Chapter 6: Failure

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'It's been a long time since I have seen you, have you been well?' he asked in a cordial tone. He moved closer to her seat at the wall almost boxing her in. Amber fidgeted with her dress, seriously thinking of how to escape this situation.

'I have been well. You also look well, Lord Damian.' She replied.

But, she could not run. She has a mission she absolutely must accomplish this night.

So she gave Lord Damian a polite smile.

Even though a year had passed, just the sight of him made a sharp pain run through her chest.

Amber held her hands together to bolster herself to endure his presence.

'Is it alright for you to be here, Lady Amber? The dancing has begun.'

If she was looking for a potential man, she could not be a wallflower hiding in a corner; she had to be actively present so that a gentleman could ask for a dance.

Amber smiled and tried to be elegant in her reply, 'I am aware, but is it alright for you, Lord Damian? There must be very many lovely ladies who are waiting for you to ask them to dance.'

'I don't intend on asking any lady to dance right now... Lady Amber, I wish to apologize to you.'

His tone was very serious and Damian bowed his head; he probably had come to realize that he had been unfair to Amber in the past. But for Amber, the words were a poor salve to the scar in her heart,

'Are you speaking of the past? It's alright, please do not mind.'

'So kind; you remain my precious friend.' he said looking a little relieved. But Amber' smile had a hidden bitterness - Lord Damien's sincerity was also cruel. (Zuben: I think it sounds more like they are self-centered and tactless but know how to market it as innocence or sincerity)

A year and a half ago,

Amber was 18. She became acquainted with Damian through a mutual acquaintance. He was the cherished son of the Marquis de Dinger.

In those days (Zuben: so very long ago), Amber had been still hopeful for a marriage match.

As they spoke, Amber began to like Damian; he was rather serious and was a little clumsy, but that only made him more endearing.

He did not look down at her lacework nor compared her to Leticia.

Being next to Damian was comfortable, and brought peace to Amber' heart which had been in turmoil since childhood.

Damian also seemed to like Amber to the extent that there was an indication that he would like to marry her. Even though theirs was not a passionate affair, she had thought they would be happy together.

She remembered the moment Damian proposed to her, she had been filled with modest happiness.

But that happiness collapsed rapidly.

During a ball held in the Royal castle that year, Amber introduced Damian to Leticia, and he fell in love with her in that instant. Moreover, because of a trivial quarrel the night before, Leticia had cried and her eyes had still been red. Leticia confessed under no duress that it was because of an argument with Amber that her eyes were red.

Damian's face at that moment, Amber would never forget. His cheeks had been flushed; his eyes emitted a sweetheart, even his tone of voice carried excitement.

But he turned to Amber with a look full of scorn.

Once again, Leticia had taken someone from her.

At that instant, she realized everything and Damian bowed to her with an aggrieved expression.

He was an as sincere and foolish man.

Leticia was already married to Matthias. If he had thought carefully, he could have used Amber to get closer to Leticia. After realizing, that his love was futile, he quietly retired.

But why?! Why was it always Leticia?

It would be easy to rain curses on her sister, but for Amber, it would fill her with more misery.

To protect the little pride she had, Amber decided to give up and grow up. Yet, unable to endure the sorrow, she slipped out of the party and found a quiet gazebo to hide and cry. She threw away her hair accessories and shoes. No matter how well she dressed, she could never compete with Leticia. On that day, Amber gave up on marriage.

But Leticia did not know anything.

Amber' sorrow.

Damian's love.

How she unintentionally robbed her sister of happiness.

Ignorant Leticia dancing in the arms of her loving husband.

Let's put it away, she decided.

It was already over a year ago. If she did not try to forget it, she could not move on. Damian who had proposed to Amber had become another friend. She looked around her,

'Tonight, I have to be resolute…' she said firmly to herself.

Her future was hanging on a balance.

She clenched her fist and went up to the drinks table. Because most of the guests were dancing or engrossed in conversation, few people were at the buffet tables. Still, she looked about to ensure she was not noticed and pulled out the vial from her secret pocket.

The time was now.

She pulled out the stopper and dropped one pill into a glass of red wine. She replaced the stopper and put the vial away, and stared at the love potion dissolving into the wine.

It bubbled and fizzed in the wine giving off a rich sweet aroma. She has never used such a thing before in her life, so she thought it was rather strange.

Once the pill dissolved, she will carry out her plan.

She had bathed, and perfumed herself and had chosen to wear an easily detachable corset. (Zuben: you are expected to bathe when you go out to a gathering, dear) Tonight, she was willing to exchange her chastity for peace of mind.

Now was not the time to let the fear take over. While the love potion dissolved, Amber closed her eyes and pushed down the fear.

'Pardon me,' a sweet voice said beside her.

'Eh…?' She opened her eyes in surprise as beautiful pale hands appeared in her view and picked the two glasses in front of her. One was her wine and the other was the dosed wine for Nicholas Selma,

'Here you are, elder brother.'

'Thank you, Rosemary.'

'Is that what you wanted?'

'Yes, I had a hankering for some red wine tonight.'

She realized that the gentle fairy-like voice was of Princess Rosemary, and the low alluring one was Ernest, his Majesty the King. But reason soon returned to Amber, Rosemary had taken her chosen wine!

Amber' violet eyes widened in panic,

'Please wait, that wine is-!'

But it was too late. Ernest threw back the wine in one go, it seemed he had gotten thirsty after dancing (Zuben: Shoulda started with water). He drank the wine to the last drop and put the glass down turning to look strangely at Amber who stood there blankly.

'Is something wrong? Was the wine yours?' he asked

'Ah..um, that…' the wine was the love potion and the King just drank it! If she told the truth, her life would end right there. Even Matthias would be arrested.

What should she do…?

If that love potion was as powerful as Matthias claimed, would it be effective on King Ernest who did not like women? Why was she still here?

With a pale face as though all the blood had drained from her, Amber slowly stepped away from Ernest. Ernest, on the other hand, handed his empty glass to Rosemary and went after Amber, whose movements were suspicious.

'Hm. Dark hair and violet eyes? Are you the daughter of the former Marquis Reinfeldt?'

'Y-yes, I am.'

'Your name?'

'Amber Reinfeldt, your Majesty.'

'Is that so…?' he replied. The way he said that line made chills run down Amber' spine. Fear filled her mind and she took another step back. At that moment, Ernest closed the distance in a step and dropped on one knee to the marble floor.

He looked up at her with golden eyes that looked ablaze, and held his large hand out to Amber,

'Lady Amber Reinfeldt, will you marry me?'

What is this?!

She has done a terrible thing. (Zuben: It has become a serious thing!)

The love potion has been administered to the wrong person, and it was more powerful than she had imagined.

Amber was shaken. (Zuben: and well stirred)