Rebecca has a busy day ahead. It wasn't crucial per se, but she was to meet with all the heirs of the neighboring kingdoms participating in the festival individually, to discuss the details of the month-long festival. There were certain key events that all heirs must participate in during the festival and Rebecca wanted to meet with everyone, not only to clarify expectations but also to extend a warm welcome.

As the palace bustled with preparations, Rebecca made her way to the room where the meetings were to take place. Rebecca couldn't help but feel nervous as she prepared for the day's meetings. She had always been a bit shy around strangers, particularly in more casual settings or encounters that didn't involve official political discussions or her royal duties. And the prospect of meeting potential partners made her heart flutter with nervousness and excitement. Yet, her regal upbringing had trained her well, and no one would have known the nerves that Rebecca was feeling.

The first heir to arrive was Prince Eric, with whom she had a meeting yesterday. His charismatic smile and confident aura greeted Rebecca as he entered the chamber.

"Good morning, Prince Eric," Rebecca said, her voice carrying a gentle warmth. "I hope you managed to get a good night's sleep."

Eric's eyes sparkled as he met her gaze. "Good morning, Princess Rebecca. The night was peaceful. I hope you enjoyed the gala last night."

Rebecca returned his smile. "I did. It was a truly amazing evening. As you know, this month-long festival holds great significance for myself and Lumina."

Eric leaned forward, his expression earnest. "I'm fully aware, Princess. I'm honored to be part of it, and I look forward to the days ahead."

Rebecca smiled, appreciating Eric's words. "During the festival, I encourage you to engage with the people of Lumina and the other heirs, as well as participate in the planned events and activities."

Eric nodded, his enthusiasm evident. "Of course, Princess. I've been looking forward to experiencing Lumina's culture and traditions firsthand."

Rebecca's gaze softened. "Beyond that, I invite you to plan a date—a date that allows us to spend quality time together and get to know one another... away from the formalities of court."

She paused, her eyes holding a touch of mischief as she added, "I should mention, though, that I'll be going on dates with all the heirs, not just you."

Prince Eric's face initially brightened with a smile that slowly widened as Rebecca began to speak. However, as she continued and mentioned going on dates with all the heirs, his smile gradually faded, and a flicker of realization crossed his features. The understanding seemed to dawn on him that he wasn't the sole recipient of her attention.

He took a moment to absorb this fact before responding with a good-natured chuckle, attempting to hide any hint of disappointment. "Ah, I see," he said, his tone light. "Well, Princess Rebecca, it seems Lumina is keeping you quite busy this month." Eric's response, although marked by a touch of playful resignation, still carried a sense of respect for the process and his willingness to participate.

As Rebecca moved through her conversations with the visiting heirs, discussing the various aspects of the month-long festival and the expectations that came with it, there was a noticeable change in her demeanor when she broached the topic of the unique tradition that marked the end of the month. Despite her poised exterior that came with her royal upbringing, there was a shy and vulnerable side of Rebecca that surfaced when she spoke about this particular tradition.

When the conversation naturally shifted towards this topic, Rebecca's voice became softer, carrying a hint of hesitance. She cleared her throat, her eyes momentarily dropping to the floor before meeting the gaze of the heir she was speaking to. The weight of the words she was about to say seemed to momentarily steal her confidence, revealing a more delicate aspect of her nature.

"...There's one more aspect to the festival that I should explain," Rebecca continued, her voice growing slightly softer, "As for the end of the month, it's tradition for my potential partner to be to spend a night alone with me. This is when our scents will intertwine, allowing us to gauge our compatibility on a deeper level." Her voice trailed off slightly, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

Eric's expression grew serious as he absorbed the significance of her words.

As she continued, her words came out in a mixture of shyness and earnestness. "It's a way to... to see if our scents intermingle. It's believed that our scents can indicate compatibility, you see." She paused, her gaze briefly darting away before returning to meet the heir's eyes, as if seeking reassurance that her words were being understood.

Rebecca's shyness in describing this tradition was a stark contrast to her usual composed self. Her genuine feelings and vulnerability were laid bare as she explained the tradition. Her fingers unconsciously played with a strand of her hair, a nervous gesture that revealed the internal struggle she was experiencing. The weight of her position and the expectations of her role seemed momentarily overshadowed by the intimacy of discussing this aspect of the festival.

She took a small breath, her gaze still holding a touch of vulnerability. "I know it might sound... unconventional, but it's a tradition that holds significance for Lumina. It's a way for us to know if there's a natural connection between us." Her voice held a mixture of earnestness and an underlying hope that the heir would understand the depth of what she was saying.

"And to clarify, I'm not saying that... that I will be spending the night with everyone participating in the festival... It's just with someone whom I hope I'll have feelings for at the end of the month," she stuttered out, her cheeks coloring slightly with embarrassment.

"I understand, Princess," Eric replied gently. "Every kingdom has its unique customs, and I respect Lumina's traditions... In Valeria, we also hold certain customs that might seem unconventional to others. During our annual Festival of Bonds, we perform a ceremony where we exchange tokens as a sign of friendship or respect."

Rebecca nodded her head shyly back, her appreciation evident. "Thank you, Prince Eric. I... It's reassuring to know that our kingdoms cherishes our own customs. I hope our time together will help us to build connections that can potentially benefit our kingdoms... and maybe more."

Their conversation continued, touching on various aspects of the festival and the expectations that lay ahead. Eric's genuine interest in Lumina's culture helped ease Rebecca, leaving her with a sense of optimism for the month to come.

Once Eric left, Rebecca only had a few minutes to herself before the next heir entered the chamber. Just like with Eric, Rebecca explained the festival to each heir. She encouraged them to participate in events and to plan a date to spend time together in a more personal setting.

As the conversation moved towards the tradition of possibly spending the night alone with each other, it became easier for Rebecca to explain. Having to continually explain to the heirs one after the other gradually eased her into broaching the topic. Her cheeks still flushed slightly as she touched the subject however, a lingering hint of shyness that didn't fade entirely with the repetition.

-----------------------

Freen was the last heir that Rebecca had to meet, and it was Freen whose presence had already left an impression on her since the gala. From the first time she saw Freen at the gala to across the ballroom yesterday evening where their eyes met briefly, sparking an unexpected feeling in Rebecca, Freen's presence had lingered in her thoughts, leaving Rebecca somewhat eager yet apprehensive about their meeting.

As the door slowly opened, Princess Freen entered the room, her demeanor as poised and serene as ever. She noticed Freen's graceful demeanor and the subtle confidence in her posture, traits that had caught Rebecca's attention during the gala. Freen's gaze held a kind of gentle intrigue, as if she, too, had been affected by their brief interaction.

Rebecca found herself drawn to Freen's presence, and yet, she struggled to maintain her usual composed demeanor. Rising from her seat, Rebecca greeted Freen with a warm smile gracing her lips.

"Princess Freen, please come in," Rebecca said, her voice soft and slightly shy. "Thank you for taking the time to join me today. I'm pleased we could have this conversation."

"Thank you, Princess Rebecca," Freen replied, returning the smile with a graceful nod as she settled into a chair across from Rebecca. "Please, call me Freen," she added, her voice soft but leaving no room for disagreement.

Rebecca nodded back shyly. "Of course, Freen. Please call me Rebecca as well... I hope you had fun last night?" she asked, her tone warm and curious.

Rebecca's heart raced slightly; she hoped Freen had enjoyed the event. Although they didn't have the chance to meet yesterday, she wanted Freen to enjoy herself... even if it wasn't necessarily in her company.

Freen's gaze met Rebecca's, and a small smile played on her lips. "I did, princess," she replied. "I must admit, I love dancing...and so I indulged myself last night. The music, the atmosphere, it all felt so inviting that I couldn't resist."

A playful smile spread at the corners of Rebecca's lips. "Sounds like a fun evening. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it," she replied, her voice carrying a faint note of playfulness. "The gala is just the beginning of Lumina's month-long festival, and I hope the rest of the month will be equally enjoyable for you."

Freen's features softened subtly, a faint blush gracing her cheeks as she responded with a soft, warm smile. "Thank you... Rebecca," she replied, her voice gentle yet filled with sincerity. "I have no doubt that the rest of the festival will be just as enchanting, especially with your presence."

Rebecca's smile turned slightly bashful, her cheeks also coloring with a faint hue of pink. The unexpected compliment from Freen made her heart flutter slightly.

"Th-thank you, Freen," Rebecca stuttered, feeling her cheeks grow even warmer. She looked down for a moment, a shy smile gracing her lips. "Your words are very kind. I... I hope I can make the festival enjoyable for you too."

As Rebecca glanced back up, she found Freen already looking at her, her gaze strikingly intense. There was a certain coldness to the intensity, a depth that seemed to hold a lot of unspoken thoughts and emotions. Despite this aloofness, there was an underlying softness that somehow managed to ease Rebecca's nerves.

"The festival is going to hold many events and functions. I hope that you will be interested in some of them," Rebecca said, her voice carrying a hopeful tone as she looked into Freen's eyes.

She cleared her throat softly before continuing, "Beyond that, I invited each heir to plan a date, a meaningful one that allows us to get to know each other better."

A small smirk tugged at the corners of Freen's lips, once she attempted to conceal. As Rebecca was talking, Freen observed her keenly, detecting a hint of Rebecca's interest in her and she couldn't help but notice the subtle anticipation in Rebecca's eyes.

"And what about you?" Freen inquired, her tone teasingly playful. "Do you have any preferences for these dates, Rebecca?"

Rebecca's smile turned bashful, her cheeks coloring with a faint hue of pink. "Well," she began, her voice a touch shy, "I must admit that I'm looking forward to the dates and the festival itself. However, there is one date I'm anticipating the most..."

Rebecca paused, letting her words sink in and allowing Freen to see a glimpse into her true feelings. She glanced at Freen with a shy yet eager expression, waiting for her response.

Freen's gaze remained warm and steady as she responded to Rebecca's bashful admission. Her own smile carried a touch of amusement, her eyes holding an expectant glint.

"Oh?" Freen inquired, her tone gently teasing. "May I ask which one has captured your attention, Rebecca?" She leaned in slightly, her genuine curiosity evident in her posture.

Rebecca's heart fluttered in her chest as she felt the warmth of Freen's gaze and heard the playful lilt in her voice. Her own bashfulness melted into a soft smile, and she leaned in closer, their faces now just inches apart.

With a gentle, almost conspiratorial tone, Rebecca replied, her voice a soft murmur, "Yours, Princess Freen."

Freen's expression seemed to intensify at Rebecca's admission, a subtle shift in her features that made Rebecca's stomach tie in knots and unconsciously release her rose pheromones. Freen's gaze, already captivating, held an almost magnetic quality that made Rebecca feel as if she couldn't look away.

For a moment that felt suspended in time, Freen continued to gaze at Rebecca with that intense, probing stare. Then, just as Rebecca's nerves reached their peak, v features softened. Her eyes, once intense, now glimmered with a warmth that melted away Rebecca's apprehension. A soft smile graced Freen's lips, a gentle and reassuring gesture.

"Hmmm... that's a lovely thought," Freen murmured softly. "I, too, am eager to plan a date for you."

Rebecca's breath hitched slightly at Freen's response and a surge of happiness washed over her. Freen's acknowledgement seemed to lift a weight off Rebecca's chest, easing the tension she hadn't realized she was carrying.

Their gazes lingered on each other causing Rebecca's chest to feel heavy, a sensation she couldn't quite put into words. It was as if Freen's typically composed and somewhat cold expression now held a touch of tenderness—a glimpse into a layer of Freen's demeanor she hadn't seen before. It felt as if they had grown a thousand times closer in this brief conversation and she found herself unable to break the eye contact.

Eventually, as the silence grew comfortable, Rebecca slowly began to sit back in her seat, breaking the spell. Her cheeks were still faintly tinged with a blush, and her heart beating a little faster.

Rebecca's fingers traced a pattern on the table, her eyes meeting Freen's. "You know, I must admit that I was eagerly looking forward to our meeting today. Your presence at the opening gala was quite enchanting, and I couldn't help but wonder about the person behind that elegance and grace."

Freen's cheeks finally tinged with a blush, a playful smile touching her lips. "You're too kind, Rebecca. I must say, your own presence was quite captivating as well."

Rebecca's heart fluttered again at the compliment, causing her regal facade to waver momentarily, revealing her genuine emotions once more. Unaware of it, Rebecca was releasing her pheromones once again. To Freen, it smelled of roses—a fragrance she had never encountered before. The soft, delicate scent was wafting through the air, captivating Freen's senses in a way she couldn't quite explain. It was an aroma that felt so alluring, so tender, and so distinctly Rebecca.

The rose pheromones seemed to pull at Freen, drawing her subtly closer to Rebecca. The scent was not only pleasant but undeniably appealing to her omega nature. She found herself instinctively taking a deeper breath, savoring the aroma that enveloped the room. It felt oddly comforting, like a warm embrace. Freen couldn't help but like the scent; it had an almost hypnotic effect on her, making her feel strangely at ease in Rebecca's presence.

As the moment lingered between them, Rebecca seemed to break out of the reverie. She shifted slightly in her seat, her posture becoming more composed and her expression becoming more serious.

"Freen," Rebecca began, her voice the quietest that was heard today, "I... there's one more topic I wanted to discuss. It's about Lumina's tradition that will be held at the end of the month. There's a special tradition in Lumina that involves my potential partner spending a night alone together." Rebecca's words were careful, her voice revealing a hint of nervousness.

Freen's eyes held a mixture of understanding and intrigue. "A night alone to...?"

Rebecca's voice lowered, her gaze flickering with a mixture of apprehension and anticipation. "To see if our scents intermingle."

The mention of spending the night together caused a noticeable shift in the room's atmosphere. Rebecca felt her cheeks flush, and she couldn't help but glance away briefly. Freen, too, seemed to blush slightly, her gaze momentarily dropping to the table. The chamber, once filled with the calm but playful conversation, seemed to carry an undercurrent of anticipation.

Rebecca cleared her throat once more, attempting to regain her composure. "I understand that this process may seem unusual," she said, her voice soft but steady, "but it's a tradition in Lumina to ensure a strong bond between the ruling pair. It's not just about physical attraction; it's about the compatibility of our pheromones, which can indicate a deeper connection."

As Rebecca delicately explained the unique tradition of spending a night alone at the end of the month to see if their scents would intermingle, Freen's eyes observed every nuance of her demeanor. Freen's own serene presence was heightened by a deep sense of empathy, allowing her to grasp the underlying emotions that Rebecca was grappling with as she spoke. "I appreciate your honesty, Princess Rebecca. It's important to approach this process with an open heart."

Rebecca's fingers played with the fabric of her gown, her cheeks tinged with pink. "Yes, it's believed that our scents can reveal compatibility on a primal level. It's a way to understand whether our pheromones align and can tell us a lot about our compatibility."

Rebecca's voice, while steady, carried a trace of vulnerability as she explained the tradition. Her fingers played with the fabric of her gown, a subtle sign of the nerves that lingered beneath her composed exterior.

Freen, perceptive as ever, observed the slight change in Rebecca's demeanor. Her serene gaze shifted from Rebecca's eyes to her fidgeting fingers, understanding the nervousness that lay beneath the surface. A soft, understanding smile graced Freen's lips as she saw the omega princess navigate the delicate topic.

As Rebecca's voice softened and her words grew more hesitant, Freen sensed the omega princess's discomfort. Her empathetic nature urged her to respond to Rebecca but she held it in. The blush that dusted Rebecca's cheeks was a telltale sign of her shyness, and it sparked an instinctive desire in Freen.

As Rebecca spoke about the tradition, the faint aroma of roses that had been present throughout their conversation began to grow stronger. With a keen awareness of Rebecca's apprehension, Freen's own essence seemed to respond. A soft, subtle release of pheromones began to fill the air—an aroma that carried a light and refreshing notes of citrus. The fragrance was delicate, like a whisper of calm, and it wafted through the chamber.

Rebecca's gaze flickered to Freen, and her eyes widened in surprise. And as suddenly as she smelled Freen's pheromones, Rebecca became aware of her own being released. The heightened scent of roses from her own pheromones seemed to have triggered Freen's response, and now the air carried a blend of citrus and roses.

Rebecca felt a soothing sensation wash over her, the calming essence of Freen's pheromones having an unexpected effect. The anxiety that had been steadily building within her began to dissipate. With a slow inhale, Rebecca allowed herself to absorb the subtle fragrance, feeling an unexpected sense of comfort in Freen's presence. It was as if Freen's essence had whispered words of assurance into her very being.

Rebecca's gaze softened as she met Freen's eyes and she silently acknowledged Freen's touching gesture. The conversation then continued, and as they explored the significance of the tradition and its implications, the air seemed to carry a new energy.

With each passing moment, Rebecca found herself opening up further, allowing Freen to see a glimpse into her thoughts. Time seemed to slip away as they both were engrossed in their conversation. And when the conversation gently came to a lull, Rebecca finally became aware of the time. Her gaze darted towards the clock, surprised that the time had passed far quicker than she had anticipated.

Turning back to Freen, Rebecca managed a faint smile tinged with a touch of regret. "I hadn't realized how quickly time flew by," she said softly, a note of disappointment evident in her tone. "Thank you for sharing this time with me."

"The pleasure was mine, Rebecca. I too had a great time today," Freen replied back.

And before Freen left, Rebecca couldn't help but share one final thought. "I look forward to our date, Freen... And I'm eager to see what you have in mind."

Freen's eyes softened as she responded to Rebecca's words. "Please do look forward to it. Your anticipation warms my heart, Rebecca. I promise it will be a memorable date."

By the time their discussion concluded and they left the chamber, the fragrance of roses and citrus lingered throughout the room.