The visit

      "The emperor has met them privately, I've heard." said Marquis Hughes with a grim expression.

      "And, did they accept?" asked the crown prince.

      "Well, the count of Godfrey and Marquis Carpenter have already shown signs of allegiance to the emperor. Count Mundy is yet to send a reply, while the viscount of Lightfoot and the viscount of Hendman are showing hesitance."

        Nickolas nodded at Count Blaine's answer, then asked the four men over the rectangular table about what they thought of the whole thing and what they should do about it.

      "I think we should bring the two Viscounts to our side, make them our spies, then divide the emperor's faction little by little." suggested the count.

      "But we can't be sure of whether they'd be sincerely by our side or not." said Marquis Ravel and Marquis Hughes agreed.

      The three men were giving their all, trying to come up with a proper plan, only to be disturbed with the sound of a deep sigh.

      On the other end of the table, facing the crown prince, David was seated with a very bored expression. He would look at his pocket watch every two minutes and sigh eventually.

      "Does the duke not have any opinion? You shouldn't attend meetings you don't intend to participate in, Duke Krams." asked the count with an irritated voice.

     The unfocused duke finally lifted up his eyes and took a look at the men around the table. His eyes then fixed coldly on the count.

     "How ungrateful of you, count. And here I was giving up participating to spare you some time since you very much like to talk."  refuted David in a chilly voice.

Hearing that, the count's face reddened in anger.

     "How dare you! you..."

     " Enough."  interrupted Nickolas before the count would say something unwise to David.

      He understands his cousin's character well enough to know the count had already crossed his limits with the comment he himself wouldn't make in public.

       "But your highness..."  the count who was about to complain shut his mouth when receiving the crown prince's intense gaze.

The count then glared silently at the expressionless duke for quite some time. He would never forget the pain this bastard had caused to his beloved daughter. He seduced his beautiful angel-like daughter, took her innocence, then dumped her when he got bored of her, leaving her to pain and misery.

'You will pay for it you bastard!!' the count swore inwardly, glaring daggers at the duke who was looking at him coldly in return.

 "Do you have something to do after this? you keep looking at your pocket watch." asked Nickolas, finally breaking the uncomfortable air.

 "I have an appointment, and I am already running late thanks to someone." answered David with a slight frown, clearly still displeased with the count's disrespect.

 " Hmm. You may go after giving your opinion about the matter."

    As if Nickolas's permission was all he was waiting for, David sprang to his feet as soon as he heard the man's words.

    when he was already at the door, he turned around, looking at his cousin in the eye then said: "Grab the carrot."  He then took a general look at the four men, "Now excuse me, Your highness, gentlemen."

   Before any of the men present could comment, David was long since gone.

                                                                          ****

 In the Emory Palace, and in the princess's chambers, four maids were gathered around Elisabeth, led by Anna. They had one and only goal to achieve: make the princess look like a doll.

"There really is no need for all of this. It's just a simple meeting."

"No, your highness. It is our duty to make the princess  always look beautiful whenever and wherever." replied Anna seriously.

"But you've never done anything like this before, and this is too much for just a visit. It's like I'm trying so hard to win him over." said Elisabeth worriedly.

 Well, the poor Bethy have no idea of what was the real reason behind Anna's determination on dolling her.

 'I'll make him propose to you today, princess! Just wait and see!' Anna swore to god with all her dignity as a maid-in-waiting at stick.

"Here we are! How do you find it, your highness?" asked Anna enthusiastically, looking at the dumbfounded princess in front of the mirror.

'Is this really me?'

Bethy found it strange. How could a person become so beautiful with just some touches and light make-up. It was fascinating. She felt as if she was falling in love with herself now.

"Anna, your amazing! How did you do that!" Bethy exclaimed with twinkling eyes making Anna smile broadly. She was about to explain how she did her make-up and what colours she used that suits her best but then was cut by a maid announcing the arrival of their guest.

" The duke of Krams has arrived, your highness." announced the maid.

"Take him to the receiving room and prepare coffee and snacks, please." she ordered and the maid obliged. She inhaled a heavy breath then headed to the receiving room as well.

                                                                         *****

 Bethy felt quite overwhelmed for some reason. With every step she took, she could feel her heart racing and pounding against her rib-cage. This has been happening all day long, whenever she recalled last night's incidents. She puffed her cheeks and  let out a deep breath, trying to calm down. She didn't know how to face the duke. Just thinking about it is embarrassing.

  'It's alright Bethy! He was drunk. It was a mistake and he already apologised about it. Stop thinking about it!'  she  calmed herself before the maid pushed the door to the receiving room open for her to step in.

 Her eyes landed on the blond man sitting leisurely on the sofa with his legs crossed one over the other. Her eyes briefly flattered when they met his blue ones. The small polite smile adorning his lips slowly faded away, replaced by a dangerous expression on his face, while his eyes traced her whole. She felt herself break in cold sweat under his gaze.

 Shouldn't he be greeting her by now? According to etiquette, the one with the lower status should be the first to show his manners. And though house Krams is powerful, and speaking realistically, Duke Krams is further more powerful than she, a newly found bastard princess, is. And yet it was still rude considering her being royalty, and him a nobleman.

 'Shouldn't all nobility show respect to royalties? Is he trying to show me my place?' she thought to herself.  

  While Bethy was trying to figure out the duke's intentions the way she was taught to when meeting a noble, Anna held a triumphant look on her face. She noticed how the duke has slightly gulped when  he saw the princess. and how his eyes where fixated on her, taking in her sight without even batting an eye.

 She knew the Duke has a soft spot for her mistress, and she was so bent on making her the next duchess of Krams, along with the other maids who witnessed his affectionate behaviour yesterday and how worried he was for her.

 'Plan succeeded!!'  she sneered internally while walking out of the receiving room to give the two of them some privacy.