TGW Chapter 29 Part 1

 

Different Dreams

 

Every late spring, the time known as the "Queen of Seasons," the Empire’s nobility eagerly awaited the Silver King’s birthday banquet. This annual event was the highlight of the social calendar, a party no one wanted to miss.

The Red King, Patricia, always went to great lengths to organize the Silver King's birthday celebrations. Lavish, extravagant, and meticulously prepared, the event was an awe-inspiring display of wealth and grandeur.

One of the most anticipated aspects of the banquet was Sienna’s dress. Whatever she wore on her birthday set the fashion trends for the year. The party, a magnet for attention and gossip, was always a massive success.

This year was no different. The grand hall of the imperial palace quickly filled, with barely any room left to move soon after the gates opened in the afternoon. The nobility flocked to the palace, and everyone seemed to be discussing the same topic. Even those who typically ignored gossip were all ears this time.

"Can you believe it? The Silver King herself, of all people!"

“Didn’t someone question their relationship before? Baroness, wasn’t it you who said something last time?”

“Oh my, did I? I must have been mistaken...”

It felt as if every noble in the Empire was in attendance. Rumors of a scandal between the Silver King and Marquis Rad, stemming from an incident at the Emperor's private retreat, had spread like wildfire.

"How scandalous, in the Emperor's private villa, in broad daylight no less."

“It’s a private place, perfect for secret meetings. It’s only by chance that someone witnessed them yesterday, but no one usually goes there.”

Though Sienna and Kuhn had only shared a kiss, as is often the case with rumors, the story had grown with each retelling. The gossip now claimed that the two had engaged in a full-fledged tryst at the Emperor's retreat.

Romantic affairs among the Empire’s nobility were usually handled with a degree of discretion. Public displays were limited to strolling together in gardens, attending parties side by side, or perhaps sharing an embrace or holding hands. The more intimate details were reserved for the privacy of late-night gatherings, and everyone turned a blind eye to such things. However, if an unmarried couple’s deeper involvement became public knowledge and they didn’t end up marrying, it could tarnish their reputations for life.

Though the gossip flowed freely, no one dared speak ill of either the Silver King or Marquis Rad. He was too powerful, with unmatched wealth, and she was the most likely candidate to become the next Emperor. No one wanted to risk offending either of them.

Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived.

“Her Majesty, the Silver King, and His Excellency, Marquis Rad,” a court servant announced quietly, but his voice thundered through the room like a roar to the gathered nobility.

The noisy crowd fell silent, and all eyes turned toward Sienna and Kuhn as they entered. The attention was intense, and the onlookers openly stared as the pair moved through the hall.

It was Sienna’s first public appearance in some time, and people quickly noticed a change in her demeanor. After a month of travel, Sienna radiated a new energy that even Beth had remarked upon upon her return.

“Ah…”

Soft gasps echoed throughout the hall. No one could quite explain why, but just seeing her took their breath away.

Beauty is subjective, but Sienna’s beauty transcended such differences. She was universally acknowledged as stunning. Yet today, even those who had once claimed her beauty was too cold or distant were left speechless.

Today, the Silver King was radiant. Smiling and chatting with Marquis Rad, she looked every bit like a young woman in love, glowing with warmth and charm. Her presence made everyone else in the room seem like faded background figures. Marquis Rad’s gaze, full of affection, left no doubt that he was equally captivated.

Even without the scandalous rumors, it would have been clear to anyone that these two were deeply in love.

The first to approach the couple were Prince Dian and his wife, Violet.

“Happy birthday, Silver King,” Dian said, a mix of resignation and confusion on his face, while Violet offered her congratulations with admiring eyes.

“Thank you. It’s good to see you both here so early,” Sienna replied.

"I’ve been hearing strange rumors..." Dian began, only to sigh deeply halfway through his sentence.

"Sienna, could you keep Violet company for a while? Marquis Raad, I need a word with you," Dian said, abruptly grabbing Kuhn by the arm and dragging him away.

He led Kuhn to a secluded balcony. It was odd, two men retreating to a private balcony, but Dian didn’t care about appearances at that moment. He was more concerned with the rumors swirling in his mind.

Dian shot Kuhn a sharp look, his hands itching to grab Kuhn by the collar and shake him, though he restrained himself.

"What the hell is going on?"

"What do you mean?" Kuhn asked calmly.

"The rumors I’ve been hearing... they're not true, right?"

"What rumors?" Kuhn smirked, though he had a good idea what Dian was referring to.

"Did you meet Sienna at the Emperor’s retreat yesterday?"

"Yes."

"And what happened?"

Kuhn chuckled under his breath. "What do you think happened? Nothing worth all this fuss."

Kuhn turned, intending to leave, but Dian grabbed his arm again.

"The rumors say you and Sienna were found naked and entwined. Multiple witnesses supposedly saw it."

Kuhn raised an eyebrow, then burst out laughing.

"Ridiculous. I’d love to meet these witnesses."

“So, it’s not true?” Dian asked, his voice filled with relief.

"Do you think I’m insane? Why would I do something like that there?"

Dian exhaled deeply, visibly relaxing. "Good. I don’t care if you two are in love, but you need to be careful. You know the line.”

Kuhn glanced away briefly. Though nothing had happened at the retreat beyond a kiss, he and Sienna had long since crossed the line in private. He hadn’t planned to keep it a secret forever, but telling Dian would only cause unnecessary drama.

‘Better to keep quiet,’ Kuhn thought.

"It’s none of your business," Kuhn said flatly.

"Of course it is! As her brother, I have every right to get involved."

"Sienna’s enough for me to handle. I don’t need you adding to it."

“Just be careful. I’m trusting you,” Dian warned.

"Now let go of me," Kuhn demanded, trying to shake off Dian’s grip. But Dian stubbornly held on.

“Why did the rumors start, then? Why meet at the retreat when you could’ve met at the Silver Palace?”

“There was a reason. If you’re done, let go. I don’t have the luxury of seeing her whenever I want, like you do.”

 

***

 

 

While their partners were away, Sienna and Violet stayed behind in the banquet hall, chatting lightly. Sienna asked if Violet was finding life in the imperial palace difficult, to which Violet replied that it still felt unfamiliar since her living environment had changed.

“Um... If it’s not too forward of me, may I sometimes visit you at the palace? If it would be inconvenient, I understand. There aren’t any older relatives for me to visit in the palace, and I’m still newly arrived, so it’s a bit awkward to keep inviting personal guests…”

“You’re welcome to visit. We could have tea during my afternoon break, or even share a meal sometimes.”

“Yes!”

Violet smiled broadly, clearly delighted. Sienna felt pleased seeing that Violet hadn’t changed much since before her marriage. She had assumed that after marrying, Violet would become more sensitive to the political rivalry between the Iron King and Silver King, considering her husband’s position.

Sienna called over a servant who was passing by, carrying a tray of drinks. She picked up two glasses of fruit punch and handed one to Violet.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Violet said with a bashful smile as she accepted the drink. She brought it to her lips but hesitated before lowering it without drinking.

“Does it not suit your taste?”

“What? Oh, no, Your Highness…”

Violet fidgeted with the glass, glancing around to ensure no one was close enough to overhear. Then, in a lowered voice, she said, “Actually, I’m not supposed to drink alcohol…”

“Not supposed to? Why?”

Violet glanced down at her lower abdomen, prompting Sienna to follow her gaze.

“I haven’t told anyone but His Majesty the Iron King yet. I’ve only just found out myself…”

“This is wonderful news! How far along are you?”

“It’s been two months…”

Sienna did a quick mental calculation. It hadn’t been quite two months since Violet’s marriage. There was still about half a month to go for it to make two months exactly.

As Sienna looked at her intently, Violet’s face flushed a deeper red.

“I was so embarrassed... I haven’t told anyone yet.”

Before her marriage, she had been tricked by Dian once, and she hadn't expected to conceive from just that. When she found out she was pregnant, she was so embarrassed that she cried in front of Dian.

“So, you were already pregnant at the wedding?”

“…Yes. I didn’t know at the time, though.”

“And you overexerted yourself so much that you couldn’t even attend the celebration the next day. You must be carrying a very strong baby.”

Sienna found it fascinating to watch Violet’s face turn an even deeper shade of red as she tried to hide her embarrassment.

‘Such an innocent person,’ Sienna thought. While she didn’t dislike Violet’s innocence, it made her worry whether Violet could withstand the pressures of palace life. The Iron King and Sienna were political rivals, and from the Silver King’s perspective, the birth of the Iron King’s child would not be welcome news.

Though Sienna sincerely congratulated Violet, she knew that others wouldn’t feel the same. Yet, Violet had so innocently revealed her pregnancy.

‘Pregnant… with the Iron King’s child.’

If her mother found out, she might cause trouble.

“Violet.”

“Yes?”

Violet looked at Sienna with teary eyes, moved by the fact that she’d been addressed by name.

“Let’s keep this news between us.”

“But His Majesty the Iron King already knows…”

“Of course, His Majesty should know as the father. But aside from him, keep it a secret. Who confirmed your pregnancy? Was it the royal physician?”

“No, I felt something was wrong, so I called in the nanny from my family. She has a lot of experience with children.”

Violet planned to officially announce her pregnancy after completing the second month since her wedding.

“You did well. But keep it hidden for as long as possible, at least until you can’t hide your belly anymore.”

“Why must I do that?”

Violet’s eyes wavered with unease.

“Violet, there are many people who will not welcome the birth of your child with the Iron King. If you want to protect that child, listen to me.”

Violet instinctively placed her hands over her stomach, her expression changing from one of fear to that of a determined mother. She met Sienna’s gaze and nodded resolutely.

‘Where is the Iron King, leaving his pregnant wife alone?’ Sienna wondered, scanning the banquet hall for the two missing men. As she looked around, she made eye contact with a man who was watching her. His head was turned in her direction, and even after meeting her gaze, he didn’t look away. Instead, he smiled widely.

Unable to ignore him, Sienna kept looking at the man, who felt familiar though she couldn’t place him. The man approached and greeted her politely.

“It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness the Silver King. I am Andre Bless.”

“Bless?”

The young man with dark blond hair smiled warmly.

“Yes. I am my father’s seventh son. He said that if I introduced myself, Your Highness would recognize the name.”

“Oh…”

Now Sienna understood why the young man seemed familiar. Andre looked very much like his father, Duke Bless. The Duke had not exaggerated—Andre was the most handsome of his sons.

Though Duke Bless was not exactly a handsome man, Andre, while resembling his father, had much more harmonious features. It was as though he was a better version of the original. He also inherited his father’s tall stature.

“Violet, this is Andre Bless, the son of Duke Bless. Andre, this is Her Majesty the Queen Consort of the Iron King.”

“It is a great honor to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Andre Bless, a knight and deputy commander of the Duke’s knight order.”

“I’m pleased to meet such a fine gentleman, Sir Bless.”

After the introductions, Sienna asked Andre, “Are you knighted?”

“Yes, my father can’t stand seeing his sons idle. But I did not earn my position because I am a duke’s son. My time as a knight-in-training was extremely rigorous.”

“I’ve heard that the knights of Duke Bless are highly skilled.”

This was something she had heard from Gilbert, who had once trained knights in Bless territory.

“The knight order is my father’s pride. I can assure you that we are no less skilled than the Imperial Knights of the capital.”

“I wish I had observed the skills of the knights myself. Now I regret not doing so.”

“You are welcome to visit again…”

Andre trailed off, realizing that he had almost made a mistake. His father had specifically instructed him not to talk about Sienna’s visit to their estate. Feeling awkward, he glanced at Queen Violet, trying to gauge her reaction.

Sienna turned to Violet and said, “Violet, I once visited Duke Bless’s estate, but it was an unofficial trip. Let’s keep that between us.”

“Yes,” Violet replied, delighted to be entrusted with such a secret, nodding eagerly.

“And how is Duke Bless?”

“He’s in excellent health. In fact, he will be coming to the capital soon. He asked me to tell you that he looks forward to seeing you.”

“The Duke is coming to the capital? For what reason?”

“I believe he simply wishes to see Your Highness.”

Sienna chuckled at this. Andre, watching her, sighed in admiration.

“I deeply regret being away at my maternal family’s estate during your visit. I thought my father was exaggerating, as he tends to do, but now I see he wasn’t. Never in my life have I met someone as beautiful as you, Your Highness. I feel as though I’m dreaming.”

Violet’s eyes widened in surprise before she covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. Sienna smiled too. She had received many compliments on her beauty, but none so straightforward and sincere as Andre’s.

Unlike the smooth-talking playboys of the capital, Andre’s words were direct and without pretense, making him stand out among the city’s noble youths.

As the musicians struck up a lively tune, Andre bowed and extended his hand.

“Your Highness, may I have this dance?”

The reply came from someone else.

“The first dance belongs to me.”

The deep voice was tinged with enough menace that only men would pick up on the underlying threat. Kuhn appeared beside Sienna, casually wrapping an arm around her waist.

Kuhn struggled to suppress his boiling anger. He had only stepped away briefly, and already someone was trying to cozy up to Sienna. This was all Dian’s fault for wasting his time and creating the opportunity for such a slip-up.

Dian turned away, sensing the dangerous aura Kuhn was giving off. Sweat beaded on his brow as he realized that Kuhn’s gaze had become as fiery as when he hunted desert beasts.

Andre, taken aback by Kuhn’s appearance, stared at the marquis’ arm wrapped possessively around the Silver King. He then smiled at Sienna.

“Oh, so you have a partner. I didn’t realize since you were alone. Then, I’ll ask for the second dance, Your Highness.”

‘This guy, seriously?’

Kuhn’s eyes blazed with intensity. Dian, noticing Kuhn’s increasingly dangerous expression, clicked his tongue. Before the situation could escalate, he stepped in.

“Who might you be? I don’t believe we’ve met. Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first?”

“Forgive my rudeness. I greet His Majesty the Iron King. I am Andre Bless, son of Duke Bless. I was knighted two years ago.”

“Duke Bless? So, that means Count Bless is…”

“Yes, he’s my eldest brother.”

Now that Kuhn knew who Andre was, his mood soured even more. He’d never liked the old Duke, and now one of his sons had shown up to aggravate him further. Clearly, they didn’t get along.

“And this man is…”

Dian began to introduce Kuhn and Andre, but Kuhn ignored him and turned to Sienna instead.

“May I have this dance, Your Highness?”

Without waiting for an answer, he took her hand and led her onto the dance floor, slipping into the waltz with the other dancers. Caught off guard, Sienna quickly adjusted her posture and began matching her steps to the music.

“You ignored him right to his face. That’s rude.”

Sienna glanced at Kuhn, who didn’t reply.

“Kuhn.”

“…There are times when you just don’t feel like exchanging pleasantries.”

“Do you already know him?”

“He’s someone I have no desire to get to know.”

Sienna shot him a brief sideways glance before saying, “No matter what you say, I’m going to dance the next waltz with Sir Bless.”

“Sienna.”

“He made a request, and I can’t just ignore it. He’s Duke Bless’s son. I can’t disrespect the Duke’s honor like that.”

Kuhn remained silent, sulking. Sienna debated whether to tell him that Duke Bless had once tried to arrange a marriage between them.

‘It’s probably better if I keep that to myself.’

She didn’t want Kuhn and Duke Bless to become enemies, and when the Duke came to the capital, she planned to politely decline any future proposals. There was no need to upset Kuhn by telling him something he didn’t need to know.

‘Though I am a bit curious how he’d react.’

She found it oddly amusing to see Kuhn so serious and visibly irritated. Watching him stew in his jealousy made her smile internally.

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