Iria Alewine was supposed to attend what she truly hated.
A feast. Maybe not exactly.
This time, it's just a small dinner gathering with the royals and some officials. The King arranged this to welcome the envoy from Nathania and according to what the Masked Commander heard, the envoy was none other than the Princess of Nathania.
Though it's not common for a Princess to become an envoy, the King was busy and with the Crown Prince of Nathania still young, she was still the best choice among the royals.
That means... the envoy was the niece of Queen Lorey Helev and the first cousin of Prince Morin Helev.
It's been a week since that day. The day when Crown Prince Zaro confessed to her. Since then, she didn't meet him at all. Well, she saw him twice or thrice but only from a distance. Was she avoiding him or was it the other way round?
Iria Alewine wasn't even sure about it.
Even now, the Commander was already in the hall where the gathering was supposed to be held. A few officials were already present but none of the royals wasn't there yet.
The Masked Commander was proved wrong when Prince Orius suddenly appeared before her, even making her startled.
"What's with you, Commander Iria? Am I a ghost?" the Second Prince taunted her yet there was an amusing smile on his face.
"I don't expect you to be here now, Your Highness," Iria Alewine said with her displeasure quite evident.
"I hate this type of gathering too, Commander. But do I have a choice?" Orius Aventine sighed. "I prefer somewhere quiet," he added.
"The whole kingdom knows that, Your Highness. You don't have to say it," Iria Alewine replied. Somehow, she felt amused too.
It's the first time the Second Prince approached her and strike up a conversation while they were in public and in Jerivia. What made him behave this way tonight?
When Orius Aventine noticed the door being opened, he pointed his chin to it. "I think they arrived. Why don't you take a seat?"
"Alright," she said and when one thing crossed her mind, she quickly looked up at the Second Prince and asked, "Can I sit beside you tonight?"
Didn't she always sit with Zaro? However, the Second Prince simply nodded without asking her any question. Then they walked to the chairs on the King's left when the King and the other two walked in.
Zaro Aventine walked inside the hall with his father and his gaze immediately fall on Iria. Their eyes briefly met but soon enough, they both turned away. Noticing that she didn't plan to sit with him for the night, the feeling of uneasiness swept through his whole body. However, he didn't say anything.
After all, the Nathanian Princess was with him.
The Princess of Nathania was quite a beauty. At 20 years old, she was the same age as the Masked Commander. She was quite tall and with a slender figure, blonde hair and enchanting hazel eyes; she gave off a confident yet elegant aura. There's no doubt that she was a royal by blood.
Ever since Iria Alewine heard about the envoy of Nathania, she already knew what it means. The King of Nathania was planning to break their alliance with Qalagon and... she also knew why. However, she didn't show anything and never once lost her composure.
After King Tobias introduced the Princess to some officials, they finally reached the place where Iria stood with the Second Prince. The King was about to introduce her but...
"You're the Masked Commander, right? The Commander of the Alewine Army?" the Princess suddenly said with an exciting smile, making the King laughed while the two Princes just stood still.
"You're right," the Commander replied. "I'm Iria Alewine. It's nice to meet you, Your Highness."
In this hall, she might be the only woman apart from the Princess herself. So. it's not that hard to guess her identity.
"I'm really happy to meet you, Commander," Princess Athena said. "I heard many things about you and I always admire you."
"It's an honor, Your Highness. You're also as beautiful as the rumors said," Iria Alewine responded in a formal tone.
As the Princess already met the Second Prince in the evening, there was no need for introduction and everyone took a seat for the feast to start.
With the King sitting in the middle, the Crown Prince sat on his right as usual and the Nathanian Princess sat next to him while Iria and the Second Prince sat on the left of the King.
For a while, Iria Alewine could felt how the Crown Prince repeatedly shifted his gaze to her. However, she ignored it. She wasn't ready to face him again and even if she did, she wanted a normal conversation.
"Seems like Zaro isn't used to having you sit afar from him," Orius Aventine pointed out, shifting the Commander's attention to him. "What's going on between the two of you?"
"Nothing," Iria Alewine muttered. When she looked at the cup of wine placed on the table before her, she finds it quite tempting again. However, she didn't want to repeat the same mistake by getting herself drunk.
"Who are you trying to fool?" the Second Prince shrugged. "I bet even the King will notice that something is going on."
Iria Alewine gulped at the mention of the King. What if he really noticed and asked her about it?!
She will have no choice but to tell the truth and... she didn't want that at all!
Orius Aventine stared at her expression, impassive. Then he turned away, deciding to not ask her more about it. Feeling bored of the gathering, he gulped down a few cups of wine without even touching the food.
"When I reach the capital, I notice that Jerivia is more beautiful than I thought."
Zaro Aventine shifted his gaze from Iria to the Nathanian Princess when he heard her voice. Then he nodded. "It is, Princess. If you like it, you can have a tour during your stay here."
"That would be great, Your Highness," Princess Athena said with a small smile never leaving her face. Observing the Jerivian Crown Prince, she asked, "Are you always this quiet, Your Highness? Or... did I make you uncomfortable?"
"That's not the case," the Crown Prince quickly clarified. Turning his body a bit towards the Princess of Nathania, he was now paying his full attention to her and not the half-hearted one as before.
"I apologize if I gave you that impression, Princess," he continued. After all, it was also his responsibility to treat her well as she was the envoy and also the guest of his kingdom.....
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