Chapter 34

“Lady Livia.”

Livia turns to see Prince Kolton standing behind her, waving his arms with a bright, friendly smile on his face. Livia has to reframe from grimacing. She had hoped to avoid any confrontation with the royal family for the rest of the day, but it seems the third prince had other plans.

“Prince Kolton,” She greets with a small incline of her head, “Good afternoon.”

She waits as he approaches her, keeping her hands clasped in front of her, and wearing a perfectly polite expression to go with her rigid posture.

“Have you just finished meeting with my father?” Prince Kolton asks immediately when he stops in front of her.

There wasn’t a trace of contempt on his face. If anything, he seemed almost gleeful. Livia could only conclude he was having a grand old time. With Rodale and Orin in murky waters after her trial (even after King Grail tried to downplay their actions), many people were turning their gaze on the third prince, who seemed like a shiny beacon in comparison to his older brother’s.

“I have,” Livia says.

Prince Kolton nods, his eyes openly curious, “And what a surprise that was. I had heard of no official announcement of your arrival. How did it go? Are you still engaged to the crown prince?” He questions her boldly.

Livia doesn’t turn her head when the servants shuffling around them slow their pace, their ears turned in their direction.

“I am,” She states. Short. To the point. She does not want to make conversation, but Prince Kolton steams ahead.

“Unfortunate. You seemed rather displeased at the trial after King Grail had made the announcement.” The third prince was needling her. He was trying to gain any information he could while she seemed willing to open up. Doing so out in the open was rather risky, but Livia decides to humor him. If only for the sake to spread the word that she had been an unwilling participant.

“I suppose I was,” She admits, and casts her gaze away, as if she reluctant to say so.

Prince Kolton's expression softens and he places a comforting hand on her shoulder, “It must have been hard for you. I cannot even imagine how you must feel after being re-engaged with a man who falsely accused you of murder and exiled you. It must be truly distressing.”

No shit, Livia thinks while her eyes cut to the hand on her shoulder. Kolton notices her look and removes it.

“...I’m sure his highness means well,” She says. Livia silent mind stirs. A new plan begins to form in her head.

“Even so, it is a rather odd thing. You weren’t the only one taken by surprise,” Prince Kolton says.

“I am sure I wasn’t,” Livia says, her mouth barely moving. She turns her head to the end of the hall, her gaze becoming distant, “But what can I do but obey the word of my king? I am in no place to protest.” The last part she says almost under her breath.

From the corner of her eye, she sees when Prince Kolton's friendly disposition wavers the slightest. A flash of surprise lights up his eyes before he smothers it. Even after, his gaze lingers on her, his expression thoughtful.

“Lady Livi-”

“There you are!”

Livia and Prince Kolton look up to see Duchess Valentine stalking towards them with a frantic look in her eyes. Behind her, Duke Valentine follows after his wife at a slower gate, his expression icier than usual.

Hell. Her parents had managed to catch up to her. She will not be able to meet up with the other two today, Livia thinks and her good mood takes a nosedive. Ah. The wonders of pregnancy.

“My dear girl! How could you leave without informing us!? We were so worried!” Lynette says as she grabs Livia by the shoulders and shakes her a bit before yanking her forward in a tight hug. Or at least tries to without making any contact with her belly.

Livia's nose wrinkles at the strong smell of her mother’s perfume, and she quickly turns her face away before she starts to gag. She isn’t given much time in her mother's cold embrace before she is shoved away and looked over.

Wonderful. Criticism time.

“What on earth are you wearing!?” Lynette snaps.

Livia looks down at her dress then back up at her mother, “I cannot fit any of my old clothes, mummy.”

Lynette blinks stupidly, and then smiles, “Of course, my dear. How silly of me. But surely you could have found something better than this old rag. Like my green dress that had been put in storage. That would have looked lovely on you.”

Green...with my purple hair? I would look like a certain dinosaur.

A rough thumb presses into Livia's chin as her mother forces her face left and right, “And you aren’t even wearing a drop of make-up! How could you step outside looking like this? Even a small bit of powder under your eye could have gone a long way. And your hair-”

“Good afternoon, Prince Kolton,” Duke Valentine says with a shallow bow once he is upon them, cutting off his wife.

“Duke Valentine,” Prince Kolton acknowledges, his face blank.

“I apologize for my daughter’s unannounced presence. Hopefully, she had not caused too much trouble,” Her father says while cutting sharp eyes her way.

If looks could kill...

Before he promptly ignores her very existence.

“No trouble was made,” Prince Kolton says, his voice just as cold as her father’s gaze.

There was a loaded silence as Duke Valentine and the third prince seized each other up, before Lynette steps between the two.

“Oh my! Prince Kolton! How rude of me. I hope you are having a fine day, this afternoon. I apologize for not greeting you sooner. I was just so worried about my little girl,” Her mother says with a low chuckle as she wraps an arm around Livia, keeping her daughter firmly at her side.

“Understandable,” Prince Kolton says simply, offering up a charming smile.

“We must not take up any more of your valuable time. Come, husband, daughter. We have an important meeting with the king we must attend,” Lynette says, and tries to push Livia forward.

“The meeting is already over,” Prince Kolton cuts in before Livia can say anything.

Her eyes glare daggers at him, but when he turns her way, her face is neutral.

“What?” Duke Valentine states.

“King Grail has already concluded his business with Lady Livia,” Prince Kolton says. Once again speaking for Livia.

Would he be so eager if he knew of the noose hanging around his neck? The one Livia put on him?

“Nonsense!” Lynette says, “What business could he have with my daughter without proper input from her parents?”

The one that requires fixing the mess you made, dear mummy.

Prince Kolton shrugs, his eyes landing on Livia’s quiet form, “I would not know. You would have to ask Lady Livia about that.”

Nope.

Lynette turns to her daughter, her mouth opens.

“It does not matter. I’m sure his highness had his reasons,” Duke Valentine says.

I wondered where I got that line from.

“But darling...”

Duke Valentine casts a look down at Lynette, silencing her.

“But Livia is still under our care,” Duke Valentine continues, “I can only ask that his highness can make time for very worried parents. Livia has been through something very troubling. She cannot be asked to speak for herself. We must do what we think is best for her.”

Why are you telling the third prince that?

Prince Kolton seems to be of similar thought, as he barely hides his confusion behind a bland smile and nod.

Livia looks blankly outside the window, her gaze unseeing as her parents put on a show for the many onlookers.

If she had been caught alone, and not in the presence of the third prince, Livia concluded she would have to endure more than the sharp nails digging into her shoulder. Her father never glanced back her way, but she could practically feel his dissent towards her.

But that won’t stop Duke Valentine from throwing his bet in with his daughter this time around instead of abandoning her as he had before.

“Your right, darling. We must take extra care with our daughter, and therefore, must ask for another audience with his highness,” Lynette was saying.

Lynette turns to her, “Come along dear. We won’t trouble you with another meeting with his highness. Why don’t you take a stroll through Helina’s garden while you wait? Tinnty and Rinnty will escort you.”

Livia moves her gaze away from the window to stare through her mother.

“Yes, mummy,” She says obediently.

She was trapped.

When her mother removes her sharp nails from her shoulder, she stands by as her parents leave without a backward glance. No doubt they were eager to smooth over any problems they thought their daughter had stirred up, while also undoing any deals or promises she might have made without their approval.

It was completely useless.

King Grail had his orders and knew of her true nature.

He would not be interested in anything her parents had to say.

Livia turns away, intent on following the maids, but Prince Kolton calls out to her.

“Lady Livia, if it is not too much trouble, may I escort you as well?” He asks her, his hand falling on her wrist to stop her.

Livia's eyes fall to the entirely unwanted contact instantly. His hand easily swallows her slim wrist and where their skin meets, an unpleasant sensation crawls up her arm. She wants to yank her arm back. To claw at the hand that touches her without her consent.

Kolton once again notices her look, and drops his hand.

“...I don’t think that is appropriate,” Livia says.

Prince Kolton inclines his head, “Of course. I apologize,” He says instantly, but his eyes tell a different story.

Livia turns away and follows the maids without another word, but her mind is spinning.

Her parents, the prince, and the way she automatically stepped back into the role of the daughter of Duke Valentine. It troubled her, no. It annoyed her, but it was a must, for now. She simply had to endure.

Or she could figure out a way to remove herself from the ‘care’ of her parents.