Blanche awoke as she stirred around in a cold sweat, only to be calmed when she opened her eyes and found Theodore in front of her. Still, it took a while to ban the horrible images from her dream from her head. Even if that scene only was a fabrication of her own mind that was trying to process her jealousy, seeing Seraphina with Theodore felt like a knife was stuck in her stomach. The pavilion was a special place for Blanche and her lover. No one else deserved to be there.
Especially not the heroine.
Even though the concubine had woken up in this unpleasant manner, she took a moment to become conscious. She was still yawning and getting used to the light that was spilling through the curtain when she saw that her lover was already fully awake.
Theodore was lying on his side and supported his head with his hand while observing her. “Good morning, my angel. You seem to have slept quite well tonight.” The corners of his lips lifted as he carefully pulled a single strand of her that fallen onto her face away.
“Have I slept too long? Since when have you been awake already?” She murmured her questions and slowly sat up.
He followed her example while shaking his head. “This time, I seem to have woken up later than usual as well. But I could use the last few minutes to watch your adorable sleeping face, so it was worth it. You made strange noises in between. Did you dream something odd?” The memory of her nightmare caused her to grimace, which made Theodore laugh. “So, it wasn't a pleasant dream, huh?”
“No, but it wasn't a nightmare either. Just...bizarre.” Blanche's gaze fell onto the table, which was already set. She turned to the emperor to question when the servants had prepared everything, but he responded before she could open her mouth.
“Stella was here a while ago and asked whether she should take care of breakfast. That maid is surprisingly quiet while working.”
A smile appeared on the concubine's lips. “She is used to setting the table when I'm sleeping, and I believe that she didn't wake me once in the past weeks, even though I am normally quite sensitive regarding noises. Stella is incredibly good at not making a single clink when she handles porcelain.”
Maybe the servant had become so efficient because her mistress had scolded her for the slightest noise before. But naturally, being completely silent took more time than when she could ignore all sounds, no matter which reason Stella had to be so good. If Theodore had watched the whole process of placing all the plates and dishware on the table, he had to have been awake longer than he had admitted.
Blanche turned to her lover and asked him directly. “Are you hungry?”
“Let's say that if you wanted to eat now, I would be glad to join.” The emperor grinned at her.
The concubine swung her legs to the side of the bed and stood up to move to the table. “Then we should have breakfast before you starve.”
They sat down on their chairs and Theodore lifted one of the covers to reveal a basket with freshly baked bread and a plate with fish, which Blanche assumed to be salmon. This species was the most common fish in the sea of Eswen, the ocean that bordered on Artias, and thus, eaten more frequently than other fish. That was quite a useful coincidence for her. Salmon was her favorite garnish, and thanks to Theodore's request, the cooks made sure to include it in a meal every so often.
Blanche grabbed one of the small loaves of bread and happily bit into it. As she expected, it was delicious. The smell of freshly baked bread filled her nose, and she was glad that she could eat without having to wait.
Her lover across the table took some bread as well and topped his slice with some vegetables before devouring it. It seemed like he had been hungrier than he had admitted earlier. This was something he tended to do. Often he would keep silent about his own desires and needs or simply ignore them in Blanche's favor. He was the pampering, devoted lover that many young ladies dreamed about, which was natural since he was the male main character of a romance novel. Though his concubine could only hope that he wouldn't neglect his own feelings in the future too. He deserved to be happy.
The couple ate while exchanging a few words, and Theodore's face lit up at some point before he spoke up. “Our picture has been in the office for two days now. And as I had guessed, it fits there perfectly. Do you want to stop by later and take a look at it?”
Despite Blanche's doubts, he truly hadn't reconsidered his decision and placed the portrait where it could spark rumors. Most likely, nothing would happen since only the ministers would enter, and they wouldn't spread information that could start unflattering gossip about their ruler. But Duke Duremont would see it there too, and he wouldn't be happy. Theodore knew that, and still, he had accepted the risks because he wanted to see his lover's image on the wall in the room where he spent most of his time.
A warm sensation spread in Blanche's chest as she began beaming. “Sure. When are you free? And when do you have to leave?”
Theodore took another bite and drank a sip out of his cup while recounting his duties. His expression darkened a bit, and he paused in his movements. “I will have to go after breakfast, regrettably. The messenger is scheduled to come here with news from Northern Ocrea, and I need to welcome him.” He finished his drink and set the cup down. “I swear that half of my work would be unnecessary if those countries had signed a peace treaty after they split decades ago. If it wasn't for this mess, I would have so much free time that I wouldn't know what to do with it.” This was exaggerated, but he was right about having many difficulties because of Ocrea.
Ocrea had been located behind the eastern border of Artias and had way bigger territories than most neighbors. A few decades ago, a civil war had developed out of the strong contrast between the population and their desired rulers. The violent revolution that followed had split the country into the northern and southern parts. Ever since then, the two nations had been in the middle of a cold war, and the border, which was heavily guarded, often was the location of conflicts that threatened to involve the military.
Theodore's father, the previous emperor, had signed a peace contract with Southern Ocrea, which made them allies. Thus, Northern Ocrea considered Artias an enemy country. Being on the verge of a war with this nation, which had a great number of weapons and experienced warriors, wasn't an ideal situation for Artias at all. Should military combat develop, both sides would have many losses in terms of soldier's lives and economic stability.
This was exactly what would happen in the novel as well. Though the war was never described in detail since the heroine hadn't been present at the battlefield, the consequences still had been summarized and left a terrifying impression. The description had been so good that Blanche could see the landscape of Northern Ocrea with the dead and injured soldiers lying on the floor in front of her inner eye. So many had died. In the end, a strategy that Seraphina had found in a book had led to Artias' victory, but that didn't make up for the horrifying impact that the war had had on both countries. Obviously, no one knew about that yet.
Currently, Theodore was doing his best to avoid demanding the military's support as he was aware of the threat that Northern Ocrea posed. A lot of his time was spent mediating with the king through messengers and appeasing him. In addition, he had to discuss the required actions with his ministers and design war strategies for the worst-case scenario.
It would be better for everyone if that conflict never escalated, but how could Blanche get involved? She could ask her lover to put more effort into negotiating. As if he didn't try that already. Maybe war was inevitable at this point in time. The concubine was so lost in thought that she almost didn't realize that Theodore had continued to talk.
“But today the messenger won't have too much energy after coming all the way from Ocrea. This means that I only have to greet him and find out whether he has some letters for me. If there are any, I have to read them and write a response. After that, I should have a little time before the ministers come. So, could you visit me in the office after lunch? I'm afraid I won't make it through the day otherwise.” He put on a pleading expression.
Blanche nodded instantly. He actually hadn't needed to ask her in the first place. There wasn't a reason for her to refuse her lover. She was in the palace to accompany him and would never dream about denying a chance to meet him. Still, he always asked for her opinion before arranging a meeting and allowed her to decline as well, even though her answer was obvious. “I will be there.”
Theodore began smiling and took another bite from his slice of bread. “Then I'll inform the guards so that they'll let you in immediately.”
They finished breakfast shortly after, and the emperor prepared to leave. He gave his concubine a long hug and a kiss before exiting the room.
As soon as he was gone, Stella entered. “Good morning, My Lady. How was the night?” She questioned that with raised eyebrows.
Blanche had to grin at the servant's relaxed behavior. She was glad that the other woman felt comfortable joking around with her mistress now. “Oh yes, sleeping was very exciting. Did you do something interesting with your free time yesterday?”
Stella's face fell upon hearing these words. “Actually, there is something that I need to tell you.”
The maid's serious tone worried Blanche a bit. She gesticulated towards the chair in front of her.
Stella sat down. She stared at the table for a while and played around with her fingernails.
When the maid hadn't spoken up after some time, an unpleasant knot formed in Blanche's stomach. “Did something bad happen?”
The response followed as a frown, and a few seconds later, Stella finally opened her mouth. “It's nothing you have to worry about, I think. But it struck me as odd, so I believe it would be good if I told you about this. Yesterday, after Her Majesty told me to leave the room, I waited in front of the library. For a while, it was quiet, and I decided to quickly bring the ink back to your chambers. I came back, and Her Majesty was standing by the door. When she noticed me, she approached me and began asking strange questions.”
Blanche frowned as well after hearing the servant's explanation. “Like what?”
Stella started to fiddle with her fingers again. “First, she wanted to know whether I served you. When I affirmed that, she asked what I thought about you. I was a little taken aback by that and questioned what she meant. Then Her Majesty asked whether you were treating me badly or whether you had ever hurt me. When I denied that, she got quiet for a moment before she asked if I was sure about that. I said that I was, and she thanked me. Then she left.”
This was truly particular. Seraphina seemed to view Blanche as a truly despicable person if she believed that the other woman would physically harm her maid. Though considering the behavior the concubine had exhibited in front of the heroine, laying her hand upon others would only appear like a slight intensification of her self-righteous actions. But what didn't make sense about this was the empress' goal. What would she accomplish by finding out that Blanche had hurt a servant?
Blanche had no idea what this was about, but she didn't like it one bit. “That is...unusual for sure. Why would she ask about something like this? I mean...what does she want with this piece of information? She certainly didn't ask because she desires to understand my motives or anything like that.”
Stella shrugged in response. “I don't know, My Lady. I was puzzled because of that the whole evening. I thought it might be better for you to know about that.”
“Yes, I believe that it was good for you to tell me. Thank you.” Blanche put her hand on her chin and tried to understand what had gone through the heroine's head. Unsurprisingly, she didn't find an answer. “Well, I can't read her thoughts, no matter what I do. I'll just keep that in mind. But for now, I will focus on visiting Theo. He requested me to come to his office after lunch.”
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Stella looked to the side and was unusually quiet for a moment.
Blanche observed her and spoke up after a moment. “Is something wrong?”
The maid raised her gaze to Blanche for a couple of seconds before lowering it to the table. “It's just that-” She interrupted herself and began once more. “I know that I shouldn't compare this, but I can't help remembering the last time that you went there. That didn't end well.”
The concubine would have liked to forget about that. The scene of Seraphina and Theodore on the balcony assembled itself in her mind, and she struggled to shove it aside again. Of course, Stella was still unaware of why her mistress had been so hurt upon witnessing it. The maid couldn't know that this situation signaled the start of the book's story. While Blanche had avoided thinking about that specific image, her brain had been processing the novel's information almost nonstop. If she did manage to secure her survival and reached the end of the narrative, she looked forward to not having to ponder about the book anymore. “I know what you mean. But it will be fine.”
Probably.
The odds that Seraphina was willing to spend time with Theodore after their explosive argument two days ago were low, and the odds that she wished to stay after seeing Blanche were even lower.
“I guess...” Stella didn't seem to be convinced by that. But she motivated herself after a few seconds. She let out a deep breath and straightened her posture. “If you want to meet His Majesty, you should dress now so that we can leave immediately after you finish lunch later.”
The concubine agreed, and they got ready to go out. Today she wore a peach-colored gown, which was elegant but didn't restrict her movement too much. After she got dressed, the women sat down and talked until it was time for lunch.
When Stella left to retrieve the dishes, Blanche remembered the letter she wanted to send to Sefare. The concubine hurried to her desk and began writing the marquess' initials on the envelope. She barely finished before the maid came back and hid the paper in one of the drawers in between other stacks of empty sheets of paper. She still wanted to read through her note once more before asking Stella to bring it out but couldn't do that while the servant was with her. So, the arrival of her letter would be delayed by another day yet again.
Stella joined her mistress at the table, and they ate together. After they were full, she brought the cart back into the kitchen. When she returned, the women made their way towards the office.
And even though the concubine had acted confident before, she was still worried.
While she walked through the corridors, Blanche carefully let her gaze wander to the window. No one was on the balcony this time. That calmed her somehow. The situation of last time wouldn't be repeated. Still, she didn't take the route across the courtyard and stayed in the building to make sure. As long as she approached the office from this side, she couldn't see the people inside until she had entered the office. Then Seraphina, should she be there for some reason, would notice her too and hopefully retreat to avoid facing the concubine.
This wing of the palace, in which the royal couple's chambers as well as Theodore's office were, was guarded heavily. The hallway next to Blanche's destination was filled with knights, and the entrance door alone was protected by four of them. Normally, one would need to ask one of them to knock, but today it was different. Her lover had kept his promise as the guards bowed and let her in without announcing her arrival first.
She stepped into the office, and the first thing that she saw was the emperor sitting at his desk. His face was buried in his hands, and only his elbows kept him in an upright position. Theodore looked up, and a tired smile appeared on his face when he recognized her. “You came at the perfect time. I'm about to fall into despair any minute.” It seemed like the situation was horrible.
Blanche quickly let her gaze roam across the office to get an overview.
Owen was standing near the entrance and greeted the concubine with a nod, which she returned.
Another person stood next to Theodore as well though. Leon's face showed that he was just as exhausted as the emperor. He was currently pulling on his blond ponytail and looked like he was struggling to regain his composure. This was Leonard Astame, who was a marquess but more importantly Theodore's right-hand man. He helped the emperor with political decisions, served as his advisor and substituted for him when it was required. If he was showing his irritation on his face this openly, they seemed to have been dealing with complicated problems.
Blanche approached the desk and spoke up “Then it's good that I came now. Did the messenger bring bad news?”
Leon nodded in her direction. “I wish I could say that ‘bad’ was a fitting description. If what he wrote is true, it's catastrophic!” He took a deep breath and turned around to stare out the window.
Theodore waved his hand. “If it's alright with you, I'll tell in a few minutes. I would like to take a short break. I have been dealing with this...situation for too long without resting in between.” He smiled when Blanche nodded. “Thank you.” He was quiet for a moment and then gestured to his right. “As I told you, it seems like the picture just belongs here. It was the only thing that kept me sane during the past two weeks.”
The concubine's eyes followed his hand, and her gaze fell onto the portrait that was hanging on the wall. She hadn't seen it again after it had been created, but the image had remained clearly in her mind. Still, it looked even more beautiful than she had remembered it to be. Seeing her lover and herself beaming down from the canvas painted a smile on her lips as well. The portrait hung above a dresser and between two higher bookshelves, which made it appear like the frame had been destined to be put there from the very beginning.
Blanche couldn't help but stare at it for a moment before speaking up. “Erneis is truly a genius. It looks perfect on its own, but it fits there so well.” She rounded the desk and stood directly next to Theodore. “And you have it in your field of view when you raise your head while working too.”
Her lover hugged her waist and pulled her towards him as he spoke. “This is exactly why I wanted to hang it there. So that I can always see you even when I'm working.”
She put her arm around his neck and scanned the portrait with a grin. “If it calms you, that is good.”
Theodore nodded, and his expression became serious again. “You don't know how often it saved me today alone.”
Blanche's gaze wandered to his desk, which was covered in loose papers that were distributed in multiple high stacks. “Do think telling me about it might help?”
The emperor leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. “It won't change the extremely terrible situation, as Leon already hinted. But I need to sort my thoughts before I get emotional.”
The concubine walked around his chair to stand behind him and gently began massaging his scalp.
Her lover let out another long groan and began to narrate. His voice sounded strained, but she felt him relaxing under her slow movements. “The messenger brought a letter of the king of Northern Ocrea. Until now, I thought that the king was a bit outlandish but a reasonable person. But in this text, he revealed that he is a paranoid old man that is suffering from dementia. Despite my endeavors to maintain peace and try to mediate with him, he suddenly insists that I am an enemy with the intention to invade his country. Why would I do that? Artias is wealthy. We can fish at the sea and mine for ores and gems in the mountains. None of the territories of Northern Ocrea offer anything that would benefit us enough to justify a war that would bring so much destruction and death to us.”
“Is he threatening to send his forces?”
Theodore leaned his head backward and opened his eyes to look into hers. “Not yet. He hinted that he might consider that soon if we continue to supply the cities near the border. But if we stopped, we would risk that soldiers from Ocrea attack us while we aren't supporting our men, which are stationed there. That means that I am in a dilemma. I can't follow his demand because that would show that he can order us around and jeopardize our troops. However, I can't not follow it because he will view that as a threat somehow. Why did his personality change so abruptly?”
If the situation was this tricky, it wasn't surprising that a war had broken out in the novel. No matter how diplomatic Theodore acted, it would have unfavorable consequences either way.
Though that didn't even seem to be the worst part as Theodore still continued. “In addition, the king accidentally sent another letter meant for his troops. Apparently, he ordered them to prepare for an attack should we not withdraw from the border in a week. I can't fathom how he could make such a mistake, but this equals a declaration of war. Theoretically, I would have to announce that we will engage in combat soon. However, that would destroy all the years of work that both my father and I sacrificed to maintain peace. Not to mention the disastrous consequences that this war would have.”
Blanche pressed her lips into a line. She didn't have any idea what she could say. Nothing would make it better. “That's terrible. I can't think of any other way to describe this situation.” And the novel didn't really offer many possible solutions, did it? The reason for the war had been an attack by Ocrean soldiers, so Blanche couldn't do anything about that. Even the heroine's military strategy could only end the war brutally instead of preventing it.
Leon turned back from the window and appeared to have calmed down slightly now. “Saying that it's terrible is an accurate description though. But I still don't comprehend why the king would treat such confidential information so carelessly. While writing letters isn't the safest form of communication in the first place, he should at least attempt to prevent the publication of these orders. In hindsight, we will always be able to prove that Northern Ocrea was the provocative party. That means that, in case of a war, they will be regarded as the guilty ones and forced to pay compensation fees. Writing down something like this is thoughtless.” He was right.
The letters would be solid evidence to prove that Ocrea's king had threatened to send his military. Thus, he might have written his own condemnation. An image of Blanche's own letter to Sefare crossed her mind. Wasn't she in a similar situation?
Her plan to cut all ties with the marquess through a letter was risky as well. Should the envelope and the paper with her handwriting be found, it would prove that she had had a connection to the emperor's enemy. This was something that she had to evade under any circumstances. Being involved in the intrigues was one of the reasons that the villainess had been regarded as an even more vile person after her death. If that was revealed before her demise, it would also destroy all of her efforts to avoid the antagonist's role, and Theodore would resent her for being a traitor.
This meant that she couldn't send a letter after all, right? She should tear up the note and maybe burn the rest. Contacting Sefare would have to wait until she had a chance to talk to him personally at the next ball even if it would take a while. But wasn't talking to him also dangerous? She had no idea what to do anymore.
Blanche cleared her throat before speaking up. “So, addressing such topics in a private conversation would be better?”
The emperor nodded. “Yes, it would. In that case, there would be two testimonies with differing content, and the true sequence of events can't be retraced. Though since the capitals of Artias and Northern Ocrea are separated by a great distance, this isn't possible for us. But...” He stood up and faced Blanche. “I won't bother you with politics anymore. You can consider yourself to be lucky that you don't have to deal with this infuriating nonsense every single day. Though you will still have something to do starting by tomorrow. Your teacher will arrive in the evening, and your first lesson will follow the next day.”
The concubine had to keep her face from falling. She had ignored the thought of Evelyn since the ball and was now reminded that she would have to spend a great amount of time with that unpleasant person. Nevertheless, she shouldn't complain. It had been her decision to accept the other woman as a teacher. “Should I go greet her?” She asked that even though she didn't have the motivation to actually go and meet that awful woman.
“You don't have to, but it would be polite of you. After all, I can't come because I have to sit through a discussion with the ministers about that king's letter.”
Blanche inwardly sighed but nodded at her lover. “Alright. When will she arrive?”
Theodore grabbed a note from the desk and reread some lines. “She didn't give a specific time. I'll ask the guards to inform you when she enters the property.”
She barely had the time to thank him before someone knocked and was allowed in. The door swung open and one of the knights announced the arrival of the first ministers. The emperor gave his lover a small kiss on her forehead, and she quickly said her goodbyes. She left the room and met up with Stella to return to her chambers along with the maid.
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Shortly before it was time for dinner, one of the guards knocked on the door and informed Blanche that her guest was waiting in the entrance hall. She hurried into the foyer and already saw Evelyn from the top of the stairs.
Lady Lemares was currently ordering around the servants in an unpleasant tone while asking them to be careful with her baggage as she wildly gesticulated with her arms. “Are you really so incompetent that you are unable to transport a few suitcases without destroying my belongings? Is this supposed to be the hospitality that guests of His Majesty receive?”
Instantly, Blanche's hopes that the teacher would behave appropriately in the royal palace died down. She walked down the staircase with a frown.
When Evelyn noticed the concubine, she put on a rehearsed smile and made a curtsy. Within a second, her appearance became the one of a reserved and well-mannered lady. It wasn't unexpected to see her immediate change of personality, after all, she had concealed her malicious side from her family for years. She didn't raise her voice, which reminded the concubine that she, as the host, would have to speak first.
Blanche did so promptly. “Welcome, Lady Lemares. I hope you had a pleasant ride to the royal palace.” She returned a small curtsy after her greeting.
Evelyn smiled at her in a sickeningly sweet way. “Good evening, Lady Blanche. It was a calm journey without any occurrences. Thank you for allowing me to stay in the royal palace. It is an honor.”
“No, it is an honor for us. We are glad that you agreed to help me improve my conduct. Unfortunately, Theo...” For a moment, Blanche considered using her lover's title but decided against it. Addressing him so distantly would be much too unpleasant, so she would rather be brazen. “Theo had to attend a meeting with the ministers at short notice and thus, cannot greet you. I apologize for that.”
Evelyn made a rejecting gesture. “There is no need to apologize. Naturally, the political duties of His Majesty are of greater importance than an instructor's arrival. Besides, Lady Blanche is here to welcome me, which a special honor as well.”
The concubine couldn't tell whether that remark had been made with the intention of being sarcastic, but it had sounded like that. After all, Evelyn's rank as a daughter of a marquess and the sister of the most influential duchess was higher than the one of a baroness. Blanche ignored that and replied politely. “I'm delighted by Lady Lemares' understanding nature. Even if your ride wasn't complicated by any obstacles, it must have been exhausting. Will you allow me to show you the way to your chambers?”
The servants observed the interaction with a skeptical gaze. They probably had expected that the two women with explosive temper would clash upon meeting. Those poor people had probably feared getting involved in a fight now. While Blanche felt unwell seeing the teacher's unfriendly attitude towards the maids, she didn't bring it up. Evelyn would certainly find an excuse that justified her aggressive reaction even though her word choice had still been unfitting.
Seemingly, Evelyn was even more unpleasant than Blanche had imagined her to be. First, she had used her rank to yell at others while treating them like garbage. But as soon as someone with more influence arrived, in this case the emperor's concubine, she had gotten quiet and now behaved politely. How infuriating.
But in all honesty, everything this woman did was upsetting. Evelyn responded with an exaggerated sweet tone. “Gladly.” That was already enough to make the concubine want to throw her out.
Blanche led the other woman to the third floor, where the rooms for the guests were located. She wished Evelyn a good night and made an appointment to meet the next day for the first lesson in the seating room next to the other woman's bedroom. After that, she quickly retreated into her own chambers.
Seeing Evelyn always reminded her of Sophia's child drowning, and she could do without imagining that. She didn't want to see such a tragedy. The concubine would give her best so that she wouldn't be forced to in the future either. The unpleasantly clear image that the words of the novel had evoked upon describing how the baby was lying in the water motionlessly was enough to make her want to throw up. However, she couldn't do much until Evelyn showed her true colors in front of everyone first, which would happen near the novel's ending. That day, the concubine could chime in and save Sophia's daughter. Until then, Blanche would have to ignore that a psychopathic woman like Evelyn was walking around freely.
Blanche refused to think about that for long. She went to sleep early after eating dinner while trying not to worry too much.