Chapter 4: Bottle Of Promises

I swallowed a little, I wasn't prepared to find him here, actually I should have expected it, because he is Bleuciel's brother after all and he is the king's son again, so they are both family. It's also been three years since we started a brief affair, but we didn't go further than we should have. He still had a fiancée somewhere in Spain, and indirectly I was his mistress, but nobody knew anything, not even my sister. His engagement had supposedly broken off, but I didn't know why. I had been so naive and young, back then at 16, I don't know if I would do it again like that. It all started with a brief flirtation, it had been the Queen's garden party and we had all been hiding in the maze, the goal was not to find us, so we all ran criss-cross. I unintentionally banged into Livius and he fell back against the floor. At first we laughed, but then he put his mouth against mine. I couldn't describe this feeling, it was new. At that moment, it didn't matter if he was engaged or not. It was our little secret, that day he still sneaked into my room at night and continued where we left off, but like I said, nothing happened that could have ruined me or him. I am still in honour and he never cheated. This affair lasted for a whole summer, but then it was over and reality set in. He had to go about his duties and to his fiancée. We never said the three magic words to each other, but I loved him, more than I should have. We saw each other again at a few parties but consistently avoided each other. Now he stands before me again and is just as beautiful as he was then. I was nudged: "Di, we're done, we're going to the tea room." My sister waved her hand in front of my face. How long had I not been present? She quickly shook my head: "Yes... I'm coming." My sister looked puzzled, probably she had wished our reunion with more vigour. I immediately made up for it and hugged her so tightly that I felt the fish legs poking into my stomach. She had not expected that: "You seem to have missed me a lot, little sister." She giggled. I let go of her again and jumped up: "You have to tell me everything, what is the farm like in everyday life, are there differences? ,,Yes by all means." she laughed again, ,,Sometimes I wish I was still here, but it's not like that now, there are advantages at court too, don't get me wrong, some of the summers are not as cool as here, but you must already know that from our visits to France."

We took our seats with the queens while the armies lit their cigars outside, and I couldn't help noticing that Livius kept searching my gaze. Did he want to talk to me, but about what? Amazonita and Layna got on very well, they were almost like sisters, except that Amazonita had chestnut hair instead of blonde. They sipped their tea and talked about their husbands. This was one of the few moments when my mother allowed herself to be herself again. Otherwise she was always reserved and reserved in the presence of Melchior or Sini, but still friendly. I have heard that Livius is no longer engaged to the daughter of Spain, may I know the reason? She sighed and put the cup down on the saucer: It was a very awkward situation, the princess must have had an affair with another prince. Anyway, it came out that she was dishonoured and so the engagement was broken off, I honestly wouldn't have had a problem with her dishonour, but you know how men are, they feel they've been kicked to the ground. My Livius deserves a sincere girl who gives herself to him completely." I choked on my tea and had to cough, everyone looked at me worriedly. Dear, is everything all right, is the corset too tight?", Amazonita asked me. I just scalded myself with the tea, it was too hot," she said. Of course, that wasn't the reason, it was the fact with the Spanish princess. I could have suffered the same humiliation. Oh, child, don't always gobble like that," my mother admonished me, then she turned back to the Queen of France: ,,That's a horrible thing to do, poor girl, thankfully my children would never do that, she would know what it would mean." I gritted my teeth slightly. Oh, if you only knew mother.

The gentlemen came back after a while and Livius was still looking at me like that, I didn't know what to do. I felt slightly pressured, but if I said that I was withdrawing now, he would follow me, I knew it well. Therefore, I tried to distract myself and chatted with my sister about trivial things.

Unfortunately, my father didn't just let it go and bragged all the way about my upcoming balls. And that I had finally come to the realisation that I should look for a husband. At these words, Livius, who was sitting across from me, perked up his ears: "Your Majesty, is it true that any young man may ask for the hand of the princess and that she will dance with him? He could not hide his subliminal grin, I recognised it. Yes, that was the plan, but with the dancing, I hadn't thought of that, thank you Livius, I will arrange it that way." I just stared at Livius in bewilderment, what was that all about? He noticed my death stare and continued: "Hypothetically, could I also dance with the princess and ask her to be my wife?" The king laughed and everyone else in the room joined in. "You are once again deliciously amusing, my boy!" his father rasped across the table. "She's like your sister, that would be very funny. Please do that brother," Nyla giggled next to me. She was the youngest of the three siblings, I thought she was okay, but not as likeable as the Queen. She was right, I was like his sister, except he was the hot brother and I was the pining sister who desired him..., no wait, I don't desire him! I'll do as you wish, sis...Ouch, what was that Dinora!", Livius cried out. I had kicked him in the shin. It immediately fell silent, I recognised how everyone turned to look and little question marks formed above their heads. I quickly came up with something plausible: "Um, sorry, I slipped with my leg." She bit my lip, would they swallow it? Oh, child, you're very clumsy today, what's wrong with you Dinora, you're not usually like this," my mother felt ashamed. Yes, she was right, I wasn't usually like this, it was all Livius' fault.

Little by little the group dispersed until I finally went to bed. Three hours later, Livius invited himself over to my place. Without warning, he stormed into my room and showered me with kisses. He pushed me down on the bed and buttoned my nightgown. I missed you so much, little Di," he whispered in my right ear. At first I hadn't realised that I was here alone with Livius, but then I understood and slapped his face. I rose and turned away from him, then pulled my bathrobe tighter. I fixed my hair. What was that about, that was always our rite," he hissed. I'm no longer the naïve little 16-year-old girl from before, I'm a lady now and I have a certain decorum, Livius," I explained to him simply. I seriously wonder why I broke off my engagement because of you," he murmured softly. Had I heard wrong? He hadn't really broken off his engagement because of me. I turned to him: "You really..., I mean, the princess had that affair, what about it?" "Oh..., it worked out well for both of us, we were both in love with someone else, then we made up the affair," he revealed to me. , "You love me?", this fact caused me to be speechless. He took my hand: "Fool, of course I do, I just realised it later, when I was separated from you I missed you so terribly, I have always regretted that I left you then." I removed him from one hand and stood up, arms folded in my coat, I paced back and forth. "I need to process this first, ok." I was silent for three minutes, he was silent too. Then I sank down on a stool with a lilac pattern. I..., you..., you made me wait for three years, Livius, I was left with a broken heart, I don't know if I can forgive you so quickly," I stared at a burn mark, it was made when we once knocked over a candle while kissing on the floor. He knelt down in front of me: "Let me prove to you that I am worthy of you, and this time without an affair."

His eyes were shining, if I gave in now, I would simply throw overboard my principles, which I have built up so laboriously over the last three years, I can't do that. I... I can't do it Livius, what would our parents say, we are like brother and sister," I stammered. ,,That may be so, but we are not blood relatives, please do me the favour of just saying yes Di.", he miscarried. I sighed: "But I will only say yes if you propose to me like everyone else at the ball, I want us to get to know each other all over again, will you do that for me?" I knew it was a lot to ask of him, but this way, firstly, I had enough time to think about whether I even wanted him back, and secondly, I would have found a man, and my father would finally have a peace of mind. Although, I don't know how he would take it, anyway, it was still a little while away.

"You want me to act like a dog fighting for the last leg, I'll do it for you!" he exclaimed with determination. He kissed me one last time before slipping out of my room. When I was finally alone, I didn't know where to put my feelings. Damn it, why did I have such a daring idea?