Chapter 19
***
And as the handmaiden wished, Princess Loella grew quiet, then said with a knowing look on her face.
"Of course not. Ezekiel would never be interested in such a woman."
"Thousands of men in the world combined couldn't do what the Duke of Schwaben can do. Never mind a woman like that."
Loella nodded. The handmaiden was right. That woman was nothing.
She tried to think of it that way, but it didn't make her irritation go away. On second thought, there was something troubling about the maid's words.
"What you’re saying is that other men aren’t as good as Ezekiel, but that she's almost on par with me?"
"Oh, no, that's not what I meant! I meant that the woman is not worthy of your attention at all. How dare she compare to the Princess?"
"Hmph!"
Loella thought so, but she still felt bad.
She always needed reassurance. The politics, her own relationship with the Duke of Schwaben, she knew all about that. Ezekiel would be her man.
And yet... no, maybe she needed reassurance because she knew it so well.
The first lady of society must be her and only her. No other woman in this empire could be better than the one and only Princess.
Still, she had to keep checking.
"It would be fun to hear her sing.”
When Loella said that, the handmaidens panicked. They shouldn't have been surprised. Ever since Lady Laila had become the talk of the town, they'd had a feeling this would happen.
One of the maids, who had been brushing back her proud dark blond hair, spoke up cautiously.
"I think she's too lowly for the princess to meet, so why don't you leave her alone?"
"I thought you said she was an actress. Isn't she an opera singer? I'll give her a seat in the salon, and tell her to come and sing a song."
Loella shrugged it off as no big deal. The other handmaiden looked even more puzzled and said in a rush.
"That's a rumor, my Princess. If she’s related to Count Andex, she’s a noble, and she can't be treated as a servant."
"That's the fashion these days, that Lady Laila made up."
"That's true, but...."
There was a big difference between performing opera for an intimate gathering and being ordered to sing by a superior. Of course, the Princess was doing it to insult and demean Lady Laila.
She continued, her face impassive.
"My mother is not in the best of moods these days, and I thought it would be nice to entertain her, and I hear Lady Laila’s troupe has a very good reputation."
The logic didn't make sense, but the maids realized they couldn't argue with her. It was their job, then, to maneuver the plan so that Loella wouldn't think her decision was too excessive.
The handmaiden who was fanning her spoke softly.
"I'm sure Lady Laila would be delighted to have the opportunity to meet the Princess."
"Of course."
Loella said, as if it were a given.
***
The Princess’s invitation was promptly forwarded to Count Andex’s family.
Countess Margaret Andex took it in her hand and made her way to the outbuilding where Lady Laila resided.
"Welcome, my lady. Has something happened?"
Lady Laila, or rather, Olivia, who was sitting in the living room of the cottage, writing something, rose from her seat to greet Margaret, then looked at her, puzzled, when she saw that her face was set.
Margaret held out a letter to her. It was a polite gesture for a distant relative, a niece.
"I have an invitation from the princess."
"I see."
Olivia took the invitation and read the outside of the envelope, speaking softly.
"There's no need to be so nervous, Auntie. It's the news I’ve been waiting for."
"I know."
Margaret replied, but she couldn't completely hide her nervousness.
It had been nearly four months ago that Olivia had come to visit her. The first letter she'd sent, announcing her intention to visit, had said,
[If you remember Gisela fondly, please meet me.]
That was the name of Margaret’s sister, who disappeared during the assassination of the Empress more than 20 years ago.
Her body was never found, but she was presumed dead. It left Margaret and her family deeply scarred.
Gisela was a cheerful, bright child. She was overjoyed when she became the Empress's handmaiden. Her father was worried that young Gisela would become embroiled in a complicated political situation, but she boldly stated her aspirations.
"You'll see. Her Majesty the Empress will rely on me so heavily that in ten years she will say that without me, she has no one to entrust to do her work.”
Her father and mother were relieved, even though they thought she was being immature.
It happened less than three years later, and Gisela was only twenty-three years old. Her mother cried out that they should find her body, but even that wish could only be voiced in passing.
Margaret had spent her life trying to forget. Only now, when her sister’s daughter was almost as old as Gisela when she went missing, did she feel like she had finally forgotten.
But she never expected to hear the name again.
When Olivia came to visit her, she greeted her and the first thing she did was pull an earring from her pocket. It had been a gift from Margaret, and when she had gone missing, only one had been found.
Since Margaret had the other, there was no doubt that they were similarly made. They were a perfect pair.
"How did the young lady...."
"I kept them as a keepsake from my mother. She told me she got them from her sister on her twentieth birthday. I heard you picked out the jewelry yourself."
It was true. Margaret stared at Olivia in disbelief.
"You, Gisela's daughter?"
She couldn't believe it. Gisela, who had disappeared, had secretly married and had a child? That was impossible. Her sister had disappeared at the time of the Empress's assassination. She hadn't run away in love.
At the same time, she realized the true nature of the uncanny sensation she had felt for Olivia from the beginning. At that moment, she had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from screaming when she understood everything.
Gisela did her duty to the end. Unable to return to her family for fear of being discovered, her sister, only twenty-three years old, ran away with the Empress’s baby, hid, and raised it so wonderfully like her own.
Tears filled the night as they shared stories of someone they deeply missed.
The Gisela Olivia spoke of was not the cheerful but somewhat immature young woman Margaret had known. She was compassionate, gentle, cultured, and witty. It was clear from Olivia's demeanor that Gisela had thrived not only as the Empress's handmaiden, but also as the mother of the child.
She was loyal and faithful, and she was a good person. The only people in the world who recognized her were Count Lutgard and Olivia, but she was still honorable.
Margaret was proud of Gisela, and sorry for her, for she was still young and needed a little more family protection.
Nevertheless, after all that long talk and tears, she couldn't help but ask.
"What has the Princess come to see me for?"
She was Countess Andex, and she had children of her own. The whereabouts of the missing princess was not ordinary.
Olivia spoke with a calm, quiet demeanor that was almost cold.
"I need to become emperor, and I need your help."
She didn't say 'want to be'. Her blue eyes said, "I must," filled with conviction.
The sun had already risen and the room was flooded with light.
***
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Gardenia (Thursday, 14 November 2024 13:19)
Ah, now I realized Olivia's reason for becoming an opera actress. Couldn't wait to see how she will turn in this time of her new life.