Chapter 5

It was around afternoon when Fara told me that the banquet for the celebration of Hades's 16th birthday will be today. 

That's why I am here right now, sitting in front of the mirror while Fara was doing my hair. 

My twelve-year-old appearance is exactly the same as what I remember, a beauty of a young lady. 

There's nothing new, I still have the beauty that can seduce other men. My eyebrows furrowed when Pursues's face suddenly flashed inside my mind, that night when he kissed my hand.

"Fara," I called. 

"Yes, your Highness?" she answered. She's still not yet done doing my hair.

"What do you think of me? Am I pretty?" I asked. 

She looked on the mirror, seeing my face before her eyes went back to my hair. "You're not just pretty your Highness, you're the most gorgeous among the noble ladies." 

I pouted. "It's not like you've seen all the noble ladies." Especially that woman, the woman I've been waiting to see. 

"I've seen all of them your Highness, but you're the lady who caught my eyes. You have the eyes of a perfect emerald that is quite expressionless, but surely you'll get drowned because it's fantastically gorgeous." It was a sincere answer that I do not know what to say, as if she was always been staring at me for a long time. 

She finished my hair and already did finished doing my face using light make-up.

I am wearing a wine red baroque off-shoulder dress together with the folded red epaulets and silver garment coat on my back. 

Hades sent me these jeweled headpiece and jewelries. A silver aphrodite tiara that is exactly what I am expecting since the theme of the banquet was red and white.

I like to put together my outfits with any accessory that looks like it pops or stands out. I love pieces that are colorful and outspoken. 

When I finished looking at myself on the mirror, I plastered a convincing smile before I left the room. 

Things are to be expected since I already know what will happen today, the difference is that I am living inside the palace. 

I can always roam around as much as I want, there's nothing to lose. 

"Fara," I called.

Fara forwarded and bowed. "Yes, your Highness?" she answered. 

I lowered my head on her left ear's direction and whispered. 

"I have a task for you." I told her to do 'this' and 'that'. It's a task that would help me to extract my plan today, since this banquet will be the entrance of my revenge. 

When I reached the banquet hall, the serenade from the instruments are making the banquet looks exactly as the same as what I expected. 

The faces of the nobles, the haunted voices entering my ears, and the music from the instruments. The way the pianist played his fingers are exactly the same, the corner of the catering, the lights from the chandelier, and the table where my parents are all the same from the past. 

I chuckled silently thinking how everything is still vivid inside my mind. 

I breathe heavily before I formed a smile waving my hands on my parents's direction who was looking at me. 

When I reached their table, I immediately hugged them and gave them a peck of kiss on their cheeks. 

"I've missed you Mama and Papa," I said. 

Mother caressed my cheeks before she pulled me in her arms. "Ah, my daughter... I missed you very much." 

When I broke from her embrace, I saw how her eyes glittered with longing and happiness. 

My head moved on my father's direction and I chuckled when he winked at me before he kissed my hand. 

"You've grown Darling," Father said.

I shook my head. "I'm still your little lady Papa, I've never been this happy since I last saw you. I've missed you both," I says with longing.

"Captain Raynold! It's been a while." Father's eyes moved on my back's direction and when I turned around, I saw him.

Captain of the Imperial knights, Raynold Lagaré.

I couldn't take off my eyes from him, following his movements when he walked closely to my Father's direction.

Captain Raynold gave a slight bow before he smiled. "It's been a while Duke D'aureville," he greeted. 

Father and captain Raynold were close since they were still a kid, they both even fell in love with my mother but captain Raynold chose his position as the captain instead of pursuing my mother. 

It was a slight unexpected when I heard that story, it's not like I don't believe it but it's really hard to see it in your eyes when Captain Raynold seems to value his knights over love. 

"You've grown well Talia." My eyes blinked for a moment before I plastered a smile. 

"Thank you Sir Raynold, I've never had the chance to see you since I was kid." No, since that day when he was killed protecting us, I never had the chance to thank him. 

 He chuckled. "There's no doubt, you're exactly the most beautiful lady in this banquet. You deserve your title your Highness," he said. 

It feels like something deep inside me keeps knocking me to tell him how thankful I am, but I can't. Since it was a past that only I could remember. 

"Thank you, Sir Raynold." Right, thank you for everything you've done. I will protect you too, in exchange of what you've done for us. 

I will never let you down. The throne? That will be mine, I will win this game. 

Hades was holding my hand when we walked on the red carpet at the centre of the banquet hall. The nobles with their proud and envy eyes are all focused on us. 

In the past, their looks would make me flutter and proud since I have the thought of 'Everything is mine' especially their attentions, but now it's different. I no longer feel anything, it's already empty. 

When we reached at the royalty seats, my eyes looked in Pursues direction who was looking at me too. We both have a slight smile with each before I avoided my eyes from his. 

The Banquet was exactly the same, the boring pictures of the nobles talking with each, having a deal, and even ladies and men interacting with each other.

They all started to dance with their partners when the music changed, all of them looks happy and contented with each other. 

Hades held my hand before pulling me up and led me on the center where the other nobles are dancing. 

"I don't know how to dance your Highness," I whispered. 

"That's fine, I'll never let you go." Before I could give him my reaction, he started to dance holding my waist careful. 

My eyes were following his movement, how he hold my hand caressing my waist. How he dance carefully in rhythm with the music. 

Why do I feel like this? This dance, it never happened. 

His first dance wasn't me, but her. 

The door suddenly opened and a servants of five entered before the woman with the white long-skinned dress entered. 

My lips parted before I smirked. I felt how my body trembled not because of fear, but because of my anger keeps rising. 

Hades stopped and followed where my head was looking. She let out a smile when their eyes met before she bowed holding her skirt properly, it's like she's showing off her good etique she learned. 

"Greetings to the future Sun of the Sylvestre Empire, I am Madolina Seleste." 

That was exactly the same word I heard from the past. How she gave that angelic smile, how she plastered her innocent face. 

I looked at Hades with my cold expression, I know what he's going to say. 

That 'It's nice to meet you the lady of the noble Seleste' with a smile on his face. 

Pathetic, this is pathetic—

"Why did you stopped?" 

Huh? 

My eyebrows furrowed when his head went back on me. "Why did you stopped dancing Talia?" he asked. 

What? What is he saying? I moved my head in Madolina's direction and I saw how her expression changed. 

I laughed bitterly, there's really something wrong with what is happening. 

Why is he like this? 

He gripped my waist to get my attention, he started to dance again. I was looking at him, dumbfounded. I couldn't even open my mouth, there's really something wrong that I do not understand. 

What's new? Why is he acting like this? 

When we finished the dance, we went back to our seat with silent. I no longer see Madolina, I don't know if this is true but how could Hades reject her? 

My eyes landed on Fara hiding behind the wall, she was looking at me and I smirked when I saw her sign. 

"Your Highness, may I go back to my chamber? I'm not really feeling well," I whispered on his ear. 

He looked at me before he nodded. Before I could stand up, he held my hand making me stopped. 

"Take care," he whispered making me shiver.