16 - Caught
Inside the Vernon estate, the quiet peace Mariana had celebrated lasted exactly twelve minutes. Then a knock sounded at her door. Three sharp raps. Mariana lifted her face from the pillow slowly, dread already creeping into her bones.
"... no."
The door opened before she could even pretend to be asleep. A young maid stepped inside and curtsied.
"Grand Princess Mariana."
Mariana forced a sweet smile despite the pillow crease across her cheek. "Yes?"
The maid hesitated. "... His Excellency the Grand Duke requests your presence in the main sitting chamber."
Mariana froze.
Oh... Oh no!
"... immediately?" she asked cautiously.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Mariana stared at the ceiling. Twelve minutes. She had survived outside the chapel for exactly twelve minutes before the world caught up to her.
Wonderful.
She sighed dramatically and rolled off the bed. "Very well."
The maid bowed again and withdrew. Mariana rubbed her temples.
Think, had Leonhard recognized me?
No... surely not. The cloth had covered most of her face. But the collision. His reflexes. His eyes.
Mariana groaned quietly. "... he definitely noticed something."
Still, there was no proof. None at all. And until someone dragged proof in front of her face, Mariana intended to deny everything with the confidence of a saint being falsely accused.
She straightened her dress, brushed her golden hair, and adopted the perfect expression of innocent nobility. Then she marched toward the sitting chamber.
---
The moment she stepped inside, Mariana understood the situation had escalated.
Grand Duke Maximus stood beside the long table with his arms crossed. Grand Duchess Darelene sat nearby, calm and composed as always. And three maids stood along the wall. Mariana's smile faltered for a fraction of a second. Witnesses. Ah, that was... unfortunate.
Still, she curtsied gracefully. "Father. Mother."
Maximus looked relieved to see her alive and intact. Then his brow immediately furrowed. "Mariana." His voice was slow, measured. "... where have you been today?"
Mariana blinked innocently. "In my chambers."
The three maids shifted behind her.
Maximus narrowed his eyes. "You did not leave the estate?"
"Of course not," Mariana said smoothly. "I was unwell this morning."
That part, at least, had been true earlier. Maximus studied her carefully. Meanwhile, the maids exchanged uneasy glances.
Finally one of them spoke. "Your Excellency..."
Mariana internally screamed.
The maid continued nervously, "We saw Grand Princess Mariana returning through the inner corridor earlier today."
Maximus slowly turned toward Mariana again. "... returning?"
Mariana's smile did not move. "I stepped outside briefly for fresh air."
"Through the main gates?" Maximus asked.
Mariana hesitated. "... perhaps?"
The second maid spoke up. "She was wearing a linen cloth around her head."
The third maid added quietly, "Her hair was hidden at the time."
Mariana closed her eyes briefly. Traitors.
Maximus rubbed his forehead slowly. "Mariana."
"Yes, Father?"
"... the entire capital is currently searching for the Saintess."
Mariana nodded sympathetically. "That sounds very stressful."
"And several witnesses claim a woman fled the Luminaris Chapel shortly after the Saintess disappeared."
Mariana clasped her hands politely. "That is unfortunate."
Maximus stared at her. She stared back. Silence stretched across the room.
Finally, Darelene spoke. "Mariana." Her voice was calm. Gentle. But it carried a quiet authority that made even Maximus straighten slightly.
Mariana turned toward her mother. "Yes?"
Darelene studied her daughter's face carefully. Mariana had inherited her father's golden hair, but her eyes-those calculating, evasive eyes-were very much Darelene's. Which meant Darelene knew exactly when Mariana was lying. "... tell the truth."
The words were soft. But final.
Mariana's confident posture slowly crumbled. "... Mother." Darelene's gaze did not waver. Mariana sighed. Then sighed again. Then dramatically collapsed into the nearest chair. "... fine."
Maximus leaned forward. "Mariana-"
"Yes," she muttered.
Maximus blinked. "... yes what?"
Mariana buried her face in her hands. "Yes, I was at the chapel."
Maximus inhaled sharply. The maids gasped quietly.
Mariana groaned into her palms. "Yes, I touched the holy artifact. Yes, it glowed. Yes, everyone started screaming 'Saintess' like they'd discovered a divine miracle. And yes-" She dropped her hands and looked at them miserably. "-I ran away."
Silence.
Maximus slowly sat down. "... you ran away."
"Yes."
"From the chapel?"
"Yes."
"After revealing yourself as the Saintess?"
Mariana pointed weakly. "In my defense, I did not mean to reveal anything."
Maximus looked like he might faint.
Meanwhile, Darelene simply closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, her expression was thoughtful rather than shocked. "... I see."
Mariana blinked. "That's it?"
Darelene stood. "Mariana."
Mariana immediately sat up straighter. "Yes, Mother."
"You must return to the chapel."
Mariana froze. "... I beg your pardon?"
"The Holy Church will not ignore what happened today."
"I know."
"They will come here."
"I suspected that."
"And if they arrive before you return voluntarily," Darelene said calmly, "the political consequences will become far worse."
Mariana slumped again. "... I was afraid you'd say that."
Maximus groaned quietly into his hands.
"My daughter... the Saintess..." Darelene placed a hand on Mariana's shoulder. "You will not go alone." Mariana looked up. Darelene's gaze was steady. "Before I married your father, I served as a High Priestess of Luminaris." Mariana blinked.
"Oh." Right. She occasionally forgot that small detail.
"I still hold authority within the Church," Darelene continued. "Enough to prevent certain... overreactions."
Mariana frowned. "Overreactions?"
Darelene's lips curved faintly. "The Holy Synod has waited centuries for a Saintess."
Mariana paled. "... that sounds ominous."
Maximus muttered weakly, "They'll probably try to move you into the Basilica permanently."
Mariana shot to her feet. "Absolutely not."
Darelene patted her shoulder again. "That is why I will escort you."
Mariana stared at her mother. "... personally?"
"Yes."
Mariana considered this carefully. Then she sighed. "... fine." She dragged a hand through her golden hair. "But I'm blaming both of you if they start chanting or something."
Maximus looked faint.
Darelene merely smiled. "Prepare yourself."
Mariana groaned dramatically.
Outside the estate walls, knights were still combing the streets of Forebros. Inside the estate, the missing Saintess had already been found.
And very soon she would be returning to the place she had fled, directly into the waiting gaze of the one man who had already figured everything out.