Chapter Text
It was not a coincidence.
When the wind accidentally blew from the window a bit too hard, she saw it.
A crescent mark on Carol's forehead.
"Lady Esther?-" Carol calls out to her, and Esther decides to confront her.
"Charlotte." She addresses the woman.
The brown hair woman blinks a few times before frowning. "And who?-"
"Don't play fool with me, I saw it." Esther cuts her off.
The other woman flinched and sighed, the magic dye disappearing as the brown hair went back to its original black, a blink and her eyes went back to that amber hue. Fixing her posture with the elegance of a noble.
"Why?" Esther asked.
Charlotte should've known that Esther can crack things out easily; there's a reason why the woman across her is called 'genius among geniuses' after all.
"So, care to explain?" Esther repeats her previous question.
Charlotte took a minute or two to recollect herself before letting out a sigh, answering her question.
"It's...a foolish reason, really." She didn't want to admit it.
Esther raised a pointed eyebrow at Charlotte felt a bit... ashamed? Guilty?...
She doesn't really know why she's doing this as well. Mother shouted at her because she was bested by a commoner.
"I..." Charlotte takes another breath before continuing.
"I was jealous."
The room tenses in the awkward silence. Esther was a bit shocked. Charlotte felt even more embarrassed and ashamed now, trying to shrink herself. Mother was right, she really is pathetic-
"You..."
Esther took both of Charlotte's hands, and her gaze was softer now.
"Something happened, didn't it?" Esther frowns. Charlotte doesn't understand why. Why? Why isn't she mad at her? She pried in her memories and can potentially harm her!
Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy-
"Charlotte Darce. Breath. Just listen to me." Esther gently uttered. Putting Charlotte's hand over her chest so the other can focus on her heartbeat.
It's going to be a long day for both of them.