Vivid | Lee Minho

•Scene 5•

The Banquet of Valor was an annual event hosted by the Count and Countess of Valorieve and attended by many of the kingdom's nobility. It was a day-long affair that started in the afternoon with an elaborate tea party and ended late in the evening with a grand feast. It preceded the Festival of Valor, which was celebrated all throughout Valorieve.

Historically, the first banquet was held to commemorate Valorieve's victory in the Northern States War—a conflict that occurred between it, Rowonne, and the nation bordering them both. It was this war, nearly half a millennium ago, that spurred the formation of the kingdom.

Valorieve was expected to rule, for they had the support of the majority. Yet, by some mysterious turn of events, it was Rowonne that ended up on the throne. The nation that lost the war.

You had seen the kingdom in its infant years, and you knew the reason behind Valorieve's shocking loss of the throne very well. It was an integral part of your own history, after all.

Sycross' voice followed a knock on your door. "My lady, are you prepared to leave for the banquet?"

Your handmaiden tugged at your dress one last time, making sure that the blue silk draped perfectly before stepping away. You thanked her for her lovely work and turned toward the door, finding your butler and your knight waiting for you when you opened it.

"I'm ready," you told them, and the three of you began moving toward the garden for the first part of the event.

Two separate tea parties were being held. One hosted by the Count for his fellow noblemen and the other hosted by the Countess for the noblewomen. As such, Minho could not escort you, and you guessed that he was already in the garden, greeting guests with his father.

Ever since his return from that month-long journey, he had become more attentive to you. It was as if something changed in him yet again. His conversations with you lasted a little longer, and he developed a new habit of bringing you small delicacies whenever he had the time.

Concerned, you tried to limit your interactions with him, but Minho seemed impervious to your stiff responses and aloof tactics. Even Felix, who you thought had a particular distaste for you, had started to behave more amicably around you.

The two of them were starting to become serious threats to your hopes of resuming a solitary lifestyle.

"My lady," Sycross spoke up suddenly as you began to near the entrance to the palace gardens. He sounded rather disconcerted, "You must be cautious during the tea party."

Your brows creased in confusion as your pace slowed down. "Is something the matter?"

He was quiet for a beat, gaze sweeping across your surroundings before he determined it was safe enough to speak. Icy eyes downcast, he let out a dignified sigh. "As truly as it dismays me to say, there are some who disapprove of your marriage and will surely use this opportunity to express their unpleasant sentiments."

You hummed in understanding, remembering the shock and disgust of the guests at the Prince's fateful banquet many months ago.

"There is one in particular," Sycross added, low enough so that only you heard him, "Lady Hitalon. It is well known that she has been besotted with His Lordship ever since she made her debut into elite society four years ago."

It did not come as a surprise to you that a man like Minho had admirers, let alone ones who had been staunchly obsessing over him for years. You glanced at your left hand, and your wedding ring winked back at you. Those ladies would be pesky at most, nothing that you could not handle.

Besides, what did you care if they had opinions to voice? The two of you were sworn to one another, the nature of the deal between you not something an outsider could simply meddle in.