Invitations
Invitations
Several rumors were already starting to spread around the Palace like wildfire. Some were saying that the suitor was Adeline's secret lover because of how he was openly hugging Adeline. Some were saying that the suitor was too handsome for Adeline. And some were saying that the Prince was from a small Kingdom so he was simply after the Kingdom and not after Adeline.
King Dragomir was well aware of how the rumors in the Palace worked. Even a small irrelevant issue would go around and turn into something big just because of the baseless rumors.
And not wanting the matter regarding Adeline and Theodore to turn into something that was not, the King decided to send the wedding invitation to those inside the Palace first.
"If I give them something real to talk about then they will stop spreading nonsensical rumors," Dragomir thought to himself as he rolled the last invitation letter that was to be sent to the quarters of the Royals.
Several clerks were still copying the invitation letters that were to be sent out to the distinguished guests from influential families and to the Royal families of the neighboring Kingdoms.
Dragomir looked around at everyone who was working around him. And then he ordered Bennett who looked like he had finished the assigned quota of letters already, "Bennett, will you call the messengers?"
"Sure, Your Majesty," Bennett got up from where he was sitting and ran out of the workroom.
Adeline had already given the measurements for her gown. After returning back to her quarter, she had to answer a lot of questions to her personal maids. They were really happy to know that the Prince of Romania was a good man and also a handsome one.
"If you like him then that's all that matters," Hawisa smiled and lovingly caressed Adeline's hair.
Before having dinner, she went to the stable to talk with Arion and feed him as usual.
"I felt Theodore and Azriel's presence today. Were they here?" Arion asked as he munched on some grains.
Adeline smiled and shyly updated him on the recent development, "Yes. They were here. Theodore and I are going to get married after two weeks."
Arion almost choked on the grains that he was munching on. "What? You two are getting married?" Arion gave a surprised gaze to Adeline.
Adeline gently rubbed Arion's neck and nodded.
"Finally! My two masters are going to be together!" Arion happily rubbed his head against Adeline's shoulder.
"Ooh! Someone's here!" Arion whispered to Adeline and went back to acting like a normal horse.
Adeline also quietly fed Arion and waited for the lurker to either come to her or go away so that she could freely talk with her pet.
After about five full minutes, the person lurking in the shadows finally stood behind Adeline and spoke very cautiously, "Umm… Adeline… how are you?"
Adeline was not expecting to hear that voice at all. She thought that it was either Raphael or Alan, but to her surprise, it was Nefriti.
Adeline turned to face Nefriti and gave a surprised smile. "Nefriti! I'm good. And what about you?"
Nefriti gave a mirthless smile and replied, "I've been better."
There was an uncomfortable silence between the two. The only sound that could be heard for a while was Arion chewing his grains. Even he could feel the tension in the air.
Adeline took the initiative to talk and said, "It's been quite a long time since we last talked. I never even saw you around the Palace. What have you been busy with?"
Nefriti looked down because she was reminded of the last time they had talked with each other – when she had helped to kidnap Adeline.
"Nothing much." She scratched her head and spoke with an embarrassed tone, "I was mostly staying at my maternal uncle's place. I couldn't bring myself to face you after what I did that day. Umm... I heard that you had even forgiven Edwin. So I dared to come to you to ask for your forgiveness."
Nefriti took a deep breath in and forced herself to look into Adeline's eyes. And she remorsefully said, "Adeline, will you forgive me for that day? I was blinded by greed for the throne and I did things that I had never imagined myself doing. And there hasn't been a day when I haven't regretted that decision of mine."
Adeline tried to read Nefriti's face and she could indeed see a hint of disdain and remorse in her eyes. But she was unsure if Nefriti was really trying to make amends or if she had some other hidden motives.
Like the saying, once bitten twice shy, Adeline was wary of forgiving Nefriti.
Nonetheless, she decided to play along and said, "If you really regretted what you did for all this time then it would be cruel not to forgive you."
Nefriti's face lit up and she asked with a tinge of excitement, "Does that mean you are willing to forgive me for my foolishness?"
Adeline smiled and nodded her head, "Yes."
"Thank you so much, Adeline." Nefriti happily clasped her hands together. And she didn't waste a second to congratulate her, "And I got the invitation from His Majesty. I was so surprised when I got to know about your wedding, but I'm really happy for you. Congratulations!"
"Ah! Father already sent out the invitation… Thank you!" Adeline's cheeks turned red thinking that everyone in the Palace now knew about her wedding.
Indeed, everyone in the Palace had already received the invitation. Some of the Royals were happy to know that Adeline was getting married, some didn't really care, while some of the Princesses who had seen Theodore with their own two eyes were jealous.
Adeline returned back to her quarter after feeding Arion and walking Nefriti back to her quarter.
She had her dinner and excitedly waited for Theodore to show up. She wanted to ask what he would be wearing for their wedding. And she also wanted to get his input on how he would want the quarter to be redecorated.
Theodore appeared in her room at his usual time.
"Theo! I was waiting for you." Adeline swayed her hips as if she was a happy child.
But unlike what she had expected, Theodore burst her bubble of happiness, "Er… I was thinking of sleeping over at Azriel's tonight. I wanted to thank him for helping us out today."
"Hmm…" Adeline pouted her lips and gave a puppy-eyed look to Theodore. And she complained in a baby-like voice, "But you said you wanted to make a baby tonight!"
Theodore burst into laughter all of a sudden and pulled Adeline for a hug. He then lovingly bit Adeline's cheek and whispered, "We have a lot of time ahead of us to make babies. Don't worry about that."
"So, you really are going?" Adeline asked while tightening her arms around Theodore.
"Yes." Theodore gently stroked Adeline's back and asked, "Will you be able to sleep alone tonight?"
Adeline sighed and replied, "Okay, I will." She finally left her grip on Theodore and asked before he left, "Tell Azriel that I have forgiven him… a little. I will forgive him completely if he keeps on behaving well."