Chapter 35: Alina’s Transformation
The next morning, Alina stood before the mirror longer than necessary. She had spent weeks wearing bland dresses and tying her hair in matching ribbons.
And where had that gotten her?
A future decided without her. A husband she had never t. A life already signed away in ink she hadn’t written.
She imagined herself in the eastern territories married to a stranger. She would have to spend the rest of her life according to what Austin had decided and because Audrey had written letters that no one had asked her for.
Her chest tightened. She rembered Austin’s words from last night when he told her he is getting married in a few weeks and that being useful, wouldn’t change anything.
I need to change my strategy.
She turned away from the mirror and opened the wardrobe. Dresses in different colours hung in a row neatly. She pushed past them to the back, where the red dress hung. It was her favourite.
She took it down and lowered its neckline a few centitres. It wasn’t anything scandalous but it was enough to be noticed. When she put it on, the difference was striking.
Then she took out the ribbons and set them aside. She left her hair down over her shoulders, dark against the red. Then she put so makeup on her face.
When she looked at herself in the mirror, she looked satisfied.
This is the real .
The mont she stepped into the great hall, the room fell silent. There were no whispers this ti. Forks were frozen and conversations were abandoned. It was as if a room full of people had forgotten to breathe.
Alina walked to her usual seat as if nothing had changed. She sat and reached for the bread. Only then did the room begin to move again.
Lady Marguerite was beside her, staring.
"You look... different," she said.
"I look like myself," Alina replied, setting down the bread and reaching for the butter. "The other version was a costu."
Marguerite nodded awkwardly, unsure what to say.
At the head of the table, Austin had gone completely still. His fork hovered in the air as if he had forgotten it was there. He wasn’t even trying to hide that he was staring at her.
Everyone in the room noticed. Beside him, Audrey smiled as though nothing was wrong, but her hand, which had been reaching for bread, redirected to the wine glass. She suddenly needed a drink.
Alina watched both of them and felt triumphant.
After breakfast, she walked to the main garden instead of the east garden. It was ant for high-ranking nobles not for bed warrs like her. She had walked past its gates a hundred tis before, but today, for the first ti, she walked through them.
She walked a little, enjoying the garden and looking around. Then she stopped to sll the roses. She didn’t know what kind they were and didn’t bother to know. Then she sat on a bench that overlooked the courtyard, not knowing it belonged to Audrey, but even if she had, she wouldn’t have cared.
Three lords passed through the garden. She greeted all of them by na.
"Lord Whitmore," she said smoothly. "How is the tariff proposal? Marguerite ntioned you’ve been working late."
He stopped, visibly startled. She watched the realization hit him that she knew his na, about the tariff proposal and was asking about his work.
He stamred sothing. She listened and asked a follow-up question. He answered, then dismissed him politely. He walked away looking slightly dazed.
She did it twice more before the bells rang for noon but kept each exchange brief and purposeful. By noon, word had spread that the bed warr was in the main garden and was talking to lords like she belonged there.
She was still in the garden when Austin arrived. He stood over her but she did not stand.
"You changed your style," he said.
"I changed my approach."
"To what?"
"To everything." She looked up at him. "You told
I’m being sent to the eastern territories. I heard you and decided..." She paused to find the right words. "That if I’m leaving, I won’t leave quietly."
His expression hardened.
"I’m not going to spend my last weeks here hiding in the east garden sewing and pretending I’m grateful for the privilege of being ignored. If I’m leaving, I’ll make sure this castle rembers
long after I’m gone."
He stared down at her. He looked like he wanted to reply but decided against it, his expression shifting.
"Why are you in the main garden?"
"The east garden was getting boring."
"This is Audrey’s..."
"This is a garden in your castle," she cut him off. "And I’m your bed warr. Until you hand
over to Calder," she turned her gaze back to the courtyard. "So I’ll sit where I like."
The air between them suddenly beca tense.
The Duke of Ravenmoor, who commanded armies and managed a kingdom’s military was standing speechless in front of his bed warr.
"You’re being childish," he said, finally.
She looked at him and smiled.
"Childish?" She repeated. "You bought , decided my future before I arrived, treated
as an item to be placed wherever convenient." She stood.
"And you’re calling
childish for dressing differently and choosing where I sit?"
He didn’t interrupt her, so she continued.
"You told
nothing I do will matter, that being useful won’t change anything." She stepped closer. "So tell , Your Grace...what exactly do you expect from ?"
She didn’t give him ti to answer.
"Obedience?" she asked. "Gratitude? Silence?"
She wasn’t shouting. She said all this calmly.
"Do you want
to smile and be happy while you decide who I belong to next or should I thank you for arranging my life so efficiently?"
His jaw tightened but he said nothing.
"If you want
to obey your castle rules, then treat
like I’m a person first. But don’t stand here and call
childish for refusing to disappear quietly."
For a mont, anger flashed across his face. She expected him to go mad at her but still, he didn’t say anything.
"Why aren’t you saying anything now? Don’t have anything left?"
Still nothing. So, she stepped back and sat down again indicating the conversation was over.
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