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I knew why she was telling me this. It was the same reason why she had to have this lunch-in, to begin with—me. Because of the bad press about Gale and me, the queen wanted to show that all was well. But she didn’t trust me outside of the palace just yet. And so she had forced all the most notable women between mine and Eliza’s age to gather here for lunch. She wanted to show that I was adjusting fine, and nothing the press could or had said had reached me.
Eliza was trying her best to prepare me now by telling me nothing I did here would make them kinder or less vicious. It was their way of managing the situation, seeing as Gale and I truly weren’t talking to each other. And I didn’t know who was at fault anymore. The day after our fight, after I had cried my eyes out and was calm again, I wanted to talk to him, but he had left to go somewhere south. Then when he came back, I was too nervous to see him. So, I avoided him. Then it felt like he was avoiding me. I didn’t know what was happening anymore, so I quietly just kept to my schedule, and the days rolled on.
“Odette? Odette?”
I glanced away from the painting I wasn’t looking back to Eliza as she called for me, a frown on her pretty face. How could anyone make fun of her when she was so uniquely beautiful.
“Do not worry.” She stepped forward. “I’m not fourteen anymore. I am not on my mother’s level yet, but I have mastered how to rip into others politely.”
I smiled. “Let’s hope it does not come to that.”
“Yes, let’s hope.” At the sound of her voice, I already wished to give up and go back to my lessons.
“Sophia?” Eliza spoke, releasing me and looking over my shoulder at the woman who came in. “I was not aware you were joining us.”
“Do you wish me not to?”
I turned around to see Sophia dressed in black once again, like a ghost haunting me for some sin I did not know I had committed.
“Of course not. You are always welcome,” Eliza replied, though she did give me a slight glance.
When Sophia’s eyes shifted to me, I curtsied slightly, and she nodded, stepping farther into the drawing room.
Just like that, Eliza’s rambling came to an end. We moved to our places at the door. Eliza was in the center, and Sophia was on her right, where I was supposed to stand had it only have been the two of us.
As we waited, I quickly worked to remember everyone’s name and title in my head. Wolfgang had made a booklet for me to study beforehand. He’d even gotten a photo for each and every one of them.
“Her Royal Highness, Princess Eliza,” called the doorman as the doors open, and I immediately put a slight smile on my face as every lady there turned to look at us.
And I thought I was ready. I thought I was going to be able to handle it.
However, the moment I locked eyes with Sabina, who was crowded on every side by other ladies, a part of my chest tightened, and I felt sick. I wanted to turn and just walk away. But my body kept moving forward behind Eliza, greeting everyone as we finally reached our table.
“Odette, I’d like you to meet one of my oldest and dearest friends,” Eliza said, ushering me to a woman dressed in bright red, with red lipstick, short dark-brown hair with bangs, and a birthmark right above her lips. “Lady Katherine Whistzle.”
Oldest and dearest friends? I thought as I took her hand. “Hello, Eliza told me of you.”
“All good things, I know. We have been friends since almost infancy,” she said proudly, taking my hand and nodding.
“Yes, it is hard to have such good and loyal friends,” Eliza said with a forced smile. “Please, let’s sit.”
I wondered how many hellos, thank you for comings, and forced smiles royals had to give in a single day? How many had I given already? It was starting to feel like an out-of-body experience. Like I was watching myself talk, smile, and greet people but wasn’t doing it. Almost like I was a ghost of myself. People asked me questions, and I answered, but what was I saying? I didn’t really know. The longer it went on, the more Lady Katherine Whistzle, Sophia’s, Eliza’s, and even Sabina’s faces all started to blur.
Was this how it was for Gale?
Is that how the six months went by for him? Or was it just me? Was it because I wasn’t used to this world yet, or was it because I was? This lunch-in was supposed to be another step to ease me into the royal life. But as I watched Sophia, as I watched Eliza and Sabina captivate everyone around them with ease, I wondered if maybe, just maybe it was hopeless.
Maybe I...
“His Royal Highness, Prince Galahad.”
My head whipped back to the door as they opened it, and everyone stood. There he was dressed in a casual button-down shirt and no tie, holding three roses—two of them yellow and one red. He stepped into the room, his blue-green eyes locked on mine, and a smile—a very large one—appeared on his face. He didn’t look away from me. He walked directly toward me, and I just stood there paralyzed. This was not part of the schedule or protocol or anything else. But he kept walking to me.
“Hi,” he said when he reached me.
“Hi?” I stated, not sure what was happening. What was he doing?
“Will you go on a date with me tomorrow?” he asked.
