The evening was full of closing dances. Madeleine waited for the first time for the end of the celebration, wanted to finish the day, forget herself. But time, as it happens, has turned into the worst enemy, and stretched out as intended. The figured hands on the clock seemed to have frozen and refused to let the princess go of the embrace of humiliation. The clouds of grey thoughts were bitterly upset.
The guests began to disperse. From the front door of the palace, one by one the coaches drove away. Kitsiliy realized too late that he had missed not only the dance and the only allowed opportunity to touch Princess Vespera, but also herself. He understood perfectly well what disrespect meant by his absence from the requested dance. The general hurried to the palace. He was lucky enough to run into Madeleine as she left the ballroom.
- Your Highness," he said in a broken breath, "please forgive me.
Madeleine wiggled her chin up and walked by without giving the general a glimpse. She headed towards the quarters, which was kindly provided by Princess Ursula to her guest. Kicily followed her, but Madeleine did not pay any attention to her call and pleas for forgiveness. Soon she came to the bedroom door, which, having opened up, would separate her until morning. Kitsily in despair grabbed Princess Vespera by the hand, forcing her to stop and turn on herself perplexed indignant look:
- Are you out of your mind? - Madeleine pulled her handoff. - You've lost your sense of tact somewhere!
- Let me beg forgiveness! I am to blame, but I would like to make things right!
- You neglected me. I don't want to see you. By your luck, I managed to convince Prince Maximilian to leave you with the title, you made him angry. That's all.
- Why would I want the title if I didn't deserve forgiveness? Send him into exile, lock him up...!
- Isn't the fee too simple? Do you understand how you made me feel? I don't want to forgive you. I don't want to!
Madeleine hid behind the bedroom door. A strong oak massif separated them, leaving the general with weight in his chest. Even though he hadn't been in touch with the princess before, he certainly didn't want the hatred to blow them away.
At night, the general was looking for oblivion and peace of mind in red wine, but instead, he found in the drink the words that Madeleine had long wanted to say. The ink was caught in the palm of his hand. His head was singing a song, and following it, Kitsiliy wrote a line after a line. In the shimmering candles in the heart sparkled feelings, and in each handwritten letter hid the dawn.
Madeleine was brooding this morning. The disrespect that had passed had lost its importance. She completely immersed herself in the warm dreams of a green-eyed prince, drawing ahead lunch and games, his attention and impeccable camp. Yamina was overflowing with the princess's lightness and it seemed to unite them.
The maidens wore Madeleine's clothes when she noticed a small round table. A gentle silver tray caught the sun's rays penetrating the bedroom and shone diligently in its grandeur, trying to hide a small note from the eyes. When the last silk ribbon was fixed on the new color of sunflower petals, the princess approached the table. She picked up and looked at the note, folded up several times and closed a drop of wax on which there was no seal.
- Who was it from? - Madeleine checked with the maid of honor.
- I don't know, Your Highness," the humble girl said as she left the bedroom.
The princess with her flat back sank to a soft, massive chair and took off a drop of wax. She could expect any message this morning but ruled out love. How wrong she was.
"Dear Madeleine, I must tell you that I am in love with you completely and irrevocably. From the first meeting, from the first minute, you penetrated my consciousness and filled every moment of my new life with yourself. You changed the colors of my world, you turned the dank rain into the sun. You are an exceptional angel, otherworldly, unearthly. You are an incomprehensible and sublime goddess of my hopelessly loving heart. You are my Aphrodite. And I must confess that I want and will love you, only you! May the feeling never be mutual, I will not get tired of loving you anyway. You are all I dare to dream about!"
Of course, Madeleine had to receive love letters before, but none of them contained two similar deep phrases. The admirers probably didn't write about the fact that they lied in every line and thought about it as if they fell in love with each other seriously. The words of self-deception were poor, dry, and could not ignite a heartfelt fire. They were forced to pour out, and this made the whole message empty. But here, now, on a little note, Madeleine saw not words, but stars. Mysterious, enticing, shining. The stars that circled their heads and called for themselves. Madeleine's heartbeat quickly and often dragged into the abyss of an unknown path. In admiration, the princess smiled like a child and with a fascinated soul read the lines over and over again.