CHAPTER 4.

...Clovis' Point of View...

Beatrix lets out a heavy sigh, and then leans forward as she crosses her legs, leaning her elbow on her leg, and putting her head on her hand like she is trying to be inquisitive, but she just ends up looking seductive.

I look away.

Beatrix has never acted towards me like this before. But if she knows about the condemnation, then she knows about my feelings for Delia too. While Beatrix never had any affection for me, she needs the throne.

If she doesn't, her family will likely force an unreasonable marriage on her.

"Sit up normally. Northing you can do can convince me to change my mind," I scold her... but I'm met with a giggle as response.

When I look back she has folded the fan, and covers her mouth as she giggles... but as our eyes meet that giggle turns into a laugh.

"Did you think I was trying to seduce you?"

She laughs harder as she leans back in the couch, and then looks at me with cold eyes.

"I see, so despite the overwhealming puppy love for Delia, you still end up looking at me like that."

"Wha!- That's not what I meant!"

She giggles again, but I'm at a loss for words. She has never been this bold with me before. I don't think I've even seen her laugh this freely either.

"Now now, your highness. Getting so riled up over so little. Am I not the one that should be insulted? That you see me as a woman, that would try to seduce a man already in love?"

She smiles, but her eyes are cold.

"That is exactly what you are! You've been jealous of Delia from the start!"

Jealous that Delia can get the throne by simply and honestly gaining my affection.

She gives a huff.

"Jealous? That you give your affection to some naïve girl and not me, your betrothed? Jealous that you've not met up with me of your own free will for years, but you meet up with her every single day? Or jealous that you kiss her in the garden, where you think I won't see it?"

My stomach sinks with worry.

How did she know about that?

"Are you spying on Delia?"

She sends me a smile, but her eyes look at me with pity, like a spider looking at its wrapped up prey struggle.

"I was having tea on the balcony, with multiple young Ladies, your highness.

"Balcony? Balcony... that's... right, there's a balcony by the sunroom that overlooks those gardens... but Beatrix is usually never there. That's the book club's area... then again, she's a social butterfly, why wouldn't she be spreading her influence there.

I hold in a sigh of frustration at what is essentially a trumph card I placed in her hand. I let my guard down. Now the question is, what price I'll have to pay.

"However, let us put that matter aside, your highness. I didn't come here to fight. I came here to bring a compromise."

Her expression turns cold and the smile disappears, making my stomach twist again. I can't help but to get the feeling I am being played, because I can't imagine why she would let a witnessed detail like this go unpunished. At the very least, she can truly get Delia in trouble. Genuinely. The diffence between an affair before or after the broken betrothal means a lot, and being a part of an affair would ruin Delia's reputation.

I don't even think Beatrix can compromise on anything anyway. That's why, among all the vicious marriage candidates, she came out on top, as she holds the court of young ladies in an iron grip. Whoever goes against her ends up impaled on that spike defense of hers.

"First of all, I haven't laid a hand on Miss Delia, nor incited anyone to do so. All those witnesses you have are all conveniently political opponents of mine, in a boring old ploy to reduce my favor in your eyes."

Of course she'd say that. It's not like there is any favor in my to reduce for the other candidates at this point though. I've only never struggled against the political marriage, because I had never fallen in love, and it was important for the royal family. But we have the power back now, so just for this one thing, I should be able to chose the person I have to be with for the rest of my life. I have no freedom in any other aspect of my life... so just this one thing...

"If you had actually asked around, you would know as much. Those two little vixens you got a testemony from, are loyal to Lady Bellrose. In case you do not remember her, Lady Bellrose is your second marriage candidate. In case you do stop your engagement with me, she figures taking the spot from Delia will be easier than dealing with me."

Lady Bellrose vaguely rings a bell, but only as someone Beatrix argues with a lot. While that does lend credit to her statements, the thought of Beatrice who always puts ladies approaching me harshly in their place suddenly being meek in front of Dealia seems ridiculous.

"...and what is your so called motive for not bullying Delia?"

She raises an eyebrow and sighs at me, much like a tutor when you give a wrong answer.

"That is not how proving goes, but I will enlighten you, if it makes you trust me just a little more, so we can do these negotiations properly."

She reaches into a dress pocket and pulls out a few sheets of business ledgers, which she rather cooly lets slide through the air down to the table and across the table to me.

I grab it before it falls down, and end up studying them with suspicion. They show business transactions from Delia's father's companies... and truths I wish I didn't know, stare back at me, like I've stared into an abyss.

"If this is true, you're protecting Delia's family's businesses since she started at the academy, why?"

I know many of the names that has pulled out of business with the Baron, and I know many of the names that have started business with them afterwards... but it's too convenient... did she convince then to back off so she could gain control over the Baron's fate? But the new contacts are in the peripheral of Beatrix's family's power. As far from Beatrix's power as possible, but still supporters of Beatrix, or neutrals, or even my supporters, which I weren't informed of had started such businesses.

Beatrix stares at me dumbstruck.

"Why, you ash? Because you simply went and forgot," she says plainly, staring directly at me with her honey colored eyes listening almost with amusement.

Is she serious? These papers show that Beatrix has been covering for Delia long before I actually fell in love with her... was I that easy to read?

"What kind of fool cannot keep his mistress safe from the machinations of court?"

She lazily uses the fan to point at the ledgers. "You can confirm the authenticity of this on your own if you wish."

......

"What do you want?"

I'll be honest. If these documents are real, then it's enough to prove that Beatrice has been helping Delia go through the academy, and spent quite a lot of resources and favors to make it succeed. That together with bringing witnesess into doubt, and having a specific target to pawn them off on as well as a reason prepared, means that the condemnation has failed... and the condemnation failing, means our engagement won't be broken...

The vague relief from Beatrix not having been a part of the things that happened, is outshined by bitterness for the same. With this, I no longer have any excuses for breaking the engagement... because in the end, myfeelings aren't a valid reason.

The hope to marry someone that actually loved me, and wasn't just using me for my position, got trapped by Beatrix's web, wound up in it, and devoured.

In addition, she knows my hopes now, so there won't be another opening to make it happen if she can help it.

No, there has to be a way.

Beatrix smiles a small victorious smile as I give in. Looking like she's got me underfoot.

"Let's break the engagement." ... .. .

"What? Why?"

Is she kidding?

But she looks completely serious.

"Well, temporarily at least," she responds and cups her own cheek, with a sly smile on her lips.

Whatever momentary adrenaline rush of hope I just got, turns to suspicion. ...

temporarily? What in the world are you scheming? My senses tell me that if I say yes to whatever she is suggesting, she'll have me wrapped up like her prisoner in her web of schemes more than I already am.

"Even if I make your highness and the other young men give up for tomorrow, it's just a matter of time until another attempt is made, or someone uses more dramatical means, to what they consider a happy end. Of course I am aware that neither of us can so easily break off the engagement. If that was possible, you would never have needed to orchestrate such a scandal tomorrow, but I'm certain, that when it comes down to it, his majesty the king would rather have the engagment broken, than have me dead, and you dishonored."

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