My Wonderful Second Life

Chapter 21- A first look into Prince Francis

After my senseless outburst, I ended up wandering aimlessly at Princess Odette's palace.

Afraid of asking the maids or anyone working for the Hell Bitch princess, I continued to check where was the exit of this damned place. No way would I trust those people with directions. Unless I wanted to end up in an old dungeon somewhere. Forgotten and isolated.

Never did I thought this morning that I would have missed the Duke's workplace so much. But then again, I never thought princess Odette was a pile of spoiled shit either. What a strange day...

I finally arrived at what seemed to be the outside of the palace. Hard to know for sure, since besides the palaces of the Emperor and the princes, the rest had no entry doors.

As the heat and the tiredness kicked in, I took my fan out, hoping to relieve at least one of them. I hated this 7-year-old body... couldn't go anywhere before tiring myself so much I only wanted to sleep the rest of the day.

While I fanned myself, my eyes caught a black-haired boy from afar. I almost mistook him for prince Cedric, until I realized he was taller, older, and had black eyes instead of the ruby ones of the Royal Prince of the Moon Empire. Yet the resemblance was uncanny, so much, it unnerved me... and that was not the only thing.

The boy's dead eyes also stirred my heart. I didn't like how they were stripped off of life and of energy. I did not like it one bit... So I decided to get closer, and it was then that I noticed his necklace, a silver wolf head with two little sapphires as eyes. Pretty and daunting.

I watched him being picked by some guards and taken in haste to the nearby palace. Similar to the Princess Royal palace, but bigger. While I took some steps forward, I wondered who was the owner of that palace.

"Miss Lucreatia." A polite voice called up and I already was dreading to acknowledge it. But I had no way to escape it since it was his royal highness Prince Francis.

I turned and did my obligatory bow, before locking my eyes to his. Lucky for me, he was only accompanied by Jenni, who had her arm on his. She looked concerned at me.

"Miss, I suppose you were looking for a way to the Duke's office." A polite smile formed on his face. It gave me shivers for some reason, which made me acknowledge the supposition by a head nod. "I am afraid you are going to wrong way, Miss." He continued with his polite tone.

No shit Sherlock. I tried my best to smile, hoping it wouldn't lead to any more questions. As I did, I noticed my sister's hands shaking, which the prince most certainly noticed as well.

"It's no problem at all. The Royal Palace is a big place, anyone who is not familiar with its many buildings may get lost easily." Again a semi-warm smile, never looking at anything else but me. Assessing. "But it would be better not to wander into the Empress Palace. Mother dislikes unannounced visitors."

At that, I ventured my eyes to where I last saw the boy, who no longer was there. So he was going to the Empress palace... Why? Was he a servant? Why did he look so much like an older version of Cedric? What a strange thing...

"Is something wrong Lucreatia?" Asked Jenni with her timid voice. Her face was worried, but his, not so much. Prince Francis smiled no more and had a serious expression, his washed down golden eyes darkened a little.

Before I could answer, however, someone bashful interrupted. Yes, the Duke of course.

"Your highness." He bowed to the prince, just like his aides behind did. "I was curious to know how the meeting went on, that I had to come to fetch my daughters. Didn't realize you had been invited as well." Though the Duke smiled, he too had a polite smile on his face. For some reason, he didn't seem pleased with the prospect of Prince Francis joining us for a tea.