The Crown’s Entrapment

At Hindman Manor

So far, Jayra has been enjoying her stay at the Hindman Manor. Although Bartos had unexpectedly become busy during the mornings, so recently, she would usually end up in the company of Bartos’s mother and sister.

“Mother, can I borrow Jayra for a while?” Bella suddenly asked while the three of them were having some tea on the veranda. “I just want to show her some of my paintings.”

“Sure…” Lady Livia answered.

Jayra chuckled as Bella excitedly pulled her back inside the mansion. Excitedly, the latter said, “I’ve been itching to show you my private chamber where I have all my works, but I can’t seem to find the free time to snatch you away.”

“I see,” Jayra hummed. “Hmm, Bartos did mention that you’re a good painter. He even told me to ask you to paint a portrait of me that he can hang in our bedchamber. Well, I would love that, but I don’t really want to be alone in that painting. I’d prefer he’s with me once we get that made.”

“Ah sure, let’s do that then,” Bella smiled. “Just tell me when you and Brother will be available to be my muse.”

Walking in comfortable silence, they soon entered Bella’s great chamber. There, Jayra’s lips parted upon seeing the many beautiful paintings that hung on the walls, others being displayed on their own stand once the walls proved inadequate. There were also unfinished canvasses scattered around as well, even though they already looked magnificent.

“These are amazing,” Jayra marveled. “How come you’re not displaying them outside?”

Walking around, she looked at them one by one, but she paused particularly on a painting of two kids. In the painting, one was braiding the other kid’s hair, the two clearly enjoying each other’s company.

“That’s Clara…” Bella replied with a faint smile. “She used to braid my hair before, making them curlier than they’ve always been…”

Despite the longing in her voice, Jayra could feel the reluctant disdain staining Bella’s tone.

“We were close once, but then we grew distant when she started becoming a woman. She realized how in love she was with King Darius, and she’s seen no one but him ever since,” Bella hissed with a frown. “It’s annoying, seeing how she makes herself look so foolish most of the time… Following King Darius around like a dog in heat…”.

“I can tell how you miss her a lot,” Jayra pointed out with a smile. Bella might say harsh words behind Clara’s back, but she could still feel how much her sister-in-law longed for her old friend.

“Well, she’s like an older sister to me. She’s one year older, and she ended up being the sister I never had,” Bella wistfully reminisced.

She then rambled on with a playful pout, “Ugh… Imagine having a serious brother like Bartos, not to mention having a strict mother as well. My father’s there, of course, but he’s always busy with a lot of things, so I grew up often playing with a lot of other kids. Still, it’s hard to find someone you’ll really get along with so easily. Clara and I were just that. I love how she would treat me especially, like how she would consider me like her real younger sister.”

Listening in, Jayra could see the spark in Bella’s eyes as she recalled those fond memories she had with Clara.

“Have you tried talking to her about this? Maybe opening up to Clara?” Jayra curiously asked.

There was a heavy sigh from Bella before she replied, “I did, but she just said that things have changed between us and that I should stop being so clingy around her.”

She let out another sigh as she added, “She even told me that I should stop being an immature lady. I feel so hurt… All I wanted was for us to spend some time together whenever she was free or some sort, but she was already too drawn to earning the favor of Freya and the Queen Mother… Well, I can’t exactly blame her since it furthered her goals to get King Darius.”

Bella then clicked her tongue as she continued, “But sadly… fate has a different plan for her, I guess. Since then, I never failed to try and annoy her whenever I can. Call it childish, but I honestly feel better knowing that she would somehow still acknowledge my presence that way.”

She scoffed as she shook her head, “I really want to beat her to a pulp, you know, and I can only do that if I joined the trial by combat. Even now, I want to stop her from her foolishness…. To maybe beat the stupid out of her somehow.”

Jayra simply nodded, no longer commenting as she returned to looking at the other paintings. Flitting from one frame to another, her eyes saw a different frame. Unlike others, it was covered by a cloth of some sort.

Walked towards it, she asked, “Can I also see this one? I got curious since it’s the only one covered here. Is it some secret painting?”

Bella chuckled, her face getting flushed even as she rebuffed her request. At that, Jayra’s curiosity was piqued even more as she pressed further, “Can I? I promise I’ll keep it a secret if you want.”

Bella bashfully nodded as she answered, “That’s… my greatest masterpiece. The best of all the works I’ve created.”

Getting the go-ahead, Jayra carefully lifted the cover, only to gasp as she saw what was underneath. It was a painting of a handsome man, a man who seemed familiar… “Why is he so oddly familiar?”

“That’s because he has a resemblance to His Majesty, King Darius,” Bella replied. “He’s Calypso, King Darius’s cousin.”

“Ah, right. I can see some of the similarities now,” Jayra nodded. “Huh… No wonder he looks so familiar. Although, is this why you can’t accept Admiral Osman as a partner?” she asked, turning to Bella with her usual teasing smile.