After the Ember Festival, the Twelve are yet to plunge into another Valemnian celebration: The Autumn Ball.
With no idea what the upcoming event is all about, Valeriana Kerrigan finds herself caught in between preparations for the Ball, and matters...
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Valeriana sighed as she stared down at her gloved hands. The Wylden Cosmos that was wrapped around her ring finger felt peculiarly heavy.
She knew she had to return it, soon. With all the talk going round the Academy about their apparent engagement, it made her quite uneasy.
"That idiot devil didn't even propose," she huffed, as she stomped her way towards Corvan's floor. "He just dragged me into his mess."
Taking huge steps, she walked towards where his room was located, already decided that she should give it back since the "problem" back in Arlandia was already over and done with. Corvan's parents may have been fooled, if only for a short while. As for his grandmother, the thought of her scrutiny made Valeriana uneasy. And when it was revealed that the Wylden Cosmos she had on her finger was fake, to say she was shocked would be an absolute understatement. Even so, it felt so so wrong wearing the ring. Fake or not, it didn't feel quite right with her to be the bearer of the Wylden Cosmos.
She stood in front of his room's door and inhaled deeply before knocking.
No answer.
Valeriana suddenly felt nervous, and she couldn't even begin to explain why. She put her ear against the door; there was no noise. It was completely silent.
Perhaps Corvan wasn't in the room?
She knocked again.
Still no answer.
Frowning, the girl fisted her hands and decided to pound on the door, only for it to creak open after the push exerted by her hand.
It was unlocked.
Hesitantly, Val stepped inside and was greeted by Corvan's familiar scent all over the room.
"Uhm . . . helloooo?" she scanned the room with her eyes, and didn't find the Arlandian prince. The fireplace was crackling and the room was as neat as ever; everything arranged immaculately.
Valeriana scanned her surroundings. She'd only been here once. The green, red and gold hues of the items in Corvan's room gave off regal vibes. Val's eyes then landed on the corridor that led to his private library.
Val didn't want to assume that Corvan was gone as his room was large; he could be anywhere in here.
Though her stealth moves weren't on point, she managed to discreetly tiptoe towards the desk that sat in the middle of the room while slowly removing the ring from her finger.
Valeriana figured it would be easier to drop off the ring so that he could find it later. There was no need to prove further that she wasn't worthy of being a queen when she faced him and awkwardly returned the ring.
