Page 55 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
Just like the sword aura of House Vermillion, it could pop up at any time in any descendant.
No wonder the Emperor wanted me as a potential Crown Princess.
I was the most legitimate noblewomen in the empire based on my bloodline.
And that blood was being used for the betterment of someone I despised with my entire being.
I turned away and went back upstairs without getting the water I’d come for.
It was clearer than ever.
I had to make sure that I did not marry Kalon.
No matter what.
Chapter Twelve
The Magic Circles
After my midnight eavesdropping session, everything moved quickly, and the following two weeks were a whirlwind of chaos that had me existing in a state of constant nausea.
In my past life, I’d been someone who craved control and order.
In this life, I had neither of those things.
I was controlled. I was ordered. I was pulled from pillar to post with little regard for my wants or needs. Everything I did was at the whim of others around me.
I was officially informed that the Emperor had given his consent for the engagement and that it would be going ahead. Apparently, he respected my lack of desire to be Empress and was happy to have me as his daughter-in-law either way. He would officially announce our engagement during the ball at the hunting tournament in a month or so’s time, when both Kalon and I would be expected to return from Stein.
All my social engagements bar Marchioness Velian’s tea party were all put on hold, and after meeting her, I spent three days solid being poked and prodded by her people in the dowager marchioness’ boutique. My current wardrobe wasn’t befitting of a future Grand Duchess, but Isabelle and the dowager marchioness had promised to create me one that was worthy of the position and send it all directly to Stein Castle.
Thanks to Isabelle playing my personal stylist, I’d had the time to see my friends. Vivi, Sasha, Blair, and Georgina had all hijacked my dress sessions at the boutique, even bringing Lady Elisa along for the last session. One of my biggest worries was that I wouldn’t be able to see them before I left, but thanks to Vivi’s terrifying ability to co-ordinate just about everything, that hadn’t come to pass.
It also meant I could settle things with Ezra. On my final fitting day, Georgina had come with a letter from him. In it, he’d correctly surmised that this was the engagement I was desperately trying to avoid and expressed his regret that he hadn’t been done with my request sooner.
He’d also assured me that if it didn’t work out for any reason and he was still single, he’d happily marry me.
He’d also told me that he’d be willing to be my lover even if it did work out.
I had yet to decide if he was joking, but I feared he wasn’t.
All my belongings were packed up, with most of my jewellery and the appropriate clothing sent on ahead. It was approximately ten days by carriage from the capital to Stein Castle, but the Grand Duke had arranged for Stein’s mages to set up magic circles for teleportation.
Apparently, that was how he came and went from the capital. The circles wouldn’t only be used for my belongings—after several hours of travel in the carriage, I was to use a circle to transport to Stein, too.
I was not looking forward to sampling what was essentially teleportation.
Magic was cool until you needed it to rearrange all your bodily matter.
Bella and Annie’s employment was quickly dissolved from House Vermillion, and they were absorbed into the grand ducal household. They were coming with me, and while Annie remained as my personal maid, Bella’s experience granted her a deserved promotion to be my lady-in-waiting. I was informed I would be able to select a further three maids from the household staff when I was ready.
I was not ready.
I was overwhelmed.
My father had been right when he’d told my stepmother that I’d applied myself to my studies as a child, but I wasn’t quite prepared for the level of responsibility that I would assume as a grand duchess.
Not that I had any intention of taking that title, of course, but the point remained that I had to play along and learn it all anyway.
