The Scarlet Phoenix and the Prince of Winter

Chapter Thirty Seven

My encounter with Blasie did not do me any good as it was the start of a set of bad luck for me. After that, Madame Morris scolded me for not telling her that someone was going to see me. Normally, we have to inform her about our visitors.

The reason for that is that the Royal Guards are very strict regarding the security of the castle. They have to thoroughly check all those who enter the castle and it's a very long and tough process. Plus, not everyone is allowed to go inside the castle. They should have important reasons to be able to enter and in Blasie's case, I should have been there to explain why she wanted to see me.

I felt guilty about it because it gave Madama Morris unnecessary stress. I don't even know what she did that convinced the Royal Guards to let Blasie in. Maybe she told them about my missing Aunt. That would have been the best explanation that she could think of and I'm grateful to her for that. She saved me from the Royal Guards.

But Blasie made Madame Morris's sacrifice worthless because she just went here to piss me off. How could she tell me all of that? I was right all along to not trust her totally. She is an insensitive woman. How can she decide to get married while her soon-to-be husband still has problems with his family?

It stressed me out, to be honest. That's why when Jang and Kaylie went to me after Blasie left they were also mad at me for not telling me that she was coming. "If we were there she wouldn't have the guts to act like that to you," said Jang who was fuming mad about what happened when I told the two of them what that woman did.

Kaylie agreed. "I might be not as strong as the two of you but I can fight her too," she said to me which made me feel so happy inside. It's not only because she was openly siding with me right now but it was also because she still trusts me and is still concerned about me even after what she found out. To me, it's such a big deal because if someone was hiding such a big secret I don't think I can even sleep peacefully after that. But Kaylie is here and that just warms my heart.

"I don't know what I would have done if I was there," said Jang who was for some reason very fired up. Maybe it was the fact that Blasie was able to convince my poor brother to marry her even if we still have problems to face. "Maybe I would have peeled her skin off with my nail cutter. That girl is so inconsiderate and so full of herself. I don't know where she gets her confidence."

"My theory is that she wants to get married to my brother while my Aunt is still missing."

Kaylie gasped. "Why? That's such an evil theory!"

"It is. But it is not baseless, Kaylie. Aunt Milca was vocal about her dislike of Blasie. That's one of the reasons why Garreth decided to move away from home and just come home every now and then."

"Where did he stayed again? When it is not his schedule to lead the patrol of the Royal Guards at the borders?"

"He decided to stay in Carmel. That's where they plan to get married, according to Blasie."

"What? That sick excuse of a woman!" Jang was now standing up even if we were now lying on our beds because it was already our bedtime. "How could she do that? Couples traditionally get married in their birthplace! So their only choices should have been Kajos or Aurville!"

"Exactly," I responded with a frown because what Jang stated was true. Traditional customs tell us that we should only get married in our birthplace as a ritual of honoring the origins of the couple. Most people get married in either the birthplace of the groom or the bride. Affluent people get married in both, but it is quite rare to hear that someone is getting married in another place.

"It's a crazy idea," said Kaylie. "Ralphus's family would have killed me if I did that."

"Because it's not good," said Jang. "It's unheard of if I must say. Old folks say it's tantamount to disrespecting your parents. And they say that it gives you bad luck too."

"Then why do you think that they are pursuing their crazy plan?"

"Maybe they wanted to get married while my Aunt is missing so that no one could stop them," I said. "That's my wild guess," I said while the two were looking at each other. "I know, I know. It sounds crazy but that could make sense. Maybe they feared that Aunt Milca would protest their wedding, that's why they thought that it's a great opportunity to get married while she is still nowhere to be found," I added.

"I don't believe it," said Jang which surprised me.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't believe that your brother has agreed to that kind of setup. You know him better, Rainha, so I want to ask you this."

"What?"

"Do you really think that Garreth agreed to all of what Blasie said? Getting married at Carmel? Getting married while your Aunt is still missing? Do you really think that if he knows that your Aunt is missing, he will still go with their plan?"

It was my time to gasp. "So are you saying that---?"

"I'm saying is that she's lying about it. Maybe she did not tell your brother about your Aunt going at all."

"That's not a good thing to do," Kaylie mumbled.

Jang nodded. "Or maybe she did tell Garreth, but she did something to make your brother go with the flow."

"That's possible!" I said with my eyes widening with the sudden realization. "Blasie must have done something to convince my brother to go with her plans! And I'm sure that it's her plan! My brother would have not voluntarily suggested getting married while Aunt Milca is still nowhere to be found!"

"Exactly! Plus, that woman's actions are fishy. She seems to be very much confident, right? She had the confidence to come here to tell you about it when she could just send you a letter about it."

"That's true. In fact, I was shocked that it was here who came here to see me. I was expecting that it would be Garreth. I was hoping that after learning about what happened to Aunt Milca he would personally come here and talk to me about it. But Blasie came here on his behalf instead. That made me wonder."

"And you should," said Jang. "As a matter of fact, you have all the right to be skeptical about Blasie."

"Why? Do you know something else, Jang?" I asked.

"Nothing in particular. I just thought it was weird for her to come here and tell you all of that in the circumstances that you have right now. I was thinking, and please don't be shocked with what I am about to say, but what if she had something to do with the disappearance of your Aunt? What if she kidnaps her so that there will be no one that will stop her from marrying your brother?"