"You've grown into a fine young lady too, Artemesia. Did you meet any dashing suitors in the South? I hear Southern men are famous for their rough, masculine features."
Artemesia sipped at her tea awkwardly, not knowing how to respond.
She sat at the older ladies' table next to her mother for a moment out of courtesy, but these women just wouldn't leave her alone.
"Ah... Not quite. Be it the south or the north, I am Lady Montclair and I would not indulge in behaviours unfit of my name." She replied with a forced smile, "I will simply marry the man my brother and mother choose for me. After all, I am still young and quite foolish, and they think only the best for me."
"How admirable!"
"I believe you'll carry that strong willed spirit with you, in whatever house you marry into."
"I'm sure it will be no less than a Duke's!"
"She trusts her family so blindly... if only my children could too!"
Whatever Tia were to say, they would only sing praises of her. Better be an appropriate response then.
She briefly glanced around the table, and met the Empress' eyes for a split second.
She was smiling behind her spoonful of cheesecake.
"Duchess, you are infinitely lucky to have such a perfect daughter. Obedient, graceful, and most importantly, ethereally gorgeous!" Another woman squealed.
"You could not have been more right, Marchioness." The Empress agreed.
Thedosia laughs, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm honored that her Majesty thinks so highly of me."
The conversation continues as Tia stared out into the lake. On the opposite side were the gentlemen's tables, and she could see a reflection in the water, as clear as day.
A pair of eyes, staring back at her. Bright green and young.
Her eyes travelled up from the reflection to the subject, and she tried to keep her jaw from unhinging.
"Prince Damian?" she mouthed.
From across the lake, Damian smiled at her, waving and mouthing 'hello'.
She stared at the boy for a moment, taking in how much he had grown, then returned his smile with a polite wave. She let her eyes drift over the table, she caught sight of the Emperor and Duke Calvethra deep in conversation about the recent damage to the dam in the east due to heavy floods. Crown Prince Leander also seemed to be listening closely, his eyes flicking between his uncle and his father with quick, sharp glances. Almost like a fox's.
Come to think of it, Leander did look like a fox. His sharp features and green eyes crisp in focus reminded her of a fox spying on its prey from far away.
She laughed to herself. Leander, a fox? Sure. Nice try.
Suddenly, a voice broke her from her thoughts. "What are you staring so intently at?"
She jumped and looked up. The Empress, sitting a few seats from her, looked at her with a brow raised.
She nervously brushed a strand of hair back from her face, and shook her head with a smile. "Nothing of significance, your Majesty."
The rest of the ladies sitting there disappeared for some reason. Of all times, why now?
"Well, I don't know about you, but a young lady studying my son so intently is surely of significance to me, is it not?"
Artemesia's brain short-circuited for a moment trying to process the older woman's words. When she finally did, she opened her hand fan and flapped it furiously to hide her blushing face.
"I-I have no idea what you're accusing me of, Your Majesty."
Celestia laughed, and leaned forward in her chair, "Is that so? Well, Tia, I may be like an aunt to you but do not forget that I have the vision of an eagle."
The brunette closed her eyes, and sighed. "How could I dare keep something from the infinitely wise Empress?"
"Honeyed words don't charm me."
"Fabulous."
A moment of tranquil silence settled over them, before Celestia addressed her again, "Why were you staring at him, though?"
"I-... Truthfully, I have no clue. His Highness' striking appearance just caught my eye from afar."
"So you admit you're attracted to him?"
"N-no, no! That's- not what I intended-" she gave up when she saw the victorious smile on the woman's face.
Celestia sat back again, scooping up a chocolate pastry, "I suppose that's enough of a response."
. . .
Fresh grass crunched beneath her feet as Artemesia wandered the small but well maintained garden, quietly observing the beauty of wild nature. It was slightly chilly there, but it was much better than being under the crushing weight of aristocratic gazes.
The garden was so secluded that Artemesia wouldn't have found it if the Empress hadn't given her specific directions. A curved wrought iron gate stood at the entrance, with vines and thorned roses wrapping around it. But once you stepped inside, the smell of flowers and fresh breeze enveloped you and made the space feel heavenly.
She breathed in the crisp air, and sat down on one of the seats of a gazebo situated right in the center of the garden, overlooking the entire scene. It all seemed so beautiful that it almost felt like a dream. Roses of every scent and color sprouted from large, trimmed bushes. Not just roses, though. Pansies, lily of the valley, large trees of wisteria and a small, isolated bush of lavender.
She got up and walked to the lavender bush slowly. From afar, they seemed like normal lavenders, but only on a closer look could Tia tell they were carefully maintained, almost as if they were too fragile to support themselves. She stroked their petals, admiring their beauty and fragrance silently, when a sudden rustle behind her broke the peaceful silence.
She spun around in defense, and froze.
So did the intruder.
Well, not really an intruder.
"I know this place so well I can tell whether it was trespassed upon or not. Seems I was right again."
Her head fell in curtsy immediately, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince."
"Ah, no no no-" He rushed over and raised her shoulders, "Don't make me feel older than I already feel."
She stared at Leander for a moment when a small laugh escaped her lips, "It's undeniable. Only a blind man would say you haven't aged. Lucky for you, it suits you."
Lee smiled at her, "Is that so, my lady? Such flowery words from you do nothing but swell an ego already unreasonably spoiled."
She chuckled again, letting him take her hand. "My, you flatter me."
He led her over to the gazebo again, and sat down casually, patting the seat next to him, "Sit,"
She stared at the spot for a moment, the soft cushion tempting, before finally giving in and sitting a comfortable distance away from the prince.
Silence settled over them, filled with the trickle of a fountain somewhere nearby and the occasional squawking of birds.
Leander spoke up after a long while, "By the way, what brings you to my private garden, my lady?"
Artemesia stared, "Private garden...?"
He smiled softly, "This place was just another part of the palace courtyard. So, I had the gardeners close it off and threw in bits of customization here and there, and now I love it too much for my own good."
"I always stop by. For tea with my mother, or watching my siblings do some light training or sometimes even just a leisurely stroll in the evening. I thought I'd closed it off well enough for nobody to find... you must have a sharp eye."
Tia scratched her face nervously when he stopped speaking, "Well, I didn't mean to trespass, by all means."
He shook his head, "No, no, I don't mean that. I quite enjoy your company. What I asked was, how did you find this place?"
"I was just given... specific directions?" She shrugged, not wanting to throw the Empress under the bus.
"By... whom?" he probed further.
"I remember it was someone walking down the cloister. I asked if there was a spot deserted enough to rest. I'm not quite sure who it was." she lied through her teeth.
He nodded, not doubting her, "Ah. I see."
They both cease talking, the quietude settling in once again. Many moments pass by, as the afternoon finally grows late and the sun's heat starts dying down.
"Do you... remember?"
Tia spun her head to the boy's voice. He was staring straight ahead, eyes unfocused.
"Remember... what exactly?" she raised a brow, confused.
"We had a promise."
She frowned. What is he talking about?
When the minutes passed in absence of a response, he slowly turned his head and looked her in the eye. "Do I have to spell it out all over again?"
She shook her head, still clueless, "I would need a little more elaboration as to what this promise was."
"You promised you'd marry me."