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Sebastian glanced at him, and asked sternly, “You didn’t say anything inappropriate, did you?”
Rowan replied, “I would never do that. I only mentioned that Lady Avis has gone to Verdant Monastery for her recovery.”
Sebastian sighed. “We should keep this under wraps for now. Let’s address it after the wedding. If she learns of it now, she’ll certainly go there herself.”
Rowan nodded. “I think the same. With the wedding so close and yesterday’s art exhibition drawing even the king, no one in the capital will dare to speak ill of her. If we stir up trouble with Prince Yuvan at this critical moment, it will only lead to endless disputes
“Exactly. She’s already facing criticism and jealousy for her second marriage and high status. Yesterday’s art exhibition silenced those gossips. If the wedding proceeds smoothly and she hears only good things, then life will be easier afterward.”
Rowan chuckled. “Are you becoming superstitious?”
Sebastian shot him a disapproving look, “What do you know? We physicians have to study more than just. medicine. We also have to learn some divination and astrology. Some things just can’t be explained. The Duke of Northwatch’s family has suffered so much. It feels like the heavens are targeting them for punishment. Hearing more good things and causing less trouble will help them get through this wedding smoothly. That’s all I want.”
“Yes, sir!” Rowan admitted he was only skilled in medicine and not in divination like Ivy.
Sebastian sat in the inner hall, his apprentice serving him coffee which he didn’t drink. Instead, he stared blankly at the liquid in his cup.
He had never married, and had no children. Apart from Hector, he had no close friends. He saw Hector’s children as his own, and the suffering they had endured weighed heavily on him. Sophie had lost her parents, and he had to consider her future carefully. Avis cared deeply for Sophie, but how could she protect Sophie while having her own predicament?
And then there was the Sullivan family, stationed at Victory Pass, guarding the frontier. As military generals, they couldn’t easily return to the capital. Even if Dominic wished to protect his granddaughter, his strength was limited.
Also, the Sullivan family had suffered greatly. The eldest son had passed away early, the third son had lost an arm, and the seventh son died in the battle at Victory Pass. The Sullivan family had endured much hardship.
Sebastian knew that Dominic had petitioned the king, hoping the king would be more considerate of Sophie. Salvador had indeed been kind to Sophie, but…
Sebastian sighed, troubled by what he saw and worried about what might come. All he hoped now was that his concerns would not come to pass. It would be best if Sophie lived in peace with Rafael.
On the fifteenth of December, a heavy snow foll.
Sophie had initially looked forward to the snow, hoping to play in it with Ryan. But now, with the fifteenth day of December upon them and the wedding only nine days away, she guessed that her master and Winona would be arriving around this time.
Though the journey wasn’t exceptionally long, the heavy snowfall made travel difficult by horse. They would have to stay at an inn until the snow cleared.
Sophie felt a mix of anticipation and anxiety, worried that she might not be able to control her emotions upon seeing her master and guild senior. It had been such a long time since she had seen them, and she missed them terribly.
When her life had been less than ideal, she didn’t want to go back or let them know of her struggles. In the past, it always felt like she was shrouded in darkness, like there was a wall blocking her path. Now, having found Ryan, she felt a glimmer of light seeping through that wall.
The future, at least with Ryan by her side, seemed brighter. As for Rafael, while he had someone he cared for, she hoped they could still maintain mutual respect and courtesy.
This new life was so much better than before.
Snow had fallen for two days, not continuously but intermittently. The grounds were covered in a thick layer of snow, though the servants had cleared paths that made walking possible.
The orchids were in full bloom, but buried beneath the snow. With a kick, the snow would scatter, and the flowers would flutter down along with it.
Amid the sea of white, with purple petals drifting down, Sophie and Ryan had built a snowman. Ryan enthusiastically found two pebbles to use as the snowman’s eyes, giving it a quirky, adorable appearance. Sophie draped a cloak over the snowman, and added a hat. From a distance, it looked remarkably lifelike.
Not far away, Kyle had set up his easel and had been painting for some time. It had been a while since he had seen Sophie so lively, and this painting would eventually be sent back to their guild.
By the twentieth day of December, with the wedding imminent, Sophie found herself overwhelmed with preparations.
The wedding gown had arrived; after months of painstaking work, it was as splendid as one could imagine.
The outer garment was sky blue, looking heavy but feeling surprisingly light and smooth when worn. The wedding gown featured intricate gold embroidery of cloud patterns, a traditional design reserved for women of the highest rank.
The ceremonial shawl was a blend of turquoise and gold, with woven dove motifs in shimmering gold. The phoenix crown matched this color scheme, adorned with over a dozen blue and silver gemstones. At the back of the crown, delicate fan-shaped accents in pale cyan and yellow added a touch of elegance, curving gracefully and enhancing the overall beauty of the ensemble.
Given that it was a winter wedding, a fine piece of leather and fox fur had been used to create a white cloak. The outer layer was covered with cloud satin, and before it was sewn, intricate patterns were embroidered on it.
It was decorated with large peonies stitched in gold thread, symbolizing prosperity and wealth. Sincer weddings were a rare occasion to break traditional norms or use symbols and elements that are usually reserved for higher statuses or occasions, both griffin and phoenix motifs could be used. So, alongside the peonies, phoenix patterns were also embroidered.
When Sophie donned the outfit, everyone was so awestruck that they hardly blinked.
Lulu sat Sophie down in front of the dressing table to apply her makeup. After Lulu finished, everyone’s eyes finally moved again.
What had Lulu done? Sophie looked more beautiful without makeup. With it, she appeared at least three years older.
Sophie usually did not wear makeup and was naturally elegant, with a complexion as smooth as silk. With such a complexion, she hardly needed any powder or rouge!
Holly patted Lulu’s hand. “Alright, that’s enough. Go attend to your tasks and stop causing trouble here. What kind of bride’s makeup is done like this? Her face looks so pale.”
Lulu giggled. “My lady usually doesn’t wear makeup. If she does, she applies it herself. I haven’t learned that skill.”
“Lady Devin took you to Meadow Ridge and spoiled you,” Holly said, dipping a cloth in hot water and using it to remove the makeup from Sophie’s face.
Natural beauty was always best, though a bride did need makeup on her wedding day. Holly had already invited a skilled staff member from Elegance Atelier to apply the bridal makeup. Lily admired the embroidery on the wedding gown, and could not stop praising it. “It makes sense that it’s so expensive. I could never embroider such exquisite patterns and designs!” Sophie looked at herself in the mirror, feeling a bit dazed.
When she married Blake, Melanie had arranged for an experienced woman to do her hair. Then, Melanie had held her hand in the room and gave her many instructions. Melanie reminded her how to interact with her husband, how to respect her in-laws, and how to treat her younger siblings and relatives.
In the year she lived at Valor Estate, Sophie had followed her mother’s advice. Sophie knew that one shouldn’t be overly indulgent, but she had adhered to her mother’s teachings nonetheless, especially after the Duke of Northwatch’s family had been wiped out.
With no home left, she had completely embraced the Jaffe family as her own. She had followed her mother’s words to the letter, feeling that this was the only way to show her devotion and bring peace to her mother’s spirit in the afterlife.
In the blink of an eye, she had divorced and remarried.
Looking at herself in the wedding gown in the mirror, it felt as if no time had passed. It was as if, any moment now, a maid would come in to assist her mother, who would take her hand and offer her last-minute advice.
Her eyes instantly filled with tears. She quickly stood up, went to the inner chamber, and changed back into her regular c
With only four days left until the wedding, Sophie was growing Increasingly anxious as her master and the others hadn’t yet arrived.
She went to ask Kyle, “Has Master sent any pigeon post? When will they get here?”
Kyle was busy carving something with a chisel, and only seemed to remember when she asked.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Master did send a pigeon saying that they won’t be coming to your wedding. He said that once you have time, you should bring Prince Rafael to visit them at Meadow Ridge.” “They’re not coming?” Sophie was deeply disappointed. “But didn’t they say they would?”
Kyle chuckled, “You know, Master doesn’t like to move around much these days. He prefers to lie down when he can, sit when he can’t lie, and stand only when absolutely necessary. Especially in this cold weather, he’s even lazier. So, he decided not to come. Instead, you’ll have to visit them when you have the chance”
“But if Master isn’t coming, what about the other guild seniors? They could come, couldn’t they?
Kyle shook his head. “If Master isn’t coming, they won’t be coming either. You haven’t visited Meadow Ridge since you left at fifteen, and you haven’t kept in touch. It’s no surprise that the bonds have weakened. It’s already good enough that they still remember you as their guild junior. But as for traveling hundreds of miles to attend your wedding… I doubt they’re invested enough to go that far now.”