to calling you by your first name instead of your last.”
Ah, so that was his way of accepting her terms.
“That’s fine with me, Lord Diether,” Sonata said, shaking Diether’s hand. “So, when are we getting married?”