Chapter 8

“Audrey, you need to calm down.” Lydia tried to reassure me.

“How do you expect me to do that?! The King and Queen want to meet me! I barely even interacted with my own father!” I couldn’t fathom why they would want to meet someone like me. I hadn’t even glimpsed them around the castle yet, and now we were about to meet them. In a private room, no less!

“You trust me, right?” I stopped my restless pacing and nodded to her. It’s not like I think they are bad people or anything…

“Sorry, it isn’t that I don’t trust your family. I’ve never had etiquette lessons or anything… I just don’t want to embarrass you.”

She smiled wanly at that. “I can assure you, you are the least likely culprit… I give you permission to ignore any weird comments you might hear. This is also a private meeting, so you really don’t need to worry about things like etiquette. My family sure won’t.”

“What does that even mean…”

“Everything is ready. Let’s head over now.” Leah came in from the hallway just to lead the two of us back out. The walk was pleasant and took us by an outdoor courtyard and garden. The flowers were in full bloom, and I saw lilies, tulips, and roses, among other varieties. Making a mental note to come this way more often, we continued walking until we arrived in front of ornate wooden double doors. After knocking, the four of us stepped inside. There were already guards stationed outside the doors, so Lucia and Leah positioned themselves inside.

I wasn’t here in my capacity as Lydia’s attendant but as a noble. Not that I feel like one… My initial outfit had been my uniform, but Lydia had vehemently refused to let me wear it. She had Leah adjust a deep red dress from her own wardrobe for me and even participated in doing my hair and makeup. She was so excited, too. On a side note, Lydia was wearing a soft yellow dress. It gave off a summery vibe, and I thought it looked amazing on her.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesties. My name is Audrey Rose. Thank you for everything the royal family has done for me.” I curtsied as elegantly as I could. When I looked up, I saw four pairs of eyes looking at me from the sofas. Wait… Four? The princes are here, too?! My surprise must have been evident as the king laughed.

“My apologies. It was originally just my wife and I… but it seems to have turned into a family meeting. I hope it won’t be a problem.”

“Not all all, Your Majesty. I was just surprised.” I hastily shook my head.

Lydia wasn’t put off at all and led me to sit down. The King, Queen, and crown prince were sitting across from us, with the second prince sitting on the other side of Lydia. How did it come to this? I implored Leah and Lucia for help with my eyes, but they both only smiled… Lucia even sent a thumbs-up my way. Not Helpful!

“We have heard that you are Duke Rose’s daughter, but can you give us the details?” The crown prince’s question pulled my gaze away from the traitors.

“Yes, I’d also like to know.” The king nodded in agreement and gave the queen a side-eye, but the queen hadn’t moved an inch. Her eyes hadn’t left me since we entered the room. Trying not to let her gaze bother me, I related my story for a third time. It never got easier, but Lydia supported me by secretly squeezing my hand. When I hesitated over the part with Aurora and being a divine guardian, she nodded at me to continue.

When I finished, the reactions were mixed. The King and Prince Luke were in open disbelief and shock, and Prince Abel was scowling in anger.

“M-Mother…?” Lydia’s whisper brought my attention to the queen, and that’s when I noticed it. Her beautiful blonde hair was freezing over. Not only her hair. Ice was spreading through her dress and the sofa. Her face was a mask of pure rage and malice. Her husband and son sprung from the couch.

“Bella! Calm down!” The king reached out, but his hand was covered in ice instantly. He yelped, shaking his hand, and a magical flame materialized, melting the ice off. The queen ignored him.

“I’m going to kill that bastard for what he’s done! First Cecila, then he has the gall to mistreat her daughter?! His. Own. Daughter?! How many lives does that power-hungry maniac have to ruin until he’s satisfied?!” The Queen stood up and moved to leave. Leah and Lucia basically dove out of the way to avoid the ice shards orbiting her body. The King wreathed his own body in flame before jumping over the coffee table and grabbing his wife from behind.

“Bella! You need to stop! Killing him right now won’t fix the past!”

“I know it won’t! But it will sure as hell help the future! Letting that man live is my biggest regret! Let me go, Stephen!”

I was in shock. From what Lydia had told me of her mother, she was incredibly calm and composed at all times, even when under difficult circumstances. She had given that impression at first, until now. I looked back at Lydia. Judging from her face and the expressions of the two princes behind her, they had never seen her like this either.

“I understand how you feel! You know I do! We couldn’t help Cecilia…” The King trailed off, fighting back his own emotions. “But we can help the daughter she left behind. Audrey needs us right now. Please.” The miniature blizzard slowly calmed down, and the king lowered his flames in response but still held her tightly in his arms. A quiet Tink echoed through the office, and my gaze was drawn to the Queen’s feet. A droplet of ice rolled before coming to a stop. She raised a hand to her mouth, and the shaking of her shoulders was accompanied by more droplets hitting the floor. Her rampant magic was freezing her tears. The royal siblings and I just sat there, unsure what to do, while the king consoled her.

After a few minutes, the Queen composed herself, smiling sadly as she walked over to me; I stood up straight at her approach.

“I apologize for scaring you, dear.” Her eyes betrayed her composure. They looked… sad.

“I-I’m really fine, Your Majesty.” A hand reached out, touching my cheek. The Queen was cold to the touch, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

“You really do look so much like your mother.” Her blue eyes seemed far away. Like they were looking at someone else entirely.

“Can I ask how you knew her?” My question refocused her gaze on me, and then a dazzling smile bloomed on her face. I can see where Lydia gets it from…

“Cecilia… She was my best friend.”

***

The Queen had sat with me for hours in what I now know as Prince Luke’s office. She had stars in her eyes as she recounted her academy days with my mother. Stories I’d never heard before, and apparently, my mother was quite the troublemaker. She was always so demur at home… It wasn’t hard to accept; part of me had always felt something was missing.

While I knew that my parent’s marriage had been political, I never knew the details of the arrangement. According to the Queen, my mother was part of a now-fallen marquis’s house, the Mays. They had been a prestigious house with many famous magic knights throughout the kingdom’s history. Their primary duty to the kingdom was fortifying the eastern border, which proved essential during times of war.

“Your mother’s skill with a blade alone was a sight to behold. Throw her magic into the mix… I’ve never met anyone that was her match, even to this day.”

I wanted to see the image she painted. I never had time to properly mourn my mother; listening to the Queen was cathartic… but I realized I never really knew my mother… The person Queen Bella talked about sounded so different from the sickly woman I knew. Only her personality had been similar, but even that had been dulled by her life.

Taking a sip of the tea, the Queen sat back and sighed. “The truth is, your mother wanted to be an adventurer. After we graduated from the academy, I mean.” I choked on my tea.

“A-An adventurer?” The thought clashed with my own image of her.

“That’s right, she was going to give up her name and leave everything to her little brother. She didn’t want the life of a noble. “Being a bird in a gilded cage.” That’s how she put it.”

“Sounds like something that brute of a girl would say.” The King mumbled, mostly to himself. It earned him a quick and painful stomp to the foot from his wife.

“Don’t mind him. He’s just upset because he could never win when they sparred.” He was clutching his foot in pain; the whole situation was absurd.

“Ah, you finally smiled.” Was I really? I touched my face to confirm, and Queen Bella only giggled at me.

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“Silly girl, you’ve been so tense the whole time. I’m glad you feel you can relax around us now.”

I set my tea down, cupping it with both hands. “I… have never experienced something like this before. Sitting here, just talking the day away… it makes me a little jealous, honestly.”

The Queen stood up and walked around the table before pulling me into a tight hug. “There is no need to feel like that. Any daughter of Cecilia is a daughter of mine.” she clapped once with an idea. “In fact, I give you permission to call us Aunt and Uncle from here on out… Oh, in private, of course.” she put a finger up to her red lips and winked. At that moment, she reminded me of her daughter. I guess mischievousness runs in the family.

Speaking of, Lydia had been quietly enjoying the tea and stories along with me at the table but hadn’t spoken very much. When I turned to face her, she sent me a smile.

“I’m so happy for you. Hearing about your mother like this must have been amazing. I am delighted you got to hear it.” She meant every word.

“It really has been, but it also makes me a little sad. This version of her… I’ll never get to know it myself. It’s so far removed from the mother I knew that it’s hard to picture.”

“Well, that’s only natural,” Aunt Bella said softly. “After she chose to go with… that man. Even I barely recognized her afterward, but you remind me so much of how she used to be, only better behaved.”

I looked around the table and only saw warm gazes. Prince Luke had returned to his desk to work on something, but even his blue eyes crinkled warmly at me. Prince Abel, who had been dozing off throughout the last few hours, smoothed his brown hair down and smiled impishly, slinging an arm around Lydia.

“Besides, I don’t think it will be too long until “Aunt” and “Uncle” turn into “Mother” and “Father”.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Brother?!” Lydia yelled, standing up so fast it nearly knocked Prince Abel over.

“Whoa! Calm down! All I meant was that she would call Luke and me “Brother” soon. Ah, but don’t change how you talk to Lydia; I don’t think it would go over very well.” He also winked at me, his green eyes tinged with just as much humor as his mother’s.

“S-Stop talking! Right this instant! All you’ve done is sleep and listen. Why’d you even come here?!” Lydia’s face was all aflame in embarrassment, and her emerald eyes were tearing up. It was so cute that I nearly dropped dead right there. Prince Abel fake pouted then grinned widely.

“I came because I wanted to officially meet your girlfriend, of course!” My face immediately followed Lydia’s. I-I’m just her attendant! And friend, of course!

“Now, Now, you two, enough of that, you’re making Audrey uncomfortable.” Luckily, Aunt Bella swooped in to save me. After Lydia and I both cooled down with another cup of tea, Uncle Stephen spoke up.

“We do have one more thing to sort out, however. What to do about Audrey’s employment and, most of all, her identity. Duke Rose comes around here often; it would be a mistake to let him catch on to her so quickly.”

Prince Luke nodded in agreement from his desk. “That’s why I’ve come up with a plan. Audrey will stop being Lydia’s attendant once they enter the academy.” My heart stopped. Stop being her attendant? Why? Did I make a mistake somewhere? “Don’t freak out, Lydia. Let me explain.” His voice startled me from my thoughts, only to see Lydia’s face flushed with anger this time. It was reassuring to see she didn’t like the idea either.

“The academy semester starts in a week. I think Audrey should attend as a student, not an attendant. Her status as a divine guardian is a great boon, but to achieve her full potential, she’ll need to learn everything she’s missed out on in the last sixteen years.” He rubbed his brow. “It will be a lot of work, but I plan to have the academy enroll her in a special course, where she’ll start from the basics of magic and swordsmanship. Along with the other subjects as well. It will be extremely rushed since she’s so close to graduate age, but it will be well worth the effort.” He looked at me. “Do you think you can handle it?”

I nodded with resolve. If that’s what it takes to stay with Lydia, then so be it.

“Hold on a minute, Brother. I hope you plan to enroll me in this course as well.” The prince looked confused.

“Why would I?”

“Because throwing her in like that alone is a terrible plan! She needs someone familiar by her side.”

“You can’t coddle her like that. Audrey needs to learn to do things on her own. Besides, you can’t afford to mess up your last year.”

“I’m not coddling her! It hasn’t even been a month since she left the Duke’s estate. If anything, you’re being too calculating. She’ll perform better with me there; I’ll be able to help teach her. Her comfort is just as important as her education.” She puffed her chest out proudly. “On top of all that, I’ve already achieved the credits I need to graduate at the top of my class. All I’d be doing this year is running the student council anyway, so I have plenty of time.”

“Fine, I’ll consider it.”

“Thank you. Also, if that’s going to be the case, tell the academy to prepare a double room for me instead of the usual suite. It’d be best for the two of us to share a room.” Share a room? Like, all the time? The thought made me nervous.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Prince Abel chimed in.

“Why wouldn’t it be? That way, we could study together and such. It’d be good for her.”

“Right… Studying…” Prince Abel rolled his eyes. The look on Lydia’s face indicated she had no idea what he was getting at. Well, I don’t really get it either, I guess.

“How would we do that without revealing her identity? She would be outed as a daughter of house Rose at registration.” Uncle Stephen cut into the banter, trying to move the conversation along.

“Exactly. Since I was informed of her affiliation beforehand, I called in a favor. A noble house in the Principality is willing to “adopt” her. Of course, it wouldn’t be official. We will just add her to their family registry, and she’ll take on their name.” He smirked. “In short, it’s fraud. But it will suffice for what we need.”

“Brother… that’s genius! That way, she can enroll and have official documentation again! Though, I am curious about what you did for them to take such a risk.”

“Personal state secret, I’m afraid. I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

“...”

“...”

“You should leave the jokes to Abel, Brother.”

He scratched his head, “I thought it was a good one too.”

A beat passed before I butted in. “So… I would no longer be a Rose?”

“Not necessarily. We would just make Rose your middle name; it’s not common here, but most people have a middle name in the principality. Your full name would be Audrey Rose Celestine.”

“Celestine? Isn’t that a branch of their royal family?!” Lydia exclaimed. Wait. So, I’d be related to royalty on paper? Auntie and Uncle didn’t look surprised, so they must have known already.

“Indeed, and that’s what makes the cover perfect. A secret shared between royalty has dire consequences if shared.” Something wasn’t sitting right with me. However, it was more just a selfish wish.

“If it’s alright, Your Highness—”

“Please, you can just call me Luke like the rest of my family does.”

“Alright then, Prince Luke.” I wasn’t ready to drop the title quite yet. “If I may, I’d actually like to use a different middle name.”

***

A week passed by quickly, and we were preparing to head to the academy. It’s been three and a half weeks since I found Audrey and the time was nearing for Audrey to quit being my attendant. Leah and Simon were disappointed at the development but agreed it was for our happiness. What are they even talking about?

Stepping into the room, I saw my ladies-in-waiting busily packing up everything. “How is everything coming along?” I asked.

Leah and Audrey both stopped to bow their heads slightly. “We are almost done, my lady,” Leah answered. “We expect to finish tonight, except for everything you’ll still need for tomorrow before we leave.

I giggled a bit as I watched Audrey struggle to close a slightly overfilled suitcase. She sighed in relief and wiped her forehead as she finally latched it close, and then our eyes met.

“Are you laughing at me, my lady? That’s not very nice.” She pouted playfully.

“I wasn’t laughing at you! I was laughing at the suitcase.” I denied hastily as Audrey’s pout grew bigger. Then she broke into a beautiful smile as she carried the luggage out to the loading area. As she passed by me on the way out, she whispered.

“Laugh all you want. I’ll get you back later, Lydia.”

I felt my face heat up as she continued on her way. Does she do that on purpose?! I didn’t see any trace of embarrassment on her face as she continued on.

My last day at the castle passed quickly; I finished up the last of my current workload and happily passed my royal duties onto Luke to take care of for my last year at the academy.

“Father, please… have some dignity.” I averted my gaze away from the blubbering king.

“I can’t help it! I won’t be able to see my precious daughter!” he cried out. My mother stood next to him, a look of pity on her face as she watched him.

“You make it seem like I’m leaving forever! What are you going to do if I get married?”

“M-Married?! Don’t tell me someone has stolen my little girl’s heart! Who is it?! I won’t allow it!” he howled. Of course, I had no intention of getting married anytime soon, but Father is just so easy to tease. I suddenly felt a chill go down my spine. Oops, Mother is in ice queen mode. I better take my leave while I still can… Almost as if she could read my thoughts, Audrey approached me to escort me to the carriage. I hastily embraced Mother and Father before turning to my brothers.

“Try not to burn the castle down while I’m gone. I know how much you guys rely on me.”

“If anything, everything is going to feel safer.” Luke retorted before breaking out with a smile. “It’s your last year. Make sure you make the best of it.”

“Yeah, I have a feeling you’ll become a hardcore workaholic when you return. So try to cut loose while you can.” Abel laughed when I denied his accusation. Well, he probably isn’t wrong…

“I’ll do my best to have fun then. You’ll only have yourself to blame if I come back a changed woman.”

I hugged them both and turned to see Audrey embracing my parents. The sight left me giddy, and Mother smiled one last time at us.

“I trust my girls will look after each other. Do your best, Audrey, and make sure you help her as much as possible, Lydia.”

“O-Of course, Auntie.” Audrey seemed unused to being sent off, but I could tell she was happy.

Audrey then held her hand out to escort me, and the small gesture sent my heart fluttering. Leah climbed in after us and sat across from me. Waving out the window to my family as we departed for the academy, I heard Lucia talking to the driver, asking if she could try driving the horses, to which he adamantly refused.

Audrey attending as a student freed one of my attendant slots, so who better to use it than Lucia? I did invite Simon again, but he said he didn’t want to intrude.