The Imperial Prince's Surrogate Wife

Chapter 3: The Duchess of Emerald

"She's waking up! Fetch Your Royal Highness Arabella!"

The door creaked open, and Czarina gained consciousness. She heard multiple footsteps and noisy voices around the room. She opened her eyes deliberately and scanned the whole room and squinted her eyes into the big bed where she lays down.

"Lady Czarina, you're awake," Felice grabbed her hand and gently rubbed it. "How are you feeling right now?"

Czarina blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Where am I, Felice?" She asked, sitting up; her voice is still cracky.

"In your new room, Lady Czarina. The Princess has chosen the best guest room for you, which is just parallel to their room," Felice mumbled, literally referring to the Grand Prince and Princess Arabella's room.

Czarina thinks Felice was joking around. The room is gigantic. The chandeliers emit a cozy sparkle on the walls, papered in light orange, and the furniture dispersed about the room us upholstered in shades of orange and silver. There are wardrobes, a vanity, plush armchairs with footstools, a sofa, a tiny breakfast table, and a grand fireplace. White curtains cover the windows, gold tasseled strands hanging at their sides--- they block out the light entirely, so no one can tell if it's day or night outside.

Her lady-in-waiting curled her lips, and her eyes puckered at the corners. "Welcome to the royal palace, Lady Czarina."

Czarina slowly got out of her bed and examined the whole room. It is a lot better than any room she could ever imagine. Czarina can't help the chuckle that eludes her lips.

"This is all for me?" The excitement in Czarina's eyes couldn't wear off.

Ever since Czarina was a child, she dreamed of becoming a princess with a tiara, and she thinks she's getting it now.

"Not just this, Lady Czarina. Your private compartments include a powder area, tea parlor, drawing room, and a dressing room," Felice added.

"You mean there's more?"

Felice gave Czarina a compacting look. "Lady, you were brought by the King of Emerald Palace, not just a merchant family."

There is a bug vanity at the side of Czarina's room. Ever since she saw the mirror, she's been captivated to look at her reflection. She hasn't seen her face for the past eight years. The thing that she should tell is from what Titania and Lilac told her about her appearance.

When Czarina was occupied evaluating the whole room, they heard the clattering sound of heels on a classical marble floor that made her breath catch in her throat. Felice hurriedly stood up and stood behind Czarina.

The clattering stopped. One of the doors on their front opened. "Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Croshine," a man announces.

Flanked by four regimentals, the Princess of the Croshine elegantly entered the room. Czarina gazed at her dress, ruffles of silver and jewels, and her sophisticated physique, but Czarina wondered why the Princess's skin is pale and dull.

They all bowed down to the Princess. The Princess moved closer to Czarina. She can see the embroidered hem of her dress come into view. Though Czarina is still tensed about meeting the Princess, she thinks that she is in good hands.

"You look just fantastic, Czarina. After King Phillip told us about you, I can't help but think I really should meet you sooner." The Princess held Czarina's hand gently.

Czarina smiled at her. "I am delighted to meet you, Your highness," she uttered.

Czarina can't believe that the Royal Princess is touching her hand. A commoner like her who came from the Soulhearth is such an excellent opportunity to live in the Palace. The first thing she noticed about the Princess is her almond-shaped eyes. Her skin is pale and white, but Czarina just thinks it's normal for a Royal Princess like her to have that skin tone since they seldom to go outside the Palace.

Princess Arabella diverted her gaze into her lady-in-waiting and smiled. "You are indeed taking good care of Czarina, Felice."

"Thank you, Your highness," Felice replied happily.

Felice couldn't be happier after being praised by the Royal Princess herself.

Princess Arabella and Czarina sat on the Victorian chair parallel to each other. The Dame served some green grapes and several pieces of bread, and soft cheese with a crystal glass of water. Princess Arabella started shoving the grapes into her mouth, smearing the bread with liberal amounts of cheese.

"How are you feeling right now, Czarina?" The Princess asked. "Felice told me that you were dozing off yesterday after going to the final test," she added.

A thrill runs up Czarina's crest. She recalled how terrified she was yesterday when the woman pierced the big syringe on her elbow. She hopes she could never encounter things like that in the future.

Czarina smiled at the Princess. "It could have maybe the side effects of the medication, Your highness."

They continued chatting until the door of Czarina's room creaked open again. Czarina halted and gazed at the door. A good-looking man entered wearing dark trousers and a gold tunic embroidery of gold lacing.

"His Royal Highness, Grand Prince Grey Lincoln!" the man announced.

Everyone in the room aside from Princess Arabella bowed down to the Grand Prince. He is second in line to the throne, and Czarina's child to be carrying is the third in line to the throne. Opposite from Princess Arabella, Prince Grey Lincoln doesn't have any regimentals with him. He moved toward Princess Arabella and kissed her on the forehead without even gawking at the other people inside the room.

"The surrogate has arrived," Princess Arabella spoked, standing up; her voice is as gentle as a warm breeze.

Prince Grey diverted his cold gaze onto Czarina, who is currently rooted on her spot. She moved slowly and tried to keep her face relaxed. The Grand Prince is indeed intimidating. He should be.

The Grand Prince caressed his wife's back. "I heard it from Dad last night. It would be best if you weren't here. You still need to rest well, my love."

For a moment, Czarina thinks that the Grand Prince has a soft heart only for the Princess, his wife. She assumed that the Grand Prince has a dull and nasty attitude except for Princess Arabella that also made sense.

"I should check if our surrogate is given excellent accommodation and being taken care of," she uttered, looking into Czarina.

Prince Grey sighed. "I don't think Felice should be the one taking care of that girl. She must be on your side, my love."

Czarina is hiding her smile because of the treatment of the Grand Prince to his wife. She immediately withdrew it since thinking about him makes her quiver. Czarina believes that if they could hear what she has in mind, she could be in jail in no time.

"I am doing fine, my love. I have been delighted to meet Czarina since yesterday. Let me just spend a day with her," Princess Arabella chuckled, gazing at Czarina cheerfully.

The Prince had no choice but to urge her out. He can't forfeit this mere arrival of the surrogate for her wife. Princess Arabella is everything to the Grand Prince.

"Felice, fetch Your Royal Highness into her room and call the medical practitioners this instant to check up on her," Prince Grey said in authority, giving his deep voice emphasized.

Princess Arabella smiled in dismay but didn't bother protesting. "It's nice to meet you again, Czarina. I'll send Felice later after she's done taking care of me, okay?"

Czarina smiled. "It's okay, Your Highness. I am fine being alone."

The lady-in-waiting hastily went in front of the Princess and assisted her out of the room. The other four regimentals followed her, and only Czarina and the Grand Prince were left inside the room. The Grand Prince walked towards Czarina's front. She can eventually smell the scent of the Prince like warm vanilla in spring. Czarina squinted her eyes a bit to avoid the awkwardness between them.

Prince Grey heavily sighed. "It's your first day in the Palace, and I don't want you near Arabella again. Are we clear? Don't make friends with her even if she insists. Know your place, Czarina."

Czarina was left dumbfounded when Prince Grey departed the room. She clung in her lacy dress and plucked herself on the soft fabrics along her bed. She remembered that she is the Palace's property now, and they can do what they want to her. After crying silently, she stood up and peeked at the vanity mirror beside her.

Slowly, she walked towards it, little by little, closing her eyes to avoid sneaking. When she got in front of the mirror, she stopped. Taking a deep breath and deliberately opens her eyes. The first thing she has seen was her black hair waving on her shoulders. She can't help smiling after seeing her reflection for the first time in eight years.

"Am I that girl in the mirror?" she mumbled to herself, still picturing herself up.

Czarina came back to her grasp when she gave attention to the three faint knocks at her door. She rushed to open the door and was surprised when she saw a short, dark girl in front of her.

"The Duchess wants to see you this instant, Lady Czarina," she uttered in a frigid manner.

The girl is observing Czarina's look. Her eyes are nothing like a hopeless start. There is no warmth, no laughter in her. They are complex and cold. The reminder of the people in Soulhearth fades in the face of this unfamiliar woman in front of Czarina. She is shorter than Czarina by a few inches, and her light brown hair is swept up and studded with opals.

Czarina smiled at the girl distinctly. "Am I supposed to follow you?" she asked sincerely, giving the girl a warm gaze.

The short girl nodded at her.

Czarina went to follow her into the hallways of the palace. When she looked up to the open curtains, the moon was still shining. She was surprised when she got to know it's already nighttime. They enacted into several doors and stairways, but what captured her attention was the open double door along the corridor. She stopped for a while and witnessed a little girl being s*****d by a dame. She was about to utter a word; nevertheless, she should not.

"This way, Lady Czarina," the girl mumbled and lent a way into the big wooden door in front of her.

Czarina went through the door and wondered why the short girl locked the door hastily. A middle-aged woman appeared in front of Czarina together with several patrons in her back. The Duchess is wearing a dazzling dress heightened with pearls and sapphires. She must be the Duchess who wants to see her.

Czarina directly bowed down to respect the Duchess's arrival. "Your Grace," she said deliberately.

The Duchess walked in front of her, holding her gaze at Czarina for a moment.

And then she slapped Czarina hard across her face with the back of her hand. Pain sprouted through her cheekbones as forces rumbled in front of her eyes. Czarina sobbed and shoved her hand against her face. Tears dimmed her eyesight.

For a moment, she imagined hitting the Duchess back. Her hand tightened into a fist. However, the matrons loomed behind her that made Czarina frown, grasping her teeth badly that made her jaw hurt.

The Duchess smiled, a bizarrely odd smile, given that she just slapped Czarina. "I don't want to slap you again, so I hope you'll remember how it feels before doing anything horrible inside the Palace."

Czarina was still entrenched in her position. She couldn't say any word, only clenching her fist, ready to slap the Duchess back. They were trained to be patient enough whenever a royal family condoned them as a living person in Emerald City. She restrained a lot and still gave the Duchess her sweetest smile.

The Duchess crumples herself delicately into one of the gothic art chairs. Her body is agile and poised. Czarina has never seen anyone move with such compassion. The matrons tailored themselves around her.

Czarina started striding her feet around the corner. "Your Grace, is there something you want from me?" Czarina mumbled in her slightest gentle voice.

The Duchess glared at her. "Stay away from my sight, Dearie."