“Good evening, dearest spectators. We are here with the Ray Royal News. Serving the almighty Belleaux family for 101 years this very year!”

  As I emerged from the carriage “Ray Albertus the Thirteenth” announced my other persona as a being out of this word. Rare and distinct. However Adelaide Tennatis, from a countryside barony, stood near a vase, not a glance spared.

  Dozens of noble ladies, clicking their heels out of their own vehicles, repeated motions of hands extended from gentleman, family or their promised partners. Flocking to get interviewed about the matter of the princess, or posing for photos on the golden carpet.

  “Lady Ade Tenacious, would you care for an interview? There are rumours your partner is the greatest swordsman in this empire, any comments on this matter?” The greatest melody started singing. His voice.

  “Well, dearest and noble interviewer, I would argue that statement is half truthful.” Turning around, his arm in a loop for only me to take.

  “Ouch. Do you wish to harm my ego any further?” He smiles, attracting gazes all around. A marvel of nature, mine only in promises.

  “I take that question as it is enough for today…” As he made a sign for us to go ahead and enter I stopped “Did your father authorize you accompanying me? He has been even more dissatisfied, since Lady the from the Valentia Marquisate took an interest in you…”

  “Ade, you never fail to inquire about the hardest matters.” He turned all his weight, standing directly in front of my field of vision. “Firstly, act as if there are no nobles present, with me you have not to fear a thing. The truth is we are at a standstill, I was allowed although not endorsed to accompany the lady today.” He said tucking my hair behind my ear, adjusting it to stay correctly in the beret.

  “As I understood, at least it shall not bring upon repercussions to you. So I will attempt to act as you instructed. However, you didn't account for me becoming wild in such a scenario.” I took his nervous hand circling my hair strands holding it tightly, as much as my heart ached for him.

  “The Clemendale Duchy is powerful enough to take such a risk. Besides, remember what we talked about before? Be confident, today I will prove myself to my father.”

  “Then it shall be a grand day for both of us.”

  ?

  “How dare they announce such an important thing to our debutant?” A curly haired blonde lady whispered to a peer.

  “What a lucky bunch are we!” They giggled in unison.

  “Ugh. What an honour Lady Valentina is coming our way!” One of them said with a mocking tone.

  A short emerald dress adorned with the purest diamonds, without a single impurity. Her hair fell into braids, with pale lace and resembling the form of bows. Noble, worthy of all the praise in the world, yet scorned by many.

  “Lady Adelaide.” She addressed me in that commanding manner. “May I have an inkling of your time before the event starts?”

  I bowed and maintained my head low “Lady Valentia, I am not sure what we would chat about.”

  “Do you wish for me to air out personal matters in this crowded room full of ladies that will lead society?” Her flattery clearly reached the targeted public, not causing the intended reaction. All around, curious eyes were on either me or the floor. No one was allowed to look her in the eye. Only nobility could and soon it would be my birthright to do so.

  “If the honorable lady insists. I shall comply.” I replied, giving her a last grace before tonight unfolds.

  We walked directly into the marquisate’s dedicated sitting room. This was good, a quick way for me to sneak out of the debutante room. Slip into another identity seamlessly, falling into the tiara that granted the power to attain any of my desires.

  Would that version of myself have grown up to be similar to Lady Valentia? Powerful and proud. Someone who froze any room she entered.

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  The constant questioning was tiring. As for a reason, for my strange obsession on the line of thoughts, it is one of those mysterious workings of the brain. The truth is; I was born sickly, useless for my mother, a burden to the empire and my brother.

  So today I would be useful, in a concrete sense. Not hypothetical. With my betrothal recognized, he would attain the support of the old nobility, the Clemendale duchy, a special family, who was granted privileges to hold military power within the empire.

  As soon as I completed the plan, my brother would finally give me a hug and say I mattered. Of course, he had never properly met me, but it was a given he was busy securing his position. In the end I am also a Belleaux, everyone would forget the late queen was from a traitor’s country and that I was ever Adelaide Tennnatis.

  I flinched, Lady Valentia seemed to have been staring at me in silence, she closed the door with force, trying to get a reaction out of me.

  “Listen Adelaide. This isn't about the fairytales you created in your delicate head.” She approached, dismissing a few scattered maids attempting to serve tea. “As much as my father pushes for it, I have never loved him. And I shall never do so my entire life” Her intense presence seemed amplified as she spelled out such an insane remark. “However, if it is my duty there is no being that may stop me in attaining it.”

  “I comprehend duty, more than you realize in actuality…” I sat on the couch, and how cruel is destiny, the news still talked about the topic of the princess in the background “And I thank you as you have advised me through our meetings, since we were merely dust in the middle of full ballrooms.”

  She sat sipping an odd colored tea she seemed to enjoy, one arm perched on the top of the couch. “As I am the older of us two, I felt there was space to help such an intelligent lady such as yourself. Being so clever without something to back you up, might lead you into a corner. So tell me why you resist so much of letting go of Lord Lucas”.

  “You are very wise my lady. Yet you failed to ask Lucas his opinion. The fairytales you speak of, are simply pure devotion and love. And all these years you seem devoid of such notions. Not that is any of your concern but there is an agreement between me and the Young Duke, and he is getting the approval of his father this very night.” That face stoic and so very terrifying produced a smile.

  “That is the very serious matter I had to warn you about. You see, I respect you, even if you never thought so.” She sighed dramatically looking not at me but at her nails. “The Clemendale’s are planning a coup.” Sabrine Valentia took an incredibly tiny sip out of her teacup.

  I winced at her nonchalant attitude, “I apologize, Honorable Lady of Valentia.” I gulped down my grievances and smiled, a stiff and cold smile only fitting to respond to her, “That can’t be true.” Preparing myself to leave, I stood up, her hand held onto a strand of my hair.

  Sighing, I reached out to her hand taking my hair from her grasp.

  “There is no reason in the world for this kind of behavior. Although we are at odds. You can't make up such ridiculous statements and expect me to forget all your infractions in the past.” Raising my voice for the first time, she laughed getting up to my level.

  “Dear Adelaide, so very soft. That is why he chose someone so unfitting, because of your heart.” She continued to laugh in a loss of composure I had never witnessed “The country will be thrown into chaos. All because he wants to marry you. Lucas would never have agreed to go against his morals if it was not for an insignificant lady from a barony from the outskirts of the capital.”

  “Then you never respected Lady Valentia. Lucas, my best confidant, the one I choose for life, he would never go against his morals in such a way.”

  “In the end, my conscience is clear. Congratulations Adelaide, you will change history.” She knocked twice on the door and the butler entered, glancing at me as if I was an insect to be disposed of.

  So I left. Hopeful for the future, the lady could never fathom.

  ?

  Out of the room, each step felt meaningful. I had to make my way to the secret entrance Violetta had instructed me to use. My brother would be waiting for me, and everything would be resolved. In a few minutes, I would be the second most important and powerful one in the room.

  “Lady Tinnatus. Are you alright? ” The blonde lady who was previously amongst the debutante's, seemed to have been trailing behind me for a while.

  “Oh. I am Lady Adelaide Tinnatus, I forgot to introduce myself.”

  Her gentle curls were loose and an unsure smile sprouted on her face. “Well I certainly did not introduce myself either. I am Lady Mielle of the Cartwright Marquisate. Did Lady Valencia harass you in any way?” My eyes widened.

  “Perhaps I ought to hold my tongue more often… It is just that I know who both of you are.” She stopped fidgeting with her lacy pink skirt.

  “Lady Cartright, it would be weirder for you to feign ignorance. That is something truly dreadful.” She seemed to be the kind of person with ease to smile. There were other people similar to Violetta in the world, they just never gave me a chance before. “Only with her poisonous words.” I replied to her question at last, as she waited in silence for me.

  “As she does to most of us… Of course, you are special-” Lady Cartwright said still smiling with her teeth.

  “Because of the Young Duke. That is indeed the reason she especially loves my company.” I continued the conversation. Soon I would have to make a diversion to escape her. The passage was somewhere around here in this corridor.

  Her hands reached for an engraved pattern in the wall. As she pressed her finger, a painting of the founder of Belleaux, slightly went ajar.

  “Your Majesty, Adelaide Belleaux. There seems to be misunderstanding. I know of you and you are special because of who you are. Not because of anyone else.” She opened the painting only enough for a person to enter, extending her hand to help me jump through the solid wall beneath the painting.

  “How do you know that?”

  “Well someone had to aid you today. I was the only one suitable…” She popped her head out. “Quick before anyone sees us, Stefaan is waiting!”

  This lady was as clever as me. There were only a few people who could address the king by his name. So I took her tiny hand, so full of fear and responsibility. Mielle Cartwright is probably the only person in this world who can understand me at this moment.