The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 315: Ladies Night

Chapter 315: Ladies Night

Callis, now dressed in her nightgown, had finished cleansing her face with rosewater and was searching for the almond oil to moisturise her skin. As her hands rummaged through her luggage, she wondered aloud, "Now, where did Jessy put it?"

After a moment of searching, she exclaimed in delight, "Ah, found it!" as she finally laid her hand on the bottle.

Just then, her hand accidentally hit a hard object hidden among the folded garments. Intrigued, she quickly retrieved it, revealing a beautifully wrapped gift.

"What is this?" Callis pondered.

She couldn’t recall buying this item from any shops she had visited, and she was sure it was her first time seeing it. She turned the gift around and noticed handwriting in the corner of the box.

’For My Beloved Princess.

From Jessy.’

Curiosity consumed her as she wondered about the mysterious gift’s contents. She shook the box gently, but there was no sound, and it felt relatively light. Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"Who is it?" Callis called out.

"It’s me, Elis. Are you ready, Callis?" came the maid’s voice from behind the door.

To maintain the charade that Elis was her sister-in-law, as per her brother’s plan, Elis had to address the Mederian Princess and Rafe by their first names as instructed by Kiev.

"I’m coming!" Callis responded, tucking the gift safely back into her luggage.

She quickly dabbed the almond oil on her skin and rushed to the door to join Elis for their ladies’ night in Eva’s room.

***

"I hope we didn’t keep you waiting," Callis greeted, stepping into her mother-in-law’s room alongside Elis.

"Not at all! Please come in!" Eva welcomed them warmly. "I hope you don’t mind if we sleep together on the same bed. I have joined an extra bed so it wouldn’t be too cramped."

"Definitely not, mother!" Callis replied with enthusiasm.

"I don’t mind either," Elis added.

"Well then, have a seat first," Eva offered, gesturing towards the chairs in the room.

The two young ladies happily took their seats, ready to engage in conversation and spend time together.

Sensing their comfort, Eva offered, "Do you ladies want some drinks?"

"Oh, I don’t take alcoholic drinks, Mrs Amares," Elis politely declined.

"I won’t mind drinking whatever you have," Callis responded otherwise.

Eva chuckled.

"I don’t have alcoholic drinks, my dear... Just some tonic and warm milk. My husband would make a fuss if I drank, and so would Rafe. He’d nag non-stop."

Callis laughed lightly. "Would they even be able to tell?"

"I’m not a good drinker. Just a sip, and I’ll have a hangover for the whole day. We’ll have a banquet tomorrow, and some people will attend. I’d rather not ruin the day. Besides, you have plans with Rafe," Eva reminded.

"Ah, right!" Callis recalled the arrangements for the next day.

"I don’t feel particularly thirsty now," Elis declined.

"Lady Elisabeth, I strongly suggest you take both of them. I’ve noticed how pale you’ve been at the table, and you didn’t say a word in the hall. Are you still not feeling well?" Eva inquired.

The maid smiled.

"Just a little bit. I’m sorry if I haven’t been participating in the conversation."

"You didn’t eat much either. Are you sure you’re fine? Do you want Rafe to examine you?" Eva continued to show her concern.

"No, thank you. I feel much better already."

"I can see that. Your face has brightened a bit compared to before. Nevertheless, please take the drink. It’s good for you," urged Eva, emphasising the importance of the beverage.

She went to the table, poured the drinks and handed them to both women.

Elis relented and took her drinks, first the tonic, then the warm milk. She felt a sense of relief in her stomach as she consumed them. Being in the company of only women made her feel more comfortable and at ease.

Her attention was then drawn to a small plate on the table displaying a selection of nuts, including almonds, cashews, and pistachios. She had always held a fondness for these delectable treats, prompting her to take a handful and savour their flavours.

"These are absolutely delicious!" Elis exclaimed with delight as she chewed the almonds.

"Do you enjoy them?" Eva asked.

"Oh, yes!" Elis replied, her eyes sparkling. "It has been quite some time since I last had them, and they taste even better now. It feels like I’ve been craving them!"

The maid let out a small laugh.

Hearing Elis’s words, Eva made a mental note.

"I’ll ask the maid to ensure we have more of these prepared for you tomorrow since you like them so much."

Elis’s face lit up with gratitude. "Thank you, Eva! That would be wonderful!"

The middle-aged woman smiled warmly.

"You’re most welcome, Lady Elisabeth. It’s a pleasure to see you enjoying yourself."

Eva then turned to Callis, passing a piece of paper to her daughter-in-law.

"This is the recipe, Callis. I’ve also added a few more. Perhaps, when you have some free time, you can try making them."

The Mederian Princess accepted the paper and read through the recipes. With her upbringing and training, she had no trouble quickly memorising them.

"Thank you, mother. I will do my best to try them. Rafe seemed to enjoy it. I noticed he ate more than usual at dinner," Callis remarked.

"That’s his and Lisa’s favourite. We used to have it often back then, but these days... I only make it on certain occasions," Eva shared, a wistful smile gracing her lips.

"How was your trip to the cemetery?" she changed the topic.

Callis’s expression softened, and she replied, "It was nice. Rafe and I paid our respects to Lisa, and I offered my prayers as well. It’s a peaceful place, and I’m glad we went."

Elis listened attentively, fully aware of the visit to the cemetery since Callis had informed her after she woke up from her afternoon nap. Rafe had expressed concern for the maid, as Kiev had taken her to her room after the meal, and she hadn’t come out since then.

So, on the healer’s behalf, the Mederian Princess had come to check on her. When she arrived, Elis was alone, as her brother had left the room to spend time with Jason, Nick, and Louis.

"How was Rafe? Is he all right? Did he cry?" Eva inquired with concern.

Callis fidgeted with her fingers, unsure whether she should share her experience with her mother-in-law.

"Well..." she began, her voice hesitant as she thought of the right words to say.

Eva let out a knowing sigh.

"I knew it. He cries every time he goes there."

Eva stood up, slowly walked to a nearby drawer, and opened it. She retrieved an object, capturing Elis and Callis’s attention. Curiosity piqued, they looked at Eva, wondering what she had in her hands. As they gazed at the object, they realised it was a small frame containing a sketch.

I thought of showing you this. This is a sketch of Rafe and Lisa, the only memento I have that reminded me of how she looked like," said Eva.

She handed the frame to Callis, who accepted it with awe and reverence. A genuine smile formed on her face as she looked at the sketched image of Rafe and Lisa.

"Oh, he was so cute as a boy!" exclaimed the Mederian Princess, admiring the sketch. Elis smiled in agreement, finding the sight endearing.

"He certainly was," Eva replied, her eyes filled with affectionate nostalgia. "Rafe was always looking out for his little sister, and they had such a special bond."

"Lisa was cute too. They looked alike," Elis chimed in.

"Rafe is definitely cute. Furthermore, his calm countenance shows his credibility as a great and smart healer," praised Callis proudly. "Where did you get this? Did you draw it?"

Callis gently traced the lines of the sketch with her finger, marvelling at the captured moment of sibling affection.

"There was a time when a painter visited our town during a celebration. I took Rafe and Lisa to the town square, and he was captivated by their closeness. They were sitting together, and Rafe was braiding his sister’s hair. He loved doing it so much. The painter sketched this picture for us free of charge. We couldn’t get it painted as colours were expensive."

"Paintings are indeed expensive even now," said Elis.

"Was Rafe’s hair darker during childhood?" Callis asked when she saw the black tone used to colour Rafe’s hair in the sketch.

Eva’s expression turned melancholic as she shared a sombre revelation.

"Rafe’s hair used to be brown, like his brothers’. But after Lisa passed away, he became so sick with grief that its colour changed. His hair turned into a grey shade and never returned to normal. Even the healer who treated him couldn’t explain it."

"Oh, so that was what Jason and father talked about over the meal," Callis concluded.

"That’s right. Rafe was deeply affected by the loss. We feared we would lose him, too, when he got sick. That’s why we avoid talking about Lisa, to spare him from the pain of remembrance." Eva’s voice trembled with emotion as she continued.

"I thought you all hardly speak of her because of you. Rafe told me so," said the Mederian Princess.

Eva shook her head gently.

"No, my dear. He believes we don’t talk about her because of me, but it is the opposite. We refrain from mentioning her to protect him from his sorrow."

"What happened back then?" asked Callis.

Eva reminisced her memory.

"Rafe was always a gentle and obedient child. Unlike Jason and Nick, who engaged in rough play with the other boys, he preferred to be by Lisa’s side and care for her while I worked. That’s why they were so close and hardly separated. After Lisa died, he would cry for hours and withdraw into silence afterwards every time he visited her grave. This continued till he grew older. We knew he was deeply saddened, but he never spoke to us about his feelings. I tried to talk to him, but he always avoided the conversation and insisted he was fine. So, I decided not to push him."

Callis felt a mix of emotions upon learning this. The fact that Rafe had shared his sorrow with her made her feel valued and reassured of her importance to him. But it also saddened her to realise the depth of his suppressed emotions throughout the years.

Determined to bring happiness into Rafe’s life, Callis made a solemn promise.

"Don’t worry, mother. Rafe has opened up to me and allowed his emotions to surface. I promise you, I will always be there for him and make him happy."

Eva’s eyes filled with gratitude as she responded, "I am relieved to hear that. Thank you, Callis. It’s truly a blessing to have you as his wife."

She then suggested, "It’s late now. Let’s go to sleep. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Both young women nodded in agreement.

A new day would soon arrive, bringing exciting experiences for them all.