Chapitre 14: Chapter 13
Charlotte followed her father out into the hall.
"Charlotte, you need to be careful in the palace-" her father began, but she had other ideas in mind.
"Why did you say to me it was your fault the king ordered the marriage between me and Oliver?" she asked.
"Charlotte,-"
"Why didn't you tell me you were head of security? You tell me everything! You are leaving with the next battalion?"
"Charlotte, will you slow down?" the old man asked his voice tired.
Charlotte noticed bags under his eyes that had not been there in the morning, and his creased forehead. She wondered if it was possible to age in a day, and she was immediately engulfed in shame and guilt.
Her father had surely dealt with more in this day than she had. He certainly had a lot on his plate without her dumping more on him.
"I'm sorry father, it has been a long day."
"It's okay Charlotte, I understand. But you need to understand that it is not safe for you in the palace. The king is blinded by grief, worried his son's death might have been planned from within the palace."
"It was planned from within the palace. How could he be killed in the palace without someone knowing?" Charlotte asked bluntly.
"Charlotte, we are working on that but the king insists… well, he thinks someone in the council was in on it. I was head of security when it happened."
"But, you are his friend!" Charlotte was flabbergasted.
"Child, there are things you do not know and could not possibly understand at your age…" There was a commotion behind her. Her father looked nervous. "Just don't lower your guard, alright?"
She turned around to see what made her father jumpy and found that some of the members of the council were leaving the hall, led by the attorney general, Cedric Lawton. When she turned to her father, he was gone.
"Charlotte!" he exclaimed, giving her a yellow grin.
"Lord Cedric," she curtsied.
"Oh, how they grow so fast," he said to his three fellows, who nodded in agreement. "Haven't seen you in a while, how is the palace agreeing with you? And can I just say, I knew you and Oliver would be married one day since you were little vermin playing tricks all around the palace. Soulmates, am I right?" he added in a suggestive voice, giving her a wink.
Charlotte almost choked on her saliva. She managed to change it into a chuckle. "As always." she smiled and curtsied again. "I should join the others back inside if I may, it was pleasant meeting you, lord Cedric," she said hurriedly.
"And you Charlotte," he said to her before moving on away. The others followed swiftly, a new topic of conversation had already begun.
Charlotte let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. How tiresome it was speaking to adults!
When Charlotte went back into the hall, Oliver and the knight were deep in conversation and Bradley was entertaining a member of the council who was still at the table. Most people were beginning to leave, the rest were drinking.
Anna was waiting at the table with the other guards since Charlotte was the only lady at the table. Charlotte ignored her and walked to Oliver and the knight.
"Sir Edward! How nice to meet you!" she said, smiling. "Knighted at only thirteen, how inspiring."
"Oh, lady Charlotte, you are too modest. We both know no one can beat your father's record."
Oliver watched their interaction curiously. Perhaps he had seen the knight leave her room earlier. She prayed he hadn't.
Before she could answer, Oliver was pulled away by one of his father's colleagues.
"Where do we go next?" she whispered to Edward when he was out of earshot.
"So, you're no longer angry with me?" his voice was like velvet.
"Peace offering, remember?"
"You no longer think I killed the assassin?"
"Why would you? And honestly, I don't care if you did. I just cannot take this anymore."
He searched her face for something. Charlotte felt naked. Satisfied with whatever he found or didn't, his eyes fell to her chest.
"Nice… dress. You look beautiful." he was smirking.
Charlotte's face burned red hot, and his smile widened.
"You shouldn't speak like that to me, I am engaged," she said weakly. Looking away.
"Not yet," he said suggestively.
Charlotte tingled all over. "Christ! Stop." she cleared her throat, which was suddenly clogged, trying not to smile. He was infuriating! He had probably killed the assassin! He probably conspired with the rebels! Why did she react this way to his obvious flirtations? 'I'm just using him to get what I want.' she assured herself.
"Where do we begin?" she asked, more seriously, regaining her composure.
"Tomorrow, I will be busy strategizing with your father and the council. I'm sorry I may not help you anymore, I leave soon," he said seriously, then added, " I will be leading under your father! Can you believe that? All my dreams are coming true." there was a childish joy in his voice she hadn't heard from him yet.
"How soon?" she asked. Her heart ached a little. She wondered why.
"Aw, shall you miss me, my lady?" he teased, then noticing Charlotte was not amused, answered, "In three days, maybe a week."
"Shame, just when I was starting to like you," Charlotte said, trying to hide her sudden hopelessness.
"You'll survive, and who knows, maybe you will join us."
"Unlikely, but I can hope." she smiled sincerely. Just as Bradley joined them.
"What are we hoping for? Charlotte, you and Oliver are getting married? Is that why you live in the palace? You never tell me anything!"
'You are not my friend' Charlotte wished to say. "You understand you cannot tell anyone outside the palace, right?"
He made a motion like he was sewing his mouth. "My lips are sealed."
There was an uncomfortable silence. "So what do we do?" Charlotte and Edward stared at him blankly.
He whispered, "About the man. The assassin. Do you think anyone-"
Charlotte grabbed his hand roughly, pulling him closer to her face. "We do not talk about that, ever. Do you hear me? Bradley, we were never there!"
He nodded, laughing. It took a moment for Charlotte to smell the wine in his breath.
"Please Bradley, I need to know you understand." she pleaded, but she knew she might have as well been talking to a stone.
"Aye Captain Charlotte!" he said.
She looked at Edward helplessly. "What if he blabs while he is drunk?"
He sighed. "I will take him straight to his quarters then."
She smiled. "Thank you," she said.
"Always," he answered looking deep into her eyes in a way that made her nervous before he walked away with a very happy Bradley.
Charlotte hoped to never see either of them again, for different reasons. She wondered why he spoke to her so flirtatiously but decided to write it off as his nature.
"You and Edward seem to get along well," a voice pulled her back to reality. It was Oliver, a tinge of lousy in his voice. Charlotte noticed that he refused to acknowledge him appropriately.
"Sir Edward seems like a decent knight, and so achieved at his age, of course, we would get along," she answered.
"Your Highness, my lady, if I may," it was Anne. Oliver gave her the go-ahead. "Miss Beatrice insists that we leave now."
Charlotte sighed sarcastically, "I apologize, Your Highness, I must get back to my prison now," She curtsied and turned away from him, Anne close behind her. They walked through the halls in silence.
When Charlotte got back to her room, her training tunic and armor were gone. The sword she had taken from Oliver was not beside her bed, where she had left it.
"Where are my things?"
Anne was already shaking. "Miss Beatrice insisted that such weapons were of no use to a lady."
"I need to show up for training tomorrow, what am I going to wear?" she asked.
"Sorry, milady, your master was informed that you would not be there tomorrow, or… any other day."
Charlotte found herself smiling. Anne looked at the door nervously.
"Then what am I to do the whole day."
"Whatever else, you want to, milady. In the palace."
"I cannot leave the palace?"
"I'm sorry, milady."
She realized she would have all the time in the world to investigate around the palace.
"Thank you, Anne. I will go to bed now," she said still smiling.
Anne walked away, unsure. Charlotte stood and locked the door behind her.
She remembered Edward's words and realized she would have to find a way to leave with the next battalion.
She took the small dagger she had hidden in her corset and placed it under her pillow, as she did every night.
She did not know she would need it later that night.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone