Chapter 11. Their meeting in the woods

Hearing the sound of a beating heart that was her own, Remesis raised her head and saw eyes glittering in the darkness, staring down at her. Green eyes as fresh as nature itself, they looked at the princess of the north with obvious amazement.

Liana Daehsin stood motionless, looking down at the girl as if trying to see if her eyesight really did not fail her, and Remesis did the same at the same time.

This silence lasted for a while before the eldest daughter of the head of the astrological order came to her senses and walked over to her lying on the ground in her slightly soiled clothes.

— Your Highness, are you hurt? I'll help you up.

The next thing Remesis saw was a palm in a brown leather glove held out in front of her. The girl hesitated for a while before taking it.

Had Liana Daehsin somehow ended up here by accident, or had she originally deliberately come here to save her? It was unclear to Remesis what her intentions were in this situation, and she also couldn't understand how the girl could even be in a place like this.

Nevertheless, briefly abandoning her attempts to find an explanation for what was happening, Remesis helplessly reached for her only saviour she had in this situation. Although the Princess of the North was a very proud person, she always knew when it was advantageous and when it was not. And in this case, she clearly had no other choice.

'Am I really saved…?'

When Remesis' legs gave a jerk and she staggered, Liana immediately put her arm around her shoulders and supported her.

— Careful, — she murmured worriedly.

Holding Remesis firmly by the shoulders, she helped the girl to stand up straight on her feet. After making sure Remesis was fully recovered, only then did the young head let her go.

— …Thank you.

The princess of the north saw fit to express her gratitude in this situation.

— How do you feel? — You weren't hurt anywhere?

— No, I'm fine.

From the moment they had first met, Remesis had certainly never thought that the day would come when she would even be glad to see this girl. Or rather, a woman already. After all, in the nearly twelve years since they had last seen each other, Liana Daehsin had expectedly changed a lot in appearance. Even then, at fourteen, she had already seemed more mature compared to her peers. And now that spirit of nobility and dignity had only become more ingrained in her.

Her thick, long eyelashes set off her clear green eyes, and her brown hair was pulled back into a high, elegant style, with the front few strands falling down to her breasts. Her chin had become sharper and more chiselled, in sharp contrast to the former childish swelling that still occurred at the time. When she saw the shadow beneath her sharp chin, Remesis realised that it had indeed been a long time since they had last met.

At this time, Liana Daehsin awkwardly spoke up, addressing her.

— Don't think that I might have intentionally ended up here. It's just… It just happened that way. I didn't know I would meet you here either, Your Highness.

Apparently noticing some glimmer of wariness in her gaze, the woman hurried to explain herself. Though Remesis herself had not yet spoken a word.

— You have nothing to worry about. I would never have thought of you that way anyway.

Formal words and businesslike reactions that took place even in a situation like this.

Nevertheless, Remesis discerned signs that the heiress to the head of the Order was surprised and worried. The princess smiled politely, as if she hadn't noticed it, and changed the subject.

— Nevertheless, I would really like to know how you came to be here? — she asked curiously when it was her turn to speak.

When the one-of-a-kind blue eyes the colour of precious topaz were directed directly at her, the young head of the Order was excited without realising it.

— My carriage was heading towards the Carter residence, — she began, hesitating, — And on the way we came upon a strange accident. Someone's carriage had apparently been attacked, and there were bodies everywhere. I suspected something was wrong and ordered a halt in these woods. Then I decided to check the area just in case, as there might still be wounded people and those in need of help.

As she continued to speak, Liana watched the reaction on Remesis's face, whose expression remained as impassive as ever. But actually inwardly the girl chuckled after learning the reason for Liana's whereabouts in this forest.

'She stopped here on purpose to help people in trouble?' Well, come to think of it, that was quite in line with the spirit of someone like Liana Daehsin.

A noble mistress who was raised from childhood solely as a paragon of nobility and the perfect portrait of her family. A person who gave such a perfect impression that it even seemed unrealistic. At that moment, Remesis unconsciously compared the Order's successor to her bloodthirsty consort, and the thought crossed her mind that Asil herself would never have acted in such a manner.

They literally epitomised the opposition between man and beast, who were different from each other even based on the nature of their origins and place in this world.

But that was not the main thing.

— I also want to ask, — Liana took the floor this time, — What is a princess of a northern castle doing in the south, and even more so in a place like this? And who was the man who attacked you?

Remesis shrugged her shoulders slightly.

— I have no idea about that.

— How so? — The woman looked visibly surprised, — Your crew was attacked, and this person just tried to kill you… You really have no idea who it could have been?

Remesis opened her mouth ajar, then closed it after changing her mind. This was another food for thought that she had only yet to find answers to. In fact, it was indeed a difficult question — who in this empire in their right mind actually dared to make an attempt on her life? The names of those supposed possible madmen were hard to count even on the fingers of one hand.

— Lady Daehsin, this is a matter that I will certainly look into and have my men investigate, ' the girl said nonchalantly, 'And since it concerns the internal affairs of the north, you need not worry about it. As for the reason for my being here… It is the same as yours. I too am on my way to the Duke's estate.

'.....'

A whiff of cold wind blew through the forest at this moment.

There was a reason why Remesis was not at all surprised when she heard that the young head was heading specifically to her family's ancestral estate. More accurately, one could say that it was quite expected.

The woman who had been silent until then spoke first.

— In the near future, the anniversary of Duchess Carter's death will take place. It's an important event for the Duke's family, so I've taken some time off to be able to attend it.

'…'

Hearing her reply, the girl's amethyst eyes rattled for a moment.

— I understand, — the princess replied, lowering her eyes.

Indeed, the anniversary of her mother's death was very near, and Remesis was even surprised that she had forgotten about it this year. After all, it was her own birthday after all. But since the girl had never considered it a special day for herself or celebrated her own birthday, it was no different for her than any other. The only difference was that this time it was the twentieth anniversary. Twenty years since the death of the Grand Duchess, and twenty years was also to be Remesis' birthday.

Was it a coincidence that the duke's youngest daughter's return to the estate after a long absence and the anniversary of her mother's death were ironically on the same date? If so, Remesis's arrival might prove to be even more exciting than originally thought.

As the girl pondered all of this, she didn't immediately notice Liana Daehsin's strange reaction.

Although the woman maintained her collected appearance as always, the expression on her face at this moment definitely betrayed excitement. Liana hesitated for a moment as if she was confused, but soon bowed her head again.

— Ah, I apologise… I should have brought you my condolences.

At the same time, she raised her eyes and looked at the colour of Remesis' face, in order to check her possible reaction. But the princess smiled softly in response:

— There is no need for that. I am no longer a member of this family, so there is no need for you to apologise to me.

Liana opened and closed her mouth as if she was troubled by this.

— But what about… — She hesitated before continuing to speak. At this moment, the northern princess interrupted her.

— You better pass these words on to my dear sister. After all… After all, she is your wife.

These words were said without a shadow of any hostility or reproach. Remesis said it with sincerity, with her own unique gentle manner. But instead, the young head of the Order felt as if the words and the smile on the girl's face were a dagger that had stabbed her under the ribs.

***

Chapter 16 is already available on Boosty: https://boosty.to/meredit