“Fifi, we’re going to eat!” Tori raised her arm and waved at the ice rink she had created parallel to the creek, near the resort tents. Numerous children and a few adults were skating around the large rink as laughing and screaming filled the air.
The little girl bundled up with a yellow chick-shaped knit cap topped with a red pom-pom kept her eyes on her feet and the skates attached to them as she made little pushes to propel herself forward. She almost looked like a ball in her tan puffy jacket. “Five more minutes!”
“Fiona, you said that ten minutes ago,” Tori shouted, this time her voice was more serious. “Come here and get something warm to eat.”
“I’m not hungry!”
“Ilyana, bring her in!”
“Okay!”
The young woman skating backwards and holding on to Fiona’s small, gloved hands suddenly picked her up and held her in one arm before gliding across the ice.
“No! Auntie, let me go! I’m not done!” Fiona shrieked, but both Ilyana and Tori ignored her protests with amused smiles. “Auntie!” She looked at Ilyana with pleading eyes. “Why have you betrayed me?”
On his wheelchair, Robert covered his hand with his face, embarrassed with his little sister’s dramatics. “I’m sorry about this, Auntie Tori.”
“It’s fine,” Tori assured him with a pat on his shoulder. The two knights with them held back their smiles. “She’s just enjoying herself....Ewan!” Tori let out a heavy breath. “Ewan, we’re going to eat!”
“Just one more round!”
“Stop racing with the children or we won’t save you food!” Like magic, Ewan diverted off his path and made a turn, skating to the corner where Tori was with Robert. He let out a sigh of disappointment, but came to a smooth stop and hopped on to the wooden path around the rink. He held on to the side as he removed the skates from his boots.
“Kids learn fast. They’ve never iced skated before and they’re already beating me,” Ewan wrinkled his nose and Tori rolled her eyes.
“Ewan, you said you only ice skated three times in Horizon,” Ilyana said as she got off the ice with a pouty Fiona that dramatically laid across her shoulder, as if she were a sack of rice. “To be that fast after only skating three times is quite good.”
Ewan’s face filled with a bright smile. “I have good body control!”
“Ilyana, you’ve bested us all,” Tori said as Ilyana put the pouting child in her arms on the ground. Fiona crossed her arms over her chest and puffed out her cheeks. “She’s only hung out with you for a day and she’s already picking up your mannerisms.”
“I don’t do that!” Ilyana puffed out her cheeks and froze upon realizing how she was pouting. Her eyes dropped and her face reddened.
Ewan laughed and slung his skates over his back. “Ilyana’s the one who suggested a skating rink.”
“It’s a very popular activity in Gorask,” Ilyana said. Tori coaxed Fiona into her arms and picked her up as Ewan pushed Robert’s wheelchair. He’d been rolled out into the ice and Ewan pushed him around for a bit. “I know it’s not cold enough for a river or lake to freeze over here, so I didn’t think I’d be able to skate.”
Robert perked up, looking proud. “Auntie Tori is amazing! She diverted creek water and then froze that entire area!”
“I didn’t do it by myself. I had it prepared by the villagers and some workers to be flooded and frozen for this,” Tori said. “It’ll last for about a month with the ice crystals I planted. I think it’s nice for the villagers to have something fun to do when it’s cold out.”
“The villagers are very active in the water when it’s warm,” Ewan told Robert.
“Are you going to open the ice rink to the workers?” Ilyana asked.
“No, but after we set this up last night, some knights have asked one to be made on the other side of the river for workers. I told them how to set it up and it should be ready to freeze by tonight,” Tori said.
“Auntie, can I go back and skate after we eat?” Fiona asked in a coy voice.
“Yes, but you must rest a bit after you eat. Then we’ll come back,” Tori said. They crossed over the bridge to get to the promenade. Now, due to the cooler weather, only Henrik’s restaurant was open.
With the tourist season off for the winter, most of the people who frequented it were workers and knights. Occasionally, some villagers would come. At a large section outdoors, but under an awning and surrounded by heat lamps, were several tables clustered together. Most of her friends had already taken their seats.
When they reached the restaurant, Nanny stood up and smiled. “Robert, Fiona, come, I will help you with your meal.”
“Nanny Rey!” Fiona reached for the old woman who had knit her the chick hat and beamed. She clung to Nanny Rey’s neck like a koala as a knight pushed Robert’s wheelchair to their table.
Tori watched them settle in for their meals and smiled, relieved they were having fun. She knew they were in a bit of a limbo being sponsored, but still living at the orphanage. Their living situation wasn’t as good as she or her brother would like, but after some talk, Robert wanted to live as ‘normal’ as possible at the orphanage so as not to upset the other children.
Kasen was right that he was a smart boy. Luckily, with a steady influx of donations and compensation, there were new clothes, new bedding, more food, and school supplies. Two more additional teachers had also been hired and Robert had a private tutor to teach him Old Sulfae. Tori also tried to visit when she had time to spare.
She turned around and went to join her friends once the two children were settled with Nanny Rey.
“I didn’t expect you to bring out the entire orphanage,” Axton said as he tore a piece of bread and dipped it in some chowder.
“It’s Robert’s birthday and he didn’t want anyone at the orphanage to be left out,” Tori said as she took her seat. Children and nuns were coming and going all over the resort tents. Thankfully, the weather was chilly, but the sky was blue with no signs of bad weather. “Kasey gave me money to rent out the resort tents and bring over the children and some nuns. We were going to bring him here with Fiona, but Robert wanted to bring everyone.”
“He has a big heart,” Ilyana said with a nod of approval. “As expected of a future Guevera.” Tori nodded in agreement.
“So, your brother really plans to adopt them?” Sonia asked.
“Hopefully, in the future. At the very least they will have the backing of our family,” Tori said.
“Marquis families adopt children more often than other nobility,” Axton said. “They don’t have the right to inherit titles, but depending on their age, they are taught like any other child of a march. The General said it was because the descendants of marches will often raise the child of a fallen comrade if the child is orphaned with no family able to take them in.”
Piers nodded. “I have distant relatives on my mother’s side who are adopted for such a reason.”
“We do?” Gideon perked his head up from the chowder he was eating. Tori looked over at him and wondered why he was there again, but she supposed hanging around with them was better than him mindlessly following Alessa.
Piers stirred his hot drink. “Great Aunt Greta.”
“Great Aunt Greta is adopted?” Gideon furrowed his brows.
Axton also looked surprised. “She wouldn’t happen to be Commander Greta von Schwert, would she?”
Piers nodded. “She has the same last name.”
“Commander Greta von Schwert who led the Osten army along the northern border for the Holstein Surrender, which successfully retook two mountain fortresses and forced two Duraga tribes south?” Ewan asked with wide eyes filled with awe.
Piers nodded again.
“The only person she says can outmaneuver her strategy is Tori’s uncle, Romulo de Guevera,” Axton said. “I suppose only a march can compete with another march.”
“Speaking of marches,” Albert said after swallowing a mouth full of battered fried cod. “Is Prince Gideon going to join the naval academy again this summer?”
Gideon nodded earnestly, looking a bit happy that he was being spoken to. “It’s already been arranged, but I’m only going to the latter half.”
“Why only half?” Ewan asked.
Gideon sat up, proud. “I’ll be going with my brother to Presidio to attend Lord Sebastian’s wedding.”
If this life had sound effects, Tori would’ve heard a record scratch. She brought a spoonful of the chowder to her lips as her friends all froze and looked towards Gideon seated at one end of the table. She knew that he would be coming because her brother already told her. However, none of her friends knew.
“You’re going to Master’s wedding?” Ewan’s face sank. “I want to go to Master’s wedding....” His voice trailed off, disappointed.
“What are you talking about, Ewan? He’s your master. Of course, you’ll be invited to his wedding,” Axton told him with confidence. He looked at Tori. “Isn’t that right?”
Tori quietly relished the warmth of the chowder as she swallowed it. She lowered her spoon and looked towards them.
“Most people know about the wedding and the high-ranking nobles have already informed my brother and Idunn of when to expect them, but the actual formal invitations won’t arrive for another month,” Tori told them. “Ewan, you are of course getting one.”
“Lucky,” Ilyana said. “I want to go to Presidio.”
“Good,” Tori said after eating another spoonful of chowder. “Because I’ve already reserved spots for all of you as my guests. Sebby and Idunn said I could. The rooms by mine will be prepared. Ilyana and Sonia, you’ll room with me and Alexander, of course.”
“We get to go to Presidio?” Albert’s face lit up.
“I didn’t want to tell you without the invitation, but since you asked. It’s up to you if you want to come or not, and, of course, you should clear it with your families, but after Lycée ends this year, Sur Bronce, one of the military ships, will come to pick us up here. We’ll stop at Karap, then disembark at Tres Arcos, where carriages will take us inland to Presidio,” Tori told them, as if reviewing a set schedule.
“Your family is really letting us come?” Sonia asked with wide eyes. “All of us?”
Tori nodded. “Sebby and Idunn told me I could bring my friends. Besides, they know who you all are. We’ll be there for about two weeks; a week and a half before the wedding and a few days after. There will be activities for guests to keep you occupied.”
“Will the ship be enough to hold us all?” Henrik asked. He looked around and seemed to take a mental count.
“Sur Bronce is a carrier transport ship and has been used in the past to transport supplies and soldiers, as well as evacuate an island,” Tori said. She’d seen it once from a distance. “It’ll be more than large enough to hold us, Auntie Lucia and her family, Piers, Axton, Prince Gideon, Master Ramos, Nanny Rey, and Robert and Fifi. Ah, but don’t tell the kids yet. Kasey wants to tell them closer to the date. He doesn’t want to make them too nervous about meeting our parents.”
“Your parents are really nice,” Ewan said as he finished off his bowl of chowder. He beckoned a server to ask for another small bowl. “They’ll like the kids.”
“They like all of you,” a man’s voice said behind them. Tori turned around and her face lit up.
“Kasey!” She shot up from her seat to greet him and he smiled. He approached them and held out his arms to hug her. “I didn’t think you’d make it.”
“How can I miss my kids’ celebration?” Kasen said with a smile. He hugged his sister and looked at the group who had stood up to greet him. The three people that outranked him also stood up. “As I was saying, they like all of you.” His eyes moved to Piers. “With some exception.”
“Kasey.” Tori pulled away and gave him a deadpan look. Her brother smirked and released her.
He hopped over the low wall separating the outdoor dining area from the plaza and made his way further inside. A moment later, Fiona’s high pitch scream of ‘daddy’ filled the restaurant and she almost rolled out of her booster chair. Kasen had to rush forward to catch her before she tumbled off.
He picked her up and ruffled her hair affectionately. He then knelt beside Robert and put his arm around him. Tori smiled as Robert’s eyes filled with awe and joy seeing her brother.
“Now that he’s here, I can leave the kids to him,” Tori said. “I can go to Anahata Island.”
“Are you working on something new?” Albert asked as the group returned to their chairs.
“I’m always working on something,” Tori replied as she took her seat. “But at this time, I wanted to talk to Instructor Ignatius about the whole debacle with his ex-girlfriend.”
Ilyana grimaced. “Do you think he’ll be mad?”
Sonia rolled her eyes. “Why would he be mad? She dumped him.”
“You never know,” Ilyana said seriously. “What if he still has feelings?”
“Then he’s a fool,” Henrik replied ruthlessly. “A woman like her isn’t worth feelings.”
“Henrik, we can’t control the emotions of others,” Tori said in a calm, placating voice. “Instructor Ignatius is free to still have feelings, even if only nostalgic, for a gold-digging, conniving, insecure shrew.”
Axton cringed. “When you say it like that....”
“Great Uncle Emil has requested a formal investigation on all the documents she’s filed since she started,” Piers told them. “This is to see if any more paperwork has been tampered with. This includes your inns, as well.”
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
“My inns?” Axton frowned. “But my inns aren’t in Horizon and the paperwork for the Lunar Palace isn’t done yet. Didn’t she only work on businesses within the city?”
“She has contacts in other departments, which should also be investigated,” Piers replied.
“It’s better to do extra work and be cautious about this,” Henrik said, agreeing. “We don’t know how far she’s reached.”
“We don’t know how far the Cowman has reached either,” Sonia said.
“I’d be more worried about him,” JP added.
“Who is the Cowman?” The group went quiet and turned their heads towards Gideon. Tori let out a heavy breath. He’d been quiet and they forgot he was there.
Ewan opened his mouth to tell him, but Henrik’s hand shot out and covered his mouth while giving him a silencing look. Ewan shrank back and nodded.
“It is none of your concern, Gideon.” Piers answered for them. “Just a minor business rival. This does not leave the table.” He glanced at Gideon, who nodded obediently.
“Of course, Piers. I won’t say a word.” Gideon turned his focus back on his food.
Tori frowned as her dishes were changed from a small bowl of chowder to a braised fish dish. Gideon was slowly integrating into her extended circle and while it was much preferred over clinging to Alessa and being at her disposal, there were still many things Tori didn’t want him involved in.
She was certain that Gideon had not only met Adrien at some point, but had a favorable opinion of him. This could’ve also been in part to his Alessa-colored glasses that made him see those around Alessa as good people and not bastards who exploited others. If Gideon were deep in her circle, like Constantine was, Tori would have ranted about Adrien in front of him.
But Gideon didn’t have her trust and she doubted he ever would.
She deemed it best to keep him in the dark about Adrien. At least, the depth of their conflict. She was sure Gideon knew very well about their current animosity from experience.
“If you are going to the island, bring the knights.” Piers spoke up across from her and Tori nodded.
Ever since he found out what happened in the bookstore, he not only assigned her two more knights, but had them follow her everywhere except Lycée. They were now required to follow her into a building and remain at close guard, whereas before, they would wait outside a shop.
While Tori was used to having imperial knights with her, she also liked a reasonable amount of freedom and had them maintain their distance. For some reason, she didn’t think that she’d be harassed in a bookstore. She always thought it would be out in the street, like in the past. She was irritated that she lowered her guard, but knew it wasn’t her fault.
However, after the incident, she had no qualms with two knights following her around so closely. Unfortunately, circumstances had made her appreciate the detail. The two knights who had been guarding her that night had been dismissed for a year of training. Tori didn’t know until Sir Lloyd let it slip during one of their conversations about Alexander roaming around the neighborhood.
Piers assured her that the two knights didn’t lose their rank, they just needed to retrain once more and then come back. Where had they been sent to retrain? Sur...under her Uncle Lorenzo, whom Piers had informed in detail about why the knights were being sent.
Her family knew about what happened as well, as Tori reported the incident to Sebastian. Surprisingly, while they were upset, there was no extreme reaction. Tori was a bit relieved; she didn’t want this to turn into a witch hunt, as Adrien still had close ties to Alessa, and Tori had no idea how that connection would impact her further.
“Don’t eat too much,” Tori said as she picked at her braised fish. “Dinner will have several big dishes, as well as cake.”
Ewan and Albert both looked excited. Gideon did, too. “Are there going to be fireworks?” he asked.
Tori nodded. “Yes, we just got restocked for the year.” She was also bringing fireworks with them to Presidio on an escort vessel.
After the group finished lunch, Tori, two knights, and Piers who quietly joined them on the boat to Anahata Island, set out.
Tori had the most awkward conversation she’d ever had with Instructor Ignatius regarding his ex-girlfriend, and what Tori had implied about what she told Miss Moore.
“It was a vague remark to anger her,” Tori told him with a guilty bow of her head. “I apologize for using your name as a weapon to trigger her into making a mistake.” I’m not apologizing for the method, just for using your name.
Instructor Ignatius was seated with his head bowed and his hair falling over his bright red face. Tori could see the tips of his ears peeking between his haphazardly tied hair were just as red as his face.
“I...understand,” Instructor Ignatius’ voice was quiet. “This is in part my fault.”
Tori nodded. “Yeah, it is.” Behind her, a knight barely held back his muffled laughter and Piers and Sir Granger with him cast him an annoyed look. “But it isn’t as if you wanted this to happen.”
Instructor Ignatius’s slender fingers clawed into his lap. “I tried to explain to her over and over that you were only my student and Kasen’s sister, but she didn’t believe me.”
“I know. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had such a visceral reaction when she met me,” Tori said, recounting their meeting in the waiting room of the Three Queens. “I still wanted to tell you, as it was said in the heat of the moment. I had said it quietly and it was an ambiguous remark, but we don’t know if she’ll spread it around. If she does, you should know.”
Instructor Ignatius nodded and carefully raised his head. “What do I say if someone asks?”
Tori raised a brow. “That I am only your most gifted pupil, and that Miss Moore was jealous. You wanted to move here to do crystal research with Soleil’s premier crystal master and Miss Moore didn’t agree, so she broke up with you. That has nothing to do with me, but more that she was jealous that you were teaching me.”
Instructor Ignatius lowered his eyes and nodded quietly. “I am sorry that my past caused you such trouble, Countess.”
Tori shook her head. “And I apologize for using you to get her fired. But to make it clear, I don’t regret it.” Tori frowned and her face darkened. “If she causes me trouble again, I won’t hold back. Her actions had affected not only me, but my friends and business. Do you have a problem with this, Instructor?”
His head snapped up and he opened his mouth. No words came out and he lowered his eyes once more. He seemed unsure of how he felt.
“Benedict.” Master Ramos, who had been working outside in the courtyard, stood at the entrance to Instructor Ignatius’ small living room where they sat. The old man had a stern look on his face. “They are not asking for your permission. They are asking you to make a choice.”
Instructor Ignatius lifted his head once more and looked at Master Ramos and then at Tori. Tori held his gaze with a firm, awaiting look. She knew her instructor had lingering feelings and needed to know where he stood.
“A choice?” he asked in a tight voice. He looked at Tori, confused.
“I hate to put you in such a position, Instructor Ignatius, but she is a risk,” Tori told him. “If your feelings for Miss Moore cloud your judgment....” She trailed off, not wanting to say it. Master Ramos had no such reservations.
“If your feelings for her cloud your judgment, then there is no place for you here.”
[https://static.wixstatic.com/media/334114_6091e4325c304c4d9804d3c53f9887d3~mv2.png]She was sure Instructor Ignatius was going to cry when faced with the threat of banishment from Anahata Island and the delta because of a woman who had broken up with him and tried to ruin his pupil’s business. He did not hesitate to confirm his loyalty to Tori, though she told him what she was most concerned about was that he’d be used against them.
Kasen had come to speak to him about Miss Moore, and Tori found out that Kasen didn’t like her. He never liked her.
“What do you mean?” Instructor Ignatius paled as he looked at Kasen. “You didn’t tell me to break up with her. When I told you, you said it was my decision.”
“And it was your decision,” Kasen replied as he sat across from him. Tori sat quietly to the side. “I wanted to respect it. Besides, if I told you that I didn’t trust her and thought she was seeking you out for your money and status, you may not have believed me. You might’ve even gotten angry. It happened to Jaime, remember? We told him what we honestly thought of his girlfriend, and he stopped talking to us.”
Instructor Ignatius’ shoulders slumped, and he lowered his face. He looked absolutely gutted and Tori elbowed her brother and motioned for him to comfort Instructor Ignatius.
“You could’ve told me that you didn’t like her....” Instructor Ignatius said in a quiet voice.
“Would you have broken up with her if I told you that?” Kasen asked with a raised brow. Instructor Ignatius went quiet again. “If she made you happy, what could I say? And when she broke up with you, what did I tell you?”
Instructor Ignatius pursed his lips. “You said it was for the best and that she didn’t understand my interest in crystals. It would’ve only worsened the relationship over time.”
“She was your first girlfriend, and I don’t doubt that you felt very strongly about her,” Kasen told him. “But she didn’t want to come second to crystals, which is understandable. You would’ve become resentful when she hindered you, and she would’ve become resentful if you resisted. Especially when you quit your job at Lycée to pursue crystal research here. That’s not what she wanted from you. She wanted you to settle in Horizon and live at your old house. You told me her plans yourself.”
“I know....”
“I knew she was after your money,” Kasen told him. Instructor Ignatius looked even more defeated, and Tori thought he was pitiful.
“You’re also good-looking, Instructor! She also probably thought that. Who doesn’t want a good-looking partner!” Tori's attempt to make him feel better was met with annoyance from her brother and confusion from Instructor Ignatius. “...You also have a good personality!” You know what, I should just leave....
Kasen looked back at Instructor Ignatius. “I couldn’t shake the feeling that she wanted to use you to move to a better district and gain prestige and wealth. I don’t trust her, and I wouldn’t put it past her to try to use you. That is, providing that she isn’t arrested for tampering with official government documents.”
Instructor Ignatius nodded his head. “I see...I will be careful in the future.”
“Instructor, I want to trust you,” Tori said as she looked across at him. “You are my first master, and I would never have gotten this far without your help in the beginning, so I don’t want this to ruin our relationship.”
He met her gaze and gave her a gentle smile. “I know. A master and pupil’s trust in each other is important. I won’t lose your trust over this. If that woman comes to you again, don’t let her get away with anything,” Instructor Ignatius told her. “Don’t allow yourself to suffer.”
Tori nodded and cracked a smile. “I won’t. And Instructor, you should call me Tori. I am your pupil. There is no need to address me by my title.”
His face reddened and he smiled further. Tori was once more reminded of at least one reason Miss Moore was into Instructor Ignatius. He was very much a fragile beauty. “Tori.”
She spent the rest of the afternoon trying to strengthen her bond with Instructor Ignatius through crystals. Kasen left to go spend time with Robert and Fiona, but did give Instructor Ignatius a quiet warning: to betray Tori was akin to betraying him. Instructor Ignatius nodded, admitting that while he was disappointed and hurt, he knew where he stood regarding Miss Moore and would be wary of her.
“Tori, let’s go. Dinner will start soon,” Piers said as the sun began to set. She pulled herself away from her little crystal model train she was automating. She told Instructor Ignatius and Master Ramos that their meal and some cake will be delivered soon before leaving.
On the boat back to the mainland, Tori smiled to herself, satisfied that she could trust her master not to be used as a tool against her, at least not willingly.
“My lady, should we have someone watch Master Ignatius when he leaves the island?” Sir Granger asked in a quiet voice.
“Make sure he is guarded when he leaves. We can’t leave anything to chance,” Piers answered before Tori could. She thought for a moment and nodded. While Instructor Ignatius didn’t want to betray her, she also didn’t want him to be put into a position out of his control where he was used against her.
“I will let him know,” Tori said. “I have to explain if knights are going to watch him.”
They arrived just in time for dinner and the entire plaza was filled with nuns and children. Kasen was with Robert, who was dressed in a suit, and Fiona in a fluffy princess dress with chicks and a hen embroidered around the hem of the skirt.
Dinner went smoothly and all the children were captivated by the fireworks. Tori smiled as she sat to the side, on a bench surrounded by three silencing circles with Piers. She looked towards her brother, who stood behind Robert’s wheelchair with one hand on his shoulder and the other arm holding Fiona.
“Kasey looks like a real dad,” Tori said with a smile.
“Senior Kasen will make a good father,” Piers replied. He paused. “And they are good children. I like them, as well.”
“You do?” Tori closed her eyes and bit her lips. On Piers’ other side was Gideon. If Piers didn’t send him away, Gideon would stick to him. Gideon looked at his brother with stunned eyes. “Have you always liked children?” Tori could almost hear his underlying question: did you like me when I was a child?
“No.” Piers frowned. “They are loud. And strange.”
Tori muffled her laughter. She raised a brow and gave him a look. “Then, when did you like children?”
“When they are with you. You make them behave.”
“I don’t make them do anything. Sometimes, you just need to listen to what they have to say,” Tori said, shaking her head. “You should learn from my brothers. They’re great with kids.”
Piers narrowed his eyes a bit and then lowered them. “Okay.”
The next day, when they left for Horizon, Piers tricked Fiona into riding his carriage by telling her that it was an imperial carriage and riding in it would make her experience what it was like to be a princess, even though Tori’s carriages were newer and better. Tori had rolled her eyes at Piers’ sad attempt to learn from her brother, but Fiona had gasped and insisted Robert and Kasen ride with Piers on their way back. Piers’ plot worked.
They would go directly back to the orphanage to drop off the children while Tori’s carriages took them back to Lycée.
First, they dropped off Ewan at La Garda. Tori didn’t know he had packed an entire sack of snacks until she saw him get off the carriage and slung it behind him.
She crinkled her eyes. “Where did he get all that? He didn’t have that sack when we picked him up.”
“I don’t know....” Henrik narrowed his eyes. “The only restaurant open was mine.”
“There better not be any potatoes in that bag.” Ilyana frowned. “Those were reserved for me.”
After dropping off Nanny Rey, the two carriages rolled to the front gates of Lycée. In the winter, the sun had long since set and the streets and plazas were lit up by light crystals. As their carriage came to a stop, Sonia reached for the door and froze. Her eyes widened as she quickly locked it, stopping the footman from opening it for them.
“What’s wrong?” JP asked his sister.
Sonia’s eyes were fixed outside the window. “It’s Hart.”
“What?” Tori, Ilyana, JP, and Henrik all crowded the windows closest to Sonia. Just a few steps away from the iron gates were Alessa and Fabian. Alessa was shaking her head and her lips were pulled in a tight frown. Fabian looked both flustered and at a loss.
“Open the latch,” Tori said as she fumbled with the metal fixture on the corner of the side window. She pulled and pushed, allowing for the side of the window to open. She felt a cool breeze seep into the cabin and as Sonia did the same for the side window next to her, they could hear Alessa and Fabian talking.
They were too far away to make out the words, but the tones were enough to hint at a disagreement.
“Oh....” Ilyana’s eyes widened. “Trouble in paradise?”
“My lady, shall I open the door?” The confused voice of the footman asked through the open window beside Tori.
“No, not yet. Stay quiet....” Tori said, lowering her voice. The footman nodded and stood to the side, not questioning Tori’s order.
The five inside the carriage leaned towards the windows.
Alessa seemed to cry and shake her head, her face red. “No! He wouldn’t do such a thing! How can you say that about him?”
“I only heard-”
“But you didn’t see it, did you?”
“I...no, but-”
“Then how can you believe it?”
“I need to know what they’re talking about,” JP said in a pained voice.
“Shhh!” Sonia hissed.
“Fabian? Alessa?” Five sets of eyes turned to the side. The second carriage had parked behind theirs and it had been the one carrying Ewan, Albert, and Gideon. Ewan had been dropped off, so Albert and Gideon had stepped out.
Albert looked a bit confused, and Gideon was frowning.
“Gideon!” Alessa choked a cry and rushed towards him.
Tori’s eyes widened as she watched Gideon subtly step to the side. He held out his arm to stop Alessa from running forward, but didn’t catch her with his body as expected. He held her at distance.
“What’s going on?” Gideon asked. “Is something wrong?”
A small crunch was heard, and Tori turned her head. Ilyana was munching on potato chips and Sonia had her hand in the brown paper bag to take some out. Tori rolled her eyes and continued to watch the drama unfold outside.
“Fabian told me that something is wrong with Adrien! He said Adrien tried to do something to a woman.”
Tori’s eyes went wide. Was this about her? Or was that predator back at it? If I have another chance, I’ll kick him harder.
Gideon shook his head, looking even more confused. “What are you talking about? Did Mr. Rosiek do something wrong? What woman? Fabian.” He looked towards his former knight. “What is this about?”
Fabian opened his mouth, but Alessa cut him off. “Adrien was in the hospital for two days after being injured. He says a crazy woman attacked him!”
Tori felt her friends slowly turn their heads towards her and she avoided their gazes, instead fixing her eyes on the scene outside.
“Who attacked him? Fabian, did you see?” Gideon asked.
Fabian shook his head and avoided looking at Gideon’s face. “No, I didn’t see anything!”
“Then why did you say that it was because he harassed a woman?” Alessa said, turning her head towards him and glaring. “I know Adrien! He wouldn’t do that!”
Fabian looked exhausted. “I only said that perhaps a woman had a reason. Perhaps he provoked her, and she panicked, thinking she was being harassed, and fought back.”
“What kind of feral woman would jump to such a conclusion and attack a man?” Alessa shook her head.
Tori pursed her lips.
Fabian suddenly turned towards their carriage and Tori and the others gasped. They ducked down, trying to avoid the glass.
“Wait,” Henrik said as he perked up. “The windows are tinted. He can’t see us.”
“Oh...right.” JP let out a small cough and they lifted their heads to continue watching .
“Did Mr. Rosiek give a reason why the woman might have attacked him?” Gideon asked, holding Alessa at arm’s length. He squinted at Alessa. “When did it happen?”
“Last weekend,” Alessa said with a sniffle. “He was so pitiful, Gideon. He was laying in the hospital bed with ice on his crotch-”
Albert let out a laugh and turned his head to the side. Alessa looked to him with a glare. “Ahem...sorry. I thought of something funny.”
“Is he going to be all right?” Gideon asked, diverting her attention.
Alessa nodded. “I hope so. I heard the nurse say that it could’ve been worse.” She looked back at Fabian. “But he didn’t do anything to deserve it! He wouldn’t harass a woman!”
Fabian lowered his eyes, but didn’t say anything. Gideon let out a low breath and released Alessa’s arm. He patted her shoulder as he took a small step away.
“As long as Mr. Rosiek recovers well. I’m sure it was an accident.”
Alessa nodded, as if fully acknowledging the incident. She turned to Fabian. “You should apologize for what you said.”
Fabian drew his head back. “Apologize?”
“You said Adrien harassed a woman. He wouldn’t!”
Fabian froze. He squinted his eyes. “But...what if...what if he did?” Gideon cocked his head and gave him a curious look.
Alessa’s face reddened. She stormed forward and stood in front of Fabian with a furious look. “He wouldn’t! If you think my friend would do such a thing, I won’t forgive you!”