THE ballroom was bustling with excitement. Person upon person gathered in one place, where they danced, drank wine, and tried to read the faces hidden behind masks as they conversed. If they removed the mask, would they find a beautiful smile or a visage warped with hatred?
Everyone looked at one another with searching eyes that burned with intense passion. That, too, added to the heated excitement of the ballroom, which further fueled their fervor.
“It’s hot...!” Sonia cried, also caught up in the feverish atmosphere. Her face felt hot as if blood had rushed to her head in the excitement.
“Would you like to cool off outside?” Chris asked. He took two glasses of sparkling water from a nearby maid serving drinks and offered one to Sonia.
The two talked as they went out to the veranda. Several other couples had already beaten them there and were showing displays of affection appropriate for an early summer night.
“I have another place reserved for us,” Chris said. He unlocked the veranda gate and led Sonia through the door to the courtyard.
Passing through the rose garden currently in brilliant bloom, they occasionally walked by braziers. The place he ultimately led her to was none other than—
“The arbor...”
Restricted to the royal family, this was Queen Cordelia’s favorite place.
“Don’t worry. I’ve received permission from Queen Cordelia to use the arbor in advance,” Chris said, placing his empty glass on the table in the arbor. “So I came early and, well, see for yourself!” He pulled out a large basket covered with a cloth to show Sonia.
He smiled proudly as he removed the cloth, issuing a squeal of delight from the young Duchess. The basket held a bottle of champagne, cheese and crackers, and a spiced fruitcake, all beautifully furnished with roses.
“Amazing! You’re like a magician, Sir Chris!” Sonia marveled.
“A handsomely dressed magician?” he teased. “Now, please take a seat,” he urged, after spreading the cloth from the basket over the marble bench for Sonia to sit upon.
While Chris was wrestling with the champagne bottle, Sonia pulled the cheese and crackers from the basket and cut the fruitcake into serving sizes.
“...Doesn’t it feel like we’re lovers or a married couple out here doing this?” she commented.
“...Eh?!” Chris’ hands froze in the midst of opening the champagne bottle.
Their eyes locked, and Sonia found herself frantically correcting herself, “Ah! Or, I-I know! Siblings! Siblings works, too, doesn’t it?”
She only said that because Chris was blushing so brightly, she could tell even in the torchlight.
“...Well, I suppose. Yeah, sure...” Chris muttered, hopelessly tongue-tied.
Once the champagne was poured, Chris took one of the glasses. “For now, let’s simply toast to our safe reunion!” he proposed in an especially cheerful voice.
“Agreed!” Sonia said and picked up her glass. She gently clinked it against his.
“Oh, right! You mentioned wanting to ask my advice in a letter...” Chris suddenly brought up, nearly making Sonia choke on a piece of cheese.
That completely slipped my mind... Panic seized her for a moment, but then she realized she could use this topic to lead into professing her love for him. Having come to that conclusion, she was able to calm back down.
Once her glass was empty of its champagne, Sonia put it down on the table. Then she removed her masquerade mask.
“Right... Shortly after that incident, news spread throughout Pharrell that the Clare curse was broken... I suddenly started to receive gifts and party invitations from complete and total strangers.
“While I could deal with that, some are trying to weasel into Clare Castle. For instance, we’ve had some go on long horse rides around the castle. During their ride, they’d come to the castle and say, ‘I’ve come all this way. Could you spare me a glass of water?’ Others have claimed they’re lost and need a place to stay for the night. I’ve had different lords coming with their wild excuses day in and day out...” Sonia said. Just remembering it made her sigh in frustration.
The moment word got out she was free of the family curse, the men went wild over her. It was too much for Sonia. She had Matthew, the head steward, and even the housekeeper contend with her suitors, but some young men managed to slip through their fingers.
“The Central Church went all out publicizing the whole affair... I realize this is a prime opportunity for missionaries to collect donations, but still...” Chris grumbled as he removed his masquerade mask. He had a fretful expression on his face. “Even if His Majesty issued a mandate for them to exercise restraint, I don’t think it would do any good...”
“Right... There is no stopping them. I was most surprised by the man who tried to scale the castle walls to get into my private chambers...”
“What? And he wasn’t a burglar?”
Sonia silently nodded her head.
“I’ve heard that passionate young men can be rash on occasion... Did he harm you?” Chris asked.
He peered into Sonia’s eyes with such concern that she grew too embarrassed to meet his gaze and had to turn away. She could tell by the look on his face he was asking, “Did he do anything unscrupulous to you?” It was too much for her to bear.
Meanwhile, Chris trembled with rage that surged through his entire body. “...The fiend! How dare he sully you! Who was it?! Did he name himself?! The scoundrel better not have fled without saying who he was! What did he look like? Did he have any unique traits?” Chris demanded, suddenly dark red with rage, as if he was a pot of boiling hot water.
Sonia quickly continued the story. “I-I-I was fine! He didn’t do anything to me! Not only was he unable to do anything, he fell from the castle wall before ever making it to my room.”
WHIIEEE... Chris audibly cooled off. Seeing him calm down, Sonia heaved a sigh of relief.
“After that one incident...I’ve come to think people might settle down if I got married sooner rather than later... Well, that’s what I came to realize after a lot of thinking,” Sonia said.
“...You’re probably right. Things would probably settle down if you wed,” Chris agreed.
Sonia took a deep breath. Tell him, Sonia!
“If possible, I’d like an older man who is open-minded, cheerful, has the strength to overcome adversity, strong in arm, and can be somewhat adorable...I think...” she confessed.
“Someone who is older, open-minded, overcomes adversity, strong...does that mean he’s good with a sword? And yet is adorable...to look at?” Chris repeated.
He grumbled contemplatively as thoughts raced though his mind. It sounds like she has someone in mind who she is describing, he thought to himself with a heavy heart while he feigned trying to think of someone.