Noble Hearts

02

02

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    Nearly three months had passed since the birthday banquet of His Imperial Highness. The incident between him and I had faded into obscurity as my attention was consumed by the estate's affairs. I scarcely found a moment to peruse the missives sent from the Imperial Palace.

    “My lady, this is the fifth letter from the Imperial Palace,” Lady Ella remarked, arranging my letters atop the marble holder.

    “Simply add it to the pile. I shall peruse it at my leisure,” I replied, engrossed in reviewing the estate's financial records.

    “But my lady, you have uttered that same refrain for the past fortnight,” she voiced her concern. “Forgive my intrusion, but neglecting missives from the palace is imprudent.”

    “I am not disregarding them, Lady Ella. Time is a luxury I lack presently. And this is not the first instance such has occurred.”

    “But my lady, you read Lady Islette’s letter with alacrity mere days ago. How can you find time for a child's correspondence but not that of the Crown Prince?” Her confusion was palpable.

    I leveled a stern gaze at her. “I thought you wished to refrain from prying? What is this sudden shift?”

    “Forgive my impertinence, my lady,” she lowered her head. “I am merely concerned. The contents may be urgent.”

    “Very well, if your curiosity compels you, you may peruse the Crown Prince’s missive and relay its contents to me,” I replied, irritation creeping into my tone. “You are dismissed.”

    “My lady, I—”

    “Enough,” I cut her off, signaling the end of the conversation.

    “Apologies, my lady. I shall resign to my other affairs,” she lowered her head once more.

   As the door to my office closed behind Lady Ella, I finally found a moment of respite amidst the sea of neglected correspondence from the Imperial Palace. With a sigh, I leaned back in my chair, contemplating whether to address the missives now or defer them once more.

    Glancing at the letters arranged before me, I made the decision to tackle them head-on. Setting aside the financial records, I reached for the letters bearing the Imperial Seal, arranging them chronologically by their arrival dates.

    Breaking the seal of the first letter, sent a day after the banquet, I unfolded the parchment and began to read:

    “To Marchioness Atasha Crestwood,

    I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to request an audience with you following the events of the banquet. I offer my sincere apologies for any offense caused by my jesting. It was not my intention to discomfort you. Please grant me the opportunity to apologize in person. I await your response.

    With regards,
    Alexander Aurelio”

    Closing the letter with a sigh, I moved on to the next one:

    “To Marchioness Atasha Crestwood,

    My lady, I hope this letter finds you in good health. It has been a week since my initial correspondence, and I have yet to receive a reply. I understand if you are still upset with me, but I remain eager to extend my apologies for any insensitivity on my part. Please consider granting me an audience.