“Extra! Extra!”

A child sprinting down the street with both arms wrapped around a stack of newspapers bellowed at the top of his lungs, and people came swarming. They pressed coins into his hands and snatched up the papers he offered, too busy reading to spare another word.

“Is this real? You’re not making this up?”

“I know. What could possibly make the grand duke fall for a mere baron’s daughter…….”

The child, who had been darting this way and that handing out papers, exploded at the murmured remark.

“Our paper doesn’t deal in lies! Give it back! I’m not selling to you! Hand it over and I’ll return your coin!”

“No, no. I’m not saying I don’t believe it, I’m just surprised!”

“Say one more time that it might be a lie and I’m never selling you a paper again!”

“All right, all right, calm down.”

Apparently embarrassed at being scolded in public by a child half their age, the men tucked their papers under their arms and disappeared into the crowd. The child watched them go, still fuming, nostrils flaring with each sharp breath, then let out a long sigh and called out again.

“Extra! Extra!”

One deep breath, and he was back at it. The stack of newspapers that had filled his arms was gone before long, replaced by a fistful of coins. He counted them carefully, face breaking into a satisfied grin, then dropped them into his pocket and walked off somewhere.

* * *

“My lady! I’ve brought the newspaper you asked for!”

“Give it here! Quickly!”

The maid carrying the paper ran over and thr*st it into the hands of Countess Went. The tea party at the Marchioness Wilrna’s was coming up soon, and it was a genuine relief to have caught this before then.

“Good heavens!”

So he had that kind of romantic side to him? Good heavens, everyone needs to know about this!

Countess Went snapped at her maids to hurry with her preparations. She needed to be the first one to share this extraordinary news at the tea party.

“Is it really true?”

“That’s what I’m saying. My maid went and saw it herself. Oh, Countess Went! You’ve arrived?”

“Good afternoon. It sounds like you were in the middle of something interesting?”

“Have you seen today’s paper?”

Countess Greone’s question made Countess Went strain to pull her lips into a smile. Irritation flared at not being first, but she was not foolish enough to show it, so she forced the smile and kept it there. Being left out of the conversation entirely would be the greater problem, so Countess Went answered naturally and settled into a seat beside them.

“Of course. I’ve just come from reading it.”

“Then this won’t take long to explain. My maid slipped past the grand ducal estate earlier today, you see.”

“Oh?”

“She says a long line of carriages was being loaded with enormous ebony boxes, and those carriages drove straight into the Piper barony!”

“Oh, I can’t stand it!” 

The moment Countess Greone’s scandalized reply landed, shrieks erupted from every direction. It was the talk of the season. The rumor went that Grand Duke Declen Clerc had fallen utterly head over heels for the daughter of some obscure baronial house and was pursuing her relentlessly, and that the remarkably fortunate baron’s daughter was “daring” to refuse Declen Clerc at every turn.

Could it be true? Was it really? Everyone exchanged skeptical glances. In the end, Countess Greone, unable to contain her curiosity, had gone and confirmed it herself. Through her maid.

“The Piper barony, of all places. How could the daughter of such a small baronial house possibly handle His Highness the Grand Duke?”

“Exactly. The baron’s daughter is being quite clever about it, really. A man’s heart sways like a reed in the wind, and there’s no way a baron’s daughter could manage the position of grand duchess.”

“A girl from a baronial house, overseeing the affairs of an estate that size? She knows her place, that’s all.”

“But doesn’t it seem strange? The Piper barony, out of nowhere.”

“It is surprising, isn’t it? A man who has always been so cold-blooded, suddenly smitten with a baron’s daughter.”

“I’ve been thinking about it, and I wonder if it has something to do with the prophecy? The one from a few days ago.”

The word prophecy brought the memory of that night flooding back to all of them.

“I never would have thought His Highness the Grand Duke would pay the prophecy any mind.”

“He is Avilion’s most beloved holy knight, after all. Perhaps Avilion granted him another prophecy all his own.”

Laughter rang out across the garden from every corner. Declen Clerc. That perfect specimen of a man was the envy and the dream of everyone. Men fell over themselves trying to imitate even the smallest thing about him, and women ached to stand at his side and call themselves his beloved. Like it or not, the grand duke’s influence was immense.

“Either way, I’m envious.”

Someone let the words out, heavy with longing, and a chorus of fervent sighs followed.

“You’re right. It’s terribly enviable.”

“To be courted by a man carved from marble. I’d love to experience that myself.”

“So would I.”

To think he was capable of courting someone so ardently. I’d love to be on the receiving end of that. Sighs laced with envy broke out from every direction.

“What does she look like, that young lady? I’ve only heard about her. I’ve never actually seen her.”

“She did have her debut, but her family is so obscure. She never stood out and just faded away.”

“She may not have caught the eye of the other eligible gentlemen, but she caught the eye of the biggest catch of all.”

The biggest catch. No one named him, but everyone knew exactly who was meant, and the garden filled with peals of laughter.

“Do you think His Highness the Grand Duke will bring her to the next ball?”

“She’s been refusing him at every turn. Would she really come to a ball?”

“Well, if she appeared at the ball on His Highness’s arm, it would be proof that she’d accepted his courtship.”

“The ball is next month, isn’t it?”

One of the seated ladies posed the question, and everyone nodded and chimed in with their answers.

“The night of the full moon next month, so it should be quite the spectacle. I doubt there’s a single house that won’t attend.”

“Even if you have prior engagements, you simply must go. You can’t miss entertainment like this.”

“I’ve already had a dress made for it. Oh! Have you all had yours made?”

“Of course. It’s a ball hosted by His Majesty the Emperor himself. Naturally I had one commissioned in advance.”

In an instant the conversation shifted to dresses. They carried on about which shops were fully booked and which had lovely new designs, until someone opened her mouth again.

“If that baron’s daughter does come with His Highness the Grand Duke, which designer’s dress do you think she’ll wear?”

“Hmm……. His Highness does have a reputation to uphold, so she’d probably wear at least a Selectra gown, don’t you think?”

“A Selectra gown? That designer has had a years-long waiting list. Do you really think that’s possible?”

“She might make an exception out of deference to His Highness. Who knows.”

“Oh. In that case, I’m canceling my next order with Selectra. If a girl from some obscure baronial house wears a Selectra gown, it cheapens the value of the Selectra dress I’ll be receiving later!”

One lady’s near-shriek of a declaration drew nods of agreement from the whole group. Through it all, the tea in the cups steadily disappeared. Maids came in again and again with teapots and trays of cookies and cakes to refill everything, but the conversation showed no sign of stopping.

“Today was truly delightful.”

“I had a wonderful time as well. It’s been ages since I’ve had such a lively conversation.”

And so some time passed. After quite a while, the group of chattering women finally rose slowly from their chairs. Countess Went, laughing softly and fanning herself with the fan in her hand, drew close to Countess Greone and brought her lips to her ear.

“Now, this is something I heard in strictest confidence.”

“Oh my. What is it?”

“You must keep this between us, Countess Greone. I’m telling you because I trust you.”

“Of course. I’ll keep it entirely to myself.”

Countess Greone’s eyes sparkled with a promise to keep the secret, but Countess Went did not believe a word of it. Countess Greone was universally acknowledged to have the loosest lips in the room. This would spread before long, no doubt, but that was fine. By the time it did, through Countess Greone’s mouth, everything would already be over.

“Apparently that baron’s daughter is meeting with His Highness the Grand Duke today.”

“Really? Oh my goodness!”

“My maid took a quick look past the baron’s daughter’s house and overheard her giving orders for a message to be sent, requesting a meeting with His Highness.”

“She requested a meeting?”

“Aren’t you dying to know what they’ll say to each other?”

“I’m absolutely dying to know!”

So was Countess Went. What could she possibly want to say? Was it to tell him she would see him after all? Or to tell him that his courtship was more than she could handle and to please stop? The former seemed more likely, but the latter was not out of the question. When else would a mere baron’s daughter ever get the chance to meet with a grand duke?

“If I may share my own small opinion…….”

Countess Went let her eyes curve into a smile and brought her lips back to Countess Greone’s ear. They were both countesses, but the Greone county was still a touch wealthier and more powerful, so there was nothing to lose by staying in her good graces. Her husband, Count Went, had made a point of asking her to keep close to Countess Greone. Countess Went smiled and delivered her parting words.

“I think it would be wise to cancel your order with Selectra.”