Kael sat down on a plush chair in his room, rubbing his temples. "Pedro, I think our plan has a high chance of failure," he said, his voice laced with concern.
Pedro, his aide, looked up from the papers he was sorting. "Why, Your Highness? Everything seemed to be going according to plan."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "The princess. She's not exactly the king's favorite, is she? I'm not sure if we can use her as leverage to get what we want."
Pedro's expression turned thoughtful. "Actually, Your Highness, I think that's where you're wrong. Even though the king may not have a personal affection for Princess Stephania, he'll always have a responsibility towards her as his daughter and a member of the royal family. And as the princess is loved by her citizens, they won't stand still if they find out she's in danger and the king isn't doing anything to help her."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
Pedro's voice took on a calculating tone. "The king has a high pride, Your Highness. He won't risk ruining his own image by neglecting his daughter, especially if it becomes public knowledge."
Kael's curiosity was piqued. "I'm surprised the princess has managed to gain so much love from the citizens, considering she's not been seen in public for the past ten years. How did she earn their affection?"
Pedro smiled. "It's quite impressive, actually. Despite her reclusive nature, Princess Stephania has been quietly doing a lot of good in the kingdom. She's been donating huge sums of money to orphanages, and she's also founded an organization to support people with disabilities. She's doing more social work than any noble in the country, and the people have taken notice."
Kael's eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't know that about her. She's certainly not what I expected."
Pedro nodded. "Yes, she's a complex person, Your Highness. And it's likely that the source of her funds comes from her maternal family's side. As the only heir, she stands to inherit a significant amount of wealth and resources. It's possible she's using that to fund her charitable endeavors."
Kael's mind was racing with the implications. "This changes things. If the people love her, and she's doing good work, it could make our plan more complicated. We'll need to tread carefully to avoid alienating the citizens."
Pedro nodded in agreement. "Yes, Your Highness. We'll need to be strategic in our approach. But it's also an opportunity for us to use her popularity to our advantage, if we play our cards right."
Kael's eyes gazed into the distance as he instructed Pedro, his voice low and deliberate. "Send her some sunflowers, Pedro. Make sure they're enchanted with my healing magic. I want her to know that I'm thinking of her."
As Pedro departed, Kael slumped back into his chair, his fingers drumming a staccato beat on the armrest. The weight of the upcoming storm they were planning to unleash upon the kingdom hung over him, but it wasn't the prospect of battle that had his mind racing. It was the memory of Stephania's bruised cheeks, the tender skin marred by the imprint of a cruel hand.
A pang of unease twisted in his chest as he thought about the marks on her face. He couldn't shake the feeling that the game they were playing was far more complicated than he had initially thought. The stakes were high, and the risk of getting hurt – or hurting others – was very real.
"This is not going to end well princess," he whispered to himself, the words barely audible over the sound of his own heartbeat. He rubbed his temples, trying to ward off the creeping sense of doubt that threatened to overwhelm him.
"Your Highness, what happened to your face?" Elara asked, her voice laced with concern .Stephania didn't reply, her expression remaining stoic.
Elara's eyes widened in worry as she gently applied a soothing medicine to the bruised area. "This looks like a slap mark, Your Highness. Who...?"
Stephania's silence was her only response, and Elara knew better than to press the issue. Instead, she continued to tend to Stephania's bruise, her touch gentle and caring. "Get some rest you highness. it's been a long day for you" Elara gave her a smile of comfort.
Stephania's fingers wrapped tightly around the sunflowers, its delicate petals a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside her. As she held the flower, a warm, comforting sensation washed over her, like a gentle breeze on a summer's day. The stress and anxiety of the day seemed to melt away, replaced by a sense of calm.
Before she knew it, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep, the sunflowers still clutched in her hand. She slept soundly, unaware of the passage of time.
It wasn't until the evening, when the head butler arrived with a message from King Evarard, "The king requests your presence at dinner, Your Highness," the butler said, his voice formal.
Stephania rubbed the sleep from her eyes, feeling a bit disoriented. She rose from her chair and made her way to the mirror, expecting to see the bruise on her cheek still visible. But as she gazed at her reflection, she was surprised to find that her face was healed, looking better than ever. The bruise was gone, replaced by smooth, unblemished skin.
She stared at her reflection in wonder, her fingers touching the spot where the bruise had been. How was this possible? And then she looked down at the sunflowers, still clutched in her hand. Could it be...? She thought back to the warm, comforting feeling she had experienced when holding the flower. Was it more than just a simple gesture of kindness from Prince Kael?