Since returning to her room unsuccessful after her attempt of getting out of meeting the King, Yvonne sulked and moped around for the entire day.
Raylene and Howard were none the wiser about what the father and daughter had discussed deep in the woods.
Rutherford had chosen to keep things a secret as he did not wish for his wife to discover that the event she was looking forward to was not something their daughter desired to attend.
The Countess has been preparing for the meeting with the King throughout the week of mourning and the caring husband did want to take that joy away from her by revealing that Yvonne was reluctant to do the same.
Howard on the other hand was busy brushing up on his knowledge about their fief in case the King questioned him regarding certain matters just like he had done on his birthday banquet a year ago.
Thus, Rutherford let them be and he too continued with his tasks but at the same time, he asked Butler Limo to keep an eye on the little girl lest she tried to do something similar once again.
He had received a scare after hearing what she might be up to from Fryght.
While he was annoyed that Fryght scared her with his true appearance, he was glad that his etcher had been around to catch her fall and not let her get gravely injured.
Even if Yvonne's fall from Demon's back did not harm her too much, coming in contact with sticky grass would have done some damage to her health.
She would be bedridden with her body enveloped in blistering rashes until they subsided through medical treatment.
Maybe she did not know that this entire process was so painful that sometimes people passed out while taking the medicinal baths recommended by the physicians.
However, he was relieved that Fryght had saved her in time and he too had arrived to pick her off Fryght's back before she touched the sticky grass below.
Thinking of what he had witnessed, Rutherford could not help but grit his teeth in anger aimed at his child's etcher.
The duty of an etcher was to protect their master and support them in whatever they desired to achieve.
When this thought popped up in his mind, Rutherford was hit with a new realization.
'Vonna must have commanded Demon to go along with her plans.' He shook his head at this speculation as it appeared to be just what must have taken place.
Etchers needed to ensure their Master's safety but following their commands took top priority.
Therefore, he could already imagine a scene where Demon must have expressed his doubts about her plan but Yvonne insisted on going through with them, leaving the etcher no choice but to follow her regardless of what he felt about it.
Surprisingly, Rutherford had hit the nail right on the mark as his theory was exactly what had taken place.
Yvonne was adamant despite Demon's reluctance which had led to that outcome.
However, no matter who was to be blamed for this incident, the two accomplices would be punished alike.
Both Yvonne and Demon would have to face the consequences of their actions but that would have to wait until after they visit the Rosenhyde Royal Palace.
Tomorrow was a big day for their family and he needed to make sure that everything was perfect before they began their short journey to the Palace at the appointed time.
While Rutherford headed back to work to complete all necessary preparations, similar scenes could be seen in many households in the Capital.
The St. Claire family wasn't the only one who had been invited by the King.
Numerous other families had received similar invitations and they too were busy preparing for the big day tomorrow.
It was only the appointed time that differed but the date remained constant for all.
Thus, various households and everyone residing in them were running around as they did their best to look and be their best for tomorrow's important event.
___
When the sun rose over the Capital, it was a rare sight to see that many people of noble birth were already out of their beds as they began their morning.
In the St. Claire mansion, the Countess had kicked her husband out of their bedroom the moment they had awakened.
Rutherford was asked to use a spare room which he obediently agreed and headed out in order to not upset his ecstatic wife on this bright and sunny morning.
The reason for the poor husband being chased out was the schedule that Raylene had prepared after careful consideration.
The moment the Earl exited from the room, her maids got to work.
Numerous items were brought inside and even the adjoining room which acted as their wardrobe and dresser room was also filled with items they would be using today.
On the other side of the mansion, a knock was heard on the door which managed to awaken the child who had not fallen into a deep sleep since late last night.
Yvonne rubbed her tired and slightly bloodshot eyes as she permitted the one outside to enter.
As expected, it was Mrs. Jacinth and Roselie who had arrived to help her prepare for the meeting with the King.
'Might as well look good while meeting my doom.' She decided and hopped out of bed, walking in the direction of her bathroom.
However, in the next second, Roselie had called out to her which caused her to halt in her steps.
"Miss, Madam has asked to bring you to her room." Mrs. Jacinth revealed the reason for this interruption.
The little girl's short hair had been tousled during her sleepless night which made it now look like a frizzy mess.
'What could it be now?' She wondered but noticing that her maids did not add anything further to explain why she was being called, Yvonne did not object and nodded her head.
With her two maids walking behind her, Yvonne St. Claire walked in her fuzzy slippers as she moved towards the room where she had been summoned.
Raylene had a bright smile when the child entered and immediately pulled her over to the room next door where she had everything prepared.
Yvonne's eyes widened in shock at what she was seeing in this new room.
The ambiance, the furniture, and even the scented candles lit around the room made her feel that she had just stepped into a spa from her previous world.
There were reclining chairs with cushions placed on them, towels and tubs of water with rose petals floating around, and even glasses of refreshing juices were kept ready.
"Did you like my surprise?" Raylene inquired and just a look at her child's brightened eyes ogling at what was before her was answer enough for the smiling mother.
Yvonne could not deny that she was pleasantly surprised with her mother's thoughtful preparation and that she was looking forward to what else she had in mind.
"Shall we begin?" The mother asked and this time, snapping out of her daze, Yvonne nodded her head in eager agreement.
'What is better than a relaxing morning at the spa?' The little girl questioned herself and the only answer she received was a morning with mimosas at the spa.
Unfortunately, she would have to make do with what she had right now as there was still a long way to go before she could enjoy the pleasure of sipping her preferred drinks.
Seeing her happy face, Raylene was overjoyed as she had observed her daughter's face growing gloomy in the last few days.
She could not decipher the cause of this change but hoped that this attempt would make a difference and she was glad that it seemed to have worked.
Thus, the Countess nudged her daughter, asking her to take her seat on one of the chairs so that they could begin their day in this special way.
Yvonne did not reject and took her seat, waiting to see what might happen next.
___
While the ladies had their fun, Rutherford went ahead to the Office to complete some last-minute tasks and met Howard who was reading in there.
Impressed with his hardworking nature, the father quizzed him on everything they had discussed this last year when he acted as their tutor and nodded when the boy had given the right answers every time.
Once they were done here, the men returned to their designated rooms to get dressed.
When it was two hours before the appointed time of the meeting, the St. Claire family was ready to head out.
Both Raylene and Rutherford had excellent features which had been inherited by their children.
Now standing next to each other, the family looked even more stunning as they impeccably dressed for the event.
The little girl who was standing with them was in a much better mood after the spa session.
While enjoying her spa time, Yvonne had come up with certain ground rules which would help her survive today.
'Stay lowkey.' She recalled the first rule she had to follow.
'Act shy so they leave you alone.' For this, she even made up her mind to hide behind her father's leg if there ever was a need to avoid someone's eyes.
'Do not interact with the Royal family members!' The last and most important was to not make unnecessary connections with those who could harm her and her way of life.
Thus, with determination to abide by these rules, Yvonne sat in the carriage which began heading in the direction of the Palace.