Diana Of Alcotta (Yrsoreth Chronicles 1)

16 ♚ Ring for Queens

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The flames were fanned until it was blown out of proportion. Xander paraded his healing bruises when performing knightly duties to gather sympathy, while Diana was forbidden to step outside the palace.

"Until you get better," he said, referring to the wound on her head.

"But I'm not sick," Diana retorted.

Xander, who personally watched the head maid change her bandage, frowned at the wound. "You aren't well either," he retorted, his finger under her chin to check her face.

It has been days like this. After she revealed that she knew his secret, they were enveloped in silence in the bedroom. But Xander didn't move away. In fact, it felt like he was breathing on her skin, with a sinister smirk at any sign of her sleepiness.

Diana didn't sleep within six hours, but she got comfortable after that and fell asleep in that position.

And after that, things changed for her and Xander. He was breaking her walls, and it terrified her.

This was obvious that even when her classes with Countess Huxlin resumed, the tutor noticed how distracted she was and ended the class early.

Now, Diana, who finally realized she needed to make a plan, was on her way to her chambers. She freely moved, as she requested Xander not to assign a personal maid nor a knight. She does not need much to be treated like how vital characters are.

It will be over soon. She stopped and asked herself, But when is soon? Was it in half a year? Earlier than that? She had no more vision for weeks, and they were becoming far and few in the past few years.

She was confident that Xander would be king in her vision, but now, she was not sure how. Did she miss an important event? Was there a prelude of disaster? She couldn't answer herself.

She was in such a state in her room, gazing outside the window with a headache. She must remember. But what if her visions were not accurate anymore? Was it just a warning?

Her worries were interrupted by a knock.

"From the queen?" Diana asked again, staring at the sealed envelope on a golden platter.

"Yes, My Lady," the maid replied. "It was the Queen's servant who sent the letter, and she's waiting for your answer." Diana, without much regard to the etiquette of letters, tore the envelope in front of the maid and her shocked expression on how she tore the feared queen's letter.

After skimming over the content, she said, "Tell the queen's servant I couldn't give her an answer now. I will send a reply as soon as morning tomorrow."

The maid bowed and left. Once more, Diana read Queen Claudette's letter. It was an apology for the ruckus his son, the crown prince, had caused. To make it up, the queen had summoned her for a tea, in which she will be given a gift for the apology

But there was no mention of Xander, who Niccolus hit the most with intent.

Was it this soon?

One of the clear things she remembered was Diana was tempted to be the queen's ally. Now that she stand firm to help the prince for her own valid reason, it seemed one or another, she will be tempted to betray him, only this time, a little early in the story.

The wind passed her face as she was half walking half sprinting to where Xander was—in the palace arena, training with his men. After Niccolus' rumor and some of the queen's copied medical records appearing all over the capital as proof of her infidelity, Xander was not allowed to leave the capital for dangerous tasks, ordered by the king. It seemed that few nobles, especially those who were previously neutral were won over to Xander's side.