33: Appeal of the neck

Appeal of the neck

Anastasia and Marianne had stepped into one of the spare rooms, locking the door so no one would enter. Watching the tears fall from her elder sister's eyes moistened her own eyes, and she pulled her sister in for a hug, rubbing her back to console her. 

"If I could, I would take your sorrow away," Anastasia said with a frown. "I am sorry that it turned out this way."

Nothing could be done about it, not even by Marianne, who had claimed that the second Blackthorn prince was in love with her. Being set up by parents was one thing, but fate bringing the woman meant to be Prince Maxwell's wife into his life was quite another.

Marianne's chin rested on Anastasia's shoulder as more tears spilt from her eyes when she closed them, trying to calm herself. Sniffing, she pulled away from her younger sister and wiped her cheeks. She said softly, 

"Feels like luck has refused to stay on my side. I knew I could never become his wife, even before this happened, because of the difference in our status, but I was ready to settle for being his concubine. I was happy with that. I would have been happy… He loved me, Anna. No matter what anyone else says, I know he did, and I loved him back with all my heart. He cared for me more than a man would for a woman like me. But in one moment, everything changed," Marianne stared into space as she said those words. "And now it hurts so much that I cannot breathe…"

Anastasia wiped her sister's cheeks and consoled her, saying, "God might have a different plan for you, Mary. There might be someone else out there for you. Someone who will not leave you behind because some soulmate came by."

Marianne shook her head, and said, "That's not how it works, and I don't blame him. I want to, but I cannot. The soulmate connection comes from the Crux, and one cannot deny or look away from what is written in their destiny. It will draw the person back to where the other is. I want to be happy for Prince Maxwell, for meeting his destined person…"

Anastasia looked around, and when her eyes fell on a jug of water, she poured some into a glass and brought it to Marianne, offering it to her. She said, 

"Destiny is what we make, sister. Maybe not Prince Maxwell, but one day you can have someone who will dote on you." Anastasia didn't want to pressure her sister to think about leaving the palace with her now that she was hurt and in pain. But she indirectly let Marianne know that her life could be better. 

Marianne's eyes were staring into space, and then she asked, "I will be fine, won't I?" There was doubt in her voice. 

Anastasia rubbed Marianne's arm and nodded, "Eventually, you will be, and you have me. My love for you will always be here, so do not doubt yourself, Mary. You have a good heart; you are kind, sweet, and deserve the world."

Marianne softly laughed, saying, "I got you into trouble because of my idea."

"But I wasn't the one to bear an interrogation," Anastasia's eyes fell on Marianne's neck, where the fingerprints were evident, and she knew they would darken with time. "And I agreed to come with you. We both should have been more careful."

"Yes," Marianne answered, her voice turning distant. She looked at her sister and apologised, "Forgive me, Anna…"

"You have no one to apologise to, Mary." Anastasia felt forlorn. She wished she could do more for her sister, to help her heal her broken heart, but from what she had heard, the heart took its own time to mend. "It was an experience. Everything is an experience." 

Marianne agreed before taking a deep breath, as if to settle her heart and mind. She then warned, "You shouldn't get this close to the inner side of the palace. Did someone see your face?" Anastasia nodded, and this had the older sister worried. "You need to be careful, Anna. Thankfully, the king has been busy with the guests and the upcoming war with Brovia, which is why he hasn't questioned any of us personally."

Anastasia had heard about the upcoming war. She was about to mention what she saw in her dream, but felt some secrets were better kept to herself when there were chances of King William coming into contact with her sister and learning of them. 

After Marianne blew her nose, Anastasia said, "I will come to see you tomorrow. You will take care of yourself, won't you?" Her sister was a delicate flower who had grown up in a closed and carefully-controlled environment, though their upbringing in this palace had been rough in their own respective ways. 

Marianne smiled and said, "I will. You should return to your work now before someone notices you missing."

Anastasia returned the smile before leaving the room, and she made her way back to where she had been working earlier. But while she was still on the way, Mr. Gilbert stopped her and questioned her, 

"What are you doing here?" His eyes narrowed. "Why aren't you in Lady Amara Lumbard's room? I ordered you and the other three to be of assistance there on the second floor."

Anastasia's throat went dry, but she didn't have to speak. She brought her hand to her nose and then moved it to touch her forehead with a frozen expression. 

"You were sick yesterday, but you are fine now. There's no reason for you not to step into the inner palace today. Lady Amara demanded that she needed four maids, and I had assigned you there," Mr. Gilbert said before ordering her, "Follow me." He started to walk as if he was going to make sure she reached the second floor, when all Anastasia wanted was not to step back into the heart of the palace. 

Mr. Gilbert murmured, "If only the other maids used their brains as much as you did by taking care of not stepping into these corridors."

Anastasia had no kohl painted on her eyes, her lips weren't tinted, and her body wasn't covered in the expensive silk fabric that belonged to the wealthy. Yet, she was scared of being identified and caught. She wanted people to forget about her alter ego and their memory of her to fade from their minds, so she would not have to walk as she did now, as if she were walking on burning coal pieces. 

On their way, Mr Gilbert and Anastasia stopped at the storage room where the bedsheets, new pillows and other bedding items were placed. Someone came up at to the door when she was taking out bedsheets that needed to be spread on Lady Amara's bed. 

"Norrix."

Upon hearing the voice, Anastasia's back froze, facing the door as she turned to the shelves where the fresh bedsheets were stacked. 

"Yes, Prince Dante," Mr. Gilbert was quick to attend to the prince with a bow. 

"Send servants to the second floor's east wing. There are feathers flying everywhere."

"Feathers?" Mr. Gilbert asked with a frown. 

"For some reason, the Epsworths thought it would be a good idea to play with pillows and tear them apart. Have two pillows sent to their room, and have their room reassigned near Queen Sophia's. She would appreciate it," considering she was the one who invited them, Dante thought. 

Mr. Gilbert nodded and turned to Anastasia, "You heard the prince. Bring along the two pillows to the floor above."

While Anastasia's hand moved stiffly to reach for the pillows, Mr. Gilbert asked, "Pardon me, Prince Dante, I thought the Epsworths were leaving this afternoon."

"They and the other guests were going to, but since Maxwell has found his soulmate, Father has decided to have them engaged and extend the guests' stay." As Dante said this, his eyes nonchalantly moved to look at the maid who was grabbing the pillows. 

Dante's eyes fell on the maid's slender neck, which reminded him of the woman who hadn't kept her end of the deal. Though guards had been sent out to look for the fraudulent woman, her matter was forgotten as she hadn't caused any serious damage. The focus had shifted to his brother Maxwell, who had found his soulmate, and the royal family and the others were celebrating. 

Mr. Gilbert nodded to oblige the prince and said, "I will quickly go and have someone clean the corridor right this instant, Prince Dante." Before he left, he instructed the maid, "Anna, take the pillows and the bedsheets to the floor above."

Anastasia bowed in response, hoping that the prince would leave too, but she heard only one pair of footsteps leave.

'Please don't recognise me, please don't!' Anastasia prayed, while she adjusted the pillows one after another in her arms, such that her face was hidden behind them.

Anastasia told herself that once the matter of Tasia Flores was forgotten, the next window for her to leave this palace could be the day when Prince Maxwell would officially be engaged to the woman whom fate had chosen for him. All she had to do was convince her sister to come along with her so that they could run far away from here.

Turning around with the fluffy pillows as a shield, Anastasia walked straight until she was stopped by Dante, who said, 

"Take two more steps, and you will hit the wall."

Anastasia bit her lips for looking like a fool and walking straight at the wall. But she was nervous to show her face and just wanted to bolt as quickly as possible. Her hands shook, and as she bowed, one pillow slipped from her hold and fell on the ground, and her eyes widened in horror. 

Her cover! Panic-stricken, Anastasia's hand reached to pick up the fallen pillow, but it was seized when her fingers were inches away from it, as Dante snatched it. With her head still bowed, she felt him hand the pillow to her. 

But when Anastasia tried to take the pillow to place it back on her pile, she couldn't, as Dante didn't let go of the other end of the pillow. 

"You," Anastasia felt her heart stop on hearing Dante speak, "Why do you seem familiar?" His eyes narrowed. 

Anastasia wanted to reply, but she couldn't use her voice or hands as she held the pillow. But as the situation required her to erase his doubts, she moved her other hand to express, 

'Last week, I entered your room without knowing. And fell on the ground.'

She then wondered if Prince Dante even understood what she said, because he didn't say anything while she stared at the ground. She bowed again and felt him let go of the pillow. 

Dante lost interest in conversing with the maid, but at the same time, he watched the maid carry the pillows as if she was planning to hit her head on the next wall, as the pillows hindered her sight. 

He moved away from the door, and the maid stepped out. Before he went on his way, he turned back and watched the maid, who, after a few seconds, disappeared from his sight. 

Prince Aiden, who was walking by, noticed his eldest brother looking at something, and he craned his neck before asking, "What are you looking at, Brother Dante?" 

"Was the neck always that slender and delicate?" 

Prince Aiden's eyes snapped to look at Dante and asked, "Huh? Are you planning to snap someone's neck?" 

"I should," Dante remarked, and the younger Blackthorn blinked before a wide smile spread on his lips. 

Aiden said, "Brother Dante, you look frustrated. You know what they say, when you are sexually frustrat—"

"Report to the camp in an hour. Let us see if your swordsmanship is as good as your mouth is," Dante glared at Aiden, whose eyes widened before he frowned. 

Aiden watched his brother walk away, and he puffed out one of his cheeks, murmuring to himself, 

"So cold, when I was only trying to help. But I guess on taking a closer look, he just seems to be in his usual state of annoyance." 

Not far from the corridor where Prince Dante and Prince Aiden had met each other, Anastasia had finished replacing the pillows and arrived at Lady Amara's room. She knocked on the door, hearing someone from inside say, 

"Come in."0

Anastasia stepped inside the room with the bedsheets and saw Theresa cleaning the table, but she noticed her shoulders were tense. The other two maids stood beside the young lady, helping her dress. But the lady wasn't alone, and was in the company of Princess Niyasa, who sat with her legs crossed. 

Anastasia bowed and walked to the bed to replace the bedsheets. 

"… believe that the lowly thing could do something like that," Lady Amara discussed with Princess Niyasa and said, "You have my sympathies, as it wasn't your fault. Did you find the person she stole them from?" 

"Not yet. I have asked my maids to look into every servant, concubine and courtesan. Even the cellar, to see if they find anything in there, but it has been useless. If only I could catch the person and bring them in front of my grandmother and father," Princess Niyasa remarked, not knowing the person she was looking for was in the same room. Switching the subject, she asked, "Are you looking forward to the stroll?" 

"I am. I am also glad that the other woman disappeared. Tasia," Lady Amara couldn't contain her smile. Standing in front of the mirror, she noticed a maid about to touch her dress, and a frown appeared on her face. She quickly snapped, "Don't touch it."

Anastasia had only meant to pick up the worn dress to place it on the chair, when the lady barked at her. 

"She's only moving the dress. What's wrong?" Princess Niyasa raised her eyebrows. 

Lady Amara replied, scrunching her nose, "She has coarse hands and I worry she will spoil the dress, as there's pearls sewn on it. The maids don't know how expensive it is, or what is used while making a dress as such. She's more fit to clean the floor than assist me. Not to mention, the other one said she's mute." She looked at the maid beside her and ordered, "You go and do it."

Anastasia moved away from the dress, but something else bothered her, and it wasn't Lady Amara's words this time. It was Princess Niyasa, who now stared at her intently. 

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