Chapter 65: The Play (IX).
The next scene of the play continues, it was the king and the grand duke conversing with one another in his private office. It wasn't so long before the social ball ended, the result of the princess not accepting a suitor was far too long that the old man was starting to lose his patience… soon it might be his temper next.
The actor playing as a king takes his smoking pipe, using fire magic he fakes on lighting the tobacco cigar that was inside and exhales a puff of smoke.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Your majesty, you have a guest."
"Come in." He places down his pipe and waits for the servant to open the door. He doesn't remember inviting any guests today.
The door opens and reveals the grand duke of the north, walking with stride as he enters the stage with two of his servants.
"Ah- Grand Duke Pierre of the north! Welcome, so what brings you here to my office?" He stands up to greet him and the grand duke lowers his head, bowing in respect of the royalty in front of him.
"I am here to say my greetings to his majesty and a formal request of proposal that I may be arranged in marriage with your daughter." He tells the king.
The King laughs and tells him to sit down in one of the expensive leather couches that they have. He moves to his desk, opening it to take a tobacco cigar roll offering it to the young duke. "This is not the first time I've been approached by a suitor of my daughter, but so far out of all of them you are the most confident. Are all northern people like this?"
Grand Duke Pierre takes the tobacco roll from his hands and nods.
"The northern royal bloodline is one that is pure and well known for passing their good genes upon their children. If I marry the princess you can think of your little grandchildren being the best breeds there are." He knew that an old man like him should be soft and must be yearning for grandchildren to succeed, continuing on their legacy of their family.
He is old and lonely.
It will be easy manipulating such an old man.
The answer doesn't surprise the king, he sits down in front of him looking bored. There are many suitors who have already come to prospect a proposal but none of them interested him. "So you truly want to wed my daughter?"
"Yes, your majesty. I have fancied your daughter for a while and we have even gotten acquainted in many balls."
"Haha! That is great son, but tell me… what are you willing to place on the table if you want my daughter's hand?"
The Grand Duke snaps her fingers and a servant places a heavy suitcase on the table. He grins before opening it to show the king what was inside of it. He knows a few dirty secrets that he could use if the king doesn't agree to his dowry.
"I offer a huge dowry, more than enough to pay your debts. I have heard that your kingdom has been facing some problems and I promise to lend aid whenever I can. My brother, the king of the north- will make sure alliances are strong between our families." He tells the King and he stands up dramatically, holding the case full of money and grins.
"W-Well… you're quite generous." He takes off the pipe from his mouth and eyes the duke who has got him on a puppet string.
"I am… when it comes to good investments."
"Then I'm proud to call you my son."
…
Meanwhile… scene change.
"As the storm brews, the princess and the frog have started to become even closer- bonding as they planned on escaping when the time is right." The narrator adjusts her collar, feeling Lady Serene's stare from behind. The lackey was watching the scene… the situation was something similar to what was happening to villainess' life.
She… she was supposed to be a bargaining chip for the Alarie family, arranged- in payment for the royal family's debt. Her skills, diplomacy and good background were only the bonuses. The royal family couldn't say no to that and felt like it was a win-win.
The two were in the kitchen, the princess could be seen making a thick batter that she shows to Analissa in a frog costume. It was hard to see, "So I learned from one of my maids that you can bake bread using a few methods."
"You took up baking?"
She nodded, answering the frog, "Yes, if I wanted to leave and travel… if there is a chance that I might want to settle down I needed to learn a skill that will help me make money."
"Huh… I never really thought of that."
"But Mr. Frog, in order for us to find shelter, eat and buy some things in villages in the city we'll need money. Some of my jewelry to be pawned might last us a couple of years but what about after that?"
"You're right… even if my curse is broken. I wonder if my kingdom will even recognize me. It's been a year since I've been gone. My brother should be taking care of the kingdom."
As the two were talking a servant actor calls out to the princess.
"Your highness?"
The princess was surprised and immediately hid Mr. Frog behind her back. "A-Ah?! Yes, hello! How may I help you?"
"Not to disturb you, your highness… from baking but- the king has asked for your presence. He wishes to speak with you privately in his office."
"Father is calling for me?" She asks herself, almost not believing that her father was summoning her for a private talk it seems. "I will be there. I'll just need to get changed first."
The servant exits the stage, and the frog looks up at the princess.
"Apologies, Mr. Frog but I must go see my father." She tells him and the frog nods in understanding. The king of this kingdom, he has never met him.
"No worries, I'll hide under the table and wait for you to come back."
The curtain closes and cuts to the next scene, the background handlers were fast on changing everything. It was a kitchen for one second and then it was a private office where the king was already sitting down on his chair.
"All that money… It was a good thing that I have a daughter. A shame that I don't have a son but this is better than nothing." The king mutters to himself, checking the clock on the wall.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Father, you have summoned me?"
"Ah you are here."
The door opens, the king hugs his daughter and makes her sit down, looking excited as he shows her the case full of gold. This is money to pay their debt- there's bound to be more if she gets married to the grand duke. "The grand duke of the north has given me this money to save our kingdom. We'll no longer be in debt and our kingdom will be saved."
The princess stands up looking dreadful hearing the news. "Father, what do you mean that I'm to be married?"
"Oh, not just married to anyone! It is the grand duke! The brother of the king of the north! Do you know what good it will make for our family?" As the king's words escaped his lips- the villainess' heart tightened.
'Do you know what your arranged marriage with the crown prince will do to our family?!' The memory resurfaces, the voice of her father sitting in an office- telling her that she's destined to be wedded to the crown prince with no choice… to birth an heir after her time at the academy.
"I…" The villainess looks away, stomach churning.
To be a pawn in the games of royalty is not always a good feeling. Lady Evelyn was feeling every moment of this play- no matter how much they practiced this scene… it hits too close to home.
If she… refuses the marriage- she'll be put in the cramped spaced box for days as punishment.
"...!"
She almost spaced out for a moment there.
"We'll have an even stronger alliance, foreign exchange trades will be better and our relations will prosper. We even got a properly compensated dowry from your proposal!" It was clear that her father wouldn't take no for an answer. She calmed herself down, tried her best not to show her shaking hands and asked an important question.
"When will I be wedded with him?"
It was to know how much time of freedom she had left in this castle.
"Next month, if I can, I wish it was as soon as possible. That is one generous man hahaha!"
"You know I love you, darling but think of our people. Don't be selfish, you know better than that."
"Yes, father."
The princess leaves the office and now a new scene comes up, back into the kitchen where the frog was still waiting. It was clear that the summoning didn't go well. Her face was no longer smiling, the frog hops in front of her and asks what was wrong.
"I am to be wed by next month."
…
The curtain closes and the narrator clears her throat, the next scene is a musical part of all the noble ladies singing joyously about the upcoming wedding. Finally this time, the frog and the princess exited together on the left side of the curtain.
"Many noble ladies entered the stage as the two exited from the sides, they looked excited using their decorated fans as props singing about their excitement for the upcoming wedding between the grand duke and the princess." The narrator explains, as joyous and cheerful music started playing.
"A wedding? A royal wedding! The princess she's going to be wed!" One noblelady wearing a blue dress exclaims, excitedly clasping her hands turning to the other girl besides her. "Indeed she is and I can't wait for the bouquet to be thrown!"
Another noblelady comes in wearing pink moves the two girls aside singing her lines in a high pitched voice. "Oh ladies~ that bouquet is mine! The next to be wedded is me! Now get in line!!!"
The king and the grand duke entries, singing their own part.
"Hah now that my daughter will be wedded, the alliance will be secure!"
"And now that I will have the princess, the crown is mine!"
The frog and the princess were standing next to each other not saying anything, Analissa was too busy trying to recall all the other lines and count how many potions she had left in order for her manly voice to last one more hour of this play.
'I only have five more bottles… whatever happens, happens I guess.' (Analissa) groaned quietly, the whole play was stressing her out. There were a few lines that she had forgotten to say- saved by doing a bit of ad lib but she hopes that she won't mess up later.
Lady Evelyn eyes the blonde girl who was inside the costume, the villainess leans over and smiles softly. "Mr. Frog."
Analissa turns to the villainess in shock, "...?"
"Are you perhaps-"
Before she could even finish she was taken away into the dressing room by one of the makeup assistants. "Lady Evelyn, please come here we have to change you into your commoner clothes."
"Ah yes."
She was going to help her quickly change into the next clothes before moving to the next scene. Which was the scene where they'll escape and be chased down. "Now if you don't mind me, Lady Alarie we'll need to retouch a bit of your makeup before you go."
…
On the front of the wedding podium the grand duke laughed to himself maniacally, he never thought how easy it was to marry into the royal family- it was a good thing that this kingdom was in debt and that he had lots of money. "Ever since I was little my brothers have told me that I will be nothing more but lowly, now I have obtained a kingdom to call my own once the king dies and I take over!"
"It's a shame that no one knows of my true plan. Once I take over the kingdom by poisoning the king, I'll take other small neighboring ones then the world. Hahaha! And no one will stop me from my plans."
The King sees the grand duke and pats his back offering another cigarette. "My new son! How are you feeling? The ceremony is about to start, care for a smoke?"
"Well, your majesty, I feel happy that I will be marrying your amazing daughter that I don't deserve."
"No need to call me your majesty when in private. You can call me, father."
"Then- I feel happy that I will be marrying your daughter, father."
"Good, good now I've already called on the priest. They will officially wed you once my daughter opens that door with her lovely white dress."
"I can't wait."
He really couldn't wait. They might be chummy now, but after being married with his daughter he'll make sure to give him poison that will make him sick and give an unescapable death to secure his position as the new king.
The whole audience felt the anticipation of the wedding, the guests were finding their seats and waited for the bride to come inside their makeshift church.
The sound of a clock ticking could be heard throughout the theater. "Minutes have arrived as everyone waited for the princess to open the door revealing her white beautiful dress and veil but no one came."
The king's patience had become too short, he angrily turned to the servants and asked the question everyone was too afraid to say. "Where is the princess? Why is my daughter taking so long to arrive?"
Whispers erupted on the stage.
"Did something happen to the princess?"
"The ceremony was supposed to start half an hour ago. Where could she be?"
"Oh dear, I hope nothing bad has happened."
The crowd went quiet as they heard yelling not too far. "Your majesty!"
"What?!"
Two guards were dragging a weeping maid, she cried and cried, sobbing even until she was thrown into the ground. "Your majesty, we have found this maid crying in the princess' room!"
The maid actor kneels down, "O-Oh your majesty! Truly I tried finding her everywhere but we just couldn't!"
"My daughter has gone missing?!"
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