Chapter 5: Another Royal Tea Party

 

 

 

Chapter 5: Another Royal Tea Party

 

“IRIS! Iris! Prince Reseda says he wants to meet with you!” Iris’s father, Lord Chevalier, shouted excitedly as he barged into her bedroom.

Iris could scarcely believe it. She hadn’t seen His Highness at all since she caused a scene at his tea party, and she expected he would want nothing to do with her after that. Why on Earth would he want to see me again?

“Surely, there must be some mistake.”

“No, it’s very plainly written. One week from now, there will be a tea party at the palace, and he’s asked for you to attend.”

“Tell him I decline,” she replied without batting an eye.

“Hahaha! Funny joke, my dear. You know you can’t possibly refuse. Now go and buy whatever you may need to prepare! Anything you desire!” he proclaimed jovially as he sauntered from the room.

“Good grief. He barely let me get a word in edgewise,” Iris muttered, and one of the maids giggled into her hand.

❀❀❀

AT last, it was the day of the tea party. Reluctantly, Iris boarded the carriage. After a great deal of whining and complaining, she had managed to convince her father to send Nigel with her.

Her hair was curled in ringlets and tied up in a half-ponytail with an oversized ribbon—her father’s favorite style. She told him she didn’t need any fancy gloves this time, but he gave her some nonetheless. Ultimately, however, Iris decided to leave them behind in the carriage. After all, her plan was to flaunt her unsightly disfiguration and make His Highness despise her for good.

“Ugh, I hate this…I’m so miserable,” Iris sighed quietly.

“I don’t blame you,” Nigel laughed. “Not like you have anything to say to him.”

Unlike her brother, Iris had no hobbies in common with Prince Reseda. They weren’t friends. She was a stranger to him.

❀❀❀

AT the palace, Iris and Nigel were escorted to a little greenhouse filled with daisies. Inside, they found the two young princes waiting for them: His Highness Prince Reseda, as well as eighteen-year-old Crown Prince Bleuet, Reseda’s older brother by five years. Iris had only ever seen him from a distance, so this was her first time speaking to him directly.

“Lady Iris, I presume. And Nigel, of course. Thank you for coming.”

“Iris du Chevalier.” Iris curtsied to him.

“No need for formalities. Nigel’s a good friend of ours.”

Bleuet smiled amiably. His pale, pinkish-purple hair looked silky soft, and there was a faint blush upon his smooth porcelain cheeks. For a man, he seemed rather delicate, and Iris was captivated by his beauty.

“I hear last week’s tea party was highly entertaining. I wish I could have been there myself,” he continued with a chuckle.

“Entertaining, my lord?” Iris wasn’t sure what he could be referring to.

“I heard all about your little showdown.”

“Bleuet!” Reseda hissed frantically.

Iris felt her face flush and averted her gaze to the floor. He had to be talking about the incident with the gloves. You’re telling me the CROWN PRINCE OF FLORAISON knows about it? Just kill me now!!!

“After the party, I noticed my little brother seemed to be in unusually high spirits, so I asked him about it. And do you know what he said?”

“Bleuet!”

“He said a ‘fascinating girl’ had come to visit—”

“BLEUET! ENOUGH! I ask that you depart at once!”

At this, Bleuet laughed himself into a coughing fit.

“…I shouldn’t have shouted at you, dear brother. Please forgive me,” Reseda apologized. “But you must understand, you’re not well enough to be on your feet. Now go and get some rest.”

Bleuet smiled faintly. “You’re very kind, Reseda. In that case, I shall take my leave of you. Nigel, would you escort me?”

At the behest of the Crown Prince, Nigel put an arm around his shoulders for support. Together, the two walked out of the greenhouse, Bleuet coughing all the way. Was he always this sickly? Come to think of it, at the start of HanaKoro, his death had made Reseda the new Crown Prince.

Does that mean…something’s going to happen to him?

Now that Iris thought about it, that wasn’t the only backstory death. The third love interest, Cytisus, lost his beloved to some sort of disease prior to the start of the game. Was it just a coincidence, or…was another epidemic going to hit the royal capital? Iris shuddered. Hopefully, she was wrong! Even if she were to inquire after Bleuet’s health, chances were high she would only get a vague answer. And even if they did tell her the full details, it wasn’t like she could do anything about it…

“Lady Iris, I…I sincerely apologize for my brother’s impropriety,” Reseda stammered awkwardly, and Iris snapped back to her senses.

“Oh, er…no apology necessary, Your Highness.”

“Why don’t you have a seat over here?”

At his prompting, Iris sat down at a round white table. Silence fell between them—so quiet you could hear a pin drop—and she had no idea what to do about it. She didn’t know why he summoned her in the first place, and now Nigel was gone… All Iris knew was that there was supposed to be a “tea party,” and she had expected there to be more guests!

The silence hung over them.

Ugh, I can practically hear the air itself! But I don’t have anything to say to him! I don’t even want to get to know him!

More silence.

Can I go home now?!

“Well, Your Highness, I can’t imagine this is a productive use of your time, so I think I’ll be on my way.”

“No!” Reseda immediately shot back. Then his eyes widened, as if he’d startled himself. “I mean, er…I apologize for shouting.”

“Certainly, my lord.”

Even more silence.

I really can’t think of anything to talk about. If he wants to spend time with Nigel, then maybe I’ll just go home without him… Yes, that sounds like a plan! I’ll go straight home and send a carriage for Nigel later!

“Were you hoping to speak to Nigel? I’ll send him over on my way out.”

“Lady Iris?!”

He looked at her in alarm, but she wasn’t bothered. Iris wanted nothing more than to get out of there.

“I, um… Would you care for another cup of tea?”

“I haven’t finished my first, thank you.” Iris had only just sat down, and she hadn’t even taken her first sip.

“We also have a selection of cakes! You’re welcome to have as much as you like!”

At this, a maid walked over, pushing a rolling cart—the same maid from Iris’s last visit. In the time since Iris had last seen her, the maid had added two little lace ribbons to her headdress, plainly made from the fabric of Iris’s gloves.

“Let me know what you’d like, and I’ll serve it to you, my lady.”

“Oh my!”

The cart was filled with cakes of every color. Sweet summer strawberry tarts, dense white cheesecakes, fluffy chiffon cakes, Bundt cakes…they all looked heavenly!

“My personal favorite is the strawberry tart,” said Reseda.

“Then that’s what I’ll have, too,” she replied. As the maid served her dessert, Iris continued, “I see you decided to repurpose the gloves. I’m flattered.”

Iris wouldn’t have held it against her if she’d decided it was safer to dispose of the fabric altogether, but instead, she was willing to wear it. To Iris, it was a touching gesture. Blushing beet-red, the maid curtsied to her in thanks; meanwhile, Reseda watched them with a smile on his face. Iris noticed him looking, and their eyes met.

“What is it, my lord?”

He hastily averted his gaze. “Well, you see…I thought you might have had a dreadful time at the tea party last week, so I wanted to make it up to you. That’s why I invited you here today.”

Just like in HanaKoro, Reseda was a kind and thoughtful person…to anyone and everyone. But in the game, Iris never realized that last part.

“You needn’t worry about my feelings, Your Highness.”

“Surely any young woman would feel terrible if her blemishes were revealed to the world.”

“No, really, I’m quite fine. Talking to Nigel made me realize that this will serve as a screening process for unqualified suitors.” Iris raised her left arm to indicate her scars.

Reseda smiled hesitantly. “You’re a strong girl, Lady Iris.”

“Oh, that’s not true at all. I just don’t think it’s worth agonizing over. What matters is that I survived my sickness.”

It was the honest truth of how Iris felt, but it didn’t truly occur to her until that conversation she’d had with Nigel when he told her he was grateful that she survived. Iris could have died, but instead, she made it out with a handful of scars. Her life wasn’t over—far from it. In a certain sense, the scars made everything easier.

As the Prince took a bite of his tart, Iris followed suit. The tangy little strawberries paired perfectly with the sweetness of the cream. Truly, this was the taste of summer itself. Nothing but the best here at the royal palace! Last week’s sweets were top-notch, and these desserts are divine, too!

As Iris squirmed with delight, Reseda snickered. “Big fan of dessert, are you?”

“I am.”

“Glad to hear it.”

If only I could read his true intentions from behind that bright smile.