My ice hasn’t co out for hours. That was a good start. It wasn’t hard thinking about Drevon, as he was always on my mind.
Diana was right, Drevon’s my anchor. However, I still needed to be in control, which ant being able to turn my powers on and off at will. Solely relying on my feelings will be tricky in any circumstances.
I stretched my hands to the goblet on the table, taking deep breaths as I closed my eyes briefly.
Co on...work! Please?
I have been at this for a long ti and waited for that mont. Will it ever co?
"She’s been at this for a while."
"Your Grace is trying her best. I’m sure she’ll get it this ti."
"Or not, she’s not trying hard enough."
"I can barely concentrate with all that whispering!" I snapped, clenching my fist, and the goblet finally turned to ice.
"Oh, look, she did it."
"Only because you’re vexing!"
"Hmm, your emotions work with your ice. Thankfully, thinking about Drevon will help, but that will not be enough. Think naughty thoughts."
"Ugh!"
The goblet suddenly turned spiky.
Diana ca closer, arms folded, and tipped her head. "It hasn’t done that before."
I leaned toward the goblet and reached for it, but the icy spikes were too sharp and pricked my finger.
"Ow!" I quickly sucked on it.
"You just weaponise it, how is that control?"
I turned my dark gaze to Diana. "Maybe because you’re a bad company to keep," I gritted.
"Ungrateful!"
"B-But we’ve made progress. It’s safe to say co tomorrow you can attend the preparations without anything to worry about," Osha said, hoping to lighten the mood.
Diana and I turned back to the spiky goblet with one thing on our minds. Doubt.
~•~
As if having doubt would change the fact that I must attend. I worked through the night, and the only thing I could work with was thinking of Drevon. Hopefully, I don’t turn anything into crystal art.
The mont I stepped out of my chambers after days of being confined, my anxiety was on the verge of bringing down.
"You’re too tense," Diana said beside . She wasn’t dressed as a handmaid.
I could see how different she looked with all her heavy makeup; she looked like an actual spoiled princess down to her lavish-looking gown. How her hair was let now and adorned with a golden hairpin. Her gloves and hand fan to match, almost like everything was tailored to fit.
"I’m not tense," I said as we got closer to the open door, with a crowd of servants inside going about different things.
Great, looks like we’re late. Diana just thought it was a good idea to take three hours of my ti...getting ready.
I didn’t have ti to appear royal, I wore a simple-looking gown, although I couldn’t call it that because of the elegant designs, but here I looked ordinary, not bothering to style my hair and just letting it flow to my waist, with simple diamond earrings to at least look presentable.
"You are..." Diana intoned.
We stepped through the doors into the busy hall. I saw the Dowager giving orders.
"Just don’t turn everything to ice. Think naughty thoughts," she whispered to .
I rolled my eyes as we walked to the Dowager, but she wasn’t alone; Sloane was beside her.
"What is she doing here?" Diana asked, displeased.
It seed like we were both triggered by her.
I thought only won of the Balthar’s were ant to be here. Oh... I see what it is. Sloane was already thinking of herself as Balthar.
"Oh, look who finally decided to join us, Your Majesty," Sloane said in that sweet voice of hers when it was anything but.
Always trying to spite.
"I told you not to call Your Majesty anymore. In ti I won’t be addressed that way."
"But you will always be Your Majesty to ," she said, coiling arms around the Dowager’s.
I looked to Diana beside , a dark look plastered on her face.
"Forgive us, Dowager, it wasn’t our intention to co late," I said, hoping to avert whatever seed Sloane was trying to sow.
"You’re here, that is what matters. It’s best to get to work, or do I need to waste my ti explaining to you what your duties are?"
Sounds like she doesn’t want to spare any mont with .
"But you do."
"Excuse ?"
"I don’t know what to do, especially since this is my first ball preparation."
Sloane giggled. "It’s understandable, Your Majesty. She cos from such a far country where they do little to no engagent. Sadly, she’s not trained in many ways."
I pinned Sloane with a glare, and her grin only widened with a devilish look in her gaze.
Trying to trash in front of a crowd, huh?
The Dowager clicked her tongue. "Sloane, I’m handing the reins to you, knowing you’ll represent well. Show the human what to do, so that I don’t waste my ti." She spared one look of indifference at Diana before walking away.
Sloane stepped forward, hands clamd in front. "There’s much to do, and to abide by tradition, we must be involved to welco the Fates. It’s the greatest honor."
"We?" Diana interjected. "I don’t rember you bearing our na. Don’t you think you’re acting a bit shaless?"
"Shaless?" Sloane giggled. "I’m not anything of that sort, and by the way, Your Highness, the Dowager did not approve of you coming here."
"W-What? I’m a Balthar!"
"Yes, but not the needed one."
"How dare you!" she pitched, about stepping forward, but I stopped her with a hand stretched in front of her.
"Careful, Your Highness, you shouldn’t raise your voice... It’s unsightly of you. You represent a great family. You should act like it."
"Do you know what else is unsightly?" I spoke up.
"Wha—"
"Speaking to the princess in such a manner. I don’t care what status you have, but nothing gives you the right."
"I suggest you watch your tone with , you’re speaking to your future queen!"
"I’m looking forward to it. Be a darling and lead the way, or might we find it ourselves? I’m sure the princess knows what we can do. I don’t need to listen to you or tolerate your misbehavior, which is unfit for a lady. What would your house think about you disrespecting the princess?"
Sloane was speechless.
"Shall we?" I said to Diana as I turned on my heels and walked away. "No ti for rubbish."
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