"An invitation has been extended to you, My Lady. It appears that a grand ball will be held in the Royal Palace."
"You say a ball, Andrea? May I inquire as to the nature of the celebration?" I asked, my voice laced with a weary resignation that had nothing to do with fatigue.
"It is His Highness the Crown Prince's coming-of-age gala, My Lady. The Emperor has commanded everyone to spend that day in the palace, and, of course, one cannot refuse the Imperial summons."
I sighed, lifting my delicate porcelain cup to my lips. The familiar scent and taste of my morning green tea, usually sweet as honey, tasted suddenly as sour as a lemon rind. Truth be told, I never enjoyed the forced pomp of the Palace, but as my father's only child and heir to the Grand Duchy, I had no choice but to attend as his representative.
The Emperor, I knew, had his own motives for consistently demanding my presence, and my father was fully aware of them. Gaining the Emperor's unwavering favor had the unfortunate side effect of making me the most resented woman in the court society—save for Her Royal Highness the Empress, my godmother, who adored me as if I were her own daughter.
I had received personal training from her; she had taught me everything from palace protocol to the nuances of French fashion. I adored her; she had been my mother's closest friend, and I heard she had mourned her death most deeply of all.
"I imagine Aunt will be quite looking forward to my visit that evening," I murmured, tracing lazy circles on the rim of my cup. I was not excited, but the thought of seeing the Empress offered a small consolation.
****************
"Good afternoon, My Lady."
A soothing, husky voice called to me, pulling me out of my melancholic contemplation. I turned to see Lord Heinley Briggs staring at me, a warm, genuine grin on his face. As he bowed, I rose to return the courtesy. I then moved to sit back down, but he anticipated my movement, already pulling my chair out with a quick, fluid motion as if he had been performing the task his entire life.
"Thank you, Lord Heinley, for such admirable gentlemanly conduct."
I said, my cheeks flushing deeply. Except for my father, no other man in my life had ever executed such a gesture. He was the first, and it instantly earned him more points in my mental tally.
"I apologize profusely for my late arrival, Your Highness. I had to deal with an emergency at the Guild, and the affair took far longer than I had expected."
"What manner of emergency, if I may inquire, sir?" I looked at him curiously, wanting to know what knotty problem he had unraveled this time. His expression immediately clouded over, becoming serious.
"I cannot disclose any sensitive information concerning the Guild, I'm afraid, My Lady. But rest assured, it was a task that required my level best effort to handle." He smiled, seeing the disappointment in my face, and attempted to cheer me with a permissible detail. "However, I can share that an old, abandoned château was found to contain six hundred bags of raw opium hidden inside, and there was no one who seemed to own the place. There was no sign of any worker or guard when the investigators searched the premises."
"How did they come across the house?"
"An anonymous source reported the issue to the police, and we conducted our extensive research. As you know, our Guild does not only deal with financing and trade levies, but also with sophisticated investigation, intelligence gathering, and information sharing. We have investigated the scene thoroughly and are still searching for the owner of the cache."
I instantly recognized the chilling implications. Why would such a massive quantity of an illegal substance be found abandoned? If a house is old and empty, it quickly becomes an ideal hideout for black-market trade.
"Have you considered that the discovery points to someone's illegal business, and the old house was simply his or her secluded warehouse?" I pressed, my mind whirring. "I mean, Lord Heinley, look at the darker side: opium is highly illegal in that quantity and can only be sold on the black market. We use only minimal amounts for state medical purposes, and everyone—including the Emperor himself—is aware of the strict levies."
"You are quite correct, My Lady, and your deduction is sound," Heinley conceded, impressed. "But as you have said, it is banned in our Empire. That large amount should, theoretically, be held in the Palace's secured storage, according to the official import levies. The Royal Advisor has agreed that distribution to the people is dangerous because—"
"Because of how dangerously addictive the substance can be, especially when chemically processed into other potent narcotics," I finished for him, my voice flat.
Heinley listened attentively, taking a slow sip from the cup of tea Andrea had poured for him. He seemed to relish the drink, taking several more sips as he watched me.
"If you have no existing clues, Lord Heinley, then perhaps I could offer a hypothesis that you hadn't considered?" I offered.
"And what may that be, My Lady? I am eager to hear it."
"Have you considered that you may need to delegate that task to someone else? Someone who already possesses deep, dangerous ties to the black market and has no moral qualms about breaking the law to find the culprit?"
Heinley set his cup down, his expression radiating shock and admiration. "I am amazed, My Lady. You are truly one of a kind."
"Why is that?" I asked, tilting my head in question.
"Your knowledge of the criminal structure is truly remarkable, and I am grateful that you know how to handle such grave information. Apparently, no one in the Empire, not even the Emperor's council, knows the full scope of this find. You are the first non-Guild member to learn of this." He smiled, a flash of white that momentarily distracted me. He then added, "This tea is truly delicious, Miss Andrea. What does it contain, if I may ask?"
What a sly character, I thought, amused. Digressing the topic like a master. I decided to reward his skill by playing along.
Andrea and I exchanged a knowing glance and a silent smile. Andrea was a master théier, always choosing the best, most beneficial ingredients for each time of day.
"I have no idea, Lord Heinley. Why don't you ask the one who prepared this instead? I'm sure you'll be as pleased by her answer as I always am."
I said, pointing to Andrea, who stood beside us, startled by my unexpected action. She had never been addressed directly by a visiting noble, and her expression was priceless.
"M-my Lord... I... M-my Lord..." she stammered, looking as though she might faint from the sudden attention.
"It's quite alright, Andrea. Lord Heinley won't bite you. Speak up."
"This afternoon, I prepared a strong green tea, My Lord, because... well, it contains a high degree of caffeine, which will give both you and My Lady a necessary energy boost. I could have made a gentler peppermint infusion, but given how busy you must be, the green tea will provide you with more sustainable energy to complete your tasks efficiently."
"Well, it is entirely to my liking. Miss Andrea, I commend your foresight and thoughtfulness."
We spent the remainder of the afternoon deep in conversation. I learned a few things about Heinley—his dedication to fiscal honesty, his ambition. I had no idea we had so much in common, and the more he talked about his work and his ethical dilemmas, the more I liked him. If only we had the entire day to ourselves.
****************
"Heinley, my boy… you're back."
"Good evening, Mother."
"How was the Grand Duchy Princess? Was she to your liking, with her sophisticated airs? Heinley, did you manage to capture her heart already? Why won't you speak to me?"
The sound of a chair flying across the room and slamming against the wall echoed in the entryway, but Heinley ignored it, continuing his weary path toward his quarters. He was sick of being accosted with the same, desperate, intrusive questioning every time he returned home.
"Did you not hear what I was saying, boy? You stupid, ungrateful bastard! I can tell you've developed a bad attitude since you moved in here. Nobody wanted you, not even your father. I had to beg him to let you stay because you didn't have any other options."
"Mother, you are inebriated," Heinley said, his voice strained with long-suffering pity. "Let us speak in the morning when you have calmed yourself."
He gently cradled the woman's shoulders, turning her around to guide her back to her room. She was swaying, drunk and disheveled. Her addiction to cheap wine and laudanum had become a persistent scandal whispered across the Empire.
He carefully placed her on her bed and quietly shut her bedroom door from the outside.
"Brother."
As he reached his own door, he was interrupted by a soft, sweet voice. A small girl with innocent ivory skin and striking teal eyes stood nearby, watching him, trying to hide her own anguish. She was just eleven years old and utterly devoted to her older brother.
"Please forgive me, brother. I accidentally heard what Mother said to you… I didn't mean to intrude on your private conversation."
Heinley looked at the girl, forcing a tired grin. He loved his sister, Antoinette.
"Adults tend to argue all the time, Antoinette. You must not apologize for something you cannot control."
"But—"
"How was your day, dear sister? Have you eaten dinner?"
Antoinette puckered her lips, crossing her arms stubbornly as she approached him. They shared a close, protective bond that allowed them to speak freely.
"I am not a child anymore, big brother."
"I know, Antoinette… so, I will be honest and tell you that I'm perfectly well, if that is what you're truly worried about. Life can't rightly be called life without a little bit of drama and a few flying chairs." He said this last part jokingly, and they both ended up laughing softly.
They headed to the dining area and ate dinner together, the quiet intimacy a blessed relief. As they ate, he told her about his meeting with Eliana, the Grand Duke's daughter, the magnificent princess whom his sister secretly admired.