The demon knew the princess still suffered from nightmares, and for a moment, he wondered why he hadn't yet helped her banish the demonic essence that had tainted her. With that thought in mind, he reached out a hand near her face, caressing a demonic thread that bound her—something invisible to human eyes—and with a small exertion of force, he snapped it.
Grimilde watched him with concern. "What are you doing?"
"Now Snow White can have peaceful dreams..."
The girl suddenly felt a physical shift: she felt lighter and was able to think more clearly. She didn't know what Astrael had done, but it wasn't anything negative, so she thanked him sincerely.
Grimilde took Snow White's hand and squeezed her fingers, holding back a deep sigh: she had seen her suffer and hadn't been able to do anything to help her; for this, she was grateful to Astrael, but she would never trust him completely.
"Ah! I almost forgot. Speaking of the witch... she stopped me before I joined you and asked me to deliver a message. She took me for a servant! How foolish."
"What is the message?"
"Well..." Astrael turned and paced around the room, examining the decor, then grabbed a beautiful golden candelabra with the candles still burning. "The Empress invites you to her afternoon tea tomorrow." He set the candelabra down and resumed pacing. "Furthermore, she would be delighted if you made the most of the training grounds, Your Majesty." He concluded his speech by leaning against the bed the Queen shared with the princess.
Snow White blushed as she noticed Astrael's suddenly mischievous expression. The demon winked at her, and the princess looked away.
"Tomorrow morning we will have the chance to accept the Empress's proposal... you may go now, Astrael."
"You're not even going to thank me?" The demon stepped closer to them, sporting a pouty face, which was instantly replaced by one of his unsettling smiles. "Anyway, I'd keep an eye on other people too... aside from the Empress and her lover."
And with that, he vanished into thin air, leaving the two women to reflect on his words.
"Lover? He doesn't mean that—"
"Yes."
"Did you already know?"
"I had noticed something."
"I noticed absolutely nothing!"
Grimilde let out a smile and grabbed Snow White by the waist, stealing a kiss. "You are truly innocent."
"That is not true at all—" The princess didn't get to finish her sentence, as the Queen had seen fit to silence her once again. She continued to steal kisses until she was breathless, and at that point, they moved to the bed to rest, wrapped in each other's arms.
And that was how the princess found the serenity she had been seeking through many sleepless nights. Despite Astrael's help, Snow White remained convinced that her beloved was far more powerful than the lust demon. After all, she could make her feel better with just a single look.
"Your Majesty, you are truly a marvel to watch. Your elegance and tenacity are breathtaking. I wish I were as skilled as you with a sword!"
Albert Blueblood had made his way to the courtyard of Krussgard Castle as soon as he heard of Queen Grimilde's presence at the edge of the training grounds. Accompanied by his dear friend and cousin Adelina Floris, he saw with his own eyes just how graceful the Queen of Arran was in combat. He joined the princess at the edge of the field to watch the soldiers train without getting in the way, but his eyes never left the Queen's figure.
Snow White exchanged a few polite words with Albert, but quickly relaxed thanks to his kind and sincere eyes. He truly seemed like a good person, and Adelina was equally pleasant.
"Why don't you join me, Albert?"
"I am honored by the proposal, but I excel in other fields."
"Impossible for a prince not to know how to fight!"
Right at that moment, Enrico and Wandalin Von Deusk arrived, dressed in their armor and ready to show off their combat skills. Enrico ignored Albert and Adelina the moment he laid eyes on Grimilde: "It would be a great honor for me to cross swords with you."
"Step forward, then." Grimilde smiled at the Von Deusk siblings, but Snow White knew the Queen was keeping an eye on them.
The princess was worried, but she trusted the blonde's talent and was convinced she would hold her own admirably against that blowhard Von Deusk. His suggestive glances toward the Queen were infuriating her.
The princess didn't notice Wandalin's presence by her side, and when she heard her voice, she almost jumped: "Do you train as well?"
Snow White shot her a confused look before recovering: "Yes, I have trained but not for very long."
"A shame, it would have been interesting to challenge you. Perhaps we'll have another opportunity later on..."
Snow White nodded but remained deeply unsettled by Wandalin's eyes, so dark and piercing. She wore a calm expression, but for some reason, she instilled a sense of coldness and fear in people.
Enrico and Grimilde began clashing swords, and it soon became evident that the German prince possessed greater raw strength than the Queen of Arran. However, the Queen's technique was superior to her opponent's, allowing her to parry every blow without much trouble.
Soon, a crowd formed in the courtyard, watching the duel with curious eyes and astounded expressions. Who would have expected a woman like Grimilde, so ethereal, to be so skilled in combat? The soldiers were mesmerized and sighed inwardly, aware they would never meet a woman like her in their lives. And they were right.
"Truly wonderful! You are magnificent!" Enrico's eyes widened, and he smiled when the Queen managed to knock his sword away. He placed a hand over his heart and bowed: "I declare myself defeated. I have never met a challenger quite like you..."
When his eyes roamed over the Queen's body, the princess couldn't hold back and interrupted their conversation: "Grimilde, we should get going... so we aren't late for our engagement."
"You are right. You must forgive us, the princess and I have some business to attend to. I will be delighted to converse with you at this evening's gathering."
"Do not worry." Albert smiled at her, and Adelina wished them a good day. Enrico and Wandalin, however, stared at the two women as they walked away until they vanished from sight, and only then did the two siblings return to sparring.
"It would be truly pleasant to spend some time with the Queen and Princess of Arran when we return to Olson. We could officially invite them to the kingdom."
"A wonderful idea, Adelina. We should absolutely do that."
Albert grew bored of watching the Von Deusk siblings clashing blades very quickly and walked away with Adelina toward the castle gardens. It was there that he saw Grimilde's royal counselor engaged in a conversation with Seorlin Mijavlik, and although they were still far away, Albert got the impression they were discussing something private.
"Grimilde's counselor is truly fascinating, don't you think?"
"Yes, without a doubt. He intrigues me: I've never heard of him... which is strange."
Adelina and Albert looked at each other and continued their stroll through the garden, followed by the warm rays of the sun illuminating the area, trying to filter through the leaves of the trees.
Adelina Floris was also a dear friend to Albert and a truly influential person in Olson, to the point of appearing wherever the royal family went. Albert and Adelina had met as children, becoming playmates and eventually best friends. Their affection had never taken a romantic turn, perhaps partly because they had grown up like siblings and had never considered the option.
Both were fond of Grimilde, who had left a wonderful impression on them after a single meeting years ago at a party held in Arran. The Nordic regent was intelligent, kind, and wise well beyond her years, and Albert had noticed this right away. In fact, no one had paid attention to them when they arrived at Arran's castle, as they were young and lacked influence at the time; yet Grimilde hadn't hesitated to welcome them and converse with them. Even if it was a political move, it was impossible to ignore the Queen's genuine interest in the Kingdom of Olson.
The prince clearly remembered the desire Grimilde had expressed years ago: she wanted to see Olson's magnificent coastlines, the clear sea with the massive ships of the Floris company reigning supreme over the Olsonian horizon.
"Albert, have you ever thought of courting Grimilde?"
Adelina's question came without warning, and for a moment, the prince was left speechless. He soon provided his answer: "I must admit that for a certain period, I considered the idea, but then I learned of the harmony that reigned at the court of Arran. Reading Grimilde's letters, it's impossible not to notice how happy she is with the current situation. I wouldn't want to disturb her serenity in any way."
"That is honorable of you."
"And what about you? Are you still seeing that pastry chef? I remain convinced that courting someone with sweets is a brilliant idea."
"I am not! And not because he baked sweets... he was a good guy, but I'm looking for something different."
"Oh really? How about we discuss this further at our leisure? I see a really lovely bench over there..."
Meanwhile, the Queen and Princess of Arran had reached a private garden, enclosed by well-kept hedges. In the center stood a white gazebo, adorned with garlands of white and pink flowers. It was all so delicate, creating a stark contrast with the majestic figure of the Empress and the witch by her side, who were waiting for their guests with cordial smiles on their faces.
"I am glad you accepted our invitation. Let's sit down, and then we will begin to talk."