Diana Of Alcotta (Yrsoreth Chronicles 1)

5 ♔ Night of Unexpected

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She was in turmoil. With the appearance and disappearance of the maid, she asked Xander for a moment to compose herself. He guided her back to the seat and placed the engagement ring on her finger. It was a dull silver with a round cut ruby. For the noble's standard, it was a nasty piece that even commoners can afford. But Diana had no doubts. The silver represented his status, and the ruby was the same color as his eyes.

In silence, Xander tucked her hair behind her ear and exposed her off-shoulder gown. "Perfect," he said and with a cunning smile. "He'll be glad."

With Scarlett's mystery forcefully pushed off in her head, Diana shifted her attention to the man in front of him, and the ring that felt heavy in her hand. "Let's go."

Guests, mostly the crown prince's faction, scrutinized her and found no mistakes, but their well-hidden smirks slipped from time to time, as she descended the stairs. Women whispered 'Who?' same with men and concluded that she must be one of the backwater nobles that was even too poor to attend the ball seasons, and have a social debut.

Although it was true, Diana avoided the capital for four years to even beg her stepbrother Michael, not to have a social debut and save money. He agreed, and thus catapulted his subtle and indecent advances that she fenced off.

Diana promised herself she would never step in the capital again and forget everything. That was until she had Aleck. And now, like her visions, she must make the boy's father a king to save his son's future. After all, with the current rule, Gran Dacchia will fall into ruin.

Stand tall, she told herself. She must not embarrass the man linked to her arms. She curtsied by the throne, the lowest she has ever done, and her heart pounded against her chest. "Greetings to the great ruler of Gran Dacchia."

"Raise your head," King Augustus commanded.

Diana obeyed. When she met the king's eyes, her grip on her dress tightened. Aside from the blond hair that was the trademark of royalty, now half gray, he did not resemble Xander.

The king and his smiles with eyes that seemed to search all over her, made Diana's skin crawl. "Beautiful. My queen has chosen well."

The queen, on the king's left, lost the amicable impression as she observed Diana's attire.

She was very familiar with that smile. It was identical to her dead stepbrother Michael. Almost everyone in the room knew it too.

"Indeed," Xander agreed beside her. Diana clamped her mouth when she finally understood his intentions of luring the king. "Queen Mother has chosen well."

The discomfort with their statement was just a tiny fraction. The smirking crown prince on the king's left inherited his brown eyes, but he resembled the queen more. Yet, Diana did not dare to look at him. In fact, she never wanted to meet Niccolus.

The man must not recognize the prostitute he hired to ruin Xander's reputation. Four years is a long time, but the fear consumed her.

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The king had an appetite for women. The nobles who wish to earn his favor, offer their daughters, wives, and even concubines that the king took fancy. Yet, despite it all, there were times that he was not absolute. Lady Therese Hearth was the most beautiful woman among the nobles, comparable to Princess Kirien. As a duke's daughter and the queen's favorite, these protected her from being dragged to the Ruby Palace.

However, Diana Alcotta was a baroness in title. She had no power and is a fiance to a prince outcasted in the royal court. For king Augustus, she would be an easy victim. And for Xander, she is the perfect bait.