“Prince Julien!
If you keep leaving carrots without eating them, you will never become a knight capable of saving the princess.”
Therese said deliberately, with a frown on her face.
You have come to Julian's palace after a long absence.
Julian was the second son of Queen Marianne and the youngest child of the royal family.
Born in poor health, Julian had the love and undivided attention of his father, the King.
Visiting Julian to gain the king’s approval and show interest in him was one of the steps taken to gain the throne.
As usual, Julian was wearing his pajamas and lying on his bed.
Pale, smooth skin, thin arms, dark circles under the eyes; All of these are evidence that his health is not good, as a result of being deprived of seeing the sun.
“Therese...can someone as weak as me become a knight?”
His eyes raised towards her were pained.
So I tried to calm him down.
“Of course you can.
It is said that Dennis was also small in body just like you when he was a child, but he has become strong and healthy through hard training.”
"truly?!"
The child raised his voice as if he couldn't believe it.
"Okay."
“But, Therese...”
When Therese nodded, the child called her name and then hesitated to continue speaking.
He seemed to have something he wanted to say.
“Yes, little prince.
Come in.”
“Why doesn’t my big brother come to see me these days?
He always rode horses with me...”
Julian couldn't help himself and burst into tears.
The big brother he's talking about is Fabrice.
The child was close to Fabrice, with whom he shared blood, while his relationship with Denis, his half-brother, was superficial and estranged.
Of course, Denis visited Julian's mansion once a week.
But that was nothing more than a maneuver to please the king, nothing more and nothing less.
“I hear the servants talking about my brother, but they don’t tell me anything.”
In the end, as if feeling wronged and sad, heavy tears fell from his big eyes.
His small, soft hand wiping his tears seemed weak.
Thérèse extended her hand towards Julian.
“Oh, Julian, come here, let me hug you.”
She lifted the baby easily.
Despite being fed all sorts of delicacies, the child was light enough to carry them.
Therese gently patted the back of the baby's head as he curled into her embrace.
The child's crying increased in intensity.
Julian was still acting like a little child begging for affection.
The bosom of Therese's dress was wet.
Then Therese calmed the child slowly.
“Oh dear Julian, stop crying.”
She said this while patting him on the head.
“Prince Fabrice is very busy these days but I'm here instead, right?
Wouldn't you like to ride with me?”
"Really?
Will you ride the horse with me?"
Julian looked at her, his face stained with tears and snot.
She smiled sweetly, then took out her handkerchief and wiped his nose carefully.
When she said to him: “Blow,” he blew his voyeur’s nose forcefully.
“Of course, but on the condition that you recover quickly first and then we go horseback riding together.”
“Therese, you are the best!
Thank you so much.”
The child was crying while smiling.
She wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes with her hand.
It is said that children outside the palace earn their living at this age.
But from this sick child, a soft fragrance still emanates, like that of infants.
“Therese.”
“Yes, prince.”
“Can you be my mom?”
“Oh, Julian, Marianne in heaven will be sad if I do that.”
“But...”
The baby looked like he was about to cry again.
“But I don’t remember my mother hearing people talking saying that she died a week after giving birth to me.
Maybe my coming into this world was a mistake.”
The child said while fiddling with his little hands.
"What are you saying, Prince!
You shouldn't say such a thing!
Marianne was very happy about your birth, I'm sure of it."
“How do you know that, Therese?”
“Because...”
When the child asked, Thérèse seemed unable to answer for a moment, as if the words were stuck in her throat.
“If I were in her place, I would feel that way.
I would feel very happy, as if I was flying, after you gave birth to a beautiful prince like Julian...”
There were complex feelings that were difficult to describe on Therese's face as she patted the child's back.
She continued to soothe the crying child for some time.
Perhaps he ran out of energy after the bout of crying, so he fell into a deep sleep, interspersed with intermittent breathing.
When she went out, Mrs.
Emily, the governess at the door, got up.
Thérèse told the nanny that Julian had just fallen asleep.
“Thank you for always taking care of Prince Julian.”
“No need to thank you.
I apologize for your hard work.
Since I am a princess, it is my duty to take care of the affairs of the royal family.”
Mrs.
Emily realized the self-irony hidden behind her words and a sad expression appeared on her face.
But it can also be read in her facial expressions that she seems reluctant to show compassion in a subtle way.
Thérèse pretended not to notice Lady Emily's features and turned away.
“Madam, I will leave now.
Take good care of Your Highness.”
"yes i will."
Mrs.
Emily stood in confusion, not knowing whether to be consoled or to pretend not to understand.
Therese left her behind and went out into the hallway.
The sick child's palace was remarkably quiet.
Even though the sun was shining outside, the atmosphere of the palace was always calm and stable.
Therese walked along the wide, extended hallway.
Her mood was also low because of the words he let out.
It was ridiculous.
She knew her words would create an awkward situation, but she let it go nonetheless.
At that moment, she couldn't bear the silence.
As if another personality inside her appears to carry out her whims.
What foolishness.
She stood still to catch her breath.
Amira does not have children.
This was her most prominent title.
Five years have passed since their marriage, and they have not had a child yet.
There were no major problems in their relationship, especially since Dennis was visiting her room due to insomnia.
However, there was no news of a pregnancy.
Once upon a time, rumors spread that she was possessed by a demon.
Therese did not care about other people's evaluations.
Since becoming a princess, she has never been free from the judgment of others.
But the most important thing on her mind is what's on Denise's mind.
Dennis never mentioned the heir problem.
I don't know, does that mean it's okay?
Or does he not care about having an heir at all?
Or does he simply not care enough about her to talk to her about it?
Suddenly, Thérèse wanted to ask Denise about the baby, but she was afraid of the response he might get from him.
She was afraid that she would fall apart after hearing his true feelings.
If he asked her with that cold, indifferent look why they needed something like a child, Thérèse couldn't bear it.
And so, as she vacillated between this and that, one day passed, then two days.
Five years have already passed and it is unable to advance or retreat.
If there is still no news of an heir, she will be divorced.
A childless princess would be of no use.
When overwhelmed with fear, Thérèse feels unbearably anxious.
Most of the problems that caused her to toss and turn in her bed were child related.
Of course, during working hours, she didn't have the energy to think about anything other than work.
Because she was busy non-stop.
So she was trying not to think about the problems related to the baby.
But why?
Why did this happen today?
She was overwhelmed with anxiety and fear.
Perhaps it was because of the child's innocent question: “How do you know?”
She felt as if the child's question was reprimanding her.
How do you know that when you are a woman who has never given birth?
Although the kid didn't exactly say that.
She felt remorse for taking out her anger on Mrs.
Emily for no reason other than feeling upset.
I have to be careful anyway because I'm a princess.
Therese clasped her fingers tightly until her nails dug into her palms.
Then I took a deep breath.
She had to cover it up with other things and forget about it quickly.
Otherwise, you will drown in negative emotions.
"I had returned?"
Thérèse gave Daniel, who was waiting for her in her office, her tear- and snot-stained handkerchief.
“Get rid of this.”
"yes i will."
Therese sighed as she looked at the bodice of her dress, worn with tears and snot.
She knows this is what always happens after meeting Julian.
Thérèse blamed herself for making another appointment on short notice.
“With this look, I can't meet that guy Jack can I?”
Daniel did not comment much, as if he knew Jack's nature well, and merely frowned.
He was a difficult and annoyingly sensitive man, but he was sure of his job.
“Adjourn the appointment for two hours from now.
I will change my dress and go.”
"Good."
“These documents on developments in other countries that I requested last time.”
“Is that all?”
Therese drank coffee from her cup as she sat in the main seat.
“I barely got these too!”
When Thérèse ignored his hardship, Jack became angry, remembering the difficulty of the task.
But she did not bat an eyelid, as if she was accustomed to his drama.
“I made an effort.”
With one sentence, she ended her confession of his hardship.
Jack tried to object, but held his tongue when he realized she was focused.
Therese was sitting in her office, which was located deep inside the foreign-style public bath, the Hammam.
The hammam has been a place of socializing that has recently become popular in Valois.
On the ground floor, there is a central bathtub, and fine white marble columns stand beneath the luxurious fresco on the ceiling.
Between those columns, comfortable cushions were placed for sitting and having conversations.
Unlike inside the bathroom, Therese was sitting in a simple, unadorned place, reading papers.
Except her and Jack, no one knows about this office.
Because it is a place that was built with a separate entrance when the hammam was built
Therese raised her head after reading the information between the lines hidden behind the simple facts.
Because her neck was starting to hurt.
The fresco on the ceiling of the central basin entered her field of vision.
The foreign fresco, which made generous use of blue pigment, looked very luxurious.
“There seem to be a lot of visitors these days.”
Jacques responded to Therese's words with obvious joy.
“It certainly seems that rumors have spread that valuable information found nowhere else is being circulated here, so that nobles line up every morning to enter this place.”
Jack, who came from a family of merchants, continued to list the dignitaries who had recently visited the place.
Some of these high-ranking nobles would appear in hammam with their faces covered.
That's why Thérèse set her meeting place with Jacques in Al-Hammam.
A place that looks normal even if she covers her face.
But no matter how good the disguise, there is always someone who recognizes the princess.
Being a widely known face limits her mobility.
It is a life that is analyzed on the front pages of newspapers the next day, and even the cups used at tea parties carry political intentions.
However, she had to act personally.
Because business processing has been slower since Remy Avery was fired last time.
A replacement workforce must be found quickly.
While she was thinking about this, Therese asked Jacques:
“What are Marquis Engelger’s movements?”
“Nothing exceptional.
He is holding truce talks with the Principality of Ho Inan on the Valois border.”
This was information she knew well.
“Will there be a problem with the talks?”
“Iwai Island is a point of contention.”
[Continued in the next chapter]