Chapter 21

“Move it a little lower,” I said, gesturing at Brandon.

“Right here?” He asked while moving the banner down the pillar. We were currently finishing the decorations for the formal gala that was set to happen the next day.

“Perfect, hang it there.” The black and gold banner waved gently as he pinned it in place. I looked around the spacious ballroom, where similar decorations hung all around. Luckily, some students volunteered to assist with the preparations, so it wasn’t just the few of us on the council.

As I scanned the room, my eyes narrowed as they landed on some students who were gathered on the other side.

“I’ll be right back; just hang the last one the same way,” I said over my shoulder as I moved towards them. The closer I got to them, the more I could make out their words. It was a group of ladies all fawning over someone.

“Lady Celestine! Do you need any help with that?”

“No, let me, Lady Celestine!”

I resisted the urge to rub my brow in exasperation. Since the tournament, Audrey could hardly go anywhere on campus without being hounded by the other students, mostly the ladies. A few brave gentlemen occasionally join the crowd, but most of the boys seem to understand the situation. The exposure isn’t necessarily bad… But who would’ve guessed she would be this popular?

My chest tightened in ugly jealousy whenever I witnessed her surrounded by others like this. I shook the heavy feeling away and finally clapped my hands to get their attention when I was close enough.

“Alright! That's enough now; please let Audrey do her own work.” As the crowd parted at my arrival, I finally saw my girlfriend. She wasn’t even carrying anything heavy, just a few decorative lights to hang up, but I could see by the expression on her face that she was pretty overwhelmed with everyone around her.

I ignored the quiet grumbling as the ladies dispersed, leaving only Audrey and me.

“Thanks for the rescue, Lydia.” She said with a tired smile. “I didn’t want to be rude, especially to nobles…”

I shook my head in exasperation. “Audrey. You rank above nearly every lady at this academy, remember? That’s not something you should be worrying about.” As I spoke, I took one of the lights she was holding and walked with her around the room's perimeter. “In fact, I’m the only person you don’t have status over, and we share a bed every night, so…” My words died on my tongue as the heat flooded my face. “Not that status matters on campus…” I muttered in an attempt to gloss over my embarrassment.

Why did I say that?! Not the time or place! Audrey's giggle drew my attention, and she smiled at me.

“Thank you for cheering me up.” She raised the decorative light she was holding and pointed forward dramatically. “My L-energy has been recharged! These decorations won’t even know what hit them!”

“W-What does that mean? L-Energy?” I was almost too scared to ask, but curiosity got the best of me.

“Oh, don’t you know?” She leaned in close and whispered directly in my ear. Damn it, I just stopped blushing! “The “L” stands for Lydia… or love. It means the same either way in my eyes.” Then she blew gently against my ear. Mischief twinkled in her eyes as I pulled away, covering my ear in self-defense while shooting her an accusatory glare.

“Leah told you to do that, didn’t she?”

Her nonchalant shrug and trembling smile told me everything I needed to know. It took another hour before we finished with the party preparations. I was careful to stay close to her while allowing the other students to approach her so she wouldn’t get overwhelmed again, and I did my best to ignore the churning of my heart as I watched her chatting happily with an endless stream of students.

Finally, the bell rang out, marking the end of the school day. After the other students filtered out of the ballroom and said their goodbyes, Audrey and I stood alone, gazing at the glittering black and gold decorations.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow.” my girlfriend said with a smile.

“It will certainly be an unforgettable night,” I replied. A few minutes of peaceful silence drifted by, with us just enjoying each other’s company before my attendant cleared her throat.

“Perhaps we should head back to the dorm, my ladies?” Leah asked, a playful grin on her face. “Lucia and I would be more than happy to leave you two alone for a while.”

“The first thing I’m doing is writing a request for you to be returned to the castle.” I shot back while leading Audrey by the hand towards the exit.

“Aw, don’t do that. I’d miss Leah if she weren’t here!” Audrey said with a laugh while following me.

“Who’s side are you on?” I asked, pretending to pout.

“Yours, of course. But who else will teach to do this?” I shrieked in surprise as my girlfriend gently ran her finger down the back of my neck. First, the ear, now this?! Just what is Leah teaching her?!

I let go of her hand and moved away, glaring at my attendant. “That’s it, you’ve lost touch privileges, Audrey. As for you, Leah…” My eyes landed on Lucia, who was waiting by the doors, minding her own business, as I brainstormed possible punishments, and my face twisted into a grin. “Let’s head back to the dorm for now.” Even I realized how maniacal my giggles sounded as we left the ballroom. I didn’t even register the confused and worried looks the other three girls exchanged as they followed me back to the room.

***

“M-My lady… Please…” Leah said. “I-I deeply regret my actions. Please have mercy…” Her voice was laden with embarrassment, but I shook my head, refusing her request.

“I-I second her request… I don’t know how much more of this I can handle.” Lucia said while hiding herself behind her fellow attendant. I felt a little bad about dragging her into this, but the knight wasn’t completely innocent, either.

“Too bad, this is what you get for messing with me. If you apologize sincerely, I might let you change back.” Leah had been my lady-in-waiting for over a decade and, in that time, had grown quite attached to the black and navy uniform she wore in the castle. It was to the point that she rarely wore other outfits, even on her own time. “I must say, however, that you look quite dashing as a knight.” I could hardly suppress my laughter as I watched the two women squirm. As soon as we returned to the room, I forced my attendants to swap clothing, so Leah was now dressing in Lucia’s knight uniform and vice versa.

“Lydia, maybe you should forgive them. They did apologize.” Audrey tried to soothe me from beside me on the couch, and I looked at her sharply.

“You’re just as guilty as they are. You will sit there and be quiet, understand?” My commanding tone had the desired effect, and her face flushed as she looked at her lap.

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

My attendants were too busy with their predicament to quip about what just happened. “Leah, Lucia. Are you going to give me a heartfelt apology?”

“I’m sorry for teaching Audrey lewd things to excite you, my lady! Can I have my uniform back now?” Leah said desperately, and I sputtered in shock.

“I did not get e-excited…” Even I didn’t believe my words as they trailed away awkwardly. “Just for that, you’ll spend the rest of the day like that,” I said with finality, and my attendants groaned.

Lucia quietly accepted her fate, but Leah pestered me for the rest of the evening until I finally gave in and allowed them to swap back. Hopefully, this will make them reconsider teasing me. I thought as we settled in bed for the night. Who am I kidding?

***

“We still have a couple of hours before the gala even starts! Don’t be so panicked, Leah.” Lydia said while Leah fluttered around the room, gathering supplies.

“With all due respect, my lady, that lackadaisical attitude about formal events is exactly why nobody outside the royal family takes you seriously.” the lady-in-waiting retorted.

“Alright… There was no need for that. But this is just a school event. Just get us ready like usual!” I held back a laugh as Lydia frowned at the exchange.

“Nonsense, this is your final event as a student, and it’s Audrey's first and only gala. Don’t you want her to remember tonight for the rest of your lives together?”

“Did you learn nothing from yesterday’s punishment?” my girlfriend sighed. “Fine, I understand what you’re saying.”

“Great! Now, if you’ll come sit over here, my lady. You too, Audrey. I will make you both so dazzling you’ll have eyes on you all night!” Lydia and I did as directed, sitting next to each other in front of the wide mirror on the wall.

“I’m so excited!” I said with a smile. “Oh, but the only eyes I need on me are Lydia’s,” I said with a side glance towards her. The blonde was blushing at my comment and muttered in agreement.

“I have a hard enough time keeping my eyes off you already…” Her words caused my face to flush as well. Luckily, Leah was too fixated on prepping our outfits to tease us at the moment. Not that I’ve ever minded.

We spent the remaining hours till the gala in a flurry of hairstyles and accessories until we all agreed on a style. The simple jewelry consisted of an elegant necklace and simple earrings that sported gemstones in a silver frame. Lydia had sapphires, while I had emeralds.

“Alright, we have an hour and a half. Let’s get you into your outfits. Lucia, I’ll need an extra set of hands, please!”

Suddenly, my world went dark as Lucia placed a blindfold on me, and I heard a gasp of surprise from Lydia beside me.

“Just what is this, Leah?” She asked.

“I thought it would be nice for you both to see each other fully dressed for the first time at the end. And since there isn’t a separate area to dress one of you, we decided this was the best option.”

“I-Is that so? That does sound excit— I mean, entertaining. I’ll keep it on.” She’s so cute.

“I will as well.” I chimed in happily.

I waited anxiously while the attendants stripped my clothes away and began dressing me in the outfit we had chosen with the queen. Once they were done with me, I heard them start on Lydia’s dress. Of course, we had already seen each other in the outfits, but this would be the first time we would witness ourselves in full makeup and accessories. My head was filled with thoughts of how beautiful my girlfriend would look, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Audrey… Your thoughts are showing.” Lucia said in exasperation.

“I have no idea what you mean.” I quickly fixed my expression and heard the knight laugh.

“Don’t worry, Her Highness was doing the same.”

“Y-You would sell out your master like that?!” Lydia said before we all broke out into laughter, and the exchange helped ease my nerves about tonight. Finally, I felt the blindfold slip away, and I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the light again. I turned toward Lydia and felt all the air in my lungs disappeared.

“Audrey, breathe.” My goddess said in my head. And I inhaled sharply. “Didn’t we do this last time?” I ignored her, focusing solely on the vision in front of me.

“Beautiful.” The single word was all I could manage, and my girlfriend’s face exploded with color. She was positively glowing from head to toe. Her hair seemed made of gold itself and hung over her shoulder in loose waves, and her green eyes were even more captivating than usual. The navy dress hugged her torso, accentuating her curves, before expanding into an elegant skirt that hovered just above the floor, and a red accent had been added to the black lace on the trim. A red shawl was wrapped around her shoulders, and she covered herself slightly in embarrassment.

“Thank you. you look incredible as well…” She said.

***

Audrey stared at me, and I looked away in embarrassment. She had called me beautiful before, but something about how the word left her lips today and the look in her eyes set my whole body aflame.

“Thank you. you look incredible as well…” I said quietly. It doesn’t help that she looks so attractive dressed in that suit. It was the same one I had seen her in at the boutique. The navy suit matched my dress, with a black dress shirt underneath and a gold tie to match my hair on her collar. The slacks followed the outline of her legs perfectly and gave way to a stylish pair of black dress shoes. A half-skirt wrapped around the back of her waist, with the interior layer gold as well, still giving her a feminine appearance.

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Oh, Goddess above, her face… Her flaming red hair was attention-stealing and braided down her shoulder, and I began to drown in the depth of her blue eyes. The tension between us was palpable as we admired one another.

“Goodness… Will you two hold back, please? Wait until after the gala to devour each other.” Leah’s statement broke both of us out of the haze we were in, and Audrey and I turned away from each other. I cleared my throat and saw my girlfriend fan her face out of the corner of my eye.

“How are we doing on time?” I asked to change the subject. Leah rolled her eyes before answering.

“We have fifteen minutes, so we should head over there now.” I nodded in agreement, and the four of us left the room and headed towards the central building. We joined the stream of other students, who were all dressed to perfection. The crowd buzzed excitedly, and couples around us were linked arm in arm. I reached out my arm, and Audrey wrapped hers around mine. I could die happy right now.

***

I could feel eyes on us from every direction as I linked my arm with Lydia’s

“I’m so nervous,” I said to Aurora as we entered the central building.

“You look incredible, my guardian. Just focus on that lady of yours.” She comforted.

“You’re right. Please watch over me, my goddess.”

“I always will. Now enjoy this night. You’ll never be able to experience this the same way again.” I closed my eyes and breathed deeply to calm my nerves. I felt a hand on mine and opened my eyes to see Lydia gazing at me gently.

“We’ll be okay. Just look at me, and only me.”

Once the hall was filled, the elderly headmaster took the stage for a short speech. Thank goodness it wasn’t as long as the opening ceremony… A gentle melody began from the live orchestra in the room's corner when he finished. Students began to take the floor to dance as the lights dimmed, leaving only the ambient light from the decorations I had helped put up yesterday.

“Shall we?” Lydia asked while extending her hand. The motion was simple, but it made my heart race.

“I’d love to, my lady,” I said, putting on the best smile as I took her hand, and we walked out to dance. I took the lead, my right hand on her waist and keeping her hand on my left as I pulled her close. I could feel her body against mine as we moved to the music.

“You’ve improved a lot since the beginning of the year.” She observed as we maintained eye contact. I couldn’t help but smile sheepishly.

“Mr. Tressum has been drilling me non-stop for the last few weeks so I wouldn’t embarrass you.”

“I’m so proud of you, Audrey. I hope you know that.” her hand lifted from my shoulder and caressed my cheek. “And I don’t just mean the dancing. There aren’t many people who would have survived going through what you did, even if they were still alive.” I felt tears in my eyes as her words sunk into my heart.

“It’s only because of you, Lydia. You gave me a second chance at life. Everything I do is to ensure I don’t waste it.”

“Nonsense. Even faced with a second chance, some people would take it for granted.” Her gaze pierced my soul. “It is because of your hard work that you are here with me now and nothing else.”

I nuzzled into her hand, still on my cheek, barely holding back the tears that threatened to ruin the makeup Leah had so carefully applied. “All the pain I went through… all the abuse… I would do it all over again if it meant meeting you.” I spun her in a circle before bringing her in again. A beautiful smile was on her face at my words as we let the conversation fade away, only enjoying each other’s presence as we danced song after song.

Nothing else existed for us but each other and the music. We took turns as the lead, spinning and dipping each other with joyous laughter. The gala was half over by the time we returned to reality after realizing how tired we were, and when we looked around the room, we realized we had been the only ones dancing.

“W-When did that happen?” I said as we quickly left the floor. We were greeted by Leah holding some glasses of water, which we promptly accepted to quench our thirst.

“You both were so beautiful out there; the other students were awestruck the whole time, " she told us after we returned the glasses.

“They should have been dancing and enjoying themselves as well,” Lydia said with a frown.

We rested for a while, and then the student council members found us to say hello.

“Your Highness, Lady Celestine. You both look beautiful tonight.” Yuzuki said gracefully.

“You look stunning as well, Yuzuki,” Lydia replied. The Yamada wore a black and white dress that combined styles from her country and Venyth. The top was reminiscent of a kimono, while the skirt flared like Lydia’s.

“What about me?” Brandon pointed at himself expectantly.

“You look quite dashing, Brandon.” my girlfriend said with a smile. He was dressed in a suit similar to mine, but oddly enough, he wore the same colors as Yuzuki.

“Are you two here together?” I couldn’t help but ask, and they glanced at each other warily.

“He was the best option, as I didn’t feel like fielding marriage proposals from the nobility.” Yuzuki insisted.

“You don’t have to lie. You just wanted to dance with me, didn’t you?” The brown-haired boy quipped and doubled over with the familiar sight of Yuzuki’s elbow in his stomach. They never change, do they?

“Ignore him.” waved her hand, then pointed over her shoulder. “Lady Rose seems to be a bit overwhelmed. Shouldn’t you go save her, Lady Celestine?” My gaze was drawn toward my sister, who was finishing a dance with an older student. I saw exhaustion on her face before she quickly put her facade back in place. “She’s been dancing non-stop since the gala started, but the boys don’t seem interested in giving her a break.”

“Thank you for letting me know; I’ll take care of it,” I said, gently squeezing Lydia’s hand before letting go and heading toward Sasha. I couldn’t blame the boys for being interested in her; she was already an adorable girl, even more so in that deep green dress she wore tonight. I arrived right as another boy was asking her to dance.

“Lady Rose, You shine even brighter than the full moon tonight! Would you do me the honor of a dance?” he asked enthusiastically, and I almost felt bad about cutting into the conversation. The moon’s not even full tonight…

“My apologies, sir. Lady Rose has already promised me some of her time right now. Could you ask her later?” I said as sweetly as possible, and his cheeks flushed as he looked at me.

“L-Lady Celestine! Of course, it’s no problem!” he said before retreating. I turned my attention to my sister, who was looking at me in surprise.

“How are you doing, Sasha? Shall you get you some water?” I took her by the hand, leading her to where the other girls were waiting. Leah, the perfect lady-in-waiting, already had a glass prepped for her when we arrived.

“Thank you for the rescue, Lady Audrey,” Sasha said gratefully between sips of her drink. “I just couldn’t find a good time to rest.”

“Where is your attendant?” Lydia asked. “She should’ve been by your side assisting you…”

“My dear Anne caught a cold… She insisted on accompanying me regardless, but I forced her to stay in the room to rest.” Anne? I think I remember her… She was one of the few servants that didn’t participate in my abuse. It hadn’t occurred to me that Sasha would also have attendants from the mansion. I was glad she brought one of the few good ones.

“So you’ve been on your own all night?” I asked, and she nodded sadly.

“I still have my duties as a duke’s daughter, so I still had to attend.” I sensed frustration in her voice as she spoke, and my heart hurt. Most academy events, including the gala, were supposed to be for the students to enjoy their time together and make real connections with one another. The fact that my sister still viewed them as obligations spoke volumes.

“I see… Well, you should stay with us tonight!” I proposed, turning to Lydia for confirmation. “Is that alright?”

She nodded and smiled happily. “Of course it is. I’d love to have you, Sasha.” I love her so much!

“If it’s alright, I’d love to spend the rest of the gala with you as well.” Sasha agreed, and we made small talk before I noticed that Brandon and Yuzuki had disappeared.

“Where did the other two go?” I asked Leah while Lydia talked with my sister.

“Lady Hina dragged her partner to dance, insisting she was doing it to keep up appearances,” she said with a glimmer in her eye. “She’s a fascinating lady, if I do say.”

I finally found them on the dance floor, and Yuzuki seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself while Brandon twirled her around. The black-haired girl was usually careful to keep a neutral expression, so the radiant expression on her face was striking.

“I’m glad they are having a good time,” I said while watching them a bit longer, then rejoined the conversation with my sister. After another song ended and the next began, Sasha pulled on my sleeve.

“W-Would you be willing to dance with me as well?” She looked so cute asking that I froze for a second, which seemed to panic my sister. “O-Oh, if you don’t want to, that’s fine! I know you and Lady Lydia have a special relationship…” She looked down in embarrassment, and I couldn’t help but giggle a little at her reaction.

“If you’d have me, I’d love to dance with you, my lady,” I said, putting on a sophisticated voice. I took her by the hand and led her to the dance floor. All my friends and my girlfriend watched us warmly as I bowed. Sasha curtsied happily, and we assumed the standard position with me leading.

I didn’t hold her as close as Lydia, but we still had fun together. I twirled her around as we moved around the floor, laughing all the while. It was moments like this that I had longed for growing up, where the two of us could act like siblings. Her wide grin was all the reward I needed.

As the song ended, we finished with a bow and a curtsy. “Thank you, Lady Audrey.” She said, her arms linked with mine as we returned to the group. “It was like dancing with my sister… I’ll remember this forever.” The warmth I was feeling was blown away by guilt. I’m the only one who can fully enjoy this time with her…

“Sasha, The truth is…” I began before cutting myself off. No… It’s too dangerous for her right now. I shook my head, forcing myself to smile. “I had a great time as well. Let’s dance again before the gala is over, alright?”

Her eyes lit up as she looked at me. “I’d love to!” The rest of the night passed quickly, between dancing with Lydia and Sasha, and even once with Yuzuki, and just enjoying the conversation with my friends. While the situation with my identity was still a problem, I’d never been so at peace as I was tonight.

Then, the final song came on, and I again took the floor with Lydia. The song was slower than most of the music played, and we rocked gently back and forth as she rested her head on my shoulder. Then, the lights turned off completely.

“What’s happening?” I asked, a bit worried, but Lydia only laughed.

“It’s a surprise. I planned it specifically for you.” As she spoke, trails of golden sparks began to shoot around the room from light to light. They formed various patterns and lit the area under them as they passed. The crowd whispered with excitement every time a trail flew over their heads.

“I worked with Mr. Tressum to put this together. It uses my fire magic and some of Leah’s wind.” We turned to look at each other as the lights continued overhead. “I wanted you always to remember tonight.” I was overcome with feeling, and as a spark flew overhead and drifted away, it left us in complete darkness.

***

Darkness engulfed Audrey and I as I spoke, preventing anyone from spying on us. I reached out, took Audrey’s hand in mine, and gently squeezed it. It was so dark I didn’t see as she leaned in and kissed me. It was a deep, sensual kiss that lasted until another spark threatened to reveal us.

“The year is almost over… It went by so fast.” She muttered as we separated. The light from another spark illuminated her hair, giving it an orange hue that reminded me of when I first met her.

“That’s true, but we’ll have plenty more time together. Even if we are in a different place.” I said. Once I graduated, I planned to keep her bedroom adjacent to mine in the castle. We only need one… But we have to keep up appearances for now. The rooms were connected with a side door anyway, so it wasn’t that big an issue.

The bigger problem would be what noble society expected of me as a princess. My plan to spread the idea of more open same-sex relationships among the younger nobility was slow, but I saw multiple couples dancing tonight that consisted of only girls. Getting the men to express themselves more openly would be more problematic, but it was a start.

It would be quite the fight with the older nobility once we returned to the castle, but I refused to live my life with anyone else. On top of that, there’s still the war with the empire. It seems the blood-thirsty emperor is taking a break from his conquest, but his forces remain primed on our border. But that’s a problem for future me. Right now, I just want to enjoy this moment with the woman I love.

“Are you alright?” Audrey asked, her eyes filled with concern. I nodded as I pulled her close.

“I’m perfect. How about I lead for the rest of the song?” I asked, taking the man’s position. Audrey followed my lead, putting a hand on my shoulder. I had to look up to meet her eyes, and I was again reminded of how far she’s come from that sickly girl I found on the road.

We spent the rest of the night in each other’s arms, and even after the song ended, we didn’t separate until Leah came to get us. Our hands remained linked as we said goodbye to Sasha and the other council members, and then we headed back to the room.

“Doesn’t the student council help to clean up?” my girlfriend asked as we walked.

“The faculty takes care of that so the students can enjoy the rest of the night. It’s very considerate of them.” I said as we entered a familiar courtyard. I paused before the fountain, pulling on Audrey’s hand as she walked. Leah and Lucia, reading the mood, gave us some space as they waited by the exit.

“This has become my favorite place on campus,” I said bashfully. “I still remember how gorgeous you looked in that dress you wore for the homecoming dance.”

“Me too; I don’t think I looked at anything but you all night,” Audrey said with a smile. “I was so nervous about confessing my feelings that night, I thought my heart would explode.”

“I thought mine would as well; I was so happy.” I paused momentarily before continuing, squeezing her hand tightly in mine. “It won’t be easy for us… After I graduate, I mean.” I avoided her eyes as I pushed the words out. She deserves an opportunity to make her own decision. “Audrey… It may be more than you expect—” Her finger on my lips silenced my words.

“Lydia.” She said, almost angrily. “If you’re about to say nonsense about how it might be more then I can handle, don’t.” She removed her finger, but I remained silent. “I can go anywhere and do anything as long as I’m with you. Please don’t doubt my intentions. You’ll have to pry yourself out of my cold, dead arms, And I’ve already died once, so you’ve missed your chance.” She said with a laugh, and I released a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding.

Some part of me was terrified she would take the out I was about to offer, but I understand now that it was rude of me to think she wanted one.

“I’m sorry. That was mean of me.” I said. “Then I promise to protect you and to always stand beside you no matter what obstacles we face.”

“As do I.” She said simply in agreement. Our lips met again, lasting until we ran out of breath. Audrey looked apologetic as she pulled away. “I’m sorry, but I can’t promise more until I know Sasha is also happy.”

I smiled wryly at her. “I haven’t forgotten, and Sasha is also important to me. I know we’ll figure it out together.” I haven’t worked out the entire plan yet, but I did have an idea to help Sasha.

“Thank you.” It was all she said, but I sensed the genuine feeling behind it. I hugged her and gently ran my hand through her hair.

“Anything for you.”

My attendants interrupted us again a few minutes later as we basked in each other’s warmth.

“What a beautiful marriage ceremony! Oh, you should’ve included the royal family, at least. I’m sure they’ll be ecstatic when I report to them later.” Leah said, completely straight-faced.

“Why don’t you tell them in person when I send you back to the castle!” I shouted playfully. With that, the four of us went to the dorm and settled in for the night, But an idle thought crossed my mind as I fell asleep.

Did Audrey ever read that letter from her mother?