The Imperial Prince's Surrogate Wife

Chapter 6: The Dinner Banquet

After leaving Czarina with the Knight-Commander, Prince Grey hustled up to see his wife in the infirmary. Two guards watched over the door, and when she arrived, both of them kneeled. They were all wearing the metal-plate armor and mail in the arms. When Prince Grey entered the infirmary, her wife, Princess Arabella, was taking her medication.

"Your Highness," the Physician greeted the Prince, kneeling while carrying a syringe in his hands.

The Grand Prince went over to his wife, who is currently unconscious for the moment. Princess Arabella was lying on the soft white mattress, supported by the two sitters beside her, checking up on her while clutching the paperboard on their arms. She has been like this for over two months now, after feeling the symptoms of pneumatic illness.

Prince Grey sat beside her wife. "How is she?"

The Physician faintly frowned. "Her lungs are getting awful. The inflammation of the airspaces is getting worse, Your Highness. Sad to say that even though we did our best, Princess Arabella couldn't..."

The Physician's words were cut when the Grand Prince suddenly bolted out and made a fuss inside the infirmary. The two nurses who were checking up on the Princess instantly stood up and fled on their spots and went behind the Physician. The guards who were on duty rushed to stop the Grand Prince, who is currently sulking into his wife's bed, sobbing, holding her wife's hand gently.

"We are doing our best, Your Highness. Don't worry; we will do anything to make Princess Arabella's condition better," the Physician mumbled, trying to calm himself as soon as possible.

They knew what the Grand Prince could do if they can't save his wife. The Prince has never been happy before she married Princess Arabella, and if something terrible happens, the Princess, the third in the second to the throne, might also fall. That would make the throne pass into the second son of King Philip II, Duke Nickreon of Oleas.

Felice, who went to the Princess's room to get some clean clothes, was surprised to see the infirmary in an uproar. The chairs were tremendously scattering on the floors where the nurses were shivering in fear. The guards who were on task had no power to stop the Grand Prince from being furious.

Princess Arabella gained consciousness when she heard some commotion around the room. She blinked her eyes, and the first thing she saw was her husband leaning towards her, sobbing. She knows that even when her husband doesn't say a word about her sickness, she knows he's been suffering because of her. Princess Arabella also knew that she wouldn't stay any longer.

"My love..." she muttered, caressing Prince Grey's hair; her voice is still cracky.

The Grand Prince abruptly looked up and wiped his tears. Her wife must not see his side being vulnerable and weak. He immediately stood up and tried his best to smile. Prince Grey is known as cold and arrogant towards the palace and the whole Kingdom. You'll seldom see him smile around the court, maybe, because Princess Arabella and the fact that he loves her so much made him soft and sweet.

"Don't say a word, my love. It would be best if you rested until you recover," he uttered, held his wife's hands, and kissed it.

The Princess smiled. "I'll be fine. What about your tour with Czarina? How did it go?" she asked?

"Commander Edward took care of her, so there is nothing to worry about, my love. If there is someone I am taking care of now, it is you," the Prince mumbled.

The infirmary went back into normal after the servants came to launder the whole room. The Physician, together with the nurses, proceeded the medication of the Princess.

On the other hand, Czarina, who just finished eating her lunch, bent to see how Felice's doing. She has been reading some sort of book since Czarina came into her room. Adjacent to her is the servants who are currently preparing her dress for the royal gathering this evening. There will be a full moon tonight, and Czarina is excited to see her friend, Titania, who was recently purchased by the house of Oleas.

Czarina stood up and went near Felice. "What are you reading?" she interrogated, leaning towards the book Felice is reading.

Felice immediately stood up and closed the book. "I'm sorry, Lady Czarina. I shouldn't be doing that in times of my work. One of the kitchen dames lent me this fantasy book, and I love it. It won't happen again, Lady Czarina," she clarified nervously.

Czarina giggled and shook her head. "It's okay, Felice, go ahead. The dinner gathering is set in the evening, so we got some time to rest."

Czarina went over into his enormous bed and sulked in the soft mattress made of silk and cotton. She recalled everything when she was still in the holding facility. After lunch, she and Titania would usually spend their time with the girls younger than them and teach them how to act graceful and elegant. Then after that, they would help the head matron bake some bread for them and pair it with a juice.

Felice scoffed at Czarina's bed. "I don't know if it's okay to say this but, whatever. Prince Grey had gone wild when the Physician told him that Princess Arabella wouldn't be able to overcome her illness," she uttered.

Czarina, to her surprise, raised her brows. "The Prince did that? Oh well, who wouldn't do it if your loved one has no chance of surviving? I actually feel sorry for the Princess since she can't bear her child, and now she's been fighting for her life," she mumbled sadly.

Felice heavily sighed. "I could actually feel Prince Grey's sadness about it earlier. The chairs scattered around the floors and the nurses were horrified, and the Physician was shivering."

"That's really bad. I hope they could find a cure for the Princess's condition."

Czarina consumed her entire day by reading and chatting with Felice. She wants to visit the Princess, but she couldn't since Princess Arabella's situation is complicated. She hasn't seen the royal library yet since it's far from her room; however, the servants brought her several books to her liking.

"What time is it?" Czarina hurriedly hurled up and went out of her bed.

Felice, who is currently stretching her arms out of lethargy, squinted her eyes into Czarina. "It's seven in the evening, Lady Czarina," she retorted.

Czarina went into the patterned stained window glass of her side and watched the full moon. The spring season is about to end, and summer is approaching. The rise of temperature would make the royalties make the most out of their time outside the palace. Czarina's favorite is winter. The winter solstice. The cold season is the period where she and Titania, together with Lilac and other surrogates, make some hot chocolate and drink it. The matrons anyhow advise them not to drink a lot of chocolate except if they have an illness. Chocolates were actually used as medicine and also consumed during rituals, but the surrogates loved making it as a usual drink.

After a few minutes, Felice gathered the other servants to dress Czarina up. The dinner in the palace is a sacred and formal gathering, so they must wear modest and proper dress. Czarina took a shower and wore the full-length velvet cream embroidered dress with garments and pearls around every corner. Gold pieces of jewelry paired with the gown and wedge sandals.

"You never fail to amaze me, Lady Czarina." Felice flattered her, astonished by her physique all over again.

Czarina smiled and went to see her reflection in the mirror. "I can now consistently see my reflection, and it's creeping me out," she giggled.

Having to see her own reflection for barely how many years looked like seeing an unfamiliar person in front of the vanity mirror. Her features are developed, and her physique became five times promising than the last time she saw it.

"Shall we go, Lady Czarina?" Felice asked her.

The dinner gathering will begin at 8:30 in the evening, and it's already 8:05, so she should be in the dining hall now. Czarina was highly excited to see her friend after how many days of not being together. She's been wondering how Titania looks got better for being taken care of by the Viscount and Viscountess of Oleas.

Czarina and Felice, together with the other regimentals, headed into the dining hall. She is nervous and also excited about the dinner gathering. All of the royalties around the Kingdom of Emerald will be present concurrently, with the two founding houses. When they arrived at the entrance, Czarina looked back.

"There is where you'll leave me again. I got it, Felice. Don't wait here for almost an hour and stroll around the palace, whatever you want. I'll be fine, don't worry," she insisted, smiling at her lady-in-waiting.

"But..."

"No buts, I insist," Czarina demanded.

Felice smiled and her. "Thank you, Lady Czarina."

The smile on Felice's face made Czarina giggle. She thinks that even though Felice is a lady-in-waiting, she also deserves to unwind. As Czarina nervously walked to enter the dining hall, rushlights began to gleam around the room. When she was finally inside, she instantly saw her friend Titania, who was sitting alongside the Viscount and Viscountess of Oleas.

Czarina was about to shriek and hug Titania, but she thought back to the situation. She must refrain from doing non-formal acts in front of the royalties. One of the kitchen dames accompanied her until she got into Prince Grey's side and sat down. They waited for a few minutes until the arrival of the King and Queen.

"Presenting Your Majesty, King Phillip the II, and his Queen Consort Zephyrin," the old man announces.

Everyone in the room stood up and bowed down. Czarina took a glimpse at Titania, who is also staring at her. After the King and Queen settled down, they came next. Czarina and Titania were surprised when the kitchen dames started to unfold the chiffon curtains, and the bright moon gleamed towards the whole dining room.

The royal chefs began to distribute various foods around the royal table. Salmons, venison, pheasant, and gaelic steak with mushroom, cream, and whiskey sauce are served. Glass of peach liquor, pomegranate, and mulberry juice were also on the table. And finally, for the dessert: pudding, tarts, custards, and marzipan cakes finished the royal banquet.

"You are getting slender Mawde, how's your task?" the King asked Viscount Mawde.

The Viscount swallowed his food. "The production of copper and tin has been steady for the whole spring season, Your Majesty. We are presently crafting various wares made of copper to increase the range and demands of our products."

King Phillip chuckled. "That's good," he responded, diverting his gaze into the rest of the people inside the room. "Where is the Duke of Oleas?" he asked, referring to his youngest son, Duke Nickreon of Oleas.

Viscountess Victoria halted and looked at the King. "He has been experiencing some illness at this moment, Your Majesty."

Czarina, who is silently eating, is always taking a glance at Titania every second. They were trained how to eat like a noble—holding the knife in their right hand and the fork on their left with the tines facing down. Instead of stabbing the food, they balance it on the back of their forks, then bring it to their mouth.

The Queen Consort smiled. "We all have our surrogates this evening which made the banquet extraordinary," she mumbled.

Czarina, who is preoccupied observing the Grand Prince, didn't hear what the Queen Consort has said. The Prince is silent and steady, eating his food. The Princess wasn't able to attend the royal banquet since she is in a terrible condition. The house of Croshine, which is Princess Arabella's family, was also absent due to the alliance with the other kingdoms around the whole empire.