Chapter 3: For Whom the Banquet Tolls
Silence settled over the room. His gently curved eyes filled with warmth as his rough hand, devoted a lifetime to the sword, caught my delicate, fragile fingers and lowered them. A sweet scent filled the air, and just as the room brimmed with an intoxicating tension, his lips came to rest against my pale cheek, whispering softly.
“Very well.”
I was particular.
If someone were to scoff and ask how on earth that could be true when I was friends with Isabel, I had my own excuses. What five-year-old in the world is discerning about people? If you like someone, you hang out with them, and before you know it, you're friends. So leaving Isabel aside as a rare exception in my relationships, a look at everyone else made it abundantly clear: I was never one to easily give my heart or place my trust in people.
As a rule, I was suspicious. Even when acting gently, I always kept room for an exit, just in case they turned around and stabbed me in the back.
Perhaps that was why, once I truly believed in someone, I trusted them until the very end. I liked them to the end, loved them to the end. No matter what others said, I never believed rumors about the people I had chosen to trust. That rule applied equally to everyone within the fence I had built.
So when Violetta told me not to trust Isabel, I simply laughed it off. Because I believed in Isabel. Even when she stole my lovers, I easily bought her excuses. Because I had already given her my trust.
Olivia once said this trait came from my overwhelming self-absorption. She was right. When it came to judging people, I trusted only myself.
Now, however, I thought it best to set that habit aside.
Isabel despised me far more than I had ever imagined. Whether born of malice or not, the result was harm inflicted upon me, so I concluded her feelings simply boiled down to hatred. And in that spur of the moment, I had wanted to do something she would hate just as fiercely.
Even if this was the outcome.
When I heard his answer, I doubted my own ears for a second. I never expected him to agree so readily. I had blurted it out half out of my mind, but by the time I came fully to my senses, his lips were already kissing my cheek. What was utterly absurd was that, in that very moment, I found myself returning his kiss without even realizing it.
Only after stepping out into the fresh air did everything become crystal clear. I had confessed to Khalid, toward whom I harbored ambiguous feelings. No, was it more of a proposal than a confession? No, wait, if not a proposal, then what? In any case, he had given me a positive answer.
Ah, my face burned.
Heavens, what had I done?
Even so, I didn't regret my actions. Faced with that situation again, I would undoubtedly have done the exact same thing. How? By catching his shoulders, and on those lips—
“Aaargh!”
“Lady Scarlett, what’s wrong?”
I clutched my head and squirmed in sheer embarrassment. Who on earth rushes things like this? Aren't you supposed to start innocently, holding hands first? No, well, not that it had to be like that, but still. Who does this? How could he cut straight to the point as if he'd been waiting for it all along?
Opposite me, Celine stared with wide, round eyes. Paying no mind to her remark about how red my face was, I kept tugging at my hair while the carriage continued on its way.
When my scalp began to tingle, I finally let go of my hair, composed myself, and sat properly. Duke Prodiad—no, Khalid—was serving as my escort. No matter what kind of fit I threw inside, he was bound to hear my every move from right outside. Thank goodness he lacked the ability to see through walls, or I would have been too mortified to twitch a muscle.
What should I say when I got home? What would Violetta say? No, was Violetta even the issue? Olivia would surely ridicule me. Not that I was afraid of her mocking, but still.
‘Still, do you regret it?’
The voice inside me asked. Unconsciously, I pulled the curtain aside. Bathed in the sunlight pouring into the carriage, I looked at Khalid riding close beside it.
‘Do you regret it?’
Not a chance.
Sighing, I drew the curtain closed again. The hardest thing to understand in all this was myself. Even if the words had spilled out in the heat of the moment because of Isabel, that wasn't the only reason. What on earth had drawn me to that man? What did I like about him? It was hard to put into words, but I liked him. I felt comfortable around him.
And knowing that it would, to some extent, serve as a slap in Isabel's face made me chuckle from time to time. To be honest, that part pricked at my conscience in an odd way, but even as my emotions cooled, I had no desire to take back my words with an excuse like ‘I only said it in the heat of the moment.’ Why? What did I have to lose? What was it about him that I liked?
He was a man of immense restraint when it came to his thoughts and emotions. Unlike me, with my shifting feelings, he seemed largely indifferent to his surroundings. Or perhaps he simply hid his interest well. But when that passion, that focus, was turned entirely upon me, perhaps that was when I caught a glimpse of it.
I had to admit it. I was captivated by his passion. The passion directed solely at me.
Even if my feelings toward him weren't yet love, even if they weren't desperate affection, I couldn't deny that I was drawn to him. And Isabel was more than enough of a catalyst. Unable to calm my fluttering heart, I closed my eyes.
Unlike the journey there, the return trip wasn't nearly as grueling, perhaps because I had grown accustomed to long travel. Over those few days, I ran into Khalid privately a handful of times, but all we did was attempt a little physical touch while minding those around us. It was utterly wholesome contact. Of course, all the while, I delightfully returned every bit of it.
Good heavens, to think I actually enjoyed it.
Well, what could I do when it felt so nice?
A few days later, laden with trophies of both the official and personal variety, I finally arrived in the capital, putting an end to nearly two weeks of grueling travel.
A thunderous roar of cheers took me completely by surprise. Confetti and bouquets raining down everywhere, alongside the shouts and jubilant cries of the crowd. As I pulled back the curtain, the dazzling spectacle filled my view, leaving me momentarily breathless. It seemed Celine had never witnessed such a sight either, as she blinked in astonishment while looking at me.
“Glory to Winchester—!”
Amid the citizens' deafening praise and cheers, I cautiously opened the carriage window. A stray blossom, tossed by an unknown hand, fluttered down onto my dress. The moment the window parted, the distinct voices of the crowd burst inside with resounding clarity.
Among them were the names of Khalid and the countless others who had distinguished themselves in the war, alongside mine, Celine’s, and several others who had participated in the negotiations. Hearing our names called, I had no choice but to press my lips tightly together. Though terribly embarrassed, seeing Celine's eyes rimmed with red made me forgive myself for letting a few stray tears well in my own.
Ah, it was all over.
Even after the negotiations ended, the lingering tension had kept me bound. But the roaring cheers of the people and the name of Winchester ringing out from every corner brought a deep comfort.
It was over.
I pulled it off.
I did well, didn’t I?
The anxiety I had buried deep within my heart only now reared its head. The burden of sitting in such a vital seat for the first time, the fear of having to justify the war's sacrifices, the responsibility not to fail the people's expectations, and the suffocating pressure that defeat was never an option. All those feelings dissolved in a single instant, and only then was I able to smile alongside them.
The cheers and shouts of the crowd did not cease until the long procession entered the royal palace. If even I felt this way, what must it be like for those who had lived on the battlefield for six long years, away from home? What thoughts were running through their minds? As I turned these thoughts over in my head, I bathed in a wave of relief until the carriage passed fully within the palace walls and the shouts faded into the distance.
After some time, the carriage finally came to a halt.
I smoothed out my dress. I had no way of knowing who was waiting outside. Even if there were no one, I tidied my attire properly. The capital was the territory of the nobility. They showed no mercy to unrefined noble ladies. Especially people like Mother.
Celine composed herself as well. Soon after, someone opened the carriage door. It was Khalid. Behind him stood Sir Ver.
Khalid was the one who deserved the greatest praise of all. The victory in the six-year war was owed most to his achievements. The burden he bore must have been far greater than mine, certainly never smaller. Yet his expression remained remarkably calm. Having read whatever emotion lingered on my face, a gentle smile broke across his lips the moment our eyes met. I took his offered hand.
The moment I took this hand and stepped down from the carriage, our escort relationship would cease. His Majesty the King had asked him to see to my safety solely to prevent any mishaps during the negotiations. Which meant that now that the negotiations were finished, he would return to being a duke rather than a knight or Commander-in-Chief, and I would return to being a duke's daughter.
Yet we had entered a romantic relationship. We would not be parting ways.
Lovers.
The sensation of the word on the tip of my tongue felt wonderful, and holding his hand, I offered a radiant smile. Stepping onto the ground, the memory of the day I first met him brought a chuckle to my lips. Under his escort, I entered the Main Palace, where the Audience Chamber awaited.
Had this corridor always been so long? Without realizing it, I gave Khalid's hand a tight squeeze as I looked around. Finding my reaction amusing, Khalid offered a faint smile and asked.
“It isn't as though this is your first time here, so what troubles you?”
“Oh, walking like this just makes it feel so new.”
Reaching the grand doors of the Audience Chamber after traversing the endless corridor, I swallowed hard. As a child, I used to run in and out of here as if it were my own home. I had even sat on His Majesty the King's lap to play. Why did it feel so intimidating and unfamiliar now?
Stopping before the great doors, Khalid gently squeezed my hand before letting go. I stared blankly as a smile formed on his face, then gave a soft smile and nodded in return. Our hands parted, and Celine, Senior Pello, Senior Trichel, and Korkel lined up alongside me. Standing at the very front, Khalid showed not the slightest hint of nervousness. So that was what experience looked like! Marveling at the sight, I caught my breath.
“Duke Khalid Prodiad, Your Grace—!”
Our names were called one by one, and soon, the doors to the Audience Chamber swung open.
