The Forgotten Meadow · 13. May 2025

TFM 4

Chapter 4

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Like a man who disliked drawing attention to himself any more than necessary, he raised a hand to stop the servant from announcing his name, and then descended the stairs with graceful, erect posture.

But despite his efforts, all eyes were on Varkas, and even the presence of the future Emperor seemed to be overshadowed by his arrival.

Talia greedily scanned his form from head to toe.

He was impeccably dressed, as always, in the regalia of the Imperial Guard. The only thing out of the ordinary was the fact that under his ornate coat, instead of the golden armor of the Knights of Roem, he wore a black breastplate emblazoned with the crest of the Black Horse.

That meant he was attending the banquet as the heir to Grand Duke Shiokan and Ayla's fiancé.

As Talia had expected, Varkas headed straight for the center of the hall, where Gareth and Ayla were sitting.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince."

He bowed to Gareth with a level of courtesy that was neither too much nor too little, then turned to Ayla, who was smiling shyly.

Her fingertips trembled. Talia gripped her goblet with a bone-white grip.

Varkas held out a hand toward the 'True Princess,' and Ayla took it gently. Suddenly, Talia felt a twisting pain in her gut.

Don't touch him. Don't touch Varkas.

She wanted to shout that even though she had no right to do so. Talia had to bite her lip to keep from looking horribly disgraceful.

"Wouldn't it be better if we left the ballroom as we are?"

The man who had been studying her face cautiously suggested. His words, coming from a man who seemed to genuinely relish the disturbance, jolted her awake. She hadn't come here to leave miserable and humiliated.

Talia pulled herself together and crossed the hall with graceful strides. The nobles who were surrounding the Crown prince, the first princess, and the eastern prince, made way for her.

It was clear that they, too, had been expecting something exciting to happen. Talia was about to fulfill their expectations perfectly.

"Greetings. My esteemed brother, and......my lovely sister."

She bowed slowly to the two of them, ignoring Varkas' presence. If she had to look at his face, she felt as if she would let go of the barely held threads of reason completely.

She kept her back to Varkas, her gaze fixed on Ayla's face. Then she spoke in a low, childlike voice.

"I'm glad to see that you've recovered safely, because before............... you weren't looking so good."

"Thank you for your concern."

Ayla said, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, not a shade of malice in it.

Instantly, goosebumps broke out all over Talia’s body.

This woman had to know that it was her half-sister who spiked her drink.

And yet, there was not a trace of anger in her gaze.

It was as if she was looking at something commonplace, something that had fallen into disrepair.

Like the cups and plates and candlesticks that littered the hall.................. How could anyone be angry at such things?

A deep regret washed over Talia at Ayla’s calm and indifferent demeanor.

She should have fed her poison, not emetic, even if it meant a terrible punishment............... burning in hell for all eternity................

Compared to this woman, her brother's raw anger made him seem human.

"How dare you come here?"

Gareth gritted his teeth, leaning in close to her. His glittering eyes scanned her up and down with a deep disgust.

"And in such a vulgar manner, too! Did your mother instruct you to play the whore and seduce my loyalists?"

"You're being a bit harsh."

Talia spread the hem of her skirt wide in defiance.

"This is the dress my mother wore the day she met the Emperor for the first time. It's a very meaningful dress."

For a moment, silence descended on the hall.

The Crown Prince's eyes flashed and burned with fury. Unfortunately, Talia loved to play with fire.

"Our father would have loved this, don't you think?"

The Crown Prince's shoulders shot up. He looked like he was about to raise his hand to her in anger.

But there was no way his shrewd sister would allow that to happen. With exquisite timing, Ayla placed her hand on Gareth's forearm to restrain him, then looked back at her half-sister and smiled her crystal-clear smile.

"Yes. It suits you very well.”

Surprisingly, there was no malice in her voice, just a casual tone, as if she were stating the obvious. Perhaps this woman believed that reacting to the provocations of an insignificant bastard was an affront to her dignity.

With a calming glance at her twin brother, Ayla stepped up to her fiancé's side, leaning gently against him and speaking with a smile that couldn't have been happier.

"Anyway, I'm glad you came, because today is a very special day for us......... especially for me. I just wanted to celebrate with as many people as possible."

Ayla's slender hand rested gently on the forearm of the man who stood as still as a shadow.

Talia stared down at it as if she wanted to tear it to shreds. She didn't dare lift her gaze. If she saw him smile at Ayla, she didn't think she could keep her sanity.

Ayla spoke, her voice as soft as a feather.

“The official wedding date for us has finally been set. On the first day of the Wind Season, I'll be traveling east to join House Shiokan, but first I'll have to make a pilgrimage to receive the blessings of the saints, and I'll have to leave in a hurry before it gets too hot, so this may be the last time I see you."

She did a good job of disguising her regret.

"I'm glad we were able to meet before I left the palace, for I wanted to at least say goodbye one last time."

Then, leaning gently toward Varkas, as if to end the conversation, she added softly.

"Please, do enjoy the banquet we have prepared for you."

Ayla turned gently, a tolerant smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, and Talia, who had been staring at her, spoke up.

"I can't believe this is the last time............... I'll be able to wish you well in your future."

She took a step toward Ayla, and Varkas, who had been silently observing the two women's silent war, reacted immediately. Talia’s eyes burned as she watched him throw his arms out in front of him as if to protect his fiancé.

Talia quickly poured the wine over Ayla's chest before Varkas could fully block her path.

The dark-colored wine stained the top of her pearl-encrusted, snow-white dress red and spilled down to the hem of her skirt. It looked as if she had been stabbed in the heart and was bleeding.

"I will pray every day that you will look like this soon.”

Everyone sucked in a harsh breath at the horrible curse.

Even Ayla's face, which had been pale the entire time, turned blue. Talia almost laughed out loud at how ridiculous her genuinely terrified expression was.

But the amusement was fleeting. A strong hand grabbed Talia by the wrist and pulled her away violently, forcing her to look straight into the face of the man she had so desperately avoided.