Word of the King's infidelity spread all over the Capital. Everyone gossiped and gossiped, never getting tired of constructing theories.
"Why did the King hide her all this time!? Do you think she's hideous!"
"I think so, and I wonder where she was hidden."
"The King must be cursed; he's had four daughters in a row!"
"I'm worried about the state of the kingdom; how has the King only had daughters?"
"It must be the midwife of the Queen; they must have cursed them."
"Do you think he'll ever have an heir who will inherit the throne?"
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Many people had questions, and nobles who didn't attend the meeting requested the King immediately hold another conference. But there was still no word. Nonetheless, the noble's worries shifted when they heard of Duke Hugh's rebellion.
However, maids' gossip sessions never ceased. People started to fully believe the illegitimate daughter was hidden because of her looks and the King's disdain.
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"Have any of you seen her before!?" one of the maids said
Everyone stayed silent.
"I truly think she's ugly," one maid said with their arms crossed
No one knew the three princesses heard them gossiping and had stopped walking. The three stood around the corner and listened. Ever since the morning, all of them felt as if something was wrong. The maids and butlers avoided their eyes and they have not seen their mother all day.
Who are they talking about? All three of them thought.
"This is really unbelievable. It blows my mind how the King could have a daughter out of wedlock," one of the maids explicitly said.
what!
"Ladies, get back to work! We have to prepare the conference room by noon!" the Head Maid Dorota yelled
All of the maids rushed away to get back to work, leaving the three princesses in shock.
Princess Euphemia looked stressed, Princess Gregoria had an ugly look of anger on her face, and Princess Eira had her hands secretly clenched. All three of them were left utterly shocked.
"Oh...um..." for once, princess Euphemia didn't know what to say. She always felt pressured as the eldest to keep calm and encourage others, but she was at a loss for words.
"THIS IS RIDICULOUS! WHY WOULD WE JUST FIND OUT ABOUT THIS NOW!" Princess Gregoria yelled, her green eyes trembling and strands of blond hair coming undone.
"I think...she must have planned this," Princess Eira theorized. She nervously twisted her blond hair, and her brown eyes also trembled. None of the girls knew of this fourth sister's nature, and considering the cautiousness of their mother, they were raised to believe anything could be a threat.
"We must go see Mother," Princess Euphemia said breathlessly.
All three princesses lifted up their dresses and rushed to the Queen's quarters.
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After convincing the guards to let them through, they barged into their mother's room.
Queen Annora immediately rose from her seat. She was in sleepwear; her blonde hair was in a side braid and her brown eyes were filled with anger.
She sighed, annoyed. "I knew you girls would find out eventually," she said.
"Mother, since when did we have a sister!?" Gregoria shouted.
"...is it really true Mama?" Eira said, eyes watering.
"What are we going to do about this..." Euphemia said, leaving everyone silent.
"Don't worry, children; I have a plan. But what I need you to do is tell Alice any information you hear today. She will be in the courtyard waiting all day," the Queen said.
All of the girls nodded in unison and hesitantly left.
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He walked near the tower of the lady who sang. She usually would be singing or just sitting on the windowsill around this time, but she was nowhere to be seen. Whenever this would happen, he would be fighting the urge to climb up the tower. But she usually wouldn't leave him hanging for long and would head to the window, playing with the birds. But today, he was waiting for longer than most of the days he's been at the castle.
He was summoned here by the Grand Duke, so he had no choice but to come. His stepbrother looked at him in disdain as he asked to leave the fiefdom and so did his father and stepmother. I guess they think I'm plotting, he thought, laughing
He crossed his arms, his thick muscles straining, and leaned against the tree. Staring at the tower. When he first arrived, he was curious and wanted to explore the place, and he happened to come across this tower. He revisited it on his second day, early in the morning, and happened to see her.
Through the bushes, he could hear a maid rushing to her friends in the courtyard.
"Ladies, guess what I just found out! You won't believe it!"
"Just say it, Agatha; we don't have all day; we need to help prepare the conference room," one maid said, uninterested. What more gossip could there be?
This piqued his interest.
"You guys know the illegitimate daughter the Kings had, right, and how no one knows what she looks like or where she stays?" she says. He had never heard of this piece of news before. He looked toward the maids, then the tower. Could it be...?
"YES AGATHA, GET TO THE POINT!" Some of the maids were getting fed up with the wait. Who hadn't heard of the King's affair by this point?
"Yes, yes, alright, apparently, Duke Hugh has rebelled and secretly built up an army. No one can go up against him since he's been training his troops secretly. That's why the esteemed, and to mention handsome, Knight was called! Every lady is bound to swoon when they even glimpse his face," she excitedly sighed.
"That's interesting...but what does the illegitimate daughter have to do with this?" one of the maids asked disappointedly.
"The King wants him to marr-," His attention was pulled from the conversation when he felt a presence approaching him.
"Hello, sir, the King has summoned you to the conference room," Chamberlain Gerold said, slightly rushed.
"Understood, please lead the way," his bass voice resounded. He looked back at the tower and noticed black hair whooshing past the window, and he felt the pull to stay but he knew he couldn't reject the King. He sighed and walked after the Butler...preparing himself.
Duty calls...
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[Chamberlain]: Officer of the royal household, responsible for the chamber; therefore, responsible for the administration of the household and the private estates of the king. [One of the Great Officers of State.]
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Heart of Flax
RomanceFinally, I made it to the top. I spent the whole time glancing down, but when I finally looked up, I saw him. His black hair and handsome face stared down at me. His beautiful gray eyes stared into my soul as I stared into his. Adjusting myself upri...
