If I Could Live Again

CHAPTER 21

Crystals illuminate every corners of the royal palace pouring its warmth across the halls. Servants have been busy swapping the linens in every room to make it more comfortable.

“Did he found out where my brother was going, Seth?”, Ansel sat down in his usual desk talking to a plain man standing across him. His features were common with brown hair but blue eyes and does not stand out that much. However, he gained the prince's trust through his innate talents and became Ansel's most trusted aide.

“No, your highness. His last report was when he was following him through the Forest of Rever. After that, his life gem was destroyed”, Seth was standing across the prince waiting for Ansel’s command.

“What were you doing there, brother? Did you perhaps know of my plan”, Ansel whispered. He gritted his teeth as he felt frustrated thinking about his plan.

“What about the trading?”, Ansel asked.

“Gone, Your Highness. The Duke received a letter from the trader that his courier’s life gem was destroyed”, Seth reported yet another bad news.

“Did my brother intervene?”, the prince was getting headaches the more he receives this kind of news.

“A probability but most likely not. We have been keeping an eye on his movement. He’s been doing his usual activities when it took place. It was either stopped by monsters or---”, Seth paused for a moment.

“Or?”, the prince looked at him sideways.

“Or someone ambushed them. The trader hired a veteran mercenary. To be killed by a mere monster is---”

“---Unlikely. Someone must have known about it. Bandits won’t dare enter the forest because of how dangerous it is. Is there perhaps a third party?”, Ansel just sighed as he rested his forehead in his hand.

“Where is Lilith?”, Ansel stood up and took his coat with him.

“Lady Lilith is currently hosting a tea party. She invited a few noble ladies”, Seth followed the prince as he marched outside the room.

“Perfect. Prepare a carriage. I’ll head to Vesta. Hire another one to deal with my brother will you? The stronger the better. I don’t care if you will pay him a larger amount. Make sure he is qualified”, Ansel rode the carriage and finally left the palace.

***

“Congratulations on your engagement, Lady Lilith!”, Lady Ria smiled at Lilith.

“Prince Ansel is so lucky to have a perfect lady like you”, another noble lady continued the conversation.

“Surely you jest, Lady Fayne”, Lilith opened her fan covering half of her mouth. She slyly smiled underneath.

“I really did love his majesty since I was young but such feeling must never be known for he already had someone else. However, dreams do became reality if it’s meant to be yours”, Lilith folded her fan and gestured the servants to bring more tea and cookies.

“That boorish woman cannot be compared to you, Lady Lilith. You even excel more in almost everything than her. I couldn’t fathom why his majesty chose her instead”, Ria frowned at the thought of it.

“Oh pish posh! Don’t be like that to the dead, Lady Ria. I pity Lady Elin for such a sudden incident. Now, I feel bad. It is as if I took what was meant to be hers”, a tear was seen in her right eye that took ahold of her long eyelashes. She slowly wiped it to prevent the tear from running down her cheeks.

“You really are a kind woman, Lady Lilith. You are an epitome of a true Lady in this high society”, Lady Fayne looked glum at the sight of a sad Lilith.

“She is indeed”, Ansel arrived suddenly with a soft smile in his face.

“Your majesty”, the Ladies stood up and bowed down at the sight of the prince.

“Settle down, ladies. I just came to see my lovely fiance”, Ansel went near Lilith and took her hand. His lips brushed the back of her hand.

Both ladies started giggling at the sight of Lilith blushing.

“Forgive me for intruding. I just couldn’t bear not seeing my love”, Ansel slowly touched the end of Lilith’s hair.

“You need not apologize, your majesty. We are honored by your presence”, Lady Ria smiled as she watch the two love birds.

“Well, to answer you curiousity earlier, Lady Ria, I was utterly blind of loving the wrong person. I didn’t see that my one true love was right beside me”, Ansel accepted the tea served for him.

“If I may ask, Your majesty. Why Lady Elin?”, the ladies were curious of what the prince will say.

“I loved Lady Elin dearly. I met her when we were younger. I gave her my heart but as cold as her expression, she didn’t return my feelings. For my side, it was more of an unrequited love”, Ansel’s smile vanished from his handsome face.

“What a vile woman she is. I couldn’t believe a kind of woman exist in this world. To even use is majesty to gain prestige and even bully Lady Lilith as to secure her position”, Lady Ria was flushed with anger.

“Please do not be angry at Lady Elin, my Lady. It was my fault for being blind”, Ansel calmed her down.

“Forgive me, your highness. That was very rude of me to lash out my anger. You both really are so kind”, Ria settled down a bit.

“Now if you will excuse me, I still need to pay a visit to the Duke and Duchess. I was too excited to be with Lilith that I almost forgot about the purpose of my sudden visit”, Prince Ansel stood up and gestured the Ladies to continue their tea time.

Ansel was ushered to the guestroom after the Duke and Duchess was informed of his visit.

“An honor to receive you, Your highness”, the Duke and Duchess of Vesta slightly bowed to the prince.

“Please be at ease, Duke and Duchess. I couldn’t bear the fact that my soon-to-be in-laws are too formal towards me. As if a barrier was blocking between us”, the prince furrowed his eyebrows from worrying. The couple looked at each other and started chuckling after hearing what Ansel said.

“Forgive our rudeness, Your majesty. We will do so after everything has been settled. You are still a royalty afterall”, the Duke of Vesta smiled at Ansel.

“Of course”, Ansel grinned at their agreement.

“I sincerely thank you for choosing our daughter, Prince Ansel. We were quite astonished after we received your proposal”, the Duchess half-smiled.

“I know it is quite presumptuous of me to immediately send a proposal to your daughter after breaking off my engagement to Lady Elin. I was superbly blind of loving such person but your daughter helped me all the way through. She was the one who was always beside me no matter what. Indeed, you have a strong and beautiful daughter”, Ansel ordered his companion to bring the gifts he bought for the dukedom.

“We love our daughter so much, Your highness. And I can see that she blooms even more whenever she is with you. We only wish for the happiness of our only daughter”, the Duke looked at the Prince seriously.

“But of course, Duke. She is by far a rare gem hiding beneath a stack of stones. I will forever treasure her more than anything else”, Prince Ansel assured the Vesta couple.

“And we will be forever on your side, Your Highness”, the couple smiled back at the prince.