The Sand Bride - Chapter 74

“His Majesty is busy.”

The man refused Bianca’s audience with an expressionless face.

“I will convey your message, so come back when His Majesty summons you.”

“I must see him right now.”

Bianca was firm. Her blue eyes held a sharp glint, showing no sign of intimidation even before a man a head taller than herself. The man felt uncomfortable meeting her gaze. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but her eyes resembled his liege’s too much.

The man, twitching his nostrils, finally replied with a reluctant air.

“Very well……. I will tell him, so wait here.”

After the man left, Bianca remained alone, staring intently down the corridor. Dusk was already setting.

Through the arched window, the sky flickered red, and the white stones shone like gold under the pouring sunset light. Bianca quietly watched the scene, then took out a glass bottle from the blue top of her court servant uniform.

“Actually, someone I don’t really know gave it to me…… so I don’t know what’s inside.”

On the day she met Esther in the room, Bianca had gone to the room with this glass bottle letter, intending to return it to her. However, she heard from Esther what had happened while she was busy and changed her mind.

Bianca first asked Esther about the origin of the glass bottle. She had, out of curiosity, taken out and read the letter in the glass bottle that Esther had dropped in the past, and through that letter, she learned unexpected information. That was why she was only now showing Esther the glass bottle.

When asked about the contents, Esther shook her head and continued to speak. Bianca asked other questions.

“Do you know who gave this to you?”

“Not really……. I think it was someone from the merchant guild that hired Father, but…….”

“A merchant guild?”

“Yes. It was a large guild, so I don’t know exactly who all the members were. But I remember that person last said their name was Reshi.”

“Reshi…….”

Reshi. Bianca’s lips tightened. She knew the name of Greta’s birth mother, a name whispered secretly within the palace. It was natural, as the escape of that beautiful woman from the southeast had caused an uproar throughout the palace in the past. But Bianca also knew facts that no one else in the palace would know, even if she searched through everyone.

Closing her eyes, she asked Esther one last question.

“Then what was the name of that merchant guild?”

Esther blinked for a moment, but then answered in a precise tone.

“Emorte. It was Emorte.”

Bianca put the glass bottle back inside her bosom and closed her eyes.

Greta must have known her as a court servant who would testify to the death of the ‘justification’ she needed. Now Bianca had decided to tell Greta the truth. She had never intended to speak of it in her life, and believed it would be unnecessary as no one would believe her even if she did, but now things had changed.

The justification for war that Greta desired, and the reason Bianca wanted to help her in war.

Though the emotions they held might be different, in the end, their essence was the same: it was both their ‘mothers.’

“The King has granted your audience.”

Without long deliberation, Greta had granted the audience; the man quickly returned and said so. Following behind the man who moved as if to lead the way, Bianca walked with firm steps. It was the path to confessing the truth. Perhaps this might be the last time she saw this palace…….

Bianca’s fist clenched. At the same time as speaking the truth, she planned to ask Greta, the King of this country, for something that could only be done with her help.

“Esther.”

The whisper was soft, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. At the moment of parting, Bianca lightly kissed Esther’s pale forehead, smiling faintly as she looked into her turquoise eyes. It was a kiss and a gaze filled with affection for her pitiful family.

“In a week, I’ll let you drink Sarasa petal tea.”

The man’s footsteps stopped. He reached the door and stepped aside. The servants standing by the door began to open it simultaneously. Through the opening door, Greta’s voice was heard.

“Enter.”

At those words, Bianca straightened her back, thinking of the glass bottle and the letter inside it, and walked into the audience chamber. And she looked at Greta with utterly new eyes.

Two pairs of deep blue eyes met. Bianca raised her lips. And she opened the conversation by bowing in a familiar manner.

* * *

Esther’s illness, which had shown no sign of ending even with meeting Bianca once a day, quickly improved. Her pale face gradually began to regain its color, and her white fingernails started to take on a faint pinkish hue.

After the doctor said she could have normal meals instead of porridge starting tomorrow, Karzhen rejoiced greatly and embraced Esther.

He thought, as he held Esther in his arms, that if he had known meeting Bianca as a distraction would have such a quick effect, he would have let them meet much earlier.

Meanwhile, Esther, her face buried in his firm chest, rolled her eyes uneasily. Bianca had secretly talked about escape to Esther since the first day.

Although they were alone in the room, they spoke through their gazes and sometimes through their secret code, in case the servants behind the door were listening.

Their code was Sarasa petal tea. By talking about the petal tea, which needed a week to dry before it could be drunk, Esther understood that the escape day Bianca mentioned was a week away.

As Esther recovered, the escape day drew closer, and finally, a week after Bianca had spoken, Karzhen left the room unusually late that day. For the first time since Esther had fallen ill, he wanted to talk about having dinner together.

“Tell me if there’s anything you want to eat. I’ll give you anything. And…….”

Karzhen hesitated, then shook his head.

“Never mind.”

“Yes…….”