"Lily! Where in the world are my spectacles?"
Thedosia's voice rang out in the hallway. In response, her Lady-in-waiting rushed over to her immediately, "Here, your Grace!"
Putting on her glasses, she turned to look at her daughter with a clearer vision, who was standing in the middle of the room, awaiting her mother's judgement.
"This is it. This is the one." she smiled brightly at the designer, Miss Lance, who was in charge of their attire ever since they came back last week.
Artemesia faced the long mirror, letting the gown sway gently around her. The rich emerald fabric glimmered in the light, complementing her fair skin and the cascade of hair now flowing beyond her waist.
Her reflection held more than just fabric, it stirred a memory. Bright green eyes, eager and alive, framed by a halo of golden curls. A small ache, sharp and sweet, pricked her chest.
How was that boy doing?
Only one way to find out. The garden party in the Empress' palace in a few days.
. . .
"Make it more lavish."
Celestia was on the verge of throwing Leander out the window.
"Leander. Once, you would've hated the very notion of a jewel on your clothes. And now, how am I supposed to make this more lavish?"
"How am I supposed to know? You're the woman!"
"Can we be done with Brother's outfit already?" Thalia whined.
Clara sighed, sympathizing with her.
Clara, too, had grown into a lovely young woman over the years, now having a toddler trailing behind her. The young boy got along wonderfully with the Princess and Third Prince, but seemed a bit scared of Leander. Maybe because of his physique.
"Nanny! Make this more fancy!" he commanded. Sabrina sighed, not taking any of his bullcrap with his mother around.
"Your Highness, it is a garden party. Not a masquerade." Sabrina turned to his mother, "It's time we move on to the Princess' attire."
The designer, who'd been watching the exchange with an amused look, flipped over to the young ladies' catalogue obediently, leaving Leander grumbling.
Frustrated and ignored, he stormed out of the room and marched towards his chambers.
The Empress watched him leave, and exhaled wearily, "I'll go after him. Sabrina, manage the children."
Leaving Crispin in charge, Celestia got up and headed in the same direction as Leander, the boy far ahead of her.
. . .
Leander flung off his jacket, undid the front of his blouse and slumped on his mattress without taking his boots off, closing the door behind him.
For a moment, he lay in silence, watching the clouds drift across the sky as he pondered over his behavior.
Why on earth was he acting like this?
Ah...
Ever since The Empress announced that the Montclairs were attending that party, he'd gone crazy, trying to look as presentable as he could. Was he that madly in love, even after all these years?
Before he could spiral, there was a knock at his door.
"Lee?" His mother's soft voice rang in the hallway, and Leander's expression soured immediately.
"What do you want? Go away!" He buried his head in a pillow.
The door clicked open, and Celestia came inside. He could almost hear the exasperated expression on his mother's face upon seeing the state of his room.
"I didn't allow you to enter." he mumbled in the pillow.
"I don't need to have your permission to go wherever I want, whenever I want." She said gently as she made her way to the opposite side of the bed and sat down.
"Last I checked, you finally started acting like a grown up for a few years. Now, at the slightest mention of the Montclair name, you start acting like a child once again." She threaded her fingers in her son's hair and stroked his scalp.
"My attitude has nothing to do with the Montclairs." he grumbled, leaning into the motherly touch as he rested his head on her lap.
"Oh really? I would love to know what it depends on, I have no clue what goes on in that tiny little brain of yours." she playfully pulls at his hair to emphasize, and he gives a soft laugh.
A few moments go by, filled by the comfort of his mother, when he finally decides to confide in her. "Mother?"
Her movements halted for a split second, but she quickly regained her composure and scratched his hair like a cat's fur. "You stopped calling me that when you turned 10. Hearing it from your lips a decade later sounds almost... nostalgic."
He chuckled softly, but there was a hint of bitterness.
"Do you... remember that rumor?"
"What rumor are we talking about?"
"The one where I... proposed to Artemesia?"
The Empress took a moment to recall, and scoffed when she did. "Ah... that."
He let the silence settle between them for a moment, letting her piece things together.
"Ah." The realization was evident in her voice. "So this whole fuss is about her."
He buried his face deeper, not wanting to look at her, "...yes."
For the next few moments, the only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the grandfather clock, before Celestia broke the silence,
"That would mean... you want to take the throne... for her?"
The lack of response from him was enough of a response.
She sighed, but not the frustrated kind. Just... tired.
"I was a young debutante when I first met your father," she started, "but even when I refused to believe what my heart felt for him, he would never give up. Day after day, he courted me ceaselessly" She smiled at the memory.
"Soon, the Crown Prince being infatuated with the daughter of a Count was news even the lowest class was aware of, but I wasn't. I refused to accept it."
Leander rolled over, his head now facing the ceiling as he met his mother's eyes. Almost like a slice of the moon itself had embedded itself in them.
"I don't blame you. Love can make us all do stupid things." she patted his cheek softly, "but I want you to do, is chase after what you love. Be it a person, or a thing. No matter how big or small. Run, relentlessly. And never give up."
Leander smiled gently at his mother as she continued, "Thea was no easy woman to win over. Neither is Tia. But, someone once achieved it, and his name went down in history as the greatest war hero in mankind. He accomplished that title with the help of Thea, and none other."
Leander's eyes widened. His family, or any other, never talked about Duke Montclair. So this was a rare moment. "Tia takes after her mother, in ways more than one. But she's also stubborn like her father."
Leander stared at her for a moment, before whispering, "So you mean to say..."
His mother smiled, "It's a yes from me."