Hilda ran and bumped into Rya, knocking her hand out of the King's hand.
The Dark Elf barely moved and looked at the human princess like she was crazy, while everyone else was dumbfounded. Duval was panicking and didn't know what to do.
"Ugh! Ow!... Are you made of stone?" Hilda complained as Rya looked at her with a raised brow.
'This crazy bitch runs into me and she's the one to complain?!'
Rya held her temper before responding, "You were the one to run into me, Lady Stoneworthh," she said calmly.
"Ow!... Well, I wasn't expecting someone with such a fragile frame to have such a hard body," Hilda said.
"Fragile frame?... You know I've fought and survived a Cave Troll, Mercenaries, Goblins, and a whole slew of other monsters, and you call me fragile?" Rya asked, raising a brow.
Hilda just frowned while rubbing her shoulder and arm.
"I don't know if I'm supposed to be impressed... I've never faced monsters before to know if I'm strong," Hilda said.
Cyndre watched as the two stunning women were starting to bicker with each other, and he remembered the "wise" words his grandfather told him when he was a boy.
(Cryndre... If women are fighting for you or someone you know, pay attention. It's best to step back. For they will be fiercer than any dragon... Let the girls duke it out, and the victor shall receive the prize.)
The King smirked before he felt someone pinching his side.
'Ow! Huh? Rianna?' Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Rianna didn't know why, but she didn't like how her husband was staring at these two gorgeous girls. So she stealthily pinched him.
"Ow!"
"Huh? My King, are you okay?" Duval asked as he looked over and saw the King looking slightly irritated.
"I'm fine... Just got a sudden pain," Cyndre replied while looking at his wife with intrigue.
'Rianna's been more playful since Quinus came home... If she keeps this up. I'll have to return the favor later tonight.'
Quinus was feeling secondhand embarrassment upon seeing Rya and Hilda start to bicker.
"Well... I wouldn't have hit you if you hadn't used your foul magic to charm every man in this room," Hilda said, trying to shift the blame.
'Oh, this crap again. I'm not a fucking succubus! I can't just use my charms like some demon!'
"Foul magic?..." Rya questioned, not amused by the accusation.
"You heard me, witch," Hilda said, crossing her arms.
Nieren had enough of this girl accusing her younger adopted sister of witchcraft.
"This human is delusional. You lost whatever chance with my Prince—I mean! My sister's Prince—with your foolish behavior, you wretched, ugly human!" Nieren exclaimed as she got in between the two.
"Your sister?... She isn't the same race as you, and you believe she's your sister?... If you haven't been charmed by her witchcraft like the rest, then the rumors about Wood Elves being gullible are true," Hilda replied with a smile.
"Gullible?!" Yuliana squawked at the same time as Nieren.
"Gullible?! Gullible!... I wasn't sheltered, little coward, and treated like a second-class citizen just because your Gods say that women are inferior to men," Nieren countered, which made the redhead gasp.
"You have no right to insult my faith, you heathen!" Hilda yelled. She had never felt this angry towards another woman before, and her instincts were telling her to slap this dumb elf in the face.
"You started it when you insulted my sister!" Nieren growled as her instincts told her to claw at Hilda's stupid, smug face.
The two women went at each other, and Rya stepped in to stop both of them before it escalated into a catfight.
'How the fuck am I the one getting into catfights? I've never been in a catfight before. I mean, I would love seeing Nieren put this chick in her place, but not when everyone is looking at us like we are crazy bitches,' Rya thought to herself.
"Let me at her!" Hilda and Nieren yelled simultaneously while Rya had both of them in each hand, pushing them away from each other.
"Shut up!" Rya shouted.
Hilda and Nieren looked at her, shocked.
"Hilda! This whole marriage thing is between me and you... And once this ritual is over, you will have to accept that I'm going to be in Quinus' life," Rya stated firmly.
"And you'll have to accept that I will be the one to marry the Crown Prince when the Goddess chooses me!... I'll let you leave peacefully once that happens," Hilda responded.
"Tsk!... I'll believe it when I see it... And Nieren... You're a Princess! Why am I the only one using the formal etiquette in front of everyone?"
Nieren stopped glaring at the redhead and looked around to see all the nobles looking at them like they were nuts.
"Well, um... I got lost protecting the Prince's—A-And your honor... I'm sorry for the outburst," Nieren said and bowed.
Hilda also looked around and saw Duval and her Half-brother shaking their heads at her. They couldn't believe she had done something so foolish in front of everyone. Duval liked her spirit and got in to get the King's attention, but she didn't make Rya look bad at all, and the Dark Elf was looking reasonable when she was the one to put a stop to it.
Hilda felt embarrassed, and she didn't like feeling like she had failed the Prime Minister. She wanted to ensure the Dark Elf wasn't trying to pull anything on the King, and her Father's words came to her, 'A woman's place is by a man's side. Not trying to compete with him.'
'I hate that saying... I'm not some object... But what if the Prince thinks I'm not wife material because I can't keep my cool?' Hilda thought.
"I... Um... Apologize, Lady Rya. It was my mistake. I should have kept my composure," Hilda said and bowed.
Rya studied the two of them to make sure they were done fighting. She wasn't sure what to do next, but she didn't think either woman would cause her trouble after apologizing. She sighed before releasing her grip on the two women.
"Alright, everyone. Show's over!" Rya said.
The other nobles had their mouths agape. Rya wasn't sure how much they heard, but she was certain they all saw her put a stop to the fight.
Quin was covering the lower part of his face to find his smile as the whole spectacle amused him, but it wasn't proper to show such emotions in front of the court.
'These three are going to drive the nobility up the wall. Maybe we should stay out of the limelight once the ritual ends and Rya becomes my wife,' Quin thought.
Cyndre looked at the three stunning women in front of him with a stoic face, but deep down, he was intrigued by the actions of the threesome, and the Dark Elf was showing herself to be someone who was capable of de-escalating the situation. A perfect trait for being a Queen... And the other two made him wonder if they were also interested in his son.
'Princess Hilda is prettier than Duval told me... This Wood Elf Princess is beautiful, too. And the Dark Elf has the figure and grace of a Queen... And these three beauties are fighting for my son's attention?... Why can't I have three Riannas fighting for my love!' Cyndre cried internally as his jealousy crept in slightly.
"The rich get richer," Cyndre muttered under his breath.
"What was that!?" Rianna said as she heard him.
"N-Nothing, my love!" Cyndre said and kissed his wife's hand.
Rianna rolled her eyes at her husband and smiled.
The nobles calmed down when the fight ended and began talking amongst themselves.
Cyndre turned around to address the nobles, "Everyone... I appreciate that you took the time to greet us upon our return... I wish I could speak with the rest of you all, but we must see if the Goddess Iyomelka will grace us with her presence when Lady Rya and Princess Hilda perform the ritual today... Lord Brice, when will High Priestess Lady Astra's preparations be finished?"
Duval was annoyed that the King didn't ask him about the status. Duval's anger was only amplified after the Princess embarrassed him. But the Prime Minister kept his composure and waited for Brice's answer.
"My King! We've received word from the clerics that Her Holiness will be ready within the hour and asked to be at the Temple of Balance in two hours," Brice said.
"Very good... Then I suggest we all relax for an hour before we make our way to the temple. It's the first time a Dark Elf will perform the ritual, so we must be at our best... I will grant audience with the Major Houses with queries they have for me... For all the Minor Houses that wish to seek audience, they will have to wait until the ritual is complete... That will be all. Everyone is dismissed," Cyndre said, and motioned everyone to leave the great hall. The only ones that stayed were the Major Lords and some of their staff.
Cyndre whispered to his wife, "Do you think you can entertain those three and our son?"
Rianna glanced over at the three princesses. Rya walked over towards Quinus, and Hilda tried to interfere again, but Nieren stopped her. Percy and Sir George glanced at each other with a look that said, 'They had no clue what was happening.' Dalia thought was entertained by the whole thing and was a little disappointed that Rya stopped the two. Yuliana glared at the redheaded princess and wanted to tell her off for insulting the Wood Elves, but she didn't want to make a scene. Then Johan and Tayna came walking up to the group.
Rianna saw how her son was smiling at the Dark Elf Princess and said, "I can easily handle a few young women. Plus, I didn't expect to see such a fiery Princess from the Alliance... I thought she was supposed to be meek and obedient... We'll have some tea, and I can learn more about the Alliance girl... I must know if she could be trustworthy enough to marry my son... If things turn out that way."
Cyndre just shook his head, "She's too hotheaded to be the Queen... That Dark Elf seems to have a good head on her shoulders... And if she's a healer, then all the more reason for her to marry our son... I just hope the ritual works, and we can rid ourselves of this posturing nonsense."
"Agreed... I'll have a one-on-one with Hilda, and you deal with the rest of the nobles, and hopefully, the ritual works in our favor... I don't want a war of any kind. It will hurt us in the long run," Rianna said and gave her husband a quick peck on the cheek.
The Queen ushered the group to follow her, and she told Quinus to have his group take the Rose Room while she took Hilda into the Violet Room.
Nathaniel walked over to Cyndre, who watched all those beautiful women walking away. Nathaniel just chuckled, "They're quite a bunch of beauties, eh? That Dark Elf is one strong-willed and sharp woman... I have no idea how Quinus got her to fall for him... She could easily rule the world on her own with her powers and skills... He is a lucky man."
Cyndre looked at his longtime friend and said, "I don't know how, but my son has the fates on his side... Of course, he comes out of a suicide mission unscathed and has a healer of her caliber on his side. I'm sure the other two humanoid girls are pretty talented and influential. Have you ever seen a Wolfkin dressed up as nicely as that one?... It makes me want to reconsider the ban on beastkins."
Nathaniel shook his head, "Young Percy is a lucky son-of-a-bitch... They say beastkins are untameable... He must have a secret to getting that girl to submit to him..."
"We are too old to be skirt-chasing, Nathaniel..."
"A man can dream, can't he?"
The King laughed and shook his head before his mood turned sour when he heard his brother's voice from behind him.
"It's so good to see your son safe and sound, Your Majesty... I wish I could have done the same... But mine is dead, and you seemed not to care that your nephew is no more.
Cyndre slowly turned towards his brother with a stoic expression, "Alaric... I'm sorry for your loss."
"Take your fake apology and shove it up your ass... My son is dead, and your son is alive. I don't think it's a coincidence that your son claimed my son was a traitor and executed him with no basis... Now tell me, where is your precious son, Cyndre? Is he going to come and tell me why my Marcus is a traitor and deserved his execution? Or is he too afraid to face me after the fact?"
Duval was panicking when Alaric was confronting the King. He didn't know if the King was going to snap and kill the Duke. Duval had to diffuse the situation as soon as possible.
Duval stepped between the brothers and tried to calm Alaric down.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty... Your brother grieves for his son... And the pain must be too much to bear. Please, Your Grace, calm down and talk to your brother when you are not emotionally charged..."
"Duval, stay out of this," Cyndre growled, and the Prime Minister bowed and backed away.
Cyndre walked closer to Alaric and stared him down, "Are you suggesting that my son is a liar, brother? Because where things stand... You are the only one who's been caught being treasonous... I'm not surprised that Marcus is the same..."
"So, are you planning to frame me?"
Cyndre smirked, "That's the difference between you and me, Alaric... I don't frame innocent people to get rid of them... But if you think you can defy the fates, then continue to scheme away..."
Alaric's right eye began to twitch. He let his emotions get the better of him when he saw how happy his brother was to see his son. He was daring his brother to execute him on the spot like a moron. It wasn't until now that he realized his fuckup.
"I care for my kingdom too much to scheme about anything, Your Majesty. I was merely making sure my nephew isn't a cold-blooded murderer."
Cyndre's brow raised slightly, "Huh... This is the first time I have ever noticed that you are lying... I don't know how many more second chances you are going to get... Whatever you are planning will not end well, brother. Take my warning and stay far away from my son and his goals."
"I assure you that I have no intentions of ruining the plans of the Crown Prince. I hope the goddess chooses the right woman to be his queen, just like how Rianna was the right queen for you. And your wife is a blessing sent by the goddess. I pray that the Goddesses choose a good wife for your son."
Alaric bowed his head and stepped back from his brother. Cyndre stared at his brother silently for two minutes before Duval cut in. He needed Alaric to complete the fake idol plan, and he needed the Duke in the room when the ritual was performed.
"Your Grace... There are a few matters we need to discuss about the Kingdom... I would like to speak in private in the War Room, Your Majesty?"
Cyndre nodded and walked toward the exit with the Prime Minister. The king stopped at the door and glanced back at Alaric.
"Make sure you stay far away from my son..."
Cyndre and Duval left the room, and Alaric took a deep breath.
'Get your head out of your ass, Alaric!... What the fuck was I thinking!... You know what... It's fine... I just need to give the signal to that cleric, and Quinus can say goodbye to that Dark Elf... Then I can use the Kingdom of Marn to rid myself of him for good.'
Alaric took another deep breath and exhaled before William walked up next to him.
"That could have gone better..."
"I've been off ever since Marcus was executed... But no worries... Is everything lined up?"
"Yes... Payment is done, and all you need to do is give them a signal... And then Lady Astra will be worshipping her by the end of the day," William whispered, trying to be as vague as possible.
"Good... I need a cup of tea... My nerves are a wreck..."
"Mind if I join you, Your Grace?"
"Please," Alaric responded as he started to leave the Great Hall.
The two walked in silence until they reached the West Wing and the Duke's office. Alaric was the first to enter the office. And he had tea until it was time to go to the Temple.
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