The Lady Knight

I blinked at him rapidly, desperately praying that he was jesting.

"Of course we do not mind, Sire!" Clara chirped, as Captain Everard nodded vigorously, "go ahead, Jules."

He turned to me then, his eyes twinkling. "How about it, Julie?" he shrugged, smiling, "may I have this waltz?"

Panic flared up in my chest. "Nay," I hissed, backing away from him, "you cannot ask such a thing of me. Good God, I am not certain if I even remember how to waltz."

That was a bald lie, but I did not care.

All aristocratic young Ladies at Bordeux, including me, were required to learn how to dance from the tender age of six at the Académie Royale de Musique, which was located some distance away from Bordeux Castle. Dance lessons were held every Thursday of the week without fail.

This was why I still hated Thursdays in general.

Dancing had been a traumatising experience for me. As my dance instructor, Mam'zelle Matilde, always maintained, I lacked the grace, poise and physique for the art. I was forced to dance and practice my steps over and over again in front of all the other Ladies who were in attendance, much to their twisted amusement, until I had perfected them to an acceptable extent.

To pronounce it as mere torture would be an understatement. I had loathed it every time I had been laughed at and ridiculed by the Ladies, their high-pitched snickers ringing in my ears even after the classes had ended. Even worse was the rare days the young Lords, especially the Prince, would attend the Académie on the Queen's insistence.

If there was one thing these Ladies had liked to do back then, it was to quite simply humiliate me in front of the Prince to find favour with him.

Eventually I had thrown a tantrum, and the Queen had removed me from the program, allowing me to continue training as a Knight with the boys instead. However, the six years I had attended the Académie had all but scarred me for life. Try as hard as I might, I simply could not forget any of the dance forms that I had learned - every time I tried, a memory of how the Prince had bullied me at the Académie would surface, leaving it etched on my mind.

Therefore, I still knew how to waltz. However, that did not mean I had to do so now. By God, I did not think I wanted to dance such an intimate dance with anyone.

Nick's grey eyes twinkled with hidden mischief. "Oh, Julie," he said softly, "how easily you forget who I am."

Before I could comprehend what he meant, he cleared his throat, and bowed deeply over my right hand again, brushing his lips across my knuckles.

"May I have this dance, Lady Juliette?" he bowed and spoke louder, such that everyone around us heard the request.

Some of them turned around to stare at the both of us in surprise, almost waiting for me to accept.

My face flamed red, as I realised what he had done. By publicly asking for a dance, he had made it absolutely impossible for me to reject his request without humiliating him in front of so many people.

I usually did not set much store in what the society might think, but I knew well how cruel their tongues could be when they wanted to. And I did not want him to be at their receiving end because of me.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, "what if I refuse to dance with you? People will not forget this for a long time to come. This incident will be kept alive at every Ball even after your wedding next year."

His smile did not falter in the least. "You will not do that to me."

My eyes widened at those words. He trusts me not to take revenge, despite all that had happened between us in this very same place ten years ago.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had curtsied deeply before him, spreading my skirts with one hand. "It would be an honour, Your Royal Highness," I murmured, trying not to look too disgruntled.

His rare, crooked smile unfolded on his lips upon hearing my answer, and he lifted my hand up to his lips for another kiss, before he gently led me by the hand to the dance floor. We came to a stop directly below the chandelier.

He was grinning all the while, as his arm slipped around my waist, pulling me to him effortlessly. Once he ensured one of my hands was resting on his shoulder, he intertwined his other hand with mine, lifting them up to shoulder level.

The proximity of our positions caused me to flush with embarrassment.

I was not jesting when I mentioned that a waltz was an intimate dance. However, from the easy way he seemed to handle me, he had clearly danced the waltz one too many times with the other Ladies.

Did I mind? Strangely, I found that I did. Very much.

"I still think this is a mistake," I muttered, as I observed the rest of the couples take their positions on the dance floor as well from my periphery vision, "Nick, truly, I have not danced in almost ten years. I am going to embarrass myself."

"Nay, you will not," he smiled softly, "have some faith in me."

I searched his eyes for any deceit, but there were only sincere happiness and excitement. By God, he was even making me believe that nothing would go wrong.

I shook my head, exasperated with myself. I was losing my mind over this man, truly.

"Julie?" his voice cut into my reverie again.

"Hmm?"

"Have I told you how stunning you look tonight?" he murmured, his grey eyes twinkling, "beautiful seems too mild a word to describe you at the moment. And you even wore my favourite colour." He grinned in approval, gesturing to the forest green gown I was wearing.

I looked down at myself, startled. Had Kat picked out this particular gown for me on purpose?

Almost at once, I felt a blush creep up. "Flatterer," I scoffed, "how well you lie. You should teach me sometime."

"I am not lying. You clearly have no idea of the effect you are having on the gentlemen present," he rolled his eyes, as a dark look came over his face, "by the Lord, if I had seen one more of those snivelling Lords looking at you as if they are looking at fresh meat, I would have lost my mind. I was this close to punching Lord Andre as it was."

"I was going to punch him too," I muttered darkly, "the infuriating, sexist pig. I wanted to send him home tonight with a bloody nose."

He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement as the tension left his eyes. "I would not have stopped you, certainly."

The band struck up a waltz number then, and before I knew what was going on, Nick had begun to whirl me around the dance floor with astonishing grace. The world around me became a blur, and yet, we managed to move about without bumping into anyone on the rather crowded dance floor. I closed my eyes briefly and tried to remember the steps to the dance.

One, two, three. One, two, three.

But soon enough, I found out that I did not need to concentrate so hard on my steps. It was almost as if my feet knew exactly how to move in time to the music.

Oh, the joys of having years' worth of dance lessons with a bully to reinforce them into my mind.

"Not so difficult now, is it?" Nick snickered presently, "ten years later, you remember how to waltz and you seem to be passable at it. What a surprise."

"Passable?" I raised an eyebrow, "Your Royal Highness, I do believe I excel in whatever I do. As I am now." I smiled triumphantly.

His eyebrows arched. "You call this excelling?" he teased.

I frowned up at him in disapproval. "Did you ask me to dance merely to make fun of me?" I grumbled, "are you not supposed to be nice to me? Look at them, for instance."

I gestured to the other dancing men around us, who were maintaining a steady flow of conversation with their partners, frequently making them smile and laugh.

His gaze followed mine, sweeping across the room, and almost at once, the corners of his lips twitched in amusement. "You want me to be, um, nice to you? Like they are to their dance partners?"

I did not comprehend his amusement, but I did not care. "Of course."

He cleared his throat quietly, thinking for a moment as he twirled me around. "All right, then," he offered me a devilish grin, "my dear Lady, if beauty were time, you would be eternity." He lowered his voice to a deep, warm murmur that strangely made my heart skip a beat.

I was utterly, and completely taken aback. "Nick?"

"You are so sweet that even marzipan pales in comparison," he continued in that same warm tone, his dark eyes gazing straight into mine, as he lifted my hand up to his lips.

What the hell?

"What are you doing?" I muttered nervously, nearly convinced that he had lost his mind.

He took one look at my expression and burst into loud laughter, his entire body shaking in mirth. "You were the one who wanted me to be nice to you," he managed between guffaws, "like they are to their Ladies." He jerked a thumb to the other men on the dance floor.

My jaws dropped in shock. "That is what they are doing?" I looked around myself again - this time conveniently catching the blushes and the coy smiles on the faces of the dancing Ladies as their partners whispered in their ears.

Tsk, tsk, such shameless flirting in public. The Ladies of the Society would be scandalized if they found out. Oh, for all I knew, the old hags might have known about this all along, and even encouraged it so that their daughters would lure good-looking husbands.

Nick merely continued laughing, attracting attention as usual, as I viewed them all in appalled astonishment.

However, I had other queries. "Is there a proper list of these lines, or do you men use the same ones on every Lady you wish to charm?"

I was intrigued, truly.

He shrugged, still grinning. "It depends," his grey eyes twinkled impishly, "so did they work?" He lowered his voice like he had earlier, waggling his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes, suppressing a blush with great difficulty. "You wish," I teased, and paused for a moment before, "say, do you have more of these lines?"

"Why?" he was amused.

"They make good jests," I admitted sheepishly.

He stared at me in surprise for a moment, before he burst into laughter again - deep, carefree and straight from his heart. I decided that I quite loved hearing him laugh, as he managed a nod in agreement.

Throughout the entire waltz, amidst the lifts, the twirls and the dips I did not even realise he was subjecting me to, he belted out one line after another, sending me into fits and fits of mirth with his attempts at wooing, as I offered him my own sarcastic replies in kind.

All in all, I had never laughed so much at any Ball, much less with Nick.

When the last bars of the waltz music was played, he ended it by dipping me low, his face mere inches from mine. "Was I nice enough to you, my Lady?" he whispered, smiling playfully as his cool breath fanned over my face.

My breath caught at the intensity of his dark gaze which betrayed his light tone. "There is room for improvement," I managed with an impish grin, allowing him to set me back on my feet, "mayhap one day, you will truly mean these lines with another Lady." I tried to ignore the twinge of unease at the thought as I joked.

His grin softened. "Mayhap I already do."

Before I could digest that, he bowed, and lifted my hand up to his lips. "You were a most exquisite dancer, Lady Juliette. I enjoyed myself tremendously," he beamed loud enough for those around us to hear.

I stuck out my tongue discreetly at the formality, before I curtsied. "The pleasure was all mine, Your Royal Highness," I spoke clearly and with that, I turned around and swept out of the dance floor with my skirts billowing behind me, feeling his gaze on me all the while.

At that moment, I glanced around myself and conveniently managed to catch some of the curious stares, amused gazes, glares and scowls that were currently being thrown my way from almost all those on and off the dance floor.

Even Oncle Thomas and Lady Rosanna were looking at me in puzzlement from the dais, as if I were an experiment gone wrong. Tess was nowhere to be seen, but most of the other Ladies of the Society made up for her absence.

Their eyes directed at me held rather insulting surprise, anger, horror, and even downright loathing.

I swiftly turned to stare at the marzipan on the refreshment tables. Even while I was not looking at them, I could still feel the weight of their stares on my back, and it made me extremely discomforted.

Why were they all staring at me? What had I done wrong in the eyes of the Society now?

However, it would appear that I had bigger worries. A group of young Lords were rushing towards me with all speed, requests to dance resting upon their parted lips.

What should I do? How do I run?

"Jules?" I felt two arms slip through either of mine.

I almost jumped, startled to see Lisa and Kat suddenly standing on either side of me, tugging me away from the approaching group of men.

"You gave me a fright," I heaved a sigh of relief, "could you not wave to me before you appear so suddenly?"

"We did call you first," Lisa laughed at my expression.

"Besides, we simply could not wait," Kat was bouncing, "good Lord, poppet, I was nearly about to burst with excitement when I heard him ask you for a waltz! Who knew our plan would work so soon?"

I steered them towards the side of the dance floor, careful not to block the way of those who wished to dance. "Kat, he has danced with almost half the Ladies here," I sighed, rolling my eyes, "one waltz with me is nothing significant. On the other hand, what is significant is that I still remember to dance so well after such a long time." I winked, preening in an exaggerated manner.

Kat rolled her eyes at my antics, as she laughed out loud. "If it is nothing significant, why do you think all these people are staring at you?"

I shrugged. I was wondering the same.

"Because everyone saw him as a young man for the first time tonight - instead of a Crown Prince obliged to attend this Ball - when he was dancing with you, Jules," Lisa explained softly, "a young man, who was clearly and truly enjoying himself in your arms. They are curious as to what he sees in you." She offered me a gentle smile.

And for the first time tonight, I was speechless.

"Lisa is too nice. They are not curious – they are jealous," Kat snorted, "even Tess. Look!" She jerked a thumb to the middle of the dance floor, where Tess was dancing with a gentleman whom I did not recognise.

However, I did recognise the chilling venom in her eyes directed at me. I doubted I would be forgiven any time soon, and I knew for certain that I would pay for this single dance many times over.

Kat, however, was undaunted. "You made her look like a laughing stock in front of the Ladies of the Society, poppet," she declared gleefully, "everyone here now knows, including Lady Rosanna, that she has a rival to the Crown Prince's affections. A real rival. One to be beware of. Well done, poppet!"

A chill ran down my spine. Neither Tess nor Lady Rosanna treated threats in general very kindly, especially when it came to me, considering the three of us had twenty-two years of shared bitter history together.

But then again, I could hardly fault Nick for enjoying our waltz. I would like to think of myself a very entertaining partner in conversation at the very least, even if my dancing was not up to standard.

If Tess felt insecure over such a small thing, there was nothing I could do.

Nevertheless, a strange heaviness settled over my shoulders, and it was hard to shake it off.

"A piece of silver for your thoughts, pretty Lady?" a wry voice queried just then.

"You seem rather worried," another voice, more serious than the former, remarked.

Startled, I glanced up to find Ned striding towards me, with his ever-present smirk, and Evoric following him closely behind.

Kat gazed at me knowingly. "She is anxious, as usual," she answered just as wryly, "it would seem a certain cousin sister of hers is upset with her for dancing with the Crown Prince." She jerked a thumb towards the dance floor.

Ned followed her gaze towards Tess on the dance floor, and his smirk faded. His lips formed a thin line, and his baby blue eyes grew steadily frosty, as they bore holes into her back.

Almost as if she could sense that we were looking at her, she turned around in the arms of her dance partner to face us.

To my surprise, Tess' eyes flashed with recognition, followed quickly by crippling pain, when they landed on Ned. For that one moment, she seemed almost human in her misery.

Before I could be certain I even saw it, she quickly masked her expression to one of haughty condescension, and rolled her eyes at us derisively, turning back to the man she was dancing with.

Evoric placed a hand on Ned's shoulder. "Ned," he addressed him quietly, "leave the past in the past. Let it go."

Kat, Lisa and I watched them, wide-eyed. What was going on?

By God, Tess and Ned used to get along so well in the past. At one point in time in our childhood, I could have sworn she was the closest to Ned among Nick and his friends.

What had gone wrong in these ten years? Did she do something to him?

Ned slowly turned towards us, and I now saw his eyes brimming with the same pain I had seen in Tess' earlier. In a blink of an eye, however, it was gone, and he was smiling once more - albeit a little too brightly.

"Lisa, come, let us dance again," Ned tugged a startled Lisa towards the dance floor before any of us could question him.

He made a good choice. Lisa might probably remain silent out of tact, but Kat and I would have most definitely badgered him with our questions if he had asked us to dance.

Questions, I suspected, he was in no state to answer at the moment.

Evoric stepped forward before curiosity could get the better of me. "Do not be worried about him, Jules. He will be all right," he offered me an arm, "come, dance with me?" He smiled faintly, and pulled me away towards the dance floor without waiting for an answer.

"Thank you for asking," I muttered wryly, as we took our positions for the cotillion.

"You are most welcome," he winked.

I rolled my eyes, as the music began to play. I racked my brains for the steps for the cotillion, making a few mistakes here and there as I danced with Evoric, but it was not so bad. He kept an easy conversation flowing, never stopping at one topic for too long.

But at one point, I had to ask. "Are you all right, Evoric?" I ventured, still watching my steps, "after...the murder."

His eyes snapped to mine, startled for a moment, before his shoulders sagged. "I know not, Jules," he ran a hand through his hair, "I truly know not." His usually bright green eyes now cleared to reveal their utter exhaustion with the world.

I remained silent, concentrating on the music.

"Evangeline mentioned to me in private that you searched the house for something before it happened. Worry not, no one else knows of this," he remarked quietly after a while, "did you find what you were searching for? Is this the reason why Papa was murdered?"

Technically, this was Richard, and presumably, Lord Anthony was killed because he was holding Richard hostage. I fully believed that the fire that night was set to kill Richard, but then again, you could not kill the victim without killing the kidnapper also. Lord Anthony had known too much.

"Yes," I answered as softly.

He nodded, pain crossing his features. "Please do not tell Lisa about Papa's murder," he pleaded, "your army officers are still watching over my house, and investigating his death in Warwick. I do not want her to see all that."

The music came to an end, and I curtsied before him as he bowed. "I will not tell her, Evoric, but she is bound to find out soon," I whispered, "and I think she would rather hear it from you than from someone else."

He lifted my hand up to his lips, his goblin green eyes slightly glassy. "I know. Thank you."

Almost at that exact moment, Ned came bounding towards me, all smiles and charm once more. "Come, pretty Lady," he beamed, snatching my hand from Evoric's grasp, "let us make some new friends, shall we?"

Evoric shuffled off, smiling weakly at the pair of us, as Ned twirled me around a little before he pulled me towards a group of giggling - and older - women gathered by a corner.

"Ned?" I frowned, "I do not think this is a good idea - "

"Lady Juliette! Oh, what an honour to meet you at long last!"

Too late. Spotted.

As the womenfolk fussed over my appearance, and expressed their delight in seeing me at a social event at long last, even Ned stood stoically by my side, good-naturedly accepting all their teasing remarks on him being my secret suitor.

Ned, my suitor? Ew.

Quite quickly into the evening, I began to notice a pattern. Evoric always approached me for a dance before anyone else could, and Ned brought me around the Ballroom to meet and greet the Ladies of the Society whenever I was off the dance floor, and for political debate sessions with Oncle Thomas and his friends - the only portion of the evening I enjoyed - despite all my denials.

But always, always, Nick claimed all my waltz numbers for himself, despite my threats of castration.

What were the trio up to?

"Nick, I swear to God, I cannot dance anymore," I panted when Evoric disappeared, leaving Nick beside me, "I have been walking, talking and dancing ceaselessly for the last five hours. My legs hurt."

Nick slipped an arm around my waist, and held my hand with the other. "Would you prefer to eat instead?" he grinned, amused, as he steered me away from the dance floor.

I glanced up at him, shooting him a wry smile. "It is of no use. You would have finished all the Marzipan at the refreshments table by now - and I do not feel like eating anything else."

He had the grace to look abashed. "That, I did," he looked fleetingly like a little boy caught stealing, before he broke into another grin, "but you'd be surprised at what I am capable of, my Lady."

With that, he released me for a moment to reach into his pockets, and take a heavy looking hanky wrapped around an object, which he opened to reveal two sword-shaped Marzipan blocks.

My eyes widened. "You saved some for me?" I murmured happily, beaming as I took one, "how sweet of you, Nick. Thank you so much." I gorged on it almost at once, ravenous.

His ears went bright pink, as he rubbed his neck. "You are most welcome."

"In any case, would you care to explain why I seem to have a fixed routine of dance, talk and debate at this particular Ball?"

I raised an eyebrow, asking him the question that Evoric and Ned had been too amused all evening to give me a proper answer to.

His ears turned a darker shade of pink, as he shot me an embarrassed smile. "I, uh – " he began, but was interrupted by the arrival of Lady Rosanna, who was dressed in a striking blue-green gown.

"Good evening, Your Royal Highness," she curtsied to him first, beaming, before shooting me one of her deceivingly loving smiles, "my dear Lady Knight."

I inclined my head at her, forcing my lips up. "Your Grace."

He lifted her hand up to his lips, and grinned back at her, as he secretly stuffed the other Marzipan block in his back pocket. "Good evening to you too, Lady Roche."

"I hope you are enjoying the Ball, Your Royal Highness?" she beamed at him, "is everything is to your satisfaction?"

Nick gazed down at me, and offered me a soft smile, as he answered her. "Yes, Lady Roche. Everything is perfect, thank you."

I suddenly felt breathless, from both happiness and fear. I concentrated on his grey eyes with a strange desperation, willing myself not to look into Lady Rosanna's snake-like ones, which were probably filled with veiled, vicious suspicion and caution at the moment.

Nick could not have made a more dangerous gesture or statement. In her mind, Tess was meant for Nick. If anyone else came close to interfering, she acted on impulse. Did he not realise what she was capable of if things did not go her way?

Of course not. In his eyes, she was Mama Rosanna.

"I am indeed glad, Your Royal Highness," came her smooth, masked voice again, "but if you permit, Sire, may I speak to the Lady Knight in private, please? It is why I approached you both in the first place."

One of my hands was held in Nick's at that particular moment, and I clutched on to it even tightly when I heard her words, careful to keep my expression void of all emotion. Do not release me, I begged silently, by God, Nick, please do not ask me to go with her.

His forehead creased in worry, as he frantically searched my eyes for answers he could never find unless I chose to open my mouth. His hand which held mine gripped harder, almost willing me to tell him what was wrong.

However, there was nothing he could do to save me from this, and I knew it. "Yes, of course, Your Grace," I answered, turning to her with a vacant face, "do lead the way."

She nodded, still smiling artificially, as she turned away, assuming that I would follow her. Before I could pull my hand from Nick's, however, he hauled me towards him.

"What is happening? Why are you so pale?" he whispered, reaching his hand up to cup my cheek anxiously.

I forced myself to smile for his sake. "I am all right, Nick," I repeated an old lie that I had uttered so many times in Roche that it almost felt natural, "I will see you later."

With that, I strode away from him, weaving through the guests at the Ball towards the back door of the Ballroom where Lady Rosanna was headed.

The music and the chatter of the people began to fade away, as I strayed further and further from human company. Once we were both outside in the gardens, Lady Rosanna shut the door and rounded on me.

"What do you think you are doing, wench?" she hissed, her face stripping itself of her pleasant mask to reveal the ugly depth within.

I crossed my arms. "I am not doing anything, Your Grace."

"Dare not lie," she accused, flinging a hateful finger at me, "I know you, Juliette Van Helsing. I know you much better than you think. Do you think I have not noticed how you constantly keep the Crown Prince by your side? The closeted conversations, the waltzes, the laughter. Do you believe me blind?"

I did not like her tone. "What are you talking about, Your Grace?"

"Innocence does not become you. Do not even try to pretend you do not know what I speak of," she sneered in disgust, "it is clear to anyone with eyes that you are attempting to seduce His Royal Highness."

My throat ran dry at her words, as I stared at her in horror. Seduce?

"Your Grace – " I tried to defend myself, but she continued on in her raging tirade.

"You want to charm him, and seduce him into your bed. You wish take him away from Tess, and marry him for yourself. That is your plan in the end, is it not?" she laughed humourlessly, "but of course, that is nothing new in your family, is it? Your own mother was the same!"

My temper flared at the mention of my mother. "Do not bring Mama into this, Your Grace."

"Why not?" she taunted cruelly, "does it hurt to hear about her? Do you feel ashamed? I know my mouth feels filthy even when her mere name touches the tip of my tongue."

"You – " I lashed out furiously.

"Silence!" she screamed, deranged, "your shameful mother ruined my life! Stole my happiness, my peace, my husband! I thank the Lord every day for taking her from this Earth, away from me."

I went cold, and flinched as if someone had struck me hard physically. "Keep quiet, Your Grace," I trembled, "shut your mouth this instant."

She did not heed my warning. "The day Thomas brought me the news was the happiest day of my life," she whispered viciously, "his own niece killed his sister! At last, Jeanne had gone to Hell where she would rot as she deserved to."

"I said shut your mouth!" I shouted, pushing her away from me, "you have no right – "

She caught my arm before it could even touch her. "Did your mother not teach you to respect your elders?" her nails dug into my skin, "but then again, she herself had a lot to learn about morals. Did you know how many men she brought into this very house at night before marrying your father?"

My eyes burned. "That is not true!"

She smiled cruelly, clearly enjoying my torment. "How would you know? How would your father know, for that matter? He was not here then, and neither were you. Ah, but I was. I saw everything. Her midnight trysts with men who were not her husband."

I knew I should not listen to her, but her words splintered my heart countless times over, causing excruciating, agonising pain to ripple through my body with an intensity I had not felt for a long time. My knees buckled before her heartless words despite all the defences I had built up over the years against her cruelty.

She was grinning like a Cheshire cat which got its cream. "She only married your father because he was Lord President of the Crown Council. Because he was Henri Van Helsing, who was fast becoming a legend in the army back then," she continued poisonously, "there was no love. There never was. She was a selfish, disgusting, wanton woman who - "

I jerked my hand free of hers. "Stay away from me, you witch," I snarled, feeling my vision blur, "stay the hell away from me."

"It hurts, does it not? Then think of me. I loved Thomas. I loved him so much," she hissed, grabbing me by my dress, "but he? Even after he married me, all he wanted to do was to concern himself over his horrible sister. Is Jeanne well? Is Jeanne eating properly? Oh, it is the Crown Council's winter recess – come, let us visit Jeanne and Henri at Bordeux! I was dying to have her gone, and almost cried with relief when you murdered her for me!"

Another crippling blow. Her words repeated themselves over and over in my mind. You murdered her for me.

I had killed my own mother.

I staggered in her grip, greatly weakened.

The door flung open then, to reveal Kat and Lisa with thunderous expressions on their faces. Even the soft-hearted Lisa looked murderous at that moment.

"Release her, Your Grace!" she growled, enunciating each word for her to hear, "before I make you."

Lady Rosanna released me at once and backed away. She only attacked me when I was alone.

"I will not allow history to repeat itself," she growled at me, "I will not allow you to spoil my daughter's happiness like your mother spoiled mine. If I find you still trying to seduce His Royal Highness, I will not hesitate to make your worst nightmares come to life. Is that understood?"

"Leave," I whispered hatefully, "stay the hell away from me."

She turned back to return to the Ball, shooting Kat and Lisa poisonous looks, as she closed the door behind her. The moment she was gone, they rushed towards me to envelope me in their arms as I tried to get a grip on myself.

"She said...such....horrible...things," I gasped out, squeezing my eyes shut, as a single tear rolled down my cheeks.

"Do not listen to her, poppet," venom filled Kat's voice, "nothing good has ever come out of her mouth."

"By the Lord, Jules, you know how your Tante can be," Lisa sighed tiredly, rubbing my shoulders, "why do you allow yourself to be hurt every time like this?"

"She is no Tante of mine," I spat out, as I shook myself free of their embrace, "and she will never be."

They gazed at me warily, as I masked my expression into neutrality and rubbed my face clear. "I am not going to return to the Ball. I have danced enough to last a lifetime," my voice sounded eerily cold and foreign, "if you will excuse me, I will go straight to bed."

Kat suddenly went deadly, unnaturally still, her cheeks whitening as her eyes froze upon a particular spot behind me. "Jules - "

"Bother not, Kat - " I began to sigh, when I stopped short.

Kat never called me Jules - not after our childhood days, that was.

"What is wrong?" I demanded in a low voice, grabbing hold of her shoulders.

Lisa froze too, her arm tightening painfully around my own. Kat, in turn, held up a trembling hand and pointed towards the darkness behind me, her eyes unwavering.

"I swear to the Lord, I saw a shadow there - " she whispered, her pupils dilated.

Picking up my skirts, I turned around and dashed with all speed towards the direction she pointed, when I almost stumbled over something in my path. I balanced myself, breathing deeply, as the other two collided into my back.

"Careful, you both," I murmured, trying not to sound too loud.

I peeked behind the pillars and bushes around, trying to ascertain if anyone was eavesdropping on our conversations or following us.

By God, I was becoming more and more careless with each passing day. How could I not have heard the eavesdropper beforehand?

At that moment, something rough and sticky rustled gently against my ankles. I paused in my tracks, attempting to identify what it felt like.

Parchment.

Bending down, I picked it up and held it up towards the light from the lanterns hung in the gardens to see it better. Once glance, and my insides almost solidified to ice.

Kat let out a sharp hiss, while Lisa stifled a scream.

It was a piece of parchment, dripping with warm, thick blood, with a single word written on it with the same substance in elegant script.

Simply one word. And at once, I knew who it was from. This was the same hand that had written those traitorous letters sent to King Ferdinand.

Simply one word.

Beware.

"J-Jules...." Lisa stammered quietly, "there is -there is something else on the floor." She stared hard at my feet in terror.

I glanced down, unsurprised to see a dark mound at my feet - the object I had almost tripped over earlier when I was running. Judging by the shape of it, I could guess what it was.

And I would not deny that the realisation had my heart pounding fast with fear.

Still, I tried to keep my calm, telling myself not to jump to conclusions, as I offered Lisa my hand to hold onto. "Kat," I asked her steadily, "will you fetch me a lantern, please?"

Kat met my gaze, her grey eyes dark with worry, before she loped over to the nearest one and launched herself off the ground to reach for it. She then brought it near my feet to shine some light on the mound.

This time, Lisa did not even try to stifle her scream. Neither did Kat.

The mound was a severed human hand.