At last.
At last—the day is here.
Today’s the day I introduce my boyfriend—Meet the Parents. The very Meet the Parents that Sirius insisted would be just between us.
Wouldn’t you assume that means Father, Edgar, and Sirius? If anyone else were to join in, maybe Sil?
Yeah! About! That!
The deeper you dig, the more you realize that all the main nobles are kind of also invited…?! Like, the top dogs of the True Love and Adulterous Noble factions…and the Nightfellows, Uncle Dearest and Duchess Lucinda.
My father was to blame. He invited everyone. When I confronted him about it, he said, “Well, we received proposals from two different nations, after all. We should make it a public affair so news will spread outside Esfia.”
But here’s what he really meant: “You could always just keep your boyfriend secret…but you’re going public, right? Then what’s the problem?”
Oh, and the cherry on top? We’re holding the event in the freaking throne room.
Dad’s gonna sit all high-and-mighty on his throne while his subjects all line up in two rows beneath him.
Meanwhile, my boyfriend and I will stand at the foot of the small flight of stairs leading to the throne while the formal announcement is made…
It’s one step away from an official state event. I say one step away because I don’t want to accept that this is an official state event! My wish for an intimate family affair was firmly at odds with it.
I rested my hand on my chest and took another look at myself in the mirror. I was all dressed up and had moved into the tiny room leading to the throne room to make some last-minute adjustments. Klifford was waiting on the other side of the door, and I had sent my handmaids away.
Fake though he was, I was to introduce my lover here. So naturally, I couldn’t wear an everyday dress. But unlike my dress for the junior ball—where I needed to search for a fake lover—I didn’t need to go too crazy about it (though I still couldn’t be careless). I was going to ask my partner Derek’s opinion yesterday. However…
I heaved a sigh.
I wound up choosing the dress myself, with a little help from Matilda and Sasha.
I have to stay positive!
So I chose an orange dress! The kind with a full skirt. The bodice was bejeweled with tiny gemstones. It didn’t show much skin. Like my survey dress, the sleeves fanned out like capes. And for jewelry, since the dress went up to my neck, I wore earrings instead of a necklace, and I made a point to wear aquamarine gemstones.
I wore my hair long as usual, but I had it styled with tiny real flowers. They were orange to match the dress. They were what we would call kalanchoe in my world, but here, they were called lacolle.
For shoes, you bet I was wearing flats! I didn’t want to repeat that blister nightmare…! They were pink, but they were decorated with orange stones.
And on my left hand, I wore the now-familiar glove. It was also orange to match.
All that remained was Blackfeather, which I opened now. I faced the mirror and gave my best Princess Smile.
Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.
I was ready.
The only problem was—
“Excuse me. You’ve summoned me?”
About time!
I asked him in advance to come to this little room. I even sent him an urgent letter yesterday, so if he didn’t come after all of that, I was screwed!
“Come on in, Derek.” When he entered, he left the door ajar, so I deterred him. “Please shut the door.”
“What? But—”
Um, we’re gonna have a secret meeting. Leaving the door open won’t do.
“The two of us shouldn’t be alone.”
Even though we’re sort of basically lovers?
“Then I’ll let Klifford in as well—Klifford?”
Even though Klifford had not volunteered his own opinions on my fake boyfriend dilemma, he was present when I recruited Derek. Therefore, he fulfilled our need of being someone I wouldn’t mind hearing classified info.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
With a light bow, Klifford entered the room and stood beside the closed door.
Inside the room, Derek walked over to me, stopping at a distance to greet me again.
“Good day. It is an honor to see you.”
Real talk? I was pissed. Like, isn’t Derek kinda being a dick?
Why, you ask? Well, let me tell you why—
He stood me up yesterday!
Despite our agreement to have one final meeting; despite the fact that he left a gift from Lucinda and promised to come right back!
Long after the scattered feathers were swept up and he still didn’t show, I almost suspected foul play. Was he unable to connect with Sil? Or did Sirius hold him up? No, no, no—
My mind inflated with bad images.
So I had looked into it and—
He went home.
He did meet with Sil. And his conversation with Sil ended without any issue. Then he up and left for the Nightfellow villa.
What is the meaning of this…?
I mean, he might have had a good reason for going home. But he could’ve at least sent word by somebody or sent a letter—anything would’ve worked, really—even a short message saying, Sorry, can’t make it!
Knowing Derek, he surely would have thought of such a thing. Yet I didn’t hear a peep from him, so I just assumed something horrible had happened—if only!
Well, I guess it’s technically a good thing that nothing horrible happened to him…
But still. I was kinda hoping he’d have an explanation for me when I saw him today.
“‘Good day’? What the hell, Derek, are you being serious?”
I just let my true colors show. We weren’t even on stage yet and I was already forgetting my manners.
“…Princess.”
Uh… Wha?
Something’s…off.
Derek had recently been calling me by name, even in formal settings. It was so apparent that I almost started to think that was why Sil had started calling me by name, too.