Duke Felix's face stiffened.
"Are you complaining?" His face was full of pain and disappointment. He looked at Princess Eleanor as if complaining at the lack of trust she had in him.
"No." Princess Eleanor shook her head as teasing laughter left her lips, "I am just reminding you, Felix."
They both were looking at each other. Both had different emotions embedded in their gaze.
"That …" Soon their talk was disturbed by soft knocking on the door.
Princess Eleanor took a few steps back as she looked at the door. It was a signal from Nia that they had agreed upon earlier.
Duke Felix was confused, but Eleanor's face was stiff. She readjusted herself and turned around as if she was ready to leave the room.
"Where are you…" Before Duke Felix's could complete his sentence, the door was pushed opened forcefully.
"Sister." Princess Macy stood at the door. She was looking at the two of them in confusion and innocence, "What are you doing here together?"
"Nothing." Princess Eleanor smiled as she looked back at her friend. "Duke Felix just came here to meet his childhood friend, nothing more."
"Oh…" Princess Macy said softly, but her eyes were glued to the Duke, as if blaming him for something he had done wrong.
"Anyway… before I forget, I would like to congratulate you on your engagement." Princess Eleanor looked meaningfully at Duke Felix and flashed Princess Macy a polite smile.
When Princess Eleanor looked at them both, their reactions were different. Princess Macy's face was filled with joy and happiness with a hint of provocation, but Duke Felix's face had turned pale.
"We are not engaged yet. It is still in talk," Princess Macy replied shyly. She moved a little closer towards Duke Felix as she blinked coquettishly in innocence.
"It doesn't feel like that though." Princess Eleanor's eyes glittered as if she was portraying how happy she was, "The engagement is as good as fixed."
Princess Eleanor saw Princess Macy clinging onto Duke Felix's arm as though she already belonged there. Princess Eleanor's eyes sharpened as she saw Duke Felix not reacting to that action.
'He did not remove Macy's hand from his arm.'
'Neither did he deny his engagement.'
'And he claims he will not marry her. He is playing with Nia's heart.'
Princess Eleanor smiled a little stiffly as she moved her gaze away from their interlocked arms, not wanting to see things that hurt her eyes. "I will leave you two together to talk in private."
Princess Macy smiled as she looked at Princess Eleanor with a provocative gaze. Her body shifted towards the Duke Felix as if silently telling her, 'I got the man you desired.'
A tinkling laugh left Princess Eleanor's lips as she moved her gaze one last time towards her friend before she gracefully left the room.
Princess Macy looked at Princess Eleanor's back and she smiled, a little stilted. "What were you talking about?" Her voice was soft but her tone was dripping with jealousy.
"Nothing, she will be leaving soon. So I just wanted to meet my friend one last time." Duke Felix said in a dull tone without any emotions. And that made Princess Macy very happy.
"Even if that was the case, you should not have met her in a private room alone." Princess Macy looked at the duke insistently as she reminded him on this matter. "You are to be my future husband soon."
Duke Felix nodded dispassionately as he continued looking at the closed door.
—------
Princess Eleanor walked into her room, followed by her lady-in-waiting, Nia. She stopped at the door as she saw there was a soldier standing guard there.
"I am tired and need to rest. Do not let anyone enter." She left her orders before opening the door.
The guard did not reply. Princess Eleanor only rolled her eyes as she entered the room before turning back to instruct Nia.
"Nia, close the doors tightly." Princess Eleanor whispered almost inaudibly. Her eyes sharpened as the words left her lips.
Nia followed the order smoothly before moving towards Princess Eleanor. She sat on the floor and looked up at the Princess who was already seated on the bed.
"Princess…" Nia knew that something was wrong. She had a bad feeling in her heart. Something told her that it was related to her.
"Nia, I told Felix that you will be following me." Princess Eleanor said in an apathetic tone. Her gaze however, locked onto Nia without looking away.
"I will follow you." Nia nodded her head as she agreed without a fight.
"Felix will be marrying Macy." Princess Eleanor bit on her lips as she looked at Nia. "I don't know what he told you, or what agreement you both had, but I have a feeling that he wants you to be his concubine."
Princess Eleanor sighed as she continued, "I will not tell you what is right for you and what is not, but I just want you to remember that Macy will be his official wife. If you think your love can overcome her presence in between you, then it's fine. But I can tell you now that with how much possessiveness Macy has for him, she would definitely be unwilling to share him with anyone else."
Nia was silent as she thought hard on Princess Eleanor's words. She knew her relationship with Duke Felix would be tested when she came back to the Angevin Kingdom with Princess Eleanor.
But the advice she is getting now was not something to be taken lightly. Nia knew that she had been exchanging letters with Duke Felix under Princess Eleanor's name with her permission.
The love affair was in a bloom but even with it being this way, he had never said that he would be marrying Princess Macy. Nia only found out that the two were arranged to be married when she arrived in the Kingdom.
Although it was heartbreaking, Nia managed to control her emotions. She knew that this was a huge red flag in their relationship.
Nia who had been controlling herself could not keep it in any longer. Her eyes welled up with tears as she looked up. Nia knew that she had come from a fallen Count's family. It was Princess Eleanor's parents, the late King and Queen, who gave her another chance at life. It was Princess Eleanor who chose her to be her lady-in-waiting. Nia was indebted to her.
"I will go along with you." Nia smiled but the tears still left traces on her cheeks. "I cannot leave you alone in a foreign land. I will try my best to protect you."
Princess Eleanor rubbed away the tear tracks as she pulled Nia into a comforting hug. "Are you sure?"
Nia nodded as she tightened her hug around Princess Eleanor.
"You might not be able to meet with Duke Felix again if you do. You also are not allowed to write to him again using my name."
Nia nodded her head again as she pulled herself back, "I know, Princess."
Princess Eleanor was about to say something else when the soldier's announcement stopped her from continuing, "Princess, the King is looking for you."