Chapter 375: A proper response
"What does it say?"
By the time Ada asked that question, Carlton had already exited the room, and Abigail had stopped practicing her walk.
With both pairs of eyes on her, Arabella saw no other alternative but to share the news with them. It wasn’t as if the content of the letter was a secret anyway.
After a long sigh that brought her no relief, the young woman found her voice again, "If I understand these words correctly, Prince Cedric the third wants us to prepare another spare room for a... Surprise guest that he will be bringing along," she exhaled loudly.
"Does he say who it will be?" Ada stepped forward.
"No," she said, "Just that the coming of this person would be the prince’s gift to the Lustrisian bride. In other words, this guest of his will be my wedding gift,"
Arabella glared down at the letter as though it grew repulsive mold right between her hands.
"A gift?" Abigail gasped, "I do not like the sound of that," she shook her head.
"Neither do I," she shoved the letter back inside the envelope and stopped for a moment to stare at the broken royal crest on it.
"Do you have any idea as to who it might be?" Ada sounded reluctant.
"I’d rather not think about it, to be frank," Arabella turned to the door and marched its way, "I believe there will be no amount of preparation that will get me ready to meet this mysterious guest of his so, I prefer to preserve my sanity,"
"Where are you going?" Ada leaped forward, seemingly afraid her words wouldn’t catch her in time before she exited the music room.
"Well, I must write a response, mustn’t I?" her demeanor was shut, "Besides, I must inform Madame Arumina so that she can take care of the extra room,"
With that, Arabella exited the room, leaving the girls alone with nothing but deafening silence.
Her heels clacked louder than their usual against the marble flooring. For a good reason! Every step she applied more pressure on helped vent bits of her frustration out into the universe that was seemingly determined on keeping her miserable.
Despite what she had told Ada; there was no way for Arabella to shelve the question and think rationally.
The potential answers gnawed at her inner walls with no mercy. Who in the world could serve as a present for her...
Knowing the nauseating taste of Cedric, if it was meant to be a joke, it was bound to be one of the most horrifying things she had yet to experience.
Hell, the thought of the prince walking free under her roof alone made her stomach churn.
What was Silas thinking when he sent the letter her way?
It was certainly not out of cruelty, but then why?
That being said, what else was he supposed to do? How else was he supposed to break that kind of news to her?
In person? It would have still not softened the blow. Nothing could manage to lessen its toll on her for there was never a right place or a time for her to hear about Cedric the damned third.
The hallways on her paths seemed to stretch to no end as her feet just walked along with no real destination in mind.
Sensing the foul taste that built up increasingly at the back of her throat, Arabella stopped dead in her tracks and focused on evening her breathing.
Tough task, considering the face and voice of that... Man kept on flashing behind her eyes and ringing in her ears, determined to blind and deafen her from everything else.
"Breathe,"
Silas’ voice made her spin on her heels at once, "I am trying to,"
"You will have to try harder," he stepped closer to her, "Otherwise you won’t stand on your feet for much longer,"
"The nap might serve me right," she hissed.
"I am sorry," he cupped her face between his hands, "I saw no other way to break the news to you,"
"Face to face would have done wonders!" she glared him in the eyes.
"Duly noted," he kissed her forehead, "If you like, I can handle the response,"
When his hand reached for the letter, Arabella swiped it away from him in a haste, "No!" she spat before straightening her posture and raising her chin, "I will make sure to craft the pithiest, most pleasant and proper of answers for his highness," she pressed on every word in that sentence.
"Please, breathe," he whispered softly, "I fear for your heart,"
"My heart is just as young as it is dandy!" Arabella chirped in the most strained of tones possible, "I am having the time of my life if you couldn’t tell," she grunted very fast.
Silas studied every inch on her face before pulling her closer for a hug. That was when the cracks started to show.
"Like damn barnacles on a ship... They refuse to leave me be," her voice broke, "All I want is to live my life. I am not stepping on anyone’s toes, or am I? All this persistence for someone that doesn’t want to be in their lives is just too much to fathom for me," the sniveling came with the tears.
"It will all be fine. I promise you," Silas rubbed her back gently.
His soothing action lulled her mind into a stale state in which Arabella just gaped unblinkingly through the window right in front of them.
The couple remained in each other’s arms, surrounded by nothing but silence and the customary daytime ambient sounds.
It was Arabella who broke their embrace first, wiping at her tears before looking up at him, "I’d like to write my answer in the map room if that is alright,"
"Anywhere you want," he nodded, "I can come with you if you-"
"No!" the word escaped her before any thought was put into a response, "I want to be alone for a while," she simmered down.
"Of course. I will be in my office should you need anything,"
When he turned around to actually leave, it hit her that she did not truly wish to be alone, "No, wait!"
"Yes?" he paused.
"I spoke too quickly. I am sorry," she shook her head, "Please don’t leave me alone,"