She became panicked and jumped forward to collect the remaining dust. However, when she touched it, what remained from the ashes was a beautiful pure white scroll tied with an intricate golden string.
"…." Harlow furrowed her brows in confusion. She picked up the scroll among the ashes and shook her head slightly. The beautiful princess didn't expect that the mysterious gift sender would actually do something like this.
As she touched the scroll, everyone else in the ballroom's eyes widened.
They exchanged glances. The people all had the same thoughts in their minds.
Did this mean… the mysterious sender finally reveal themselves?
"Is that from the gift sender?"
"Will they finally come forward?"
"What is the motive behind all their gifts??"
"Maybe we will finally find out?"
"The first present they sent was the phoenix. So, it's very fitting."
"What does the letter contain? Wait, it's a letter, right?"
There was a beautiful smile on Harlow's face and she remembered the past sixteen years with extreme fondness. Each of the gifts that came on her birthday had brought her so much joy.
Whether they were lovely glass slippers or even a cute kitten, Harlow had appreciated them all and thought that the mysterious gift sender had such good taste when it came to sending gifts.
Even now that Harlow was already eighteen years old, she didn't find the idea of the gift sender odd or worrying at all. Instead, she was curious and actually longing to meet whoever sent the gifts. She loved everything they sent her.
That person had made birthday every year a truly special occasion. A day to look forward to.
"How fitting for them to introduce themselves now that I'm an adult." Harlow carefully untied the string and shortly she started reading the contents of the scroll. She hummed to herself happily and was amused. "I suppose it's a nice and charming gift to remove the mystery."
She was smiling so much today that her face hurt.
However…
Suddenly, one of Harlow's eyes twitched in annoyance and the expression on her face crumbled into a great frown the more she read the letter.
Then, finally, she clutched the scroll in her hands and threw a look at her parents.
Both King Mars and Queen Emmelyn were already approaching her. There was both a look of worry and concern written on their faces.
Emmelyn asked her daughter worriedly, "What's wrong?"
"This letter!" Harlow shouted and nearly threw it away angrily but then handed it over to her mother. Both Emmelyn and Mars started to read it and their expressions also changed at once.
"From your destined husband," Emmelyn said aloud and blinked while Mars was already snatching the letter to read it to himself. The look of annoyance on Harlow's face earlier was incomparable to Mars' frustrated expression.
"Who is this Ice Prince?" Mars glared at the letter and gritted his teeth. "I don't remember betrothing my daughter to anyone eighteen years ago when she was born. This scroll contains nothing but lies!"
Emmelyn paused for a moment. "Ice Prince?"
She was so impatient when she read the letter that she skipped so many words, just trying to get to the end of it. She didn't see the word 'Ice Prince' earlier.
"Do you know him?" Mars looked at his wife with a frown. "I don't think you would have betrothed your daughter to someone without her consent right? Or at least you would have told me about it."
"Of course not!" Emmelyn frowned. She was truly offended by the question her husband asked her.
After learning what happened to Maxim in the past and knowing that his betrothal to Elise Leoralei had caused him so much pain, Emmelyn had promised herself to give her children a chance to pursue who they wanted to love.
There would be no unwanted betrothal or anything of such for her children.
"Then this scroll is nothing but lies. Who is this Ice Prince by the way? I'll visit his castle and burn his entire place down for daring to mess with the Strongmoor family like this. Whether or not he's a wizard, a powerful spellcaster, or something else, I won't stand for this."
"Mother, Father… What is the meaning of this?" Harlow asked as she clenched her fists to the sides. She really couldn't stomach what just happened. The princess had lost her Phoenix and what remained was the awful scroll. "That letter said…"
"Harlow please forget about this letter and let your mother and I handle it," King Mars smiled gently at his daughter. "I'm apt to believe that this letter is nothing but a ridiculous joke. Please focus on enjoying your eighteenth birthday. Athos and Lily will you guys take over?"
"Of course, Your Majesty." Athos nodded and soon addressed the crowd. "Please let us continue with the festivities. His and Her Majesty will address some sudden issue but the celebration will not stop."
Both the king and queen left the throne room with the scroll in hand while the princess stayed at the ballroom to at least celebrate her birthday.
However, it was impossible.
Harlow was so distraught and it was all happening during her birthday celebration. She kept thinking about what just happened. After losing her beloved Niam, she now suddenly had to deal with a freak?
Yeah... what else should she call the person who pulled such a stunt? Sending her gifts every year to lull her only to yank her back to reality with a joke that was far from funny.
This must be a joke. Harlow couldn't believe someone was serious about the whole thing. Now, suddenly, all the gifts she had received in the past 16 years no longer mattered. And the sender was no longer cool.
.
.
_________________________
From Missrealitybites:
OMG... There was an error in publishing the chapters earlier. I am so sleepy from the conference today.
Sorry... I have edited them now and you can read the proper chapters if you go to PROFILE TAB - SETTING - CLEAR CACHE or just remove this book from your library and then add it again. You will see the updated chapters.. Sorry for the inconvenience. ^^