Chapter Seventeen: Scandalous
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“Andromeda?”
Philomath called, her voice echoing off the high rounded ceilings of the temple followed by the clicking of her cane against the floor.
Andromeda rushed into the room, her hair half braided upwards around wires like a halo of branches, her bare feet padding on the cold stone tile.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Coming! Coming! Coming!”
She chanted, seizing Philomath’s hands and lacing their fingers together, Philomath’s cane clattering to the ground.
A smile spread across Philomath’s face.
“Greetings!”
She gasped.
Andromeda chuckled
“Did I startle you?”
She asked, tilting her head slightly.
Philomath released Andromeda’s hand and attempted to brush her white hair back from her face.
“Well, I-”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EXGW0Clud
She huffed as her hair fell back over her face.
“I-”
Andromeda tucked Philomath’s hair behind her ear.
“I got it, love.”
She chortled before clearing her throat awkwardly
“Now, why have you traveled here, of all places, at this hour?”
Philomath leaned slightly closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.
“The prince. He is still… absent.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNiEz0W4hY
Andromeda blinked.
“What do you mean? Why did you have to whisper that?”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8C417ilP5O
“It is a scandal, to say the least.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1keTRtricT
“So I did see him stumbling down the road?”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WNAv2iuXB
“Possibly.”
Philomath peeped, twiddling her thumbs.
Andromeda opened and closed her mouth for a moment, contemplating what to say.
“I- …Does the princess know?”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGEY4ycDTc
She breathed, tilting her head.
“No. Virelai has no idea. The queen told her that he was ill.”
Andromeda licked her lips at Philomath’s response.
“Mh… very scandalous indeed. A missing prince.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBJPH8Jfgf
She purred, smirking to herself.
“You must not tell anyone, Andromeda!”
Philomath snapped.
“But why…?”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLX1bHtO8D
Andromeda pouted.
“Because the honor of the royal family is at stake!”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiiTviBNBAF
Philomath hissed, crossing her arms over her chest.
Andromeda arched her eyebrows.
“And?”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJgg1Yur1K
“I could lose my job!”
“Better.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmKqHuw23D
Philomath paused for a moment.
“Though I must say, ‘The Missing Prince Leveret’ does sound rather… attention grabbing.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyjQzeVTy6
She admitted sheepishly.
“It does.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDnvM7Fk13
Andromeda said before letting out a snort.
“And to think the queen herself told me that my eyes were ‘not what they used to be’ when I asked her about the rumors…”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOurVGXqJx
She chuckled.
“You asked her about it?!”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrB1L5jC0D
Philomath gasped in horror.
“Of course I did! I had to go to the source.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3kxkBdoeg
“Oh my Mogshade you are so unhelpful.”
Philomath muttered, rubbing her temples.
“I heard you found my mannerisms amusing.”
Andromeda grinned.
Philomath made a gesture that Andromeda had learned was her version of rolling her eyes.
“I suppose… you are correct.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9AsNOKzxt
She bent to grab her cane.
“Now, I really must be going, love-”
Andromeda pulled Philomath up by her forearm.
“Nonsese! Come! Stay the night! What is mine is yours, my darling!”
She sing-songed, leading Philomath off into her personal quarters in the back of the temple.
Philomath stumbled slightly with a laugh.
“Oh my- if you insist.”77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Y1bqM54tF
and then Add to home screen.