Secrets?!

It was nearly dusk when Seraphina and Kara finished packing their bags, preparing to depart from Genghis's gloomy palace.

"Sera, where is your ring?" Kara asked, noticing the absence of the ring on Sera's finger as she packed clothes into their bags. Sera's slender fingers seemed bare, lacking the usual adornment.

"Um..." Sera looked at her ring finger, now empty. A hint of panic tinged her heart as she involuntarily surveyed her surroundings. She checked the bed, finding nothing. Her gaze then fell upon the crystal-clear floor, revealing no trace of the missing ring.

"Is it missing?" Kara inquired once more, concern etched on her face.

Sera pondered for a moment before responding, her voice barely above a whisper. "It seems so. I can't recall taking it off anywhere. And considering its size and the large emerald, I should be able to spot it if it were somewhere nearby," she mused to herself, resuming her search.

Kara overheard her words, but both of them remained silent, aware that any maid or passerby who heard of Sera's lost ring could turn it into a dramatic ordeal—especially on the day of their departure.

"Sera, shush... I hear footsteps," Kara whispered suddenly.

Sera fell silent and looked at her friend, anxiety creeping into her expression.

In the next moment, a knock on the door startled both Sera and Kara.

"Please come in!" Kara called out, her voice slightly trembling.

Sera's hopes dwindled as she saw Meredith enter the room with a wide smile. Hastily, she hid her hand, while the other hand instinctively moved to rest gracefully on her dress, adopting a pose fit for her soon-to-be mother-in-law.

"Yes, my lady?" Sera responded, feigning composure.

"Seraphina, you're getting ready, dear. Why don't you come down for dinner?" Meredith suggested.

"Oh? I thought we were supposed to prepare the dinner," Sera replied, her black eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"No, dear. The maids have taken care of it, considering it's your last day here," Meredith explained.

"Oh, is that so?" Sera's voice betrayed her surprise. She quickly composed herself, aware of the role she needed to play.

"Lady Meredith, I must say I truly enjoyed taking care of the chores around here," Kara added, a hint of sarcasm underlying her words.

Sera and Kara were still exhausted from the long day of tasks they had undertaken since morning. Being in a palace, as the name implied, meant there was an abundance of work. And the palace being extremely massive, didn't make things easier at all.

However, the workload had taken its toll on the two ladies. Sera knew she had no choice but to prepare dinner, at least until they returned home.

Lady Meredith cleared her throat, subtly acknowledging Kara's choice of words. "Ahem..."

She glared at Kara and forced a smile in Sera's direction. Her behavior was filled with skepticism, but Sera was too exhausted to pick up on the subtleties.

"Come down whenever you're ready. We have guests, dear," Lady Meredith stated before walking away, leaving the door ajar.

Kara rolled her eyes and let out a grunt as soon as Lady Meredith was out of earshot. She rose from the bed and closed the door with a thud.

"I believe my father is here," Sera whispered softly.

"Ah, that must be it, Si. Let's head downstairs. We can talk on our way back home."

Sera couldn't shake off the concern about her missing ring. If she went downstairs without it, Lady Meredith would surely create a scene, adding more unnecessary drama to their departure. Sera vividly recalled how Meredith had scolded her for adding an extra spoonful of sugar, or the time she cried over Sera accidentally disposing of a batch of her favorite wilted leaves.

This missing ring had the potential to become the next major scandal if Lady Meredith noticed its absence.

"I don't have it, Kara," Sera confessed, showing her empty fingers.

Kara sighed, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"Why are you just standing there? Start searching before she sends more maids to check on us," Kara urged, and they immediately began scouring the room for the missing ring.

They meticulously examined every corner, leaving no tile on the floor unchecked. Sheets were pulled back, pillows were overturned, and they cleared away anything that could potentially conceal the ring.

"It's not here, ugh," Sera groaned, sinking onto the bed in frustration.

Undeterred, Kara continued her search, determined to find the elusive item.

After a few more minutes of searching, Kara's voice suddenly rang out, "Hey, look what I found." She held up an old book, resembling a journal. Its faded cover and delicate creases bore witness to the countless hands that had held it, while the yellowed pages hinted at the memories contained within.

Sera felt a sense of unease wash over her as she laid eyes on the book.

"What is it?"

"Lady Seraphina, Lady Kara, please come downstairs when you are ready," a maid's voice drifted through the door.

Reacting swiftly, Kara discreetly concealed the book behind her back.

"We'll be right there!" Sera called out. "Give me that," she said, motioning for Kara to hand her the book.

S E R A P H I N A

Sera's name, written in faded ink, stared back at her from the first page. A chill ran down her spine as she read her own name in the journal.

"Put that away. Someone might come," Kara warned, sensing the need for caution. It was clear that they couldn't freely discuss the book and its contents at that moment.

Sera opened her travel trunk and carefully placed the book on top of her dresses, concealing it from view.

"Is that your ring?" Kara asked, her eyes widening as she held up the ring that had been nestled among the clothes in a corner of the trunk. Kara felt a pang of regret for not checking that spot earlier.

"Thank goodness! Bless your eyes!" Sera whispered gratefully, sliding the ring onto her finger without hesitation.

"Yes, indeed. God,bless hers too. Let's get going now," Kara said, rising from her crouched position.

Sera couldn't help but feel curious about the book, even as they made their way outside.

"We'll have to find a moment to explore what's inside," she whispered to Kara, following her friend out of the room.

-

They were correct. Seraphina's father and uncle had arrived to take the young ladies home.

"Papa, good to see you," Sera muttered, glancing at the others in the room.

"You too, Sera. How was your stay?" her father inquired.

As they all settled down, Sera felt the weight of everyone's gaze upon her. It made her a little self-conscious, but deep within her, she still held the spirit of a queen. In her heart, she knew she could overcome any challenge she would face.

"Lord Genghis, Lady Meredith, and everyone else in the house were very kind to us," she replied with a polite smile.

Although she had many things she wanted to share and complain about regarding her time in the household, she kept her lips sealed, protecting their dignity. A woman of her stature was not meant to air grievances or speak ill of others, especially if it would tarnish her family's name.

"Is that so? I believe we will have dinner here and then set off on our way. The house felt empty without her," her father remarked.

As he spoke, the maids began serving plates and placing various dishes on the table. Different meats, foods, and fruits were arranged in a delightful display. Meanwhile, the conversation at the table flowed.

"Oh, dear! Every father's worst fear, isn't it?" Lady Meredith chimed in, casting an affectionate look at Sera.

"Haha... Yes, the place is lovely, even more organized than when we first arrived," Sera's father replied, starting the conversation.

Sera sat quietly at the corner of the table, her focus fixed on the silver utensils in her hand. She absentmindedly prodded at the meat on her plate with her fork. While her ears tuned in to the conversation, she sensed the atmosphere growing tense with the mention of her father's presence in the palace.

"Ah..." Lady Meredith cleared her throat. "Yes, we have made some... improvements around here to make it feel more like home every day. And, uh," she chewed a piece of meat and glanced around the table, locking eyes with Sera.

Sera shifted in her seat, and the others followed suit, adjusting themselves.

"And our dear Seraphina has been learning and adapting remarkably well. I must say, I'm quite proud," Lady Meredith stated, her smile widening.

Sera's father appeared pleased by the news. It was the first time he had genuinely smiled since their arrival at the palace.

"That's wonderful to hear," he responded, quietly cutting his food.

The remainder of the dinner passed smoothly, with conversations veering off into various topics.

However, by the end of the meal, Seraphina was exhausted from maintaining a constant ear-to-ear smile whenever she became the topic of discussion—and that seemed to be all the time.

"Thank you, Lady Meredith, for everything. I'm eagerly looking forward to the days ahead," Sera said, forcing a smile as Lady Meredith grinned, displaying a full set of teeth.

Sera didn't feel entirely comfortable with speaking against her conscience, but as they were about to depart in a few minutes, she felt the need to leave on a positive note.

-

A/N; Add the book to your library if you're enjoying!