Page 24 of The White King's Favorite

“T-Tessa,” said Cessilia, suddenly stepping up to her. “S-stop, please. I-I am fine.”

Because Cessilia asked her to calm down so frantically, her cousin frowned, tilting her head. She crossed her arms.

“...Cessi, why did you agree to this?”

But instead of answering, her cousin stayed mute and slowly shook her long locks. Tessa noticed her green gaze.

This was the glance Cessilia would make sometimes, when there was something she couldn’t say. It was a look she knew all too well, but it broke her heart each time. Ever since that had happened to her cousin, Tessa could tell there was something horribly sad and dark buried in her cousin’s heart, trapped in a chest Cessilia always refused to open. Each time she got close to that chest, Cessilia did this. Those sad eyes, and her voice that disappeared... as if she was asking her not to ask anymore. This had to be related to what had happened with the King just before, in that room... Tessa was the first one shocked by it. She thought she knew almost everything about Cessilia, but never had she seen her like that. For perhaps the first time, something had happened to that glass shell. A crack, perhaps. A little, shy opening into that tightly closed chest...

Tessa took a long breath, trying to keep it in and calm down.

“...Fine,” she grumbled, “but I’m going to make you pay for that later, old man. Or I’m just going to wait for Kassian and Darsan to hear this and come and slice you, and watch.”

“Thank you for your benevolence, Lady Tessa...” muttered poor Yassim. “And once again, I apologize for lying to you like this, Lady Cessilia. However, please know I didn’t do this to trick you, but because I had good reasons to believe my King would... have special feelings for someone from the Dragon Empire.”

“What?” muttered Tessa, confused.

Yassim kept staring at Cessilia, visibly expecting something, but the Princess remained mute. If she wasn’t curious to know what he meant like her cousin, it meant she probably knew the truth... and his theory was right.

“Alright... Let’s move to your new room,” said Yassim, understanding he wouldn’t get an answer now. “I am a humble ex-counselor, but I am sure Counselor Yamino will help me arrange something decent for the Princess and Lady Tessa. You two are technically of higher standing than any of the candidates, after all...”

“It won’t be necessary,” suddenly said Counselor Yamino’s voice.

The man had just appeared, looking a bit out of breath too. He took a second to catch his breath, as he was much more massive than old Yassim. In fact, Yamino was so large his belly almost touched both sides of the corridor. He did look like a good, nice man, though, with his head as round as his belly, and his little, white, curly goatee.

“Counselor Yamino!” exclaimed Yassim, visibly happy to see his friend again.

“You sure still run fast, Yassim,” sighed Yamino. “You’re one crazy old man, to come back after making His Highness so furious... and from the Dragon Empire too.”

“You know me,” replied Yassim with a little smile. “I will never give up on our dear homeland.”

“Ha... If only our young King could still find mercy for old antiques like us. Anyways! The Princess and her...”

“Cousin,” said Tessa. “I’m Tessa, by the way.”

“Oh, nice to meet you, Lady Tessa. And of course, Lady Cessilia, as well. I am Yamino, the oldest Counselor, and the last one mad enough to still be friends with Yassim... or perhaps, lucky enough, seeing he’s still got his head on his shoulders... I came to tell you the ladies are welcome in the Cerulean Suite.”

“The Cerulean Suite?” repeated Yassim, surprised. “But... it’s the best room in the castle! No one has been allowed to use it since the previous King’s favorite! How did you manage to–”

“Oh, I didn’t do anything! It’s an order from the King himself. He ordered the servants to prepare and give that room to the Princess... to Princess Cessilia.”

Chapter 4

The two Counselors kept exchanging intrigued glances, even as they were leading the way to the Cerulean Suite. There was definitely something going on between the King and the Princess. Was he simply trying to act polite to a foreign princess by giving her the best room in the castle? Was it an attempt to show that they could still rival the Dragon Empire’s luxury? No, it couldn’t be. Perhaps, if it had been anyone but their King, they would have seriously considered such a theory, but... this was King Ashen they were both thinking about. The cold-blooded, heartless King with no consideration for anyone. He didn’t even treat any of his vassals with that much consideration, not even his oldest servants! Why would he suddenly give the best room to Princess Cessilia...?

Neither of them had even been allowed to see that room. The rumor was that it was the most beautiful place in the whole castle, prepared by the previous kings to welcome their favorite wives or mistresses. Yet, rather than that devious, red-haired woman, the King was giving this to a young woman he had supposedly seen for the first time today...? Yassim kept frowning and trying to think, but he was still thinking this had to do with his initial theory about his King and the truth about his death. Unfortunately, it was still way too soon to confirm any of it...

Two young servants were waiting when they arrived in front of the blue gates. In fact, those blue gates were already very eye-catching, painted in a magnetic cerulean blue, with gorgeous arabesques of a shiny, white surface that Cessilia first thought to be some polished marble, but it was shinier than what she knew.

“Welcome, Princess,” saluted the two servants, who appeared to be identical twins. “We were sent to serve you.”

They were both wearing white outfits, and a bob haircut with bangs, but their eyes couldn’t be seen while they continued bowing.

“By whom?” immediately asked Tessa, defiant.

“By His Majesty,” answered one of the twins. “The three of us will be at your service from now on.”

“Th-three?” repeated Cessilia, confused.

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