Naroaika

Chapter 12

It had been three days since Al had left to Azalea. I couldn’t help but worry about him. ‘He still didn’t write to me.’ I thought.

“Lady Jerinah, is everything all right?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

Juliette came home sometime back and I spaced out while she was talking.

“You don’t seem well. Do you feel sick?” she asked.

“No, no, I’m fine. I’m sorry for spacing out like that.”

“Is it because of Lord Al’s assignment to the outskirts of Azalea?” she asked. “Are you worried?”

She got it correct. I nodded as a reply. She tried to comfort me and said that even if Al's skill in swordsmanship was at a very high level even at a younger age and that even the greatest generals highly respected him, not only because he was the son of the Duke.

‘The Al of this world was quite a feat.’ I thought.

“Lord Al and Lady Jerinah are unexpectedly quite close, aren’t you? I mean you met each other for the first time on my birthday but then at one point, you seemed to have gotten close. Also, there was that time in your garden party too.” She said. “I may be wrong but are you guys having a secret affair?”

“What? No!” I cried out. “There’s nothing going on between us, absolutely nothing! We just had the same interests and stuffs.”

“Ok, ok. Calm down Lady Jerinah.” She said as she held my hand.

I let out a sigh. I didn’t expect Juliette to ask that question. But it is true that anyone would suspect something since we got real close just after the party at the palace.

“So how are you and Lord Keilan doing, any progress?” I changed the topic from me to her.

She started twiddling with her fingers and said that she told her parents about them.

“You told the King and the Queen?!” I was surprised. I never thought she’d tell them this early.

“Y-yes. At first, they were both reluctant about it, but mother said that if I felt that it was right, she would support me with everything she could. The problem is with father. He said that Lord Keilan was old enough to be my uncle and that he did not allow it, though mother said he wasn’t being serious about what he said.” Juliette looked at me teary eyed. “Lady Jerinah, what should I do?”

‘Ah, the problem with dads, I remembered the similar situation I was in just days back. But the King also was kind of rude on saying that Mr. Keilan was that old. He’s just 28!

I shifted my place and sat next to Juliette and held her hand. I still didn’t feel so comfortable giving relationship advices, especially when Mr. Keilan was included but there was nothing I could do apart from supporting them.

“I’m sure the Queen is right about the King. Dads can be a big problem when it comes to their only daughter, they can be quite protective. And I’m sure the King only wanted the best for you, so don’t worry all right?”

“Lady Jerinah!” She put her arms around me into an embrace.

She settled down after a few minutes and suggested that I should visit the royal palace. I wasn’t sure if my parents would allow me but I accepted her invitation. With high hopes that I’d visit her soon, Juliette left the Celeste Mansion.

I went to mother’s office and found her working with some paper work. I asked if I could go to the royal palace as Juliette had invited me. To my surprise, she agreed and that she had some papers to be sent to the palace the next day. She suggested that I take them as I pay my visit.