As soon as the carriage returned to the palace, the royal hall was already alive with the murmur of guests. Yet the moment the arrival of the King and Irene was announced, the conversation subsided, and countless eyes turned toward the grand doors in eager anticipation.
Holding her father's arm, Irene stepped inside. It was her first official appearance in the royal hall. Although she had grown up within the palace walls, she had never once entered this chamber.
Bathed in the golden light of crystal chandeliers, the hall radiated splendor and opulence. Once again, Irene felt the guests' gazes pierce her like arrows.
After the applause and the carefully measured greetings, one of the nobles stepped forward. He bowed with practiced deference and showered the King with flattering remarks.
"Your Majesty, is it not rather unfair to have concealed such a jewel for so many years?" he said, gesturing toward Irene before adding in a tone that was far too cordial, "The atmosphere must be making you nervous, Your Highness. Would that be correct?"
Irene offered a faint smile and replied briefly,
"Yes, a little bit ."
The noble gave an artificial laugh and continued,
"Haha, and yet you are conducting yourself remarkably well for your first appearance. I am certain it is because His Majesty is at your side. His presence naturally inspires confidence, does it not?"
Irene answered with composed restraint,
"Yes, that is true."
The man laughed again, and the nobles gathered nearby followed suit.
At last, he revealed his true purpose.
"I have a son around your age, and I am certain he would be well suited to Your Highness. If His Majesty permits it, the Sentaya family would be honored to formally request the Princess's hand."
For a brief moment, Irene's eyes widened.
Deep down, she mocked the entire spectacle. Her father had been right. The instant her existence was revealed, lines had already begun to be cast in every direction in search of advantage, perhaps even more quickly than usual. Perhaps it was because everyone believed she would be inexpensive to secure, given her mixed blood.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the man's insincere smile, yet she remained silent.
King Arxson responded with a cold, diplomatic smile. Acknowledging the influence and financial support the Sentaya family had provided, he said,
"The Sentaya family has made considerable contributions to the kingdom's economy, and those efforts are worthy of recognition. Therefore, we shall give the matter careful consideration, provided that my daughter herself agrees first."
At that moment, Irene was stunned.
She was witnessing the finest performance of hypocrisy, and this time it came from her own father. Maintaining a cold smile that never reached her eyes, she played along once more.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
---
From a distance, Selene was biting her nails in frustration.
"I feel disgusted just watching this," she muttered irritably. "Why is Father suddenly treating that girl with such care? Has he finally lost his mind? Or has he simply grown senile?"
Selene turned to her half-sister Adeline, who was yawning lazily.
Suddenly, Selene snapped,
"You idiot! Cover your mouth. Are you seriously sleepy at a time like this?"
Adeline replied indifferently,
"You nearly burst my eardrums. I'm standing right beside you. There's no need to shout."
Selene sighed in annoyance.
"Honestly!, what's wrong with you? Stand properly. Have you forgotten that you are a member of the royal family? At this rate, that lowborn girl will be married before you ."
Adeline glanced toward Irene, who was already surrounded by nobles, then she said:
"Just Look at her. It is the first time I have ever seen her smile. Don't you think that she's is scary ?"
Selene rolled her eyes.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, is that really what concerns you right now?"
She looked back at Irene and continued,
"Even my Mother still doesn't understand why Father suddenly began acting this way about that maggot"
Adeline hummed softly.
"Yes... You should have seen my mother. She nearly lost her mind."
Then she added,
"Why don't we simply watch and see what happens? There is nothing we can do about it anyway, since this concerns Father."
Selene let out a sarcastic sigh.
"You are right. Why should we trouble ourselves by caring over something so insignificant? Father organized her debut banquet in less than ten days, while mine lasted nearly an entire month. Perhaps we have just given her more attention than she deserves."
---
Before the ceremony came to an end, tradition required a representative of the royal family to deliver the closing speech.
King Arxson ascended the platform with measured confidence, and Irene stood formally beside him. Silence settled over the hall.
He began in a dry, authoritative voice, devoid of warmth.
"I commend your attendance and your willingness to travel great distances to honor us with your presence on this evening dedicated to my daughter, Irene.
Within this family, children occupy equal standing without ambiguity, and Irene, as one who carries a portion of my blood, is no exception to that principle. She is an undeniable continuation of our lineage.
As for the delay in introducing her to the public compared to her siblings, it was not a matter of diminishing her status, but rather a deliberate decision intended to ensure the Princess's safety and allow her to reach an age at which she could properly understand the nature of people and their expectations, so that nothing in this regard would escape her notice.
In the end, one does not choose one's origins, but one does bear the responsibility of preserving the integrity of the family.
Accordingly, I ask you all to raise a toast in honor of her name and as a reaffirmation of the principles upon which we stand."
This meticulously crafted performance had been carefully designed to close the door to any doubts or questions before the Valerian delegation and to silence their displeasure.
________________________________________
She lay exhausted on her bed after a day that had weighed more heavily on her soul than on her body. The insults she had endured still echoed in her ears like a merciless refrain, tearing through the silence of the night and reopening wounds she had desperately tried to bury. Turning her face to the other side, she whispered softly, her voice laced with pain and bitterness:
"I'll make every one of you apologize."
She slowly closed her eyes, her mind drowning in a whirlpool of tangled thoughts.
Yet, what brought her a small sense of relief was that she had finally managed to take a serious step forward in her plan.
Irene spoke quietly to herself:
"Now… all I can do is wait patiently until the wedding day arrives...He said it would take place after this , so I don't have much time left… I have to arrange everything and put every piece in its proper place before I leave."
Then she renewed her resolve and said firmly, though not without longing:
"I need to see Fantine first."
Fantine was an elderly maid who had devoted her entire life to serving the palace and was one of the very few people who knew the full truth about her mother. To Irene, she was far more than a servant; she was the woman who had helped her mother escape the palace while pregnant with her, and who had supported her for years before her father eventually discovered their whereabouts and killed her, along with her family, all executed in front of Irene's eyes.
...
Irene wished to meet her and tell her about her marriage to a foreign kingdom a decision that had suddenly strayed from the plans she had originally made, especially now that the debut ceremony she had waited for so long had finally come to an end.
---
Two days passed in heavy silence before another summons reached Irene through one of the attendants, requesting her presence in the King's office...
But this time, no trace of unease appeared on her face.
Her expression remained strangely calm, as though she had already exhausted every feeling of fear and surprise.
She assumed that this summons was nothing more than an order to inform her of the real purpose of her wedding
To be continued....