An Unexpected Invitation

"I'M TIRED. Let me just go to my room and stay there, Emma."

"You can't do that, Lady Temari. Even though there are no scheduled activities this afternoon, you still need to mingle around."

Temari wanted to scream at her lady's maid and run away. She didn't want to mingle with the princesses and ladies. She has a more important mission than to idle around. Aside from that, her sense of danger has been on high alert since lunch. She couldn't forget the fact that Princess Miya caught her in the act of staring at the crown prince. The more she thought about it, the more convinced she was that the princess also saw that Rhys was the first one to stare at her.

No one was supposed to know that Temari has been interacting with the crown prince.

"They prepared the blue drawing room for everyone today. If you excuse yourself, some might wonder why. You need to be there, my lady," Emma insisted.

Temari suddenly stopped struggling. She looked at the maid. "Blue drawing room? Where is that?"

The lady's maid looked relieved that she showed interest. "It is a room used for informal gatherings or when the royal family has visitors. It is located at the east side of the castle. You can stay there and drink tea with the other ladies. I heard that some of them will bring books to read. Others will bring their thread and needles for knitting. It is a good way for you to get to know the other guests, Lady Temari."

Temari almost winced at the mention of the ladies' hobbies. She is the type who couldn't stay seated for more than one hour. She couldn't imagine how people can last staying in one place reading a book, knitting or just drinking tea while gossiping for hours.

Still, that blue drawing room is a place in the castle she hasn't been to before. What if the royal heirloom was hidden in some secret compartment in that room? When will she even get the chance to walk the hallways of the east part of the castle toward that drawing room? Temari knew she has to take advantage of this situation now.

"Oh well, you win. I will go the blue drawing room but I cannot promise that I will mingle with the others."

Temari knew that if she spends more time with them they will notice that she is an impostor. That was why she was avoiding interacting with any of them.

Emma smiled and sighed in relief. "That's good to hear, my lady. We should head back to your room for a moment to change your dress and fix your hair and add color to your cheeks and lips."

Temari frowned. "Why do I have to do that? You just said there will be no activities? Why do I need to change my dress if I will just sit there and drink tea?"

The moment Emma frowned back she realized her huge mistake. She shouldn't have asked that because as a lady who was brought up in an aristocratic family, Temari was supposed to know the etiquettes related to gatherings in the drawing room.

Fortunately, the lady's maid didn't ask questions. Instead, she leaned closer to Temari and whispered, "I heard rumors."

That got her interest. She leaned closer to Emma. "What rumors?"

"They said there are hidden doors in the blue drawing room. That there is a possibility that the crown prince will use one of those hidden doors to appear and mingle later. That is why all the princesses and ladies went to their rooms first so they can look their best when he appears later. You must look your best too, my lady."

Temari stopped listening when she heard the first mention of hidden doors. She remembered the hidden room in the royal library and the old scrolls and notebooks there. She wondered what she could see inside the hidden doors in the blue drawing room? Where will those doors lead to?

"Then I should really change into a new dress. We should go head to my room now," Temari uttered. She needs to get her master key. She only has her dagger tied in one of her thigh as of the moment.

Emma smiled and lead the way. Temari followed while her mind is already making plans. Surely, when everyone is busy with tea, gossip, reading and knitting, no one will notice if she tries to look for hidden doors? She just has to be as invisible to them as possible.

That last plan was ruined the moment Temari entered the blue drawing room almost one hour later. Not just because almost everyone was in there already but because a lady's maid came forward and stopped in front of her.

"Lady Temari of Winterfield?" the maid greeted with a respectful bow.

She blinked and looked at Emma who was standing behind her. Her maid looked surprised. She glanced at Temari and leaned to whisper, "She is Princess Miya's attendant."

That made her spine shiver in dread. She looked back at the attendant in front of her. "Yes?"

The woman remained in her respectful position as she said, "Her Highness Princess Miya of Ufrad is inviting you to have tea with her."

Temari almost declined on the spot but she was able to stop herself.

It turned out that it was for the best since the attendant continued to speak, "Her Highness already requested tea and snacks for the two of you. Please follow me, Lady Temari."

So the princess will not take no for an answer. Temari swallowed the tension stuck in her throat. When the attendant turned and began to walk she knew she had no choice but to follow.

She began to walk, Emma following behind her. When she did the wrong move of looking around she realized that everyone is looking at her. Most of them look curious while some look confused. She will not be surprised if these women will know what she and Princess Miya will talk about over tea and snacks.

Temari swallowed and looked ahead, avoiding everyone's gaze.

[I have a bad feeling about this.]