The Duke's Passion

Days had passed in a blur, and it was the day of the banquet. I barely recalled what I did for the past days as they were the same; dance practices with Yul, attending classes for palace etiquette, dinner with my in-laws, and stare at the ceiling until I fall asleep.

I didn't meet Stefan again since that night, making my adjustments faster. Meeting him just so he could ridicule me was the least I wanted right now.

"My lady, her royal highness is here," Mildred announced from behind me, bowing politely.

I glanced up, setting my gaze on her reflection from the full-body vanity mirror in front of me.

"Send her in," I whispered, smiling faintly as I shifted my gaze back to my reflection.

"Well, my, sister." Silvia's voice caressed my ears, along with the soft clip-clop of her heels. "Are you trying to provoke everyone by putting your hair up, highlighting your neck?"

A soft chuckle slipped past my lips as I turned around. "Greetings, your royal highness," I greeted, tilting my head down as I performed a curtsy.

"Your aura drastically changed since our last tea time." Silvia giggled as she fanned herself, gazing at me from head to toe.

The last time I saw Sivi was my first dinner with the royal family. She didn't visit me or joined dinner after that, so I had spent most of the time with Yul since the other royalties didn't pay me attention.

Not that I care, really. It was better to receive less attention while I adjust myself in this suffocating environment.

"I'll take that as a compliment, your royal highness," I replied, linking my hands before me. 

"My, I like the change," Sivi chuckled as she covered her lips with her hand fan. "Then, shall we head out? Yul is waiting outside the carriage."

"Yul?" I raised my brows, surprised to hear Yul would come along. I remembered him saying banquets never interest him.

Sivi let another wave of soft chuckles as she stared at me over her hand fan. "Well, it seems my little brother is finally maturing, my sister."

Maturing? I doubt. I commented internally as we headed out of Avolire Palace. When we reach the carriage, Yul was standing before it, sporting an annoyed look.

He didn't have to prove his unwillingness so obvious. 

"You look gorgeous as ever, Silvia," Yul complimented, as he offered his hand for Sivi to grasp. 

Sivi smiled as she gracefully took his hand as a support for her to enter the carriage. "It's my first time seeing you look so fine, Yul."

Yul only bowed slightly before he turned to face me. His disdain immediately flickered across his eyes as our gaze met.

"And you," Yulis muttered, scrutinizing me from head to toe with the usual ridicule in his eyes. "You look the same."

'You look as ugly as ever, ' was the real meaning behind his words.

The corner of my lips twitched. Not that I was expecting a compliment from him. 

"Thank you," I remarked sarcastically, sporting a fake smile.

I held my skirt up as I didn't expect him to offer help, but he suddenly laid his hand out. I arched my brow, raising my gaze at him, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.

"Even if you're like a walking lump of meat, you're still a lady. Her royal highness is waiting," Yul remarked sarcastically, scoffing faintly as he rolled his eyes.

He didn't have to force himself to do it if he didn't want to. But regardless of his reluctance, these were the small opportunities to get back at him.

"You're right," I replied as my lips turned up into a smug grin. I put all my weight on my hand, gripping him, hoping to break his fingers.

"Thank you, your highness," I expressed once I perched safely inside the carriage and turned my attention to him.

"You hold on to me as if your life depends on it," Yul commented, casting me a glare as he got in. 

"I'm just afraid of making a mistake and cause trouble for her royal highness." 

"So, you don't mind being of trouble to me?" Yul pursed his lips as it stretched broader, but it didn't reach his ear. He looked so annoyed, but we always bickered for the past four days and I'm still alive. So, I'm used to it.

"Do you prefer me troubling her royal highness instead?" I asked, feigning innocence as the carriage set off.

"Really, I should've cut that tong…" Yul trailed off upon hearing Sivi's waves of chuckles. We instinctively paused as we shifted our attention to her.

"Pfft—!" Sivi was covering her lips with the back of her hand, letting out muffled chuckles. "I didn't know you'd grow this close in a brief span of time."

She pointed out in between her chuckles. If only Sivi knew we'd been stepping on each other's feet during our dance practices.

"Don't jest, Silvia." Yul frowned as he let out a sigh. "I will never get close to this walking lump of meat."

"That's right, Sivi. Just the thought of it makes all the hair on my body raise!" I nodded with a smile, feeling the intense glare coming from Yul.

"Hahaha!" Sivi laughed louder as she clapped her hands, filling the carriage with her harmonious peals of laughter.

I watched her, and my tensed shoulders eased. I glanced at Yul and caught him glancing back. 

"Sivi, is there's something wrong?" I asked when her waves of laughter subsided. Although I didn't trust them fully, I still see them as the only ally on my side at the moment.

Sivi froze upon my question, but she didn't lose her composure as she cleared her throat and slowly faced me. 

"I'm just glad to see that you and Yul are getting along really well." She reached for my hand, squeezing it lightly as she nodded to reassure me. But I felt otherwise.

"Sivi…"

"Silvia, what happened during your absence?" Yul inquired solemnly, not buying her weak reassurance.

Sivi let out a faint sigh, gazing down as her eyes glistened with bitterness. 

"It's nothing. I just met someone I haven't seen in a long time." Her tone was soft, yet full of bitterness and regret; as if that person she was talking about brought neither pain nor joy, but longing.

"Who the —"

"Sivi, that's alright!" I exclaimed, cutting off Yul's obvious threat as I placed my other hand on hers. "Let's have fun at the banquet and forget about it; we're partners, aren't we?"

I wouldn't understand Sivi's longing if I didn't yearn for Sam. But I completely understood her as I was in the same situation.

Sivi raised her gaze at me as they softened. The corner of her lips curled up into a subtle smile as she nodded in agreement.

"Yes, let's do that," Sivi whispered as she raised her other hand, patting my head gently before she added, "You make me want to snatch you away for myself."