It is the season for love and murder in the court of Ravaeryn.
After a chance encounter one winter night, Lady Catarina de Fontaine had fallen hopelessly in love with Julian, the Crown Prince. However, upon discovering his untruthfulness, she immedi...
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1709, Aethiel Palace, Kestramore City
"Are you looking for someone, Jules ?" Julian's elder sister, Princess Demitria de Lavilliers asked.
As an unmarried twenty-one year old woman in Ravaeryn's high society where girls were married off at sixteen, she could be considered to be quite the spinster, although no one dared to say it.
It is not the princess's looks that was the issue. In fact, she was a famous beauty with wispy light brown hair and bright, vivid blue eyes, her lips full and red like a ripe cherry. It was the fact that there were no suitors highborn enough to be considered worthy of her hand.
The only one that was close enough to her in age, Prince Dominique of Phoenicia, had wedded a Lecarrian duchess last year. The king of their neighbouring kingdom, Amaris, had no son nor heir, so she had no luck there either.
"I haven't seen the de Fontaines yet. Mother sent out invitations, didn't she ?" Julian replied, his light amber eyes darting around wildly in search for the person he anticipated to see the most that night.
Every New Year, invitations were sent out to the twelve noble houses of Ravaeryn, to put aside their differences for once and dine peacefully.
There was House le Prince, the immensely rich noble family that owned multiple shops and businesses all around Ravaeryn, and of course House de Fontaine, which was rising steadily in terms of wealth, power and influence.
There was also House Breckenridge, who owned the academy that Julian studied in beforehand, House Blanchard, the largest supplier of livestock in the kingdom, and House Olivier, that actively engaged in foreign trading.
For the past seven years, Julian was unable to attend the feast due to his studies, and when gazing upon this familiar yet unfamiliar environment, he did feel a little odd.
Ravaeryn's southern wing general, the Marquis Giuseppe le Comte, was seated at the long dining table together with his wife, Maeve le Comte, and his only child and heir, Jessamine. Right beside them were the Andrades who lived far up north, all the way in Serafin. The viscount's eldest son had not come along though, Julian had noticed.
Eventually, the tables were filled with members from all but one of the noble houses. House de Fontaine had yet to arrive. House le Prince's eldest daughter, Marguerite, was seated right in front of Julian, and he could finally get a good look at this person who Catarina abhorred so much.
Marguerite was as fair and delicate as the flower she was named after, with gentle light blue eyes and thick, pin straight blonde hair. She was a traditionally lovely girl by Ravaeryn's standards, but when compared to the strikingly beautiful Catarina, she did seem rather dull.
"Your Highness," she greeted, her mellow and sweet like honey. "It is so good to see you here tonight."
Julian glanced at her for a split-second, let out an awkward chuckle and said, "Yes, yes. Please excuse me, I'm looking for someone."
