Baby Prisoner of the Winter Castle

Chapter 9

Once it was decided how Clarisse would be treated at the estate, a grand banquet was held in Sheridan. The event consoled the spirits of those who did not return from the war but also celebrated the others who did. During the four days it took place, the duke’s estate and the entire village were filled with fancy decorations and clamors of excitement. However, such wasn’t the case in Clarisse’s bedroom. No one coming and going from her room mentioned the banquet to her.

“It’s probably for my sake,” Clarisse said with a yawn, lying on her bed. “It’s a banquet celebrating their victory over Grezekaiah, and I was the princess there. What’s more, I’m a captive. I should just stay quiet.”

That had to be why no one was bringing up the banquet around her. She was grateful that the people were being so considerate, especially since she was just a captive.

Clarisse turned over and kissed her stone friend. “Still, I am a little curious. I’ve never been to a banquet before.”

Though she had been the princess, she had been treated like she didn’t exist. Unlike her brother, who always attended banquets and gatherings, she was never officially invited to anything—and she probably would never be. No one would invite a criminal to a party.

“Cooo? (Do you want me to dance with you?)” Squishy asked, holding out its short arm.

Clarisse widened her amber eyes. “What?”

“Cooo. (If you don’t want to, forget it.)”

“I do, I do! I’d love to! Please dance with me, Prince Squishy!”

“Cooo! (I’m not a prince!)”

Clarisse sprung up from her bed and held Squishy high into the air. Then, she floated over to the window and flung the shutters open. The faint sound of excitement from the banquet mixed with the pale moonlight flowed into the room. Holding little Squishy, she spun round and round. She had never learned to dance, but her footsteps quickened and slowed, following along with the music she heard from outside. Clarisse giggled with joy as she continued spinning around the room.

“Cooo! (I’m dizzy!)”

By the time Squishy let out a yelp, Clarisse was also feeling the dizziness. She fell on her bottom. Squishy scattered back into pieces of rock, and Clarisse lay down on the floor, rubbing the soft carpet with her arms and legs. She enjoyed the feeling of being out of breath. Still on the floor, she closed her eyes. Somehow, she got the feeling she would dream of something good tonight.

*

Maximilian had a new routine every evening: receiving a report on Clarisse’s day from Rosalie. He made notes of Clarisse’s meals, sleep, and anything noteworthy that she said each day. Because it was necessary to follow the law, he marked these papers as “very important.” Of course, that wasn’t the only reason. Clarisse was too important to place Rosalie entirely in charge of her. The child could become the justification for rebuilding her fallen kingdom after all. So, he sometimes had to check in on her himself.

Maximilian left his study and headed to Clarisse’s room. He strode through the corridor with his long legs. Then after a while, he began to walk more slowly. He was passing by his wife’s bedroom. Should I tell her that I didn’t tell Count Darington about what happened? He stopped in front of her door, wondering what to do.

“Please, I beg you.”

He remembered the desperate look in her eyes and subconsciously grabbed onto a stone that was sticking out of the wall near him. His heart felt a little odd, though he was confident that he was perfectly healthy.

“My lord, are you all right?”

Benson, who was standing guard in the corridor, approached him. The man had once been a mere peasant of Sheridan but was knighted for his exceptional swordsmanship alone.

Maximilian slowly nodded. “I’m fine. Is everything all right here?”

“Well…”

After a moment of hesitation, Benson continued cautiously, “I thought I heard something from that direction, my lord, so I was just about to go and check.”

“You heard something?”

Maximilian turned to look where Benson was pointing. It was Clarisse’s room. He quickly walked over and knocked on the door. There was no reply, but the door shook a little. When he opened the door, confused, a cold wind blew against his hair. It seemed that Clarisse had opened the window, and the wind was rattling against the door.

“The banquet must’ve been quite noisy— Hmm?”

He discovered Clarisse sleeping on the floor and hurried to her.

“Oh, dear.”

Clarisse’s face was as cold as ice. He quickly put the phoenix-feathered blanket over her and checked on her.

“Why is she sleeping on the floor?”

“She must have been playing with her rocks, my lord.”

The knight knew that Clarisse had a rock friend. He picked up the stones and placed them near her.

“I was like this too, when I was little. I fell asleep playing on the floor, and my face turned all stiff.”

The duke glanced at the knight’s face.

“Hahaha! I am completely fine now, my lord. It was a long time ago when I was a child. In any case, she is probably quite bored spending her days just in her room.”

“I thought she would still be tired.”

“Children are not like us adults. Just one night of sleep, and they are fully recharged and ready to play.”

“Do you mean… She needs activities?”

Maximilian placed his hand on Clarisse’s forehead. It seemed she hadn’t slept in the cold for too long since there was no sign of a fever. She had already returned to her normal temperature.

“If there’s nothing wrong with her, all is fine. From now on, you will continue to treat her like a captive but make sure she is not hurt in any way.”

The knight stood at attention at the order. “Yes, my lord.”

*

Clarisse continued keeping her promise to the duke about staying quietly in her room. Even when she needed to go to the bathroom, she stood silently in front of her door, held up her hand, and waited for someone to pass by so she could ask their permission. She never rejected the bath given to her every day and made sure to wash herself clean, even between her toes. She also ate every nutritionally balanced meal that the head chef made for her without leaving a scrap unfinished. Yet despite Clarisse’s flawless attitude toward her daily life, something still bothered Maximilian.

“The thicker clothes are taking too long.”

He muttered this from his desk with sharp, piercing eyes. There wasn’t much emotion in his tone, but Quentin could tell that he was quite anxious.

“I told you, my lord—fur clothes take a long time to make.”

“That’s why I gave them fur that’s already been processed for the outfit.”

“All the seamstresses in the village are working night and day to sew the adorable prisoner uniform for her, so you must relax. Surely you do not want to pay more to bring in seamstresses from other villages, do you, my lord?”

“I see.”

“Right, because that would be completely ridiculous—”

“We can hire seamstresses from other villages.”

Quentin became quiet.

“It doesn’t matter how much it costs,” Maximilian stated.

Quentin adjusted his glasses, wondering what on earth was going on with the duke. No matter how valuable the captive was, why would he go to such lengths just to get winter clothes for her?

“My lord.”

“This matter is urgent. I’ve brought a prisoner here, yet the prisoner’s uniform is not ready.”

“My lord, if I may speak…”

Quentin glanced at Maximilian and said cautiously, “The child… is only spending time in her room.”

His words contained the question, “Does she really need fur clothes so quickly?”

“Yes, that is why her fur clothes must be finished as soon as possible.”

“Pardon me?”

“I will send her outside.”

“In the freezing cold?”

Quentin pointed out the window. White snow was piled high beyond the frost-tinted glass. Sending her out in this freezing weather? The children of Sheridan were used to the cold—but not Clarisse. Even if she was a prisoner, that would be much too cruel.

The duke nodded without looking the slightest bit remorseful. “That’s right. I will make her use up her energy. I’ve read that an adequate amount of outdoor activity helps with longevity. It also helps children grow.”

Quentin’s jaw dropped. Longevity? To put it bluntly, dying at eighteen wasn’t exactly living a long life. And to encourage her growth when growing would only lead to her death?

“I’ll make her do outdoor activities for her health.”

“How can you be so merciless, my lord?”

Though Quentin thought the duke was as cold-blooded as the devil, he drove seamstresses from a neighboring village over by sled according to his lord’s wishes.

*

The prisoner uniform was finally done. Clarisse looked like a rabbit when the pure white fur covered her entire body.

“It is very warm.”

Clarisse looked at the gloves and boots on her hands and feet, and then the rest of her body. After checking meticulously that the cold wind would not penetrate the clothes, Maximilian took a step back. The large man and the small child finally stood face-to-face with each other.

“Thank you for making such a great uniform for me, Your Grace.”

“Right. Now, you can engage in outdoor activities.”

“Outdoor activities? Me?”

The duke nodded. “All prisoners must spend some time outside for their physical and mental health.”

Clarisse’s head drooped. She felt ashamed of herself for thinking all she had to do was spend time in her room.

“Oh… I apologize, Your Grace. From now on, I will do outdoor activities every day to be healthy.”

“Good.”

Fidgeting with her gloved hands, Clarisse asked cautiously, “But… What are outdoor activities?”