“I saw you, and the generous joy flowed upon me from your sweet glance.
My heart was wholly at your side,
And every breath I drew was for you.
Rosy spring sunshine surrounded your delightful face and tenderness for me.”
A young scholar stood underneath an altar, reciting a western poem for the crowd of noblemen and women. The noblewomen swooned over his delicate features, moved by his tender words. The lyrics permeated into their hearts, dazed by the beautiful words flowing out of his mouth.
Lady Irene gazed meaningfully at Sir Vigos, unable to contain the sweetness in her eyes. Many women stole glances at Prince August with flushed cheeks. Debbie especially smiled softly in his direction.
Audrey could only watch with ridicule in her eyes, giving Zayden a sidelong glance before they sneered in unison.
This was the first gathering Audrey had attended since her reputation had fallen. She was curious to hear the well known poems of this time period and was dismayed to see a group of fangirls drooling over the young scholars. The scene before her was rather embarrassing to watch.
However, in the depths of her soul, Audrey was greatly disheartened. The thought of love was extremely complicated for her.
Once I leave this empire and begin anew, will I be able to find love again?
Audrey believed that she was most likely destined to wander the world alone with Caleb for the rest of her life. She wasn’t disappointed by this idea, yet she felt a wave of loneliness washing over her.
She found herself looking at Prince Zayden, and chuckled to herself.
If I can’t find someone, I don’t think Zayden will be able to find anyone either. We’ll both be lonely.
At that precise moment, Audrey widened her eyes as if she had a shocking rumination that shook her to the core. She avoided his questioning gaze, disturbed by her presentiment.
***
“I’m telling you that she covets the Second Prince too! Didn’t you see her gaze soften towards him?”
“She is the Crown Prince’s fiancee! She holds such a prestigious title of the empire, yet she dares to bewitch the Second Prince!”
Debbie stood in the midst of the gossip, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“It really is too much..” She whispered silently.
Audrey’s lips twitched in annoyance. She had been returning from the desert after spending the day with Stuart and Zayden, clearly exhausted from the long journey. To her disgust, Debbie and her supporters were gathered near the end of the crystal hall, slandering Audrey’s name.
Audrey had endured countless insults throughout the years and had managed to ignore every one of Debbie’s jabs. Nonetheless, she was particularly impatient that night. In truth, hearing someone insult her name was never a pleasant feeling.
Why do I have to hear this right now?
Caleb seemed to understand her sentiments and slowly climbed out of her shadows, ready to scare the flashy women on his master’s demand. Audrey didn’t want to call for Caleb since she didn’t want to insult the Crown Prince’s concubine. The society would interpret Audrey’s actions as an act of jealousy, and she did not want to be labeled as that kind of woman.
Since Prince August resided within the crystal hall, he could clearly hear Debbie’s idle chatter. He had left his chambers to clear Audrey’s name, when a sharp pain pierced the right side of his head.
“August?” Debbie noticed the prince immediately, and the crowd gravitated towards him.
He masked the discomfort and nodded politely with a slight grimace. Then, the prince noticed Audrey in the corner of his eyes, and his desire to reprimand the women increased. He hoped that she would appreciate his good will and see him in a more favorable light.
“I-”
Debbie placed a hand on his arm, and the pain seemed to spread instantly. He struggled to think properly, vigorously massaging his forehead.
“Your highness?” Debbie frowned as she sensed his stiffness, clasping his arms with a tighter grip. “Perhaps you aren’t feeling well. Why don’t you retire to your chambers for tonight?”
Her sweet, coaxing voice made her supporters blush in surprise by the daring words.
“Yes, it is time to leave now! We will see you tomorrow, Debbie.” The supporters lowered their heads and soon dispersed, fully aware of the couple’s intentions.
By the time Prince August had fully recovered his senses and cleared his headache, it was much too late. Audrey had slipped away, and he had failed to mend their relationship once again.
Should I catch up to her and explain why I didn’t defend her?
His gaze lingered on an empty spot, where that woman had previously stood just minutes ago.
He shook his head and smiled bitterly.
I am a pathetic fool. My presence will only bother her.
Prince August lowered his head despondently as Debbie supported him into the dark chambers.