75 He’s not thinking of trying to marry you, is he?

Alexander glared at his secretary as Jyver announced his arrival. His head's throbbing and his eyes feel like they would pop out of its socket.

"What are you doing here?" He growled, that even Jyver straightened himself. If looks could kill, Symon would've been dead ten times over.

"Don't you transfer all that… whatever kind of frustrations you're feeling onto me." Symon moved over to the bed and placed the small bag he was carrying. "Here's some change of clothes. I've already instructed some servants to prepare you a bath. We're leaving for the Capital today. There's a letter that arrived yesterday morning from the emperor, summoning you for the Gathering in three days."

"The Gathering?" Alexander repeated in a rough voice, scratching his head.

He didn't have a wink of sleep after what happened last night. Every time he managed to doze off, he would remember Amelia asking him to kiss her, and it took every bit of his willpower not to take advantage of the situation.

Of course, he wanted to kiss her. Heck, he wanted more than that! If she was just any other woman, he would've just jumped at her the moment he felt the sexual tension rising between them. But she didn't seem to be herself last night and Amelia's not some any other woman he would use then forget about the next hour.

"Vance also said that you should stay at the Florence's manor in Casler knowing that you don't own a manor in the capital… yet."

"Is he seriously offering me a hand or just underhandedly mocking me?" Alexander fished out the clothes Symon brought him when the servants knocked.

"Maybe both? Anyhow, it's high time you purchase a property in the Capital no matter how you feel about staying there. For now, I have sent your luggage to Casler escorted by some of Sir Barrett's men."

"Barrett's here?" Alexander started taking off his clothes and throwing them on the bed.

"Well, yes… since he'll be escorting you to the Capital for the Gathering." Symon sounded confused since being the commander of Alexander's knights, it's expected that he escort him to his official travels.

Alexander nodded. He'd have to talk to him about the gardener. He's not sure if Reignold has returned from Castle Talcard yet, but maybe Ancel would be enough to talk to.

A knock on the door sounded a few minutes after the duke finished dressing. On the other side of the door was Laila.

"You could've just asked a servant. You didn't need to come personally." Alexander said when he faced the lady-in-waiting.

"Good morning, Lady Laila," Symon greeted and Jyver lightly bowed his head when they locked eyes.

"Good morning to you too, Mr. Symon. The duchess' private dining hall is this way." She answered before she turned her back to walk ahead of the group. "I hope you've rested well, Duke Clement." Laila glanced at them with an apologizing smile, and Alexander thought that maybe she already knew what happened. He wanted to ask, but, at the same time, he didn't want Symon to know. Who knows how he would react?

"I hope your duchess had a good one too…"

"She seemed a little dazed when I came to wake her up, so she's not in her best mood this morning. I'd like to apologize beforehand." Again, Laila smiled softly at them.

Alexander lightly nodded his head. Somehow, he was happy hearing the subtle update from the lady-in-waiting. As expected of someone from the duchess' close circle. She made it look like a casual part of the conversation. Even his secretary and Jyver didn't find anything suspicious.

When they arrived at the dining hall, Amelia's other ladies-in-waiting, in the absence of Arabella, stood up to greet them. Alexander reciprocated the greeting and so did Symon. Jyver stayed outside the hall to guard the door with the two servants stationed there.

Breakfast was surprisingly, and awkwardly, quiet. Even the sounds of their swallowing can be heard. Laila and the others exchanged looks but none dared to speak or start some small talk. Alexander was still so caught up with what happened last night that he also didn't say a word. Symon, finally realizing that something might've happened last night, chose to keep his mouth shut for now.

Then, by the miracle of the Heavens, silence was broken when Oswyn entered.

He took wide steps to reach Amelia's side to hand a letter, and by the looks of it, it was from the imperial palace again.

Amelia sighed and passed the paper to Alexander.

"I lost my appetite," she stated as she took the napkin from her lap and placed it on the table. Christa asked her what was wrong, but the duchess was occupied massaging her temples to even answer. "I'm already having a headache as it is, why does he keep on adding more for me to think of? Where's Uncle Vance? Did he return from Eblon yet?"

Looks were exchanged again, and then Alexander spoke after reading half of what was written on the paper.

"Kearndal Palace." He said, and Laila and the others started whispering. "The Gathering has been moved to Kearndal Palace, and this now serves as an invitation to celebrate Cice's coming-of-age." Alexander raised a brow. He turned the letter to the other side to check, but that's what there was to it.

"Why Kearndal Palace?" it was Symon who asked.

"To be honest, the emperor sent me a tiara a few months ago and told me that he'd be happy to lend me Kearndal Palace to celebrate my birthday. I don't know why he did that though, and I already turned him down a few times. I don't get why he's being so persistent."

Symon sounded surprised. The emperor sending over a tiara is already a big deal, but the duchess' admission of turning the emperor down a few times came as an even bigger shock. But somehow, the duke had it coming.

Alexander leaned back. It seemed that he, too, had lost his appetite.

Kearndal Palace can only be used by the imperial family and if Alexander's memory serves him right, the last time that palace was used was years ago. Duncan has only used it once too, and that was without permission which served him his first punishment from the emperor.

"What are you going to do about it, your grace?" Constance broke her silence.

"I can't ignore the Gathering since I have some things regarding provisions that need to be discussed." Amelia sighed loudly, "I guess, we'll deal with it when we get there. For now, let's focus on getting ready to leave. Oswyn, you're coming with us so pack your things and have them in the garden to be placed in the carriage. We're leaving after lunch. And Alexan—I mean, Duke Clement, I'll have another carriage prepared for you to use."

"It's okay, duchess," Symon raised his hand like a schoolboy, "Our carriage is—" he couldn't finish his sentence when the duke cut him off.

"I'm riding my horse," he said.

"It's going to be a long ride to the Capita—"

"I'm used to riding," he butted in again before Amelia finished her sentence. With a glance at the duchess, Alexander drank the remainder of the water in his cup before he folded the paper again and handed it to Oswyn who was standing between her and Amelia, which irked him.

Not knowing how to react, Oswyn hesitated, reaching out and taking his hand back so Alexander lightly shove the letter to him. After that, Amelia's Vance stand-in excused himself. When the door closed behind him, silence returned at the dining hall.

----------

"What does this mean, duchess?" Constance whispered to Amelia when she was assisting her with her bath. "He's not thinking of trying to marry you, is he?"

"I don't know…" was her only reply. What else could she say? She didn't want to think about it too, but her lady-in-waiting has a point. Why would the emperor insist on this when she has clearly denied the invitation not just twice, but thrice already?

Could it be that he wanted to marry her that's why he wouldn't give Alexander his blessings despite the duke's handsome offers?

Amelia sighed again. She didn't have enough sleep and the last thing she wanted right now was more things to think about.

Luncheon was served, and Ancel checked the carriages one last time. Amelia turned to her head maid who was waiting with the other servants who finished helping with loading their things.

"Is Uncle Vance still out?" she asked.

"He said he will meet you at the Baron Silvie's villa in the evening." Baron Silvie is one of the lower-ranking nobles in Osmea and is a good friend of Oswyn's. He has volunteered to let the duchess and her entourage stay in his villa for the night.

"Ancel," she then called, and the knight instructed some of his subordinates first before walking towards her. "Is your sister not coming?"

"She's with grandfather at Castle Talcard."

"I'm sure you've heard about the invitation to Kaerndal Palace? What do you think about it?" It was the first time Amelia asked the knight about something other than her security, so it took him a while to answer.

"I don't know what the emperor is planning, but I think that we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. He might just want to celebrate a dear friend's daughter's birthday. But nonetheless, we should always remain vigilant since we don't know why all these threats keep popping up around us."

Ancel was right. There's no use overthinking. It might be just some harmless goodwill, and if the topic isn't something about marriage to the crown, wouldn't it be good for her to be in the good graces of the emperor? After all, she has things that she knows she couldn't do on her own.

But what is this feeling of uneasiness brewing from the pits of her stomach?