As our servants called out to our backs, Lucas guided me to a structure within the garden. It was a small parlor detached from the rest of the manor, allowing guests to enjoy the beautiful garden even during rainy days. When we were finally alone, the noise I’d been in the center of seemed to vanish.
“You looked quite busy, Lucas,” I noted.
“I’m sorry for leaving you alone for so long,” he replied.
“Oh, I don’t mind. I’m happy to see that you are beloved by everyone.”
“Same goes for me. I’m happy to see you smiling proudly, looking all beautiful as you stand tall.”
Lucas stroked my cheek. His fingertips were gentle, taking great care not to brush the powder from my face as I closed my eyes. Suddenly, I felt someone gazing at us from outside the window. A smiling man slowly entered the room—the third prince. I almost gasped when I saw him.
“Looks like you’re at the peak of happiness, Lucas,” he said. Guards and attendants escorted the royal, and we stood up to bow. He gazed at us for a while. “I’m the one who approached you two, so no need to be so stiff,” he finally said. “Besides, it’s your day today.”
He sat down on the sofa across from us and didn’t even glance my way as he spoke to Lucas. “You brute-forced your way, didn’t you, Lucas?” His Highness said, an overwhelming aura cast from his sharp, dark-brown gaze. I could feel the pressure rising in this room. “I was shocked when you said you wanted to dissolve your mariage blanc. Surely, you were stunned as well, Lady Iris?”
He glanced at me; his piercing gaze that implied he could see through every thought I had caused a chill to run down my back. I was so nervous that I couldn’t even swallow.
“Lady Iris, Lucas must be far too heavy of a burden to bear,” he continued. “You may have lost your family name, but you’re the spitting image of your mother as the daughter of House Karelia. If you can maneuver around your age and the fact that you’ve been married once, surely you can hold your own against the Traditional Twelve. Are you sure about this?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You’re still in a mariage blanc. We can easily dissolve your union with him.”
“But we’ve already said our vows…”
“But we can pass this as a mariage blanc, can’t we? You haven’t experienced your first night after the wedding yet.”
His voice was comforting yet terrifying, as though he wasn’t respecting our dignity. I hadn’t felt anything like this before, even when facing Mikhail. An inexplicable sense of anxiety washed over me; I almost forgot to breathe. His Highness’s question touched upon Lucas’s weakness very precisely. Had I wished to continue my life as a noble, I would’ve surely wavered. However, I already had my heart set on my deepest desire.
“I greatly appreciate your kindness and consideration of my circumstances,” I started, taking a deep breath as I squared my shoulders and held my head high. “But I am Lucas Stock’s wife. I cannot possibly imagine any other future for myself.”
“A merchant who goes out on the seas is always plagued with danger,” His Highness said. “If you lose your boat, your wealth will falter soon after. Are you quite all right with throwing your life and your husband’s at the mercy of the waves?”
I felt Lucas’s shoulder jolt. How unusual, I thought. But that was all the more reason why I felt compelled to protect him. I spoke firmly and without hesitation.
“If I were to cross the seas with him, I am very much prepared to swim on my own two feet,” I replied.
“Your resolve is admirable,” His Highness said. “Truly, you’re suited for being the child of a Karelia, known for their excellent knights. Unfortunately, even in fairy tales, the prince couldn’t spare the little mermaid from her woes. Do you truly understand Lucas, and do you truly possess the strength to support him?”
Suddenly, I felt Lucas’s hand on my shoulder. Only then did I realize that I’d been trembling the entire time. He was quiet, but he stared straight at the royal.
“Your Highness,” Lucas started. “Pardon my insolence, but may I say a word?”
“What is it, Lucas?” His Highness replied. The third prince’s attitude completely shifted. His thorny demeanor displayed toward me vanished as he looked at Lucas with a face close to endearment.
“I asked every single one of the ladies that you’ve introduced to me,” Lucas began. “I said, ‘I plan on building a manor in Lapisasther one day. Will you be able to voyage across the sea with me and live in a different manor?’”
That was news to me. I looked up at my husband.
“Unfortunately, no one agreed to come with me; they couldn’t even muster a lie,” Lucas continued. “They’d have to step away from the noble society they knew and jump headfirst into a culture they know nothing about. It matters not how luxurious their vessel will be. A journey across the sea is exhausting and dangerous. The ladies couldn’t even lie that they’d be happy with such a life.”
Lucas spoke calmly, and His Highness listened intently without even blinking.
“My life is that of a former commoner who managed to amass his wealth,” Lucas went on. “I’ll always be in a precarious position, no matter where I go. Even if I were to make my company flourish even more in the future, this fact won’t change. Unless I am blessed with a lady willing to trek through dangerous waters as we trust each other, I shall make any woman unhappy.”
“If you marry a powerful noble, you could aim for stability even as a new aristocrat,” His Highness replied.
“Certainly, it may be stable for me. But what of the lady I marry? She’ll find me to be an unreliable man. I am the child of a man who knew of no danger and rode on a ship and a woman of the coal mines. I only know of a life walking hand-in-hand with danger. Stability is a concept that is far too luxurious for a man of my caliber. And,” Lucas paused before he added, “the canary that you bestowed your affection upon has the role of risking his life to warn his master of danger. Ultimately, this life is not as important as you’d think. I beg of you; please allow those with more stability willing to put themselves in less danger to marry the lovely ladies you sent.”
His Highness fell silent. He quietly looked at me, and I nervously awaited his next words.
“Very well,” the third prince said, letting out a deep sigh. “I shall bless your future, my adorable canary. To commend your bravery, I shall continue to support you. Feel free to rely on me as much as you like.”
He patted Lucas’s shoulder as he stood up to leave with his escort. The third prince stopped in front of the door and turned around, his gaze fixated on Lucas.
“In the past, when I did not become king, many people left my side. My older brother, the first prince, who had once commanded overwhelming might, is now being shot down as we speak. The tailwind that you call support is so very frail and fleeting.” His Highness stared at my husband. “You’re my adorable canary. Without any wind, a bird will be unable to fly far. However, wind is but a mere aid and will not make you fly. A flap of your wings must catch any wind that blows in your favor. Don’t you forget it.”
“I shall commit it to memory, Your Highness,” Lucas said with a deep bow. “I’ll never forget it.”
“Heh,” His Highness chuckled gently. He added, “I’m glad I got to speak with you. If you have anything else on your mind, feel free to come to me.”
We bowed deeply as he left and maintained that position. Had it been seconds? Minutes? After a good while, we breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at each other.
“Looks like we live to see another day,” Lucas said, flashing his pearly whites.
“Did you really ask those ladies about Lapisasther?” I inquired.
“Nah. I didn’t even want to speak with them. But I can tell that none of the ladies wanted to go to Lapisasther.”
“Oh my…”
We looked at each other and burst out laughing. There was no turning back now. The die had been cast. Just then, Kiki sheepishly approached us.
“Um, pardon me…” Kiki said. “May I speak?”
“Of course,” I replied.
“What’s up, Kiki?” Lucas asked.
She fidgeted awkwardly, looking embarrassed to speak. I couldn’t blame her if she were present when His Highness spoke with us. But the words that tumbled out of her mouth caught me off guard.
“Erm, I’ve…prepared a new bedroom…for you two…” she mumbled.
“Huh?” Lucas asked.
Kiki covered her face and tried to muffle her voice as she continued, “A-At night, you don’t need to go to your usual annex. Please join my lord at the main manor.”
Lucas tried to feign his cool, but even his ears were bright red. My cheeks grew warm as well.
“Eek!” Kiki squealed as she left our side, leaving the two of us behind.
“Whatever is going on?” I wondered, confused by Kiki’s behavior.
“Right…” Lucas murmured weakly beside me. “I mean, this is a wedding, so I guess people would see us like that.”
“Lucas? I simply don’t understand.”
“Tonight’s our first night after our wedding.”
“…Oh.”
Since we declared that we would officially become married instead of a mariage blanc, our first night together would mean…
I giggled. “We sometimes spend our nights together, but this feels a bit different, doesn’t it?”
Lucas frowned, his face redder than a tomato as though he was holding himself back. “I’m shocked. I can’t believe you can endure all of this.”
“Endure? What do you mean?”
“Like…embarrassment and stuff…”
“Ah, well… This is tradition.”
It was only natural that a newly married couple would spend their first night together after the wedding. In fact, I was confused as to why my husband looked so flustered.
“It’s embarrassing, of course, but everyone goes through it,” I said.
“No, I don’t mind,” Lucas replied. “It’s just that…I don’t want you to be seen that way.”
He took a few moments before he slapped his cheeks as though to hammer innocence back into him, and we returned to the venue. The banquet continued with us greeting various people and partaking in ceremonies. We had no time to speak with each other again, and the rest of the party felt like a blur.
Never did I imagine that I’d regret the careless words I said earlier. The realization only hit me at night.