To Make Him The Emperor

/6/ Unexpected Invitation

Dinner with father has been quite infrequent in the last few days, considering how immensely his workload has started to grow. Today, luckily, isn't one of those days. It's supposed to be a break of relief for me getting to enjoy the moment with my family, but my mind decided to be on the tense side tonight. I can't brush off the conversation I shared with that strange man from yesterday.

"Ishelyn, is the food not to your liking?" I'm brought back to the world as Father's worried voice takes over.

"It's nothing like that, Father." I continue to scrap the half-eaten steak on my plate. It's accessorized with freshly cut cold cucumbers straight away from chunks of ice against the warm food, just the way I like. But I can't seem to focus on eating.

"You're barely touching your food. Is there anything bothering you?"

"No." Father must know about my meeting with the man from yesterday. I didn't need to add in to mention my prickling thoughts of my own volition. He should be asking me about the visitor sooner or later.

As expected, the topic arrives. "Oh, right. I was informed that someone visited you yesterday." He says.

"Yes. You heard right, Father." I nod.

"I hope you welcomed your friend and treated them well. I know I don't have to instruct you for that." He smiles, concentrating back on his food.

I start to get visibly confused. A friend? Was he not informed of the man's identity? Father is inevitably supposed to know if anyone from the Imperial Family pays a visit. Does that mean the man came here hiding his actual identity?

Perhaps he gave a false identity to the servants when visiting me. I only got to know that he's from the Imperial Family after recognizing the emblem on his glove. So it must mean he didn't come in any royal attire. If no one else noticed the gloves on his hands aside from me, what must that mean? Did no one pay much attention because his attire in general at first glance was not attention-worthy?

Or...did he purposefully...allow only me to know that he's from royalty?

I shake my head. This is absurd. There's no way it can be something like that...yes...no way.

Why would he even do that? And how would he know in the first place that I was going to recognize his actual identity just from touching his glove right on the royal emblem? He did extend his hand to me, yet so - unless he's a master planner who planned it all the way out, that is. Only that reasoning stands, other than that, the whole scenario seems too far-fetched and will seem to anyone's eyes.

But one thing right now to be sure of is, if Father doesn't know that someone from the Imperial Family paid a visit to his daughter, such as me, then the intention behind the visit had not directly arrived from His or Her Highness. I don't stand in a significantly popular social status in high society other than my inherited nobility from Father as the duke for anyone to come over simply to befriend me without any previous notice, because that would barely benefit them. This only extends to another possibility, no, certainty, that the man had a bigger, darker motive to come to visit me.

"As you said, you never have to worry about that. I was about to say, Father," I say, "About my visit to the Willow Manor. I believe I should start arrangements for that since Brother will start his journey to the border this weekend."

It doesn't matter whether that man decides to visit me again. I should be out of his reach from this weekend onward. And if I'm never going to meet him again, there's not much of a reason to treat the last visit as a big deal and inform Father about it.

The spoons drop to an audible clank on the plates, more than one of them, the sound coming from more than one direction. Both Father and Isnian gasp at the same time from my front and left. It's way too dramatic.

"You care so less for your brother that all you are waiting for is your respite in the countryside, Ishelyn?" Isnian whimpers. I try so hard to stop my eyes from rolling.

"Is that going to stop you from going to your training, Brother? I know you will be here on your leave on the pretext of medical reasons right after one week of your training. I don't think I will have to wait too long to see you again." I scowl.

"You think I'll be that eager to meet you again? You dream too big, my little sister."

"I don't dream at all. I saw it in a vision." I stick out my tongue.

"Both of you, stop," Father says, but his tone doesn't seem too commanding or irritated to have us stopped, "Eat your food first. It's getting cold."

"Your Grace, there's a letter for you." Our butler, Bastian, greets in a low voice from the door. Father doesn't like interruptions during dinner time and everyone in the house knows it. Despite that, if Bastian decided to come over, the letter must be important.

"Okay," Father says.

I whisper to Isnian, "Where is the letter from?" Since he's sitting closer to Father, he should be able to see the stamp well.

"The seal is from the palace." He whispers back. I grow tensed.

"Is it something important, Father? May we be allowed to know of the content?" Isnian says.

"Hmm." Father sounds deep in his thoughts. It's when his forehead starts to collect the usual wrinkles already marked permanently on in their places.

"His Highness has invited for a dinner tomorrow at the palace along with Her Highness."

"That sounds great." Isnian says, "But why do you look pensive? Is there something else to it?" It's nothing unusual for the emperor to invite Father for dinner. After Isnian points out his current facial expression, I bring my ear closer.

"Ishelyn, you are also invited to the dinner. His Highness has specifically mentioned to bring you along with me."

"What?" I don't realize before I let my thought out loud, then quickly compose myself, "I mean, I'm delighted to receive the invitation. Does His Highness mention if there's any special reason behind this... sudden invitation?"

"There's nothing specifically mentioned. But HIs Highness mentions that he wants to introduce us to the Imperial members."

"If it's okay, can you read the letter out loud, Father?" I say impatiently.

"Okay, my dear." Father clears his throat and starts to read the letter. Truncating the silvery pleasantries and compliments, the main focus suggests that he wishes to strengthen the relationship between the two families and for that, he would like to introduce us to the significant members of the family so that we can get to know each other well.

Strengthen the relationship between the two families? Why would they need me to attend the dinner for that? In the ranks of values for the society, Isnian is certainly the one to have dinner with if it had to be between me and him. Why is he not invited to the dinner then, just me? And by Imperial members, does he subtly mean the man from yesterday?

I unconsciously jolt. Who is he and how important is he that His Highness himself wants to introduce him to us?

"Do you have any schedule tomorrow, Ishelyn?" Father asks. It's very unlikely I'd ever have any schedule during dinner time any day, also dinner with the emperor and empress is evidently of the highest priority even if I had any other plans onboard. I shake my head.

"Okay, then. We'll be at the palace tomorrow for dinner." Father nods at Bastian and dismisses him.

Let's see what the next night awaits for me. I wipe my mouth and excuse myself from the dinner table. I had lost my appetite a long time ago.

>>>

"Is the carriage ready?"

"Yes, Your Grace. This way."

I take Father's arm and walk towards the exit. The dress Mariqua chose for me today is an elegant silk one in blue. It's close to the opal color to match my eyes. The collar is high-necked to give a formal and respectful aura. She tied my hair up to a high chignon, leaving a few locks stranded beside my cheeks. It's quite irritating when the breeze bashes and gathers them on my face. She vehemently told me to not touch my face or anything with the gloves on. They are said to be made of the finest silk. Its delicate lining gives a luxurious touch and is decorated at the forearm with tiny crystals in a single row. I have to depend on others to make me look good and proper for the occasion. Even if I want to take the role for myself, I somehow imprinted the belief in others' minds that, to say it crudely, since I cannot see, I am unable to have a good fashion sense.

"After you, dear."

The carriage starts for the palace soon after. It shouldn't take too long before we are at the palace.

I become aware at the sound of the footsteps and become ready for the greetings. Following Father's subtle nudge, I join him and bow my head.

"Greetings to the brightest sun and the goddess of the empire."

"It's so great to see you at an informal meeting like this, Duke Sylvanus. I realized all we always talk about at our meetings are work and the empire," the emperor's hearty laugh follows, "You may raise your head."

We are seated at the dining table. There are two dining rooms at the main palace for visitors. Usually, the royal dining room is where the invited individuals are seated to share dinner with the emperor. Even before I lost my eyesight, I was well aware of and fascinated by how huge and grand the royal dining table and the decorations are. The other one is where close associates and acquaintances sit for a more intimate dinner with the emperor or empress, on occasions, both of them. When I was younger, the dinners I shared along with the rest of my family were in the royal dining room. I lightly touch the table and try to make my guess. Of course, there shouldn't be much guessing required on general occasions. But something feels off today. However, I don't want to be seen asking Father about this.

"My Queen has paid special attention to today's menu. I hope the food is enjoyable to you." Emperor says.

"Ishelyn seems to have grown really well and matured with time," Empress says fondly, her voice warm, "Do you still not like fish?"

If I say I don't, it'll mean I'm still a child who still sulks about eating this food and not that food. I smile, "I do eat them now," Lie, "I'm really grateful Your Highness still remembers my food preferences from before."

"You really are not a child anymore." She says lightly. If there's fish on the menu, I will have to subtly avoid piercing my forks on them.

The servants start to arrive with the dishes and place them on the table. In the meanwhile, I've confirmed one thing. The emperor and empress's voices are far too close than they should be if we've been sitting at the royal dining table, which means, that's not where we are right now.

Before I can continue to wonder what might be the reason behind having us attend at the second dining room, a voice travels in from the far entrance.

"It seems that I have arrived too late. Please excuse my behavior. May I be allowed in, Your Highness?"

I don't get surprised. My assumptions were so far, correct.

I stop the prideful knowing smirk growing on my lips, subconsciously nodding my head to myself. If I could, I would say it out loud -

Rivenfel, I was waiting for you.