"Your Majesty, I present her grace Duchess Seraphina Vivianna Dox of RavenCrest and her companions Sol and Cat of RavenCrest."
Hans says in a echoing tone making everyone in the room chatter dead down to see what was happening.
'As always Hans perfect timing.'
Before anything her scent hit me just like before still the same over powering intoxicating rose scent that never fades away. Even in the past on her last days of life she still had that scent no matter how she looked she still smelled like a rare rose that blooms on the highest mountain side. Perfect, eternal and untouched.
I take a breath then turn and there she is.
"Your Majesty it is an honour." She says without bowing. 'Bold' I think as I raise my one eyebrow. The room murmur.
" Insolence, why does she not bow to his Majesty." A voice comes from the back.
Then I see her sigh and rolls her eyes. Wait what- did I just see Seraphina roll her eyes without flinching. She…she did.
"I see that your nobles has forgotten the decree the first Emperor made regarding RavenCrest Dukedom Your Majesty." She says in a mocking tone.
" They didn't." I said as I look into her eyes then I see that her eye colour are more green then blue.
'That's new' I say to myself.
Never in the past life's I lived has she ever shown that kind of reaction. From all our interactions we had she has always kept her eyes lowered or just never should emotion it was like she was trying to make herself invisible at all cost, but now she is standing tall in a room full of people full with confidence and dare I say sassy. Was this new change caused by Ajax?
From what I have observed I see that the relationship between both of them has changed dramatically essentially on Ajax side, before he never shown any kind of care towards her let alone look at her even after she left and got married he still never cared, it was like to him she was just a stranger that live in the same house. I had remembered once in my past life I had asked Ajax about his sister will begin and he just said.
"Why should I care for someone like that." Then walked off. At the time didn't know how to react to his words but now looking at them and the way they are to each other now and how protective he is with her made my plan easier to lay out.
After founding out about his father and brother slave dealings and also other information about what has been happening behind the close doors Count Lewis Dox house hold made it much more clearer on why they targeted her for they plans. I knew that I had to stop the past from repeating itself , I… need her to be alive and if that means I need to sacrifice myself to make that happen I will do it.
"Your Majesty, shall we continue this after the first dance?" Hans whispers close to my ear.
"Yes, your Majesty please do tell us shall we continue this later cause I love been called from place to place for no reason."
She says in a clipped tone as her chest expanded as she breaths out of frustration. I could help it but stare at her beautiful full chest in that tiny navy blue dress. The way it hugs her body, also showing off her soft curves with her long thick raven black hair that cascaded down her back with her diamond skin and those eyes… those f@#cking eyes that made my dark twist madness come out and play. F@#k! I tried I truly really tried to keep the smile off my face but I just couldn't, but pride full me knowing that I had no right to feel this way especially the fact I was the one who killed her.
"Your Majesty, are you ok." Annabelle asks in a soft tone as she holds my arm. I pull myself out my dark thought and turn to Annabelle pulling myself out her grip and smile back at her.
"Yes, Hans you are right I think it will be best to finish this conversation at a later stage, the party must carry on."
Annabelle smile grows bigger as she straighten herself in preparation. In what? I think I have a idea but I have other plans.
" Hans please give the Saintess her first dance." I quickly turn to face my dear old friend and smile at him like a Cheshire Cat.
He narrows his eyes at me and says in a low voice near my ear again. "But your Majesty I don't think that's-"
"What is it Hans? I don't think what?" I say loudly so that everyone can hear.
"Well your Majesty, I think what Hans is trying to say is that he can't do the first dance with me because I'm the Saintess and future Empress of this nation so the first dance has to be with you." Annabelle proclaims in a prideful tone.
"But dear Annabelle that cannot not be not true. First of all you are not the Saintess of this nation as of yet, you are still in training under the church and have not been blessed by them, also my love our engagement is not official in the eyes of the kingdom as you know that we still need the blessing of the church and the Dowger Empress approval. Also since my father has passed not to long ago and we as the nation are officially still in mourning from our late Emperor, so we cannot make those kinds of decisions at this point Annabelle." I say in a honey tone. Her face redden in embarrassment as I make my point to her.
As she about to turn away I grab her shoulder and look down on her while at the same time looking at Seraphina at the corner of my eye. Spotting her with a surprise look on her face, then everything happens very quickly. One minute we are all chatting and drinking champagne next the atmosphere in the room turns into something cold and dark. The last time I feel this way was when saw what they did to Seraphina.
Boooooooooom !!!!,