The Royal Deal

be once a year? Her college friends that she caught up with on holidays? Or her childhood friend she’d recently got back in touch with? The colleague from work who felt like a best friend but had recently resigned?

On the other hand, she remembered feeling taken aback when she’d received a wedding invitation from colleagues whose face she couldn’t even recall.

After contemplating it for what felt like hours, Amethyst stood.
The piece of paper was blank.
There was no way she could think of anyone to invite, so she decided to simply be honest.
She went in search of Pon.

“Madam,” he said.
“You were looking for me?”

“Yes, I wanted to give my invitation list.”

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“Oh!” The butler looked pleased.
“Please give it to me.
Thank you.”

Pon took the blank sheet of paper.
To his credit, he didn’t react, merely giving her a slight bow and leaving calmly.

*

“Did you get the list from her?”

“Yes, sir.” Pon passed the blank list to Duke Alexcent.
“The lady doesn’t seem to have any particular household that she interacts with.

Unable to forget the pained expression on Amethyst’s face, he couldn’t bring himself to state aloud that she didn’t seem to have many friends.

“Is that what she said?”

“No, sir…but she seemed rather uncomfortable while discussing the guest list.
Although that is only my observation.”

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“Is that so…”

Alexcent picked up his own list of guests.
The list was long, as one would expect from a large royal family.
After a moment’s pause, he picked up his pen and drew a large cross through the list.
He did the same on the next few pages, too.
When he handed the list back to Pon, most of the guests had been crossed out.

“This should do.
Inform the temple that we will be having a simple wedding.”

“Yes, sir.”

*

After passing Pon that blank sheet, Amethyst couldn’t help but fret about it.
She went in search of the butler.
The duke would have an extensive list of guests; she couldn’t just not invite anyone.
She was sure Count Lohikin could extend the invite to their distant family members, but even then, it would look paltry compared to Alexcent’s list.

‘Maybe I should just invite Froy and Yellie too.’

She entered the butler’s office, but there was no sign of the man himself.
Her gaze fell upon a sheet of paper placed neatly in the middle of Pon’s desk.
Curious, she looked closer and realized it was the duke’s guest list, but with hundreds of the names crossed out.
She checked the sheets underneath it, and they were crossed out too.