Chapter 51 the ball

~Nadia~

Putting Giselle to sleep was a daunting task today. Her snuffles didn't stop long after she closed her eyes. I pushed all thoughts of Noah away until she was off to bed, but now that I was the only one awake in the house, I went into Noah's room and burned those two letters addressed to Johann Barnekow.

Was that really Noah under the streetlight today? Did he escape from the prison and come to see Giselle? Why would he not come home unless he was a fugitive on the run?

I don't want to side with a spy, no matter how good he is to me. Do I want to deprive Giselle of her papa though? Certainly not. I have to do my part so he's able to come back to Giselle one day, sooner than later.

I guess he would have talked to me and his daughter today if Andreas wasn't with us. He was always there when I was low. Why couldn't he be the simple, honest man I thought he was?

What if Ian never came for me because of Noah? If he was in the prison as some Barnekow, how would Ian know I left Arcadia? Crap!

I sat up on my bed. Did I mess things up by never writing to Ian? What if that whole wedding with Bella was a lie, as I sometimes wondered? They should have announced something by now if it was true. The Crown Prince hasn't been assassinated yet, as the Nana has predicted. Did Ian refuse to marry Bella and give up on his opportunity to take over Arcadia? Or did he find someone else who was a better alliance?

I pulled the chair up next to the desk and took an hour to write him a letter. Why didn't I at least tell him about the baby? Well, if he was with Bella, he doesn't deserve to know about my baby. After several rewrites and edits, I finally put the finished letter away in the drawer to post tomorrow.

Birds were chirping outside the window by the time I finished. I closed my eyes, feeling a lot more lighthearted. If there was no Bella in his life anymore, I might see him by Monday when he gets the letter and comes for me.

My heart fluttered a bit too much and I couldn't catch a wink until the sun was high up. Should I go back to the palace instead of going to the ball? if Ian wasn't in town when I show up, someone might try to get me killed again before he returns. Giselle woke me up while I was struggling to fall asleep.

"What's the matter, Ella? Why are you all dressed?"

"I'm going to Arcadia to meet my grandparents. Will you go with me?"

Noah's grandmother or I should say, Noah's wife's grandmother, came into the room all dressed as well. She did have eyes as green as Giselle's. But then, the grandfather and Noah looked somewhat alike. This is confusing.

"Granny, are you Noah's grandmother? Or his wife's?"

"Noah's. Why would you get such doubt after all these days? Didn't Noah tell you?"

"He did. I was just wondering because until he brought me here, he never told me about having any ties with Ivaris."

"Oh, that... He doesn't want to pay taxes in both the kingdoms. The divide between and the rich and the working class is very high in Ivaris, and so are the taxes."

Hmm. Is that all? Just to dodge taxes? Not to hide his secret Barnekow identity?

"Ella has been crying ever since she woke up. I think a change of place will do her good. We will drop her off and return early tomorrow morning. Will you be okay by yourself today?" She asked.

"Of course, unless you want me to go with you."

"It's almost five hours away each way and you look sick. Rest up. Let's go eat breakfast first."

I showered and sat down to read the Ivaris Gazette while eating breakfast. The grandpa was going to take it with him to read on the coach. There was no new update about the fugitives except what Andreas had already told me last night.

After Giselle left with Noah's grandparents, I went back to sleep again. It was almost eleven in the morning and I was feeling exhausted. Just a quick nap until this splitting headache goes away...

I woke up to a loud banging on my bedroom window. Who the hell is that? It was half-past five already. How?

"Cookie dough!! Are you alive?" I heard Andreas calling me from outside the window.

"Stop calling me stupid names!" The headache didn't go away, and his voice and loud knocks were grating to my ears.

I opened the front door to let him in.

"I knew you wouldn't come if I sent my men. They knocked on your door several times and left."

"Can I cancel this plan, please? I don't feel very well."

"What happened? And where is everyone?"

"Just some headache," I told him about Giselle and her trip.

"Aww, poor thing. I am going to miss her! If I knew how to brew a good cup of tea for that headache, I would have. Help yourself and make me one."

"Oh, just go away! I still need to go to the post office."

"Miss Nadia Varga, the last mail coach and steamboat leave around three in the afternoon. It's almost six. And I will be late for my own awesome party because of you. Get cracking, we have to leave in fifteen minutes. The headache will go away once you eat something. Do you want me to warm anything for you?"

"Yes, grandma left a lot of things for me to eat. Put the mince pie, wild rice with sweet potato salad, and stuffed tomatoes on the stove. You can have some crumpets if you want."

I took the dress out to wear. There was no time to shower again.

"No, thank you. I would like to save my appetite for the feast. You will probably be hungry by then."

"I'm not that big of a glutton," I yelled back at him while struggling to fit into the dress. I got so spoiled by Lyra and Holly. Even without them, there was Lydia to give me feedback. I wonder how she was doing with moving on and starting fresh. I didn't have her new address to contact her and knew better than to ask my mother.

I looked at the dress and my uneager face in the mirror. Andreas picked the dress, and it looked so good in the store last night. I wasn't very sure about it today. It was orange and gold, heavy satin brocade with ruffles and bows. With three layers of embroidered tulle lace and back strapping, it was a perfect fit without asking the seamstress's help.

"Bun or hair down with this?" I asked Andreas as I grabbed a plate from the cupboard.

"Wow! This dress looks extra splendid on you. You should give me some credit sometimes."

"Andreas, bun or--"

"Whichever is faster. Hurry up! This mince pie smells too good and I might eat it all."

"Don't you dare touch it!"

I put some makeup on to remove all traces of fatigue and tied my hair into a neat half-up hair bow. All that amazingly glowing skin from the first trimester was gone since last month. But with Andreas and his never-ending compliments, I was happy for his company and not having to spend the evening alone.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I told him.

"Oh, please! You forgot to mention I'm also incredibly and unforgettably handsome."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring more silly comments about how I should allow him to flirt with me tonight, and about how breathtaking his smile is.

We arrived at the palace after sunset to see everything glitter and sparkle right from the main gates and entranceway. Grandma was right. Looking at the magnificence of the palace and the surrounding mansions, it was hard to believe that the countryside was straggling in poverty.

Torches lit the grand archways and hallways, and the most monumental of chandeliers were alight with dozens of candles. Such opulence and pomp everywhere.

"Is the King going to be attending the ball too?" I asked. He told me before that he lost his mother at a young age and how being the only son, the King put too much pressure on him about everything.

"Yes, maybe later. I want you to meet someone. He is the friend I went hunting with last week. I told him all about you then, and he thinks he knows someone exactly like you."

"Is he the playboy who wouldn't visit you and called Ivaris pox-ridden?"

"Yeah, that same jackass. But he's visiting again, not for me but for his long lost ex. Oh wait, you know her. It's--"

"Andy, you beautiful specimen!" Someone who looked like a younger version of Andreas poked him in the chest.

"Ah, you smooth cinnamon roll! This is smart cookie who is also my date for tonight."

"Excuse me, what?" I interrupted him.

"Ignore her. She has short-term memory issues but wants to keep me long term. This is my little cousin, Aston."

He did a funny bow and talked to Andreas for a bit. Another silly man, just like him. I looked around to see where the food was. My eyes fell on someone standing near the dessert bar with his back turned to me. My heart raced against my chest as he slightly turned to the side, trying plum jam turnovers like they were poison.

Ian!! Trying my favorite dessert... my eyes filled with tears at the sight. He looked sexy as ever, with slightly more grown stubble on his cheeks than before. I stood there for several seconds, taking in his sight for as much and as long as possible.

He shot an easy smile at someone who greeted him. Ah, how I missed those smiles. I rubbed my belly unconsciously while looking at him.

My man. I was nervous as I walked towards him. This was going to be one of the most important moments for us when he sees me carrying his baby. His reaction will tell me everything about if he wants me or still has Bella in his life.

I wiped my tears a fourth time as I walked up to him but they wouldn't stop.

"Ian..."