Evening came and everyone was busy preparing for the formal dinner party of the day.
The princess was wearing a cream-colored chiffon floor-length gown with flower and fern bead works on the bodice. Its neckline was a wide V-shape that accentuated her shoulders and neck.
When last night’s dinner her ensemble was devoid of a necklace, now she was wearing a matching diamond chain necklace and earrings that shaped like teardrops and laurel leaves.
She received the gift rather reluctantly that late afternoon from the general. Though she was hesitant on wearing such a fine piece, all she could do was to abide in respect to the hospitality that he had extended.
The majordomo handed it to her noting that Cain wasn’t able to personally give it as he had an important appointment to attend to.
What obligations she was expected after accepting the gift, she didn’t know and hoped that it wouldn’t cause any problem on the eyes of the other women at dinner.
Her hair was left loose, but properly curled by Erza and adorned it with tiny flower pins. She also wore a white lace glove to protect her skin, already expecting to be ravaged by another batch of kisses on her hand.
The party was now held at the main ballroom, and all of the preparations were finely done to cater the whole guests of the mansion. The chandeliers were lit, the red carpet was in place and there were five tables set up for the main course and ten tables for the drinks and assorted desserts with fruits and pastries.
The princess was seated in the same table she sat when she first attended a party in the mansion, but this time, she had with her a group of men, mainly the generals of Regaleria with Lord Cain on her right side. Erza was a few feet away from her back, standing right beside a column, observing the whole occasion, and waiting for the princess’ needs.
After the formal greetings were made, Lord Cain opened the party with a toast.
“I am greatly honored with all of us gathering here and I am indeed happy, but my joy is more so with the Princess of Regaleria with me. Let us enjoy the night. To all of us!”
In chorus, all of the guests gleefully replied, “To all of us!”, and with that, everyone proceeded to dine and drink.
The generals were boisterous and laughing loudly as they started eating. No one seemed to care or even notice, but Lianne felt mindful of Cain’s clear statement directed especially to her.
She glanced at his way, observing his gestures but she was caught off guard when Cain looked back at her, his eyes were gleaming with pleasure.
“You look breathtakingly beautiful Lianne. The necklace accentuates you more,” Cain whispered in her ear.
Lianne released a soft smile and then took a deep indistinguishable breath to calm her nerves. “Oh, thank you Cain for this.” She hoped he wouldn’t press upon the matter, but unfortunately, he did.
“I wanted to give you more, but I think your own necklace is what you wanted to have more than anything.”
Lianne was puzzled by his statement. Her brows arched and she hurried to say, “What do you mean?”
Cain lifted the glass of champagne in his hand and grinned towards her. “Nothing princess. Let’s have dinner now.”
Lianne was taken aback by the general’s unusual behavior. Though she was curious about what he meant, she didn’t care to ask anymore.
The party continued on until ten in the evening. There was music all over the dance hall and the guests were occupying every bit of space available in the ballroom.
“Would it be alright if I will go and fix myself, My Lord?” Lianne whispered softly, enough for Cain to hear amidst the other men’s loud conversation.
He nodded and then looked at her saying, “Don’t take too much time, Lianne. You still owe me a dance.”
She nodded once in response and then proceeded her way out of the main table.
Erza hurriedly went to her side and off the two women went to the parlour en route a garden hallway that was connected to the ballroom.
The lights were dim on that side of the mansion, and even though it was in that state, there were a couple of women in sight along the corridor conversing eagerly.
Ezra noticed the majority were middle-aged, but two of the women were elderly.
Their appearance showed that they were of high stature and rank, but the young maid found it odd for such a group to be in a secluded place. As they walked along the dim-lit corridor, they heard a woman mockingly commented.
“The late King really did a perfect job in controlling the princess. I didn’t expect that she wouldn’t even show a small hint of sadness in her own circumstance!”
Lianne halted abruptly when she heard her name. Erza in reflex pulled the princess out of sight and into a slim column covered with overgrown vines, hiding quietly.
“What do you expect of our late King? He always gets what he wants.” One of the elder women exclaimed. “Though I do understand such a terrible situation, why would the princess choose such a man as General Cain?”
“Why would you say that Madame Lorraine? You sound as if the general is not a good match for her.” Another woman asked quickly in confusion.
Madame Lorraine gave out a deep sigh and intuitively looked side to side all over the hallway, noting no other persons present, but failed to notice the ones hiding behind the slim column.
“Huh,” she huffed nonchalantly, “what do you women know.” She shrugged her shoulders and raised her chin up, acting haughty and so sure of herself. “Lord Cain is truly one eligible man. He is handsome, well-built, rich, bright, and a general. All women in this kingdom would want him, but could a princess such as Princess Lianne would want a man whose father killed her very family?”
Lianne’s eyes widened in disbelief. She cupped her mouth to keep herself from speaking as she heard every bit of truth the old woman brought to light, but her hands were shaking and felt her blood turn cold.
A rush of memory filtered through her mind and it was from the time General Midas forcefully pulled her out of the greenhouse and into his mount. Was it that time? The time when he murdered her parents? Her only dear family?
Erza laid her hands onto the princess’ tense shoulders, hoping that she could comfort her even for a little, but she was immediately disheartened when she saw tears dripping quickly on Lianne’s cheeks. Such truth was indeed too much for her.
“Then how can you explain the princess now, Madame Lorraine? She acts as if she doesn’t know.”
‘I do not know!’ Lianne shouted in her mind.
Madame Delva, the other elderly, butted in and remarked, “It’s possible! However, it is not ours to delve into ladies. Be blind and mute if we must, just like when the late King adopted the young Prince Ruen as his own son. I am however contented and happy now that His Highness is our new king.”
“Of course, that is true,” the first woman replied.
Erza began to tense upon hearing the unexpected revelation. She glanced at the princess noting what possible reaction she had, but then Lianne hastily ran out of the garden hallway disregarding the length of her gown flowing rapidly in the air.
The young maidservant followed suit and noticed that they were going back to the ballroom.
***
“My Lord,” Sir Conrad called out as he stood behind the general. “There is something you must know.”
Cain paused from drinking and leaned back against his chair. He eyed his majordomo and gestured a finger for him to continue.
The latter bent low and whispered the news on his ear.
Seconds later, Cain stood up and walked out of the table, not even informing his comrades of his leave. The other generals were surprised and confused with his actions, but Sir Conrad, on behalf, politely apologized for it.
In the study room, Cain punched the wooden desk of his father as soon as he arrived. Angry and disappointed with the development, he shouted at his majordomo, “I thought I specifically told you not to give him an invitation letter!”
“Yes, My Lord, I did so, but I’m afraid that the King is not coming here because of the gathering,” Sir Conrad replied honestly as he stood at the center of the room with his head cast towards the floor.
“Tsk!” Cain hissed and clenched his fists. “Do something to delay his arrival. I do not want him to step even one foot inside this mansion or even catch a glimpse of the princess!”
The old man tensed as he listened to his master’s stern command. “But My Lord, you do realize I cannot disobey the King’s orders,” he stated, hoping he’d not receive the already flaming rage of the general.
“Yes! So make it discreet as possible!” Cain bellowed out without hesitation. Clearly, he was damn adamant to keep the royal away. He realized that just Ruen’s presence alone, all of his well-laid plans towards the princess would be compromised.
Out of the blue, a brief knock was heard on the study room’s door. Cain was alarmed by it but kept himself composed as the majordomo dutifully opened the portal.
To Cain’s surprise, the princess was standing on the entry with Erza behind her. Her face was grim and with no trace of a smile.
“Your Highness! You’re here! Do you want to speak with the Lord?” Sir Conrad queried, trying to keep his surprise to himself.
Lianne gave a brief nod and then entered the study room without delay.
Cain upon seeing her beamed a smile and neared her.
“Lianne! I am delighted that you came to me, but how did you know I’m in this room?”
Sir Conrad silently exited and went ahead to close the main door with Erza standing outside, guarding and ready should there be any sign of trouble. This room was after all the same one the princess was months ago when the Lord made his feelings known to her but in a rather zealous way.
Lianne didn’t respond to his welcoming smile not even a single flinch of her lips. She was searing inside, ready to explode with all the anger that she had amassed these past few years.
“I thought as much you’d be here considering your absence in the ballroom,” Lianne replied, her brows furrowing. “I want to talk to you Cain and I want you to be honest with me.”
Cain suddenly felt a chill on his nape seeing her serious expression. This was ever the first time she looked at him with unreserved, disdainful eyes.
“You don’t look well, Princess. Is there something you are troubled with?” he stated, stepping in to touch her cheek, but Lianne was quick to step back and avoid it.
“I need you to tell me the truth!” she immediately voiced out, her tone, although shaky, still held urgency and edge. “I feel now that everything around me is all a lie! I don’t know what to believe anymore!”
Cain, disregarding her little show of disgust earlier, moved in closer to her, stopping a few inches apart, but Lianne stepped backward again, acting like she was averse to their nearness.
He didn’t miss it and as a result, his brows cringed in displeasure.
“I do not know what you are talking about Lianne. Tell me. What is it that you needed to hear?”
Lianne stared at his ash-mauve eyes with fierce determination. It was now or never. She needed to know the truth or else it would make her go insane.
“Was it in the hands of your father that my parent’s life ended?” she spat the words out like a dagger on Cain’s ear, and at once, he felt the rushing waves of distress enveloping him. The taste of sweet wine in his mouth instantly turned sour.
‘How did she know?’ His mind frantically questioned.
He opened his mouth to answer but closed it again, actually considering telling a lie.
Lianne saw the uncertainty arising in his eyes and with this, she shouted again.
“Tell me the truth Cain!”
The general’s jaw tensed. “Would it even matter?” he cried out. “It was all in the past Lianne. Don’t you think it is better off left in the ashes?”
Lianne, angered by his remark, shook her head and clenched her hands. “You, of all people, know exactly why Cain! You saw me at my weakest! You knew the loss of my parents devastated me so much. I cried at your shoulder for heaven’s sake not even realizing that you knew all along that your father was the one who murdered my family!”
Tears began to fill her eyes, slightly blurring her vision, but she could see that Cain acted too indifferent with her supplications.
“Why Cain? You knew all along and yet you didn’t tell me. And here I am hating Garlow for that same reason!”
Hating Ruen even. How could she be so innocent!
“Tell me, why?!”
“You do realize that it was still one of Garlow’s commands to kill everyone on sight when your kingdom was attacked,” Cain explained dryly. He stepped away and walked across the room to stand next to his father’s table. “With that in mind, my father only did what was commanded of him to do, Lianne. If anything, he is innocent. You can’t find fault in him.”
“Yet you still kept the truth from me!” Lianne added, flagging her hands in the air and then pounding it against her chest, exactly where her aching heart lay. “Were you scared that our friendship would fall apart if I were to know the truth?!” she questioned, meeting his arctic gaze again.
“I do not want such friendship!” he then furiously voiced out. “I want you, Lianne. You. Your body. Your mind. Your heart. All of you!”
He stared at her in a way an in loved man stares at his woman; full of passion, full of emotion, and with this, she felt cognizant despite how angry she was inside. It was absurd to even feel this way at this very moment of his betrayal but she saw how true he was with his feelings for her. It was impossible to be insensitive to that.
The general suddenly seized her right arm and then pulled her closer to him.
She could not do anything other than look into his eyes. Eyes that showed how desperate its owner was.
“I saw your hate and your burning resentment against Garlow, Lianne. If it would mean to get your affection, then I would do anything, even to hide the truth from you. I do not want you to hate me.”
Lianne hauled in a deep breath and frowned at his remark. “How could you Cain? How could you be so selfish? I thought you understood my pain.”
“Please understand me, Lianne,” he pleaded. “Forget about the past. Think about us. Stay with me here in Soulisse. You are free! I can give you anything you desire! I love you! What could you want more?”
With that, Cain moved his face closer to hers with an intent to kiss her, but Lianne pulled away while his guard was down, summoning all of her strength to be able to escape his advances and open the main door.
Cain, groaning in displeasure, pressed on with his ardent actions and tried to seize her by the arm, but as she twisted the doorknob to open, surprise painted her face when she saw the majordomo standing at the front of the entry, looking gravely distressed.
The general stopped and looked at Sir Conrad in confusion.
“My Lord, there is… something you need to know urgently,” Sir Conrad announced, dismissing the commotion between the two he saw a moment ago.
Lianne saw this as a chance. She bolted out of the study room without even so much as a backward glance at him.
Cain saw this. He hissed in disappointment seeing how easily she had escaped his grasp. And the very thought of the King’s pending visit, rage, and desperation quickly flooded inside him.
He walked back into the wooden table while Sir Conrad followed him from behind, gently closing the door at the same time to ensure their privacy.
“Don’t tell me what I don’t want to hear,” Cain stated, grabbing a bottle of whisky available on the table.
Despite knowing what his master meant, Sir Conrad, being the obedient butler that he was, still informed him of the important news.
“My Lord, His Majesty has arrived.”
He lowered his head even more, not wanting to inflame the already blazing ire of the general.
Cain took in a deep breath and then drank the whisky with only just one gulp. He winced as the powerful spirit touched his throat.
“The hell…” he muttered under his breath and then gave the butler a glare. “Had I not told you to stall time?”
“His Highness is persistent, My Lord. I did the best I could do,” Sir Conrad answered with great care.
Cain placed the empty bottle down and released an impatient huff. “Tsk, never mind. I’ll do it myself,” he said and then walked to the door.