Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 107: The Queen’s Hairdo

Chapter 107: The Queen’s Hairdo

Melania shifted her gaze away from her reflection in the mirror, her brown eyes lingering momentarily on the tiny glass bottle of flowery perfumed oil adorned with a round golden cap. A pervasive sense of emptiness gnawed at her chest, weighing down her mind with restless thoughts.

’It’s been two weeks already... Yet I still feel as uneasy as ever. The Royal Family appears pleasant enough, but the Crown Prince... He has not joined us for dinner even once. I understand he must be busy, but to keep me waiting for so long to share a meal... It is rather rude, to say the least.’

Her attention shifted to Loraline, who was diligently arranging the princess’s soft, curly hair into an elegant hairdo, revealing her graceful neck and shoulders. With deft hands, Loraline secured tiny pins between the locks, ensuring they stayed in place.

"Perhaps, Your Highness, you might consider wearing your hair down," suggested Loraline. "I’ve heard that during winter, the noble ladies of Geraldion prefer it that way. It has been in fashion for over twenty years now! And your locks are truly lovely, surely, it will result in a gorgeous hairdo!"

Melania could not help but grimace at the suggestion. Though innocent, her attendant’s remark elicited a slight feeling of disgust.

"Winter brings cold, harsh winds, rain, and snow," Melania countered. "Wearing your hair down in such weather would only result in it getting tangled and wet. Before long, you’d resemble a hideous witch! That is hardly an acceptable look for a noble lady."

Loraline found Melania’s reasoning convincing and promptly withdrew her suggestion. Returning to her task of meticulously arranging the princess’s hair, she mused dreamily,

"I wonder why they still prefer to wear it down, though..."

Melania closed her eyes, her tone tinged with a hint of arrogance,

"Well, unlike my dear lady-in-waiting, who was supposed to handle this task, I have arrived prepared, with the carefully studied tomes of Geraldion’s history at my disposal," she began. "It seems the trend was popularized by none other than the late Queen Consort Yuliana. She favored wearing her hair down, inspired by the customs of Utar. Interestingly enough, her hair looked particularly stunning during winter."

Melania paused, her mind conjuring images of the queen’s flowing dark red locks adorned with delicate snowflakes, each one appearing as though it were a tiny, glistening gem.

"The snowflakes would settle in her hair like invisible pins, adding a magical allure to her already captivating locks," Melania continued, her words painting a vivid picture of Queen Consort Yuliana’s ethereal beauty.

The princess then shifted her gaze to Loraline’s reflection and continued,

"She inadvertently started a trend of adorning the locks with tiny pins topped with pearl heads during winter, mimicking the appearance of snowflakes. And it has remained fashionable ever since. Sadly, many fail to grasp that to pull off such a hairdo, one must possess both beautiful hair and complementary features."

"Oh, Your Highness, how blunt you are!"

Loraline could not contain a giggle, hastily covering her mouth with her hand. Melania responded with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders. Undeterred, her lady-in-waiting pressed on,

"Your knowledge is truly impressive, My Lady. The Crown Prince will undoubtedly find himself smitten with you in due time. He’d be a fool not to!"

The princess managed a smile, though her expression remained tinged with pessimism. With a final, subtle flourish, Loraline completed styling Melania’s hair. Stepping forward, she positioned herself beside the princess and declared,

"Your look is now complete, Your Highness! You look absolutely radiant. Perhaps, when you ascend to the throne as the next Queen of Geraldion, all the noble ladies will adopt your preferred hairstyle!"

Melania gazed at her reflection in the wide, round mirror, her thoughts swirling.

"If... IF I become the next Queen," she mused silently.

Noticing the princess’s melancholic expression, Loraline gently wrapped her arms around Melania’s shoulders, drawing her into a warm and comforting embrace.

"Please, don’t be sad, Your Highness," she murmured softly. "Today marks your first meal with the Crown Prince. It is an opportunity to draw closer to him, even if only slightly. Your wedding day is approaching imminently, after all. You must show him that ignoring you for so long was his greatest mistake. Never forget that you are the royal princess of Lafad. None of the noble ladies here can rival that."

Melania’s features softened into a gentle smile, her attendant’s words bringing a sense of reassurance. With a slight nod, she concurred,

"Yes, you are right, Loraline."

With her embrace still enveloping the princess’s shoulders, Loraline continued, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness,

"I know you miss your family, My Lady. To be honest, I miss home too. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about my family and our palace by the ocean. But this is the path that has been chosen for us, Your Highness. This is the duty of a princess. I am certain the Ruans will become like a second family to you. Since our arrival, they’ve shown us nothing but kindness, so I am confident everything will turn out well. Besides..."

Loraline pressed a gentle kiss to the princess’s cheek and offered a reassuring smile.

"I’ll be by your side every step of the way."

At last, Melania felt as though an enormous weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Her lady-in-waiting possessed a remarkable gift for soothing her anxious heart with her words.

Suddenly, a task sprang to Melania’s mind, prompting her to address her attendant again.

"Loraline, there is something I need you to attend to while I am with His Highness."

"Of course, My Lady. What is it?" Loraline responded promptly.

Melania opened the small drawer of her dressing table and retrieved a neatly sealed white envelope, marked with her personal seal. Pausing briefly, she glanced over the carefully penned letters addressed to her father before letting out a sigh and passing the envelope to Loraline.

"I have written a letter to my parents. Please arrange for a messenger to send it to Lafad as soon as possible," Melania instructed.

Loraline accepted the letter with a nod.

"Consider it done, Your Highness," she affirmed.

The room filled with a rhythmic knocking on the door, signaling the arrival of a palace maid. She informed the ladies that the Crown Prince was already awaiting Her Highness in the dining hall.

With a final subtle smile to her lady-in-waiting, Melania exited the room, leaving Loraline in tranquil solitude.