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When Eileen lowered the corners of her eyes and made a piteous facial expression, it was impossible not to smile.
The knights looked at the laughing girl with tenderness.
Rotan softly added:
"It suits you very well.
You look much better."
His low voice and praise slightly defused the atmosphere.
Perhaps these were only comforting words, but the mood became lighter from this.
Eileen, embarrassedly adjusting her bangs, murmured: "Thank you all."
They showered her with compliments, so that Eileen felt awkward, and only then moved to business.
"Tomorrow at the wedding we and the soldiers will provide security.
We will be armed, so you can not worry.
If someone dares offend you, I'll just!.." Michele pretended to fire a pistol, folding his fingers into the appropriate figure.
Rotan softly lowered her hand, reassuringly saying: "We will do everything possible so that this doesn't happen.
No need to worry."
Rotan calmly explained how security would be organized at the wedding.
"All soldiers, including us, will be in uniform.
Only those who are already familiar with you are there, so do not follow strangers."
"...".
His tone reminded her of a briefing on preventing kidnapping, which caused a light irritation.
But Eileen, having in her record one case of kidnapping and one—attempted carjacking (total two), listened attentively, not interrupting.
"However, the number of soldiers that can be deployed at the ceremony is limited, so our field of vision will be narrowed." Rotan sat Eileen in a chair and spread a plan of the Grand Duke's residence on the table.
Pointing at red dots, he continued: "Here the security soldiers will be located.
Most people will be in the back garden, where the ceremony will pass..."
Taking out a pen, he drew a large circle on the plan.
"Try to remain in the place of the ceremony.
If you have to enter the mansion, use this path.
It is the safest." These were the central entrance doors leading from the garden into the mansion.
"Inside you, of course, will be with His Excellency the Grand Duke, but still I will explain..."
Rotan's pen slid over the plan.
"Just remember: use the central staircase.
I hope this won't happen, but in an emergency head here." He drew a star in a corner room on the very top floor.
With a large hand he confidently drew the star and strictly underlined: "Without exceptions.
We will practice later, but you must be ready to walk this path alone.
Having entered the room, you will see paintings—behind the largest frame there is a secret passage."
Emergency money, dry rations, change of clothes were kept there, and the passage itself led to the outskirts of the capital.
After Rotan's long explanation Eileen involuntarily tensed.
She couldn't not imagine the horrors that, perhaps, would unfold at the wedding.
Swallowing, she asked: "Maybe there were some... warnings?"
Otherwise why such thorough preparation?
But Rotan Categorically answered: "If there were such threats, His Excellency would have canceled or rescheduled the wedding.
Until the perpetrator was caught." He added calmly that the threatener would have been sent to the guillotine or shot, and only then a new date set.
"You won't have to use this passage.
We will do everything so that this doesn't happen.
But we explain this in case of any development of events."
Cesare had very long ago stained his hands with blood.
First he’d gone to war as a young soldier at ten years old.
He’d been sent to certain death, but he’d survived—and then again and again returned to the battlefield.
To survive, one had to kill.
With each new order on his uniform, the number of those who felt hatred for him also grew.
"You probably already guess...
His Excellency has enemies both inside the Empire and outside it." Cesare's enemies were not only in the Traon Empire, but also in other countries.
As during the attack on the greenhouse—one never knows what will happen.
Although inside the Empire Cesare was gradually taking the nobility under control.
But there always remained a chance that some madman like Matthio, son-in-law of the former chairman of the senate, would decide to do something insane.
Since the announcement of Eileen as Grand Duchess Erzet, she too had become a target.
For a girl who until recently was fussing with blades of grass in a squalid hotel laboratory and preparing piteous potions for sale, this was a huge turnabout.
"Forgive me for saying such gloomy things...
But we will protect you at the cost of our lives, so don't worry too much." Rotan, himself having given cause for anxiety, was slightly embarrassed.
He smiled awkwardly.
Eileen glanced at the scars covering his face and quietly answered: "No need for that."
She looked in turn at all four and continued: "Do not lay down lives for me.
I too will be careful.
I'll stay in the security zone." All suddenly went quiet.
Rotan clenched his teeth and answered with a wavering voice: "Yes, Lady Eileen."
After the detailed briefing they together with Rotan walked the indicated route.
When Eileen memorized everything from the first time, he was extremely glad.
***
And so the wedding day arrived.
Eileen went to bed earlier on the eve.
She’d decided to fall asleep as early as possible—tomorrow she had to rise before dawn—but it was not to be.
Tossing and turning from nerves, she finally fell into sleep, but a few hours later they woke her.
After that she wandered in a half-sleep, submissively following the instructions of servants.
Each time she closed and opened her eyes, the picture around changed.
After a bath filled with petals, sleep was gone as if by magic.
Several servant girls thoroughly preened Eileen.
The woman applying makeup enthusiastically gasped and showed the mirror, but Eileen only smiled, turning away.
At dawn the atelier owners arrived.
They, having sat all night over the wedding dress, were with dark circles under their eyes.
Their elegant outfits had gone somewhere—now all three were in equally shabby work clothes.
She who, likely, was Belleza, کہا hoarsely: "How are you doing?
I’d like to inquire more thoroughly, but there is no time—we get to it."
And all three with a mad sparkle in their eyes threw themselves on Eileen.
She slightly winced and froze.
On her they put a chemise and underwear, tightened the corset lacing.
A crinoline was not used—the dress should flow naturally.
Then all put on white gloves and set about cladding her in the wedding dress.
The gloves protected the snow-white fabric from stains.
Their hands, tying ribbons and adjusting folds, moved surprisingly carefully.
When Eileen was completely ready, the three women, eternal rivals, with tears hugged each other.
"We... we created such a masterpiece!.." Wiping tears with handkerchiefs, they adjusted the veil and immediately set about conducting business talks: "Please, allow us to sew also all your future outfits!" "The three of us!
Together!
We will sew for you!"
Eileen thought that she might not correspond to their high expectations, but didn't upset them and was silent.
Finally preparations concluded, and time came to set off for the place of the ceremony.
The veil slightly blurred the vision.
But Eileen, always covering her eyes with bangs, was even calmed by this light blur.
With the help of servants she slowly headed for the wedding tent.
Out of the mansion, she plunged into noise.
Cheerful sounds of music, laughter, conversations, and chirp of birds filled the air.
And together with them Eileen felt the gazes of all present.
The appearance of the bride made even the rowdiest guests go silent at once.