My Wonderful Second Life

Chapter 48- The daughter's time

"I don't remember the last time I was in a gazebo." I murmured, watching the light of the lanterns dance on the poles of the structure.

The way it hit the yellow flowers made them turn brilliant and vivid, like live jewels that brought colour to a grey thought.

"I do."

That took me by surprise. His coarse voice. A lingering feeling rushed through my skin, telling me that something lay beneath those simple and short words. My eyes fell on his. My gold against his. They mirrored what had escaped to the surface, but barely anything else. On me, they stirred distant memories I wished to forget. That was best forgotten.

He went to the rail, to where princess Lola had wandered after my rude awakening. He helped her with her loose tiara, his lips forming the ever-so-concerning foxy grin.

"Nice name for Miss spider." he told, leaning in my direction, his voice but a whisper. Then his smile widened. "You know that if Odette catches her, I cannot stop her from killing your friend."

I watched him. Having seen the transformation from a hard topic into one easier for him to digest. One, he would have a bigger advantage. Or maybe it was all a simple distraction from the darkness within.

Whatever it was, I decided to move away from it.

I crossed my arms in a defiant mood after throwing a side glance at the little spider.

"Unlikely. I am not seeing how Princess Odette could accomplish such a feat." I retorted.

Prince Francis laughed, his back, like his hands, leaning on the rail. "Indeed. Though be sure, my lady, that my sister can be quite obstinate."

I looked at the garden past the lady spider, the lights warm and inviting, like the happy sounds of the guests on their adventurous hunt for those mysterious eggs.

"I am aware." I said, softly.

The silence propagated with my thoughts, my ideas. My tongue was trapped in what I needed to say. I heard steps approaching, but it took me a minute to look back at the prince. To see him.

He had his cheeky smile and an air of inquiry on his face. I could have answered his unsaid question, but I let him speak. Voice it to make it real for me. To propel me.

"What is making the great Lady Lucreatia so desperate to talk to me?" he asked while tilting his head to the side. "I would have guessed princess Lola, however, I feel it is more than that." His chin tipped, his eyes glancing at me from above. He had grown so much since we first saw each other. "How can I help?"

I stepped back, surprising him. My body took me to the rail to watch the partygoers. As if I were spying on their happiness and carefree life. They laughed, unconcerned. Not a sin, yet a knot formed in my stomach. A knot, I was afraid, would never leave, no matter what.

I heard the prince call me. The cheekiness was long gone, substituted by concern and a veiled fear.

There was no reason for more delays.

I took a breath and turned to face him. "Have you heard about the slums on the outskirts of the capital?"

His eyes hardened, and his whole body stiffened. And beneath all, I sensed a trapped guilt trying to escape to the surface. So intense, he turned away from me and focused on the little spider instead.

"Yes, I have heard about the place." He replied, mincing his words carefully. "Though, I am surprised a lady such as yourself would know about it."

"I went there." I replied, and his head swirled back.