The Lady Knight

Chapter XXIX: Cousins and Costs

The Lady Knight

My head was already pounding.

The surroundings were too familiar, too painful to watch and to recollect everything. Truly, the double doors in front of me currently felt like the gateway to hell.

"Julie," Nick gazed down at me, concerned, "you look a little pale."

I forced my lips up in a smile at once. "Worry not, I am all right, Nick. If I am pale, it must be because of the weather. Rue the cold." I scowled at the snow-covered grounds outside.

He chuckled, taking my word for it. "Shall we make an entrance, then, Commander General Ma'am?" he offered me his arm.

I glanced at the rest of the Captains behind us, and took a deep, staggering breath.

"All right, let us go," I slipped my tiny hand into the crook of his offered arm, and nodded at the heralds to announce us and open the doors.

The first thing I saw when we entered was the grand, shiny emblem of two blood-red dragons facing each other, bordered in bright gold that was painted on the wall above the thrones on the dais.

My lips pulled up in a bitter smile.

It was the ducal crest of Roche - of the De Beauharnais family. The crest that I had learned to dislike together with the rest of the De Beauharnaises over the years.

My gaze travelled down from the emblem to find the dais rather crowded. On the two thrones sat Lord Thomas and Lady Rosanna De Beauharnais of Roche, and they were surrounded by seven Corporals, and two Ladies.

My eyes, however, focused on one of the Ladies in particular.

Waist length of wavy, rich golden blonde hair framed her flawless heart-shaped face. Truly, there was not a blemish in sight on her countenance. Her large, ocean blue eyes seemed to sparkle with the rays from the Sun, as her cheeks glowed pink with health.

Adorned in minimal jewels, dressed in a pale lilac gown that subtly emphasized her curves as she stood upright with her hands clasped at her waist, complete with a gentle, happy smile gracing her rosebud lips, she was quite the portrait of a regal, almost angelic goddess divine.

She had only grown more beautiful over the years - and it would appear her hatred for me had grown no less over the years, either.

Despite the happy smile still on her lips, her blue eyes blazed at me with a viciousness that truly unnerved me. She made Lady Olivia look like a jest next to the threat she was posing to my sanity.

Indeed, Lady Olivia was nothing in comparison to Tess. She was the one to be watched, to be truly wary of.

Sighing slightly, I glanced up at Nick, who was also staring at her with interest.

I shook my head, wryly amused. Men were drawn to beauty as ants were drawn to a pot of honey.

"She is Tess, Nick," I murmured, as we strolled down the red carpet, "do you remember her now?"

"Aye, she looks very familiar," he nodded slowly, smiling, "I think I am beginning to remember."

I knew not why, but his happy tone stuck an odd, painful chord in my heart. My head began to pound more insistently, making my migraine worse.

Lady Rosanna was smiling directly at me, but unlike her friend Lady Françoise in Tessensohn, her smile was not openly false. In fact, one could not even call her out for insincerity unless he or she had known her as long as I had.

Thus, I was able to discern the underlying malice beneath that tender, loving smile.

And it seemed as if I was the only one who had.