The Fate Of The Red Eyed Girl

Chapter 3: Show of gratitude

Larisa entered consort Ari's room unannounced as always. The middle aged woman was sitting languidly on her couch in all her beauty and majesty. Dressed in fine purple silks and a few golden ornaments, she looked simple but elegant. She firmly held a needle in her right hand as she tied up some loose threads on her embroidery.

Consort Ari didn't look up knowing there is only one person who ever enters her abode unannounced.

Larisa gave a small bow as she greeted her, "Greetings to Consort, May the Consort be blessed with a long and happy life."

"Shouldn't princess be calling me Consort Mother as the rules state? Or have all these years of being taught etiquette been for nothing?"

Larisa pursed her lips and just stood there without saying a word. This had become a morning ritual by now, every time she comes to greet her, Consort Ari always tried to get her to call her mother. Larisa had been long tired of finding excuses not to. Now she just stays silent when it comes to this topic.

Consort Ari gave a small chuckle, "if the princess does not want to talk to me, princess does not need to force herself to come and greet me if she doesn't feel like it, this noble consort would not dare blame the princess."

"Etiquette must not be forgone, Consort has taken care of me for so long, the least I could do is check up on you daily as a show of gratitude."

The consort gave a small scoff and asked, "is there anything the princess is lacking."

Larisa smiled sweetly as she replied, "nothing at all, consort gets me everything I need before I even ask for it, but if there is something, then I will inform Consort."

Consort Ari reverted back to her earlier indifference, "His Majesty will be returning in a couple of days," she informed, then without waiting for a reply she went on to say, "if there is nothing else you wish to say then you can leave, don't let this old woman keep you from having fun."

Larisa was lost in thought after she heard that her father was returning. Ever since her mother died, he is always away on expeditions and rarely comes back. At the beginning, he would return several times in a year, but the older Larisa got, the lesser he came back. This time, he would be coming back after being away for a year and a half.

Larisa disagreed with the Consorts last sentence, "consort is not that old yet, you are still so young and energetic."

Consort Ari laughed, "There is no need to flatter me. I know that I am getting on in years."

"Then I will take my leave."

Consort Ari lazily waved her off, "quickly then." She urged her.

Larisa quickly excused herself then left the place. An old woman came in upon seeing her leave.

She placed a bowl of grapes on the stool beside the couch on which Consort Ari was sitting then she sat on a low stool beside her and arranged the silk threads that had been placed messily on the side.

"Speak." Said Consort Ari.

Madam woo proceeded to report the goings on that happened in Larisa's courtyard that morning.

Consort Ari's brows furrowed, "She didn't kill the maid, did she?"

"No, the other maids said that the little maid quickly moved away before the Princess could touch her which seemed to have angered the princess very much, but luckily, it also seemed to have made her loose interest and angrily told them to leave."

Consort Ari shrugged, "That's good, although it is not a problem that she killed those others before, it cannot happen again, otherwise the royal family will have a bad reputation among the people and may be viewed as tyrants." Then she asked, "where was that maid that she picked up outside, what do they call her again? Oh right, Lifar. Where was Lifar."

"She left the palace with the Princess's guard." Madam Woo answered then elaborated more upon seeing the raised brow on the Consort's face, "One of those twins who used to follow the late Queen around."

Consort Ari nodded her head in understanding then asked, "Has the Prince eaten the food?"

"The prince was dealing with official papers when I arrived and he asked me to leave the food there and he would eat it later."

"How could you believe him and just leave like that. He never eats when he says he will and ends up eating too late after the food has long gone cold, I told you to make sure he eats it while it's still hot." Consort Ari scolded.

Madam woo lowered her head and said nothing. Consort Ari sighed exasperatedly, "I know it's not your fault, he is the crown prince after all and you can't disobey his command. As his mother, I am worried that he may fall ill due to his bad eating habits."

"The prince cares about the people above himself, I'm sure he will be blessed with good health," Madam woo consoled her.

Consort Ari could only sigh.