Chapter 384 : What happened?
Chapter 384 : What happened?
Chapter 384 : What happened?
The guards of the Palace immediately bow their heads when they see me. "Dame Csille!"
I smile at them. "Good day. I heard his majesty had invited my parents today. Is it okay for me to get inside too?"
The two guards immediately nod their heads. "Of course, you can get inside, Dame. In fact, we were ordered that if we see you arrive at the Palace, we should send you to them immediately." One of the guards said to me. Then he looks at the other guard. "Why don't you show the way to Dame Csille?"
I smile at the guard as a token of gratitude before I follow the other guard inside the palace. We walk through the hallway and stop in front of his majesty's tea room.
I frown. Usually, his majesty will talk to us in the Garden or to the receiving area of the Palace. It's rare for him to speak with us in the tea room. Except if what we are going to talk about is something confidential. But what is this confidential thing they want to talk about?
The guard knocks on the huge doors of the tea room before he announces my presence. "Your majesty, please excuse me for the interruption. But Dame Csille is already here to see you. Should I send her in?"
A moment after, the doors were open from the inside, and I immediately saw the royal family and my family with... Ruler Laird and Principal Germund?
What are they doing here? Mother immediately rushed towards me when she saw me. "My dear, what are you doing here?" She sounds like she didn't like me being here.
I look at Mother. Still confused about what is happening. I thought his majesty wanted to talk about something important. Why do these two important people are here? "Mother, what is happening? Why does his majesty invite you here?" I whispered to her.
Mother gently caressed my back, but she didn't say anything to me. Instead, she just looks in the direction where the royal family and Ruler Laird is sitting.
I look at them too and frown. I don't understand why Mother doesn't want to answer my question.
I was about to say something when His Majesty suddenly stood up and smiled widely at me. I feel Mother's hand on my back trembles a little when she sees His Majesty stands up.
"Dame Csille, it's a good thing you are here. We have been waiting for you to arrive. I heard from the Count that you didn't return home last night. May I know where did you go?"
I almost raised my eyebrow when I heard that question. He is really asking me that question? After what happened last night? I was about to answer his majesty, but Brother Pascal, who is sitting beside Father, suddenly interrupted me. "Your majesty, please forgive me for interrupting, but do you really need to ask that question after what happened last night?"
My eyes widened when I heard what Brother Pascal said. I didn't expect I would hear that from him. Not that Brother Pascal doesn't care about me, but the person he is talking to is His Majesty. The King of the Vrawyth Kingdom and disrespecting the King could make someone die. I anxiously look at Mother. Although I know His Majesty will not do that to Brother Pascal, I still could not help but be afraid for him. Brother Pascal is the only person I can entrust the Lauretré Family, and I can not let anything happen to him.
King Simmond looks at Brother Pascal for a few seconds before he heaves a sigh. "I know you were still disappointed with what happened last night, and I understand that. What my son did is something not right. However, I was only asking Csille because I was worried about her."
I silently heave a sigh of relief when instead of anger, His Majesty calmly answers Brother Pascal's remarks. I smile at his majesty. "Apologies for worrying you, your Majesty. I just stay the night is some inn in the capital."
His Majesty smiles at me and nods his head. "It's a good thing nothing happened to you. You should refrain from doing that, Csille. You know that there are still enemies staying in the capital."
I nod my head before Mother guides me to sit beside Brother Pascal. Father stares at me for a couple of seconds before he looks at his Majesty. It seemed like they were talking about something when I interrupted them.
Brother Pascal, who is sitting beside me, leaned on my ears and whispered, "Where have you been, Csille? Do you know we were all worried about you? Can you not run away again. We almost knock at every door of each residence just to search for you. It's a good thing you were okay. What if something happened to you while you were out? What would we do?"
I looked at Brother and whispered to his ear, "Brother, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry all of you, but the pain I felt last night was too much for me to handle. So, I run away to give myself some time to process everything that happened. About where I went, can we just talk about this later?"
I want to know the reason why we are all here. What does his majesty want from the Lauretré family? Will he use my close relationship with Ruler Laird and Principal Germund to convince my Father to keep supporting Prince Fraser? Is that the reason why Godfather and Principal Germund are here?
I looked at Ruler Laird and Principal Germund, and I noticed that they had serious expression on their faces. Although it's already common for anyone to see these two with serious expressions, it is not common for me to see them this way.
What happened? Did something happen while I was away?
His Majesty takes a deep breath and looks at the two influential people in the room. "Great Ruler, Principal Germund, apologies for making the two of you wait. As I said, we all know where Dame Csille went. So I hope you won't take it against us."
My eyes widened when I heard what his majesty said. I immediately tugged Brother Pascal's hem of his long sleeve and whispered to his ears. "Brother, what does his majesty means? Making them wait? King Simmon made him wait?"
Although I think I already know the answer to my question, I still ask him for confirmation.
Brother Pascal stared at me, but he wasn't able to explain things because Godfather suddenly said something. "King Simmond, we are not blaming you for what happened. We understand that you don't have a grasp of the situation. However," Godfather stares at Prince Fraser, who is sitting beside Queen Amalone. "I think you need to make clear to us the reason why Dame Csille runaway last night. What did his highness, Prince Fraser, do that made Dame Csille run away?"
I frown. Why does it sound like Godfather is planning to reprimand Prince Fraser? I thought he was here to convince the Lauretré Family to support the royal family. After all, even if no one still knew the relationship of Vrawyth Kingdom to Illorian City and Alderrdeen City, these two Rulers needed to make sure the safety of Vrawyth Kingdom because it could affect their respective cities too.
And they knew once the Lauretré Family withdrew their support, it would be detrimental to the Kingdom.
His Majesty looks at me anxiously while I pretend that I am looking somewhere else. Although I don't hate Prince Fraser for what he did to Csille last night, I still don't think what he did is right. So, why would I dare to help Prince Fraser save his face? He didn't even bother thinking about what would I feel last night, so why would I?
A moment after, I hear his majesty heaves a deep sigh. "Great Ruler—"
However, he was immediately cut short by Godfather. "King Simmond, I know you love your only son. However, you cannot always defend him from everyone." Godfather paused and stared seriously at Prince Fraser. "So, tell me, Prince Fraser. What did you do that made Dame Csille runaway last night?"
I feel Brother Pascal lean on my ears again. "I like Ruler Laird. You are really lucky to have him as your Godfather. Now, let's see how Prince Fraser will save himself."
I look at Brother Pascal for a few seconds before I look back at Ruler Laird who is busy staring intently at Prince Fraser. He is not glaring at him, but I can still feel the anger in his eyes.
He is mad at Prince Fraser? For what? Because of what he did to me last night? But based on his questions, it seems like he still has no idea what happened last night. So, why would he be mad? Also, isn't Prince Fraser also his Godson? So why would he be mad at him?
I heard Prince Fraser heaves a deep sigh. "Godfather, Csille and I just had a misunderstanding last night. It's the reason why she runs away." Prince Fraser then looks back at me. "Right, Csille?"
I almost scoffed when I heard what Prince Fraser said. He didn't do that... He didn't use my name just so he could have an excuse. This Prince Fraser couldn't stop disappointing me every time I met him. It's as if he is slowly showing his true color at Csille.
This is how the real Prince Fraser is? I even thought Prince Fraser was a good man before, but I guess I was all wrong. There is no way a person like this is a good man. He is heartless and a total jerk. He just insulted Csille last night and still expected her to save his face in front of Ruler Laird? Does he think Csille is a martyr? Just because I was trying to convince my parents to keep supporting him, it doesn't mean that I would turn a blind eye to what he was doing to me. "Csille, is what Prince Fraser said true? Did you runaway last night because you had a misunderstanding with him?"
I look at Ruler Laird before I look at Prince Fraser. Hoping I could see pleading in his eyes, but there was nothing. He was just staring at me with his usual cold eyes. As if what he isn't asking me for a favor just now.
Does he really think what happened last night is all a misunderstanding? I was about to say something, but I got startled when Brother Pascal abruptly stood up. "Forgive me for saying this, your highness, but I think you should be responsible for what you did to my cousin. We still support you despite you have disrespected my cousin at the Banquet. But to pass the blame to my cousin for what happened last night is something I couldn't take. There is a limit to someone's kindness, so please don't drain it all."
My eyes widened when I realized what is Brother Pascal trying to do. I immediately tug his hand and shake my head. He can not do that. That will be a total disrespect to the royal family.
I don't want to save Prince Fraser's face, but I also don't want to ruin the good relationship of the Vrawyth Kingdom with Illorian City and Alderdeen City.
Brother Pascal stares at me for a couple of seconds before he looks at Ruler Laird. "Great Ruler, what happened last night is not how Prince Fraser describes it. There is clearly no misunderstanding that happened. Rather, it was Prince Fraser who insulted my cousin."
I look anxiously at Ruler Laird before I tug Brother Pascal's hand. Hoping he would stop saying things to Ruler Laird. But Brother Pascal didn't even bother looking at me.
"Insulted Dame Csille?" Godfather raised his eyebrow. "Can you tell me the details of what happened last night?"
Brother Pascal heaves a sigh and states at King Simmond. "Apologies, your majesty. I don't want to disrespect the royal family. However, I couldn't let things go after what happened last night. So, I hope you can understand what I will do. I am only doing this for my cousin."
I shake my head and tug his hand. Brother, please don't tell them anything. The Vrawyth Kingdom needs the support they can have as much as we can. The war is about to come. We need the support of the Illorian City and Alderdeen City. "Csille, why are you stopping your Brother? Let him talk. Or are you defending Prince Fraser?"