To Lady Alexandra Sinclair,

You have been summoned to the palace for an audience with the King. Report to the palace gates at noon on February 21, Year 954 to discuss your previous request.

"WHAT?"

"Miss, what's wrong?!"

Alexandra's head spun. She was being summoned to the palace? It's only been TWO DAYS.  Was King Leopold thinking about reneging on his promise to her? He was an honorable man, that she knew, but he was still the ruler of this rather misogynistic society that she found herself in. He could technically still do whatever he wanted. Would she be doomed to a lifetime of being "that girl who can't even keep her godda*mn husband in line?" That of course was not counting the fact that her successful life in this world is directly threatened by her status of being this playboy's  fianceé. Alex needed a solution, and fast. 

"Miss?"

She looked up from the letter and met Marie's concerned gaze. 

"It's nothing big, I was just shocked, that's all," she reassured her worried maid. "I've been invited to the palace."

"The palace?" Marie gasped, then beamed.  "Isn't it great, Miss? You're getting your wish!"

Alex looked at her quizzically. "My wish?"

"Yeah!" she nodded excitedly. "The Prince must finally be acknowledging your engagement!"

"Ah...no that's not it."

Marie visibly deflated. "How do you know?" she whined a little. "He could have had a change of heart!"

***

"He what?!?!"

Alexandra had just filled Marie in on the events of the palace visit from two days prior, omitting the fact that part of it was staged by her.

"Yeah," she confirmed.  "He's still taking many girls, even though I'm his fianceé," she allowed herself to look mildly disheartened.

"How dare he?" the brunette's eyebrows furrowed with righteous anger. "So now your engagement is going to be annulled?"

"Hopefully," Alex put the letter on top of a stack of books. "The king wants to meet me, so I'm pretty sure he just wants to go over the details of the annulment." She rolled her eyes. "Probably to make sure I don't go around disparaging the royal family or something like that."

"Like that prince doesn't do a lot of that by himself already," Marie muttered bitterly and Alexandra stifled a laugh. Her maid was so devoted, it was a little adorable.

"Don't worry so much about it," she smiled up at her attendant. "I'm better off without someone like that anyways!"

Marie looked at her with eyes filled with melancholy. 

"My Lady, you loved him so much. It's okay to cry sometimes."

Gazing out the window, Alex smiled a little sadly.

"That's true, I did," she admitted. "But I know now that I'll just be miserable with him so this is the best thing I can do for myself."

"Besides, I have an excellent attendant who cares about me more than he does; I'll be just fine."

Marie beamed.

***

The palace was just as grand as ever. Stepping down from the carriage, Alexandra smoothed down the skirts of her dress and took a deep breath. This was it. Whatever the king asked for today, she needed to try her best to agree. For the sake of her successful independent future!

"The Prince does not wish to see you today, Miss Alexandra," one of the guards at the gates looked down at her with a mocking light in his eyes. So he wanted to be condescending? Fine, she would give him a reason to respect her.

"And when did the palace train their guards to speak this way to nobility? My appointment is not with the prince. I am here by the king's request," she sniffed, pegging the guard with a dark glare. 

The guard's face reddened with anger but before he could retort—

"Lady Alexandra, so kind of you to come today," an elder gentleman seemed to materialize behind the gate. "The king is eager to meet you."

He looked at the now shocked guards. "What are you lot doing? Open the gates for the lady!"

Both men quickly saluted and opened the gates. Alex huffed in exasperation and swept past them, chin held high. 

"Thank you for the welcome," she said. "Although I cannot say the same for those two," she inclined her head towards the two baffled and now a little fearful men. "Might I suggest that they be retrained on the proper way to treat nobility? While I can be convinced to look past such insulting behavior, a dignitary may not be as forgiving."

"Ah, yes. Thank you for your suggestion, my lady," the gentleman bowed and shot a glare at the guards. "My name is Edgar. I am the Head Butler for the palace. Please allow me to show you to the throne room."

"Thank you, I would appreciate the assistance," she smiled kindly and followed behind him.

***

"Announcing Lady Alexandra Sinclair!"

The heavy doors of the throne room shut behind her with an audible "CLACK!" It was a beautiful room, with a rich red carpet down the middle and intricate white and gold molding on the walls. King Leopold sat on an ornate throne on top of a raised platform at the head of the room. The throne beside him was empty. 

"Lady Alexandra Sinclair, daughter of Duke Sinclair, greets His Majesty King  Leopold Aelius of Iridia," she sank into a deep curtsy.

"You may rise,"  the monarch beckoned. "I have called you here to discuss the conditions for the termination of your engagement with my son, Prince Nicholas."

Conditions? She knew there'd be some sort of catch.

"What do you require of me, Your Majesty?"

"I will allow you to annul your engagement with Nicholas on three conditions."

He raised a finger. "First, the reason for the annulment will remain a secret. We will tell the public that the annulment is an arrangement between myself and the Duke because you wish to become a more educated asset to this kingdom. This should satisfy your desire to remain in a positive light socially."

Alex nodded. "Thank you, my king, that is perfectly satisfactory."

He raised another finger, stopping her from speaking more.

"In accordance with that story, you must leave the capital for a year after your debut into high society. We will tell the people that you have left to study abroad in Moshu Kingdom. During this time, you may travel as you wish, but you must not be seen in society and you must return with evident results of your studies. You will be allowed to return a week before Nicholas' coming-of-age birthday ball."

She was elated. This was the perfect opportunity to become stronger away from her father's prying eyes! As she began to speak her gratitude, the king cut her off with a third finger.

"The third condition is in order to ensure your family's cooperation with the crown. When you marry, you must marry a member of the royal family's faction"

And there went her good mood. So she would still have to get married. And not only that, her prospects had suddenly narrowed to only men who were loyal to the crown. Half of those men would be friendly with the sh*tty prince she was trying to leave in the first place. 

Well...the king never specified when she needed to get married. She would wait until after she had achieved all that she wanted to, and then she would pick someone who wouldn't hold her back.

"As you wish, Your Majesty,"  she curtsied. "Thank you for you lenience and generosity. This one will do as you say."

"Excellent. The rest will be arranged by myself and your father. The annulment will be announced during your debutante ball in one and a half months. You may go now."

With a final curtsy, Alexandra exited the throne room.

As soon as the doors closed behind her, she let out a small fist pump in success.

One and a half more months until freedom!