Chapter 19: Princess Charlotte
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Now this was unexpected.
Edith is sitting among the Moores, a Royal Princess, and a few known figures who serve the royal family.
How did the situation escalate to this strange point?
Lord Julian was taking his seat calmly while drinking his tea. Saskia and Robert Moore were silently sitting on the sofa together while glaring at Vivian.
Vivian, the championess of this scene, was sitting beside the Princess who was burying her face in Vivian's embrace and refusing to talk to anyone so stubbornly.
Princess Charlotte is the youngest member of the Royal Family, only 9 years of age. She is basically the most precious entity in the whole Empire as everyone just loved her so dearly. To make this Princess cry is an unforgivable sin that no one can tolerate.
But to think that the one who the Princess cries to is not the King or the Queen, but rather the biggest sinner of the Kingdom! Edith was experiencing a faith crisis at this moment.
The things she heard, about how manipulative and evil Vivian can be, were almost true. She is a trickster, a liar, a killer, and the worst member of the High Society. Why is the cute and innocent Princess clinging to such a person like that?
Edith found herself angry without any reason but she couldn't help but notice that Robert and Saskia were having the same thoughts. Robert is known to be a well-mannered and kind person, the way he looked at Vivian, who was being showered by the Princess with royal favor, was somewhat out of character for him.
Just what is happening?
"Your Highness, would you please let go of Lady Vivian? She is quite troubled at the moment." The one who spoke was Dame Olivia Marfont, the Head Royal Nanny and the caretaker of Princess Charlotte.
"My my! Don't say such things, Dame Olivia. Her Highness doesn't need to worry about such things." Vivian smiled warmly as she turned down and spoke kindly to the Princess, "Princess, you can tell me what is bothering you now."
"…"
There was no response whatsoever. The Princess gave everyone the silent treatment as she kept clinging to Vivian.
On the other hand, Vivian herself was at a loss for words.
Princess Charlotte never appeared in the game thus Nadia didn't even know about her but for the previous Vivian, there was nothing as equal to a little sister as Princess Charlotte.
Living in the Royal Palace is tough, especially for a child who was always expected to be perfect. Princess Charlotte had a nice childhood growing up between two loving brothers but only Vivian was the one who got too close to her. Vivian used to visit the Royal Palace a lot in the past and was almost invited on every occasion which can be from one to three a month. This was how Vivian and Charlotte got close.
With the attitude of Prince Liam growing distant and aloof after some time, it was only Vivian who had the nerve to stand up to him, especially when it came to Princess Charlotte. That's how Vivian became some sort of the Advocate of the Princess. That, of course, went that way until Vivian was cast away slowly by the Prince for the past few months.
The Princess never visited the Moore Mansion before so it was a surprise to see her here. This only means that something has happened to her, especially when she asked Vivian for help the moment she saw her.
"I think the Princess is a bit troubled by the presence of many people around her. I shall leave if you excuse me, your Highness." Lord Julian said as he glared at Robert and Saskia who followed along.
The nanny also got the hint and looked at the Royal Knights who followed in.
"Sirs, some of you can wait far from here for now. Only two can stay." She said and the knights moved accordingly.
Who was left was Vivian, Princess Charlotte, Dame Olivia, Edith, and a few knights and maids far in the background.
"Now, now, you can tell me what bothers you." Vivian said to the Princess who finally parted from her.
The Princess sniffed before she was about to cry but Vivian patted her a few times gently. The Princess stopped crying and looked at Edith as if she was questioning why there was a person she didn't know still there.
"Oh! Right, introductions." Vivian clasped her hand, "Princess Charlotte, I introduce to you Lady Edith of the Great House Black."
Edith followed along and stood up bowing to the Princess.
"An immense honor to finally meet you in person, your Highness." Edith spoke in a shaken tone.
She worshiped the existence of the Royal Family, who were untouchable existences to her. Even though she got the chance to meet them on multiple occasions, she was just a face in the admiring crowd.
"Black?" On the other hand, the Princess reacted to the famous surname.
"Indeed, Princess. She is the sister of Sir Edmond who accompanies His Highness Prince Liam." Vivian said.
It wasn't a second as Princess Charlotte started glaring at Edith. She was clearly not comfortable with Edith now. Both Vivian and Edith were taken aback by the Princess's reaction but Vivian read the mood quickly and decided to give Edith a hand.
"She is my dear friend, your Highness. Don't mind her."
The words "Dear Friend" were strange to the ears of Edith as in a normal situation, she would never call herself like that at all. They only met formally for the first time today.
Still, these words shifted the expressions of Princess Charlotte like a charm. The Princess looked between Vivian and Edith with judging eyes before speaking.
"You do not look like friends."
Vivian laughed faintly. Indeed, this child was simply too smart to be fooled this way.
"We are actually. Lady Edith came to me to ask about something important so the mood was a bit heavy. Well… now that you have come, we can all cheer up. Biscuits?"
"Hmph!"
The Princess didn't seem to be wanting to eat anything as she was still upset.
"Alright. Why don't you tell me what's bothering you, your Highness?" Vivian asked.
Princess Charlotte looked between Edith, who was making a serious face as if ready to jump on anyone who bothered the Princess, and Vivian, who was more casual than ever. She found Vivian more approachable and she turned towards her.
"It's elder brother Liam…" she spoke dejectedly.
"Did something befall his Highness?" Vivian asked sarcastically.
It seemed there was indeed a synergy between Vivian and Princess Charlotte as the latter passed a small chuckle to Vivian's silly manner of speaking but once again… her expressions returned heavier than before.
"He… He took my garden away from me." The Princess said.
Her garden? It is hard to think that a princess tends to a garden but that garden in particular was something akin to Charlotte's personal playground. She had her toys lined up, a tea table, and a few lovely colorful flags under a small artistic pavilion. It was an angelic place for an angel-like child.
It is understandable if the young princess took a liking to such a place but why would Prince Liam fancy a garden? Both Vivian and Edith knew for a fact that this garden in particular houses not only the best but the rarest and most exotic flowers and fragrant herbs in the Empire. Plants that came from the Far East and the Far South were all taken care of by the finest gardeners in the whole Empire in this particular garden.
"What excuse did the Prince have to take over the place alone? Last I heard, he is not particularly interested in flowers and can only just visit it if he wants to drink tea."
But that wasn't the case as Vivian thought. Things have changed and it was the Nanny who explained things to her.
From what it seems, the Prince came one day all of a sudden and ordered no one to enter the best garden in the Palace, then ordered some palace guards to surround that particular garden and prevent anyone from using it until he says otherwise. When a Crown Prince says anyone, this includes anyone lower than him in rank including the Princess.
The reason why he did such a thing wasn't understood by anyone from the palace but Vivian spotted it right away. It was a certain Heroine whose head was filled with nothing but flowers and rare herbs.
And to think he would mindlessly upset his own sister, a Princess, in order to satisfy that commoner.
Such an act is disrespectful and infuriating to Vivian… not this Vivian but the one from before. This Vivian didn't even hold the same values anymore but she at least knew how the other one would react.
"This is strange. The Prince doesn't normally care about such things. He may as well be borrowing the Garden for some time. Isn't that right, your Highness?" Out of place, Edith spoke as if she wanted to comfort the princess instead of Vivian.
However, this backfired in the most splendid of ways. Both the Princess and Vivian snorted, almost at the same time, dissatisfied with what Edith said. The two of them didn't even bother putting the Prince in a favorable light.
"Vivian, please. Only you can help me. Please stop him."
The plea of the Princess carried her frustration and sadness, the garden she so much treasures was taken from her, and the culprit is beyond the reach of anyone. Only Vivian is… or rather was the one who can influence the Prince the most.
But that was in the past. She is no longer Princess Consort to be.
But would that stop her?
Not in a million years.
"Lady Edith!" Vivian stood up and spoke, "Get your sword! We're going to the palace."
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