"He told to accompany him and you just jumped on with him?!!!!!!" Jennings rebuked.
Yesterday, they returned a little after dawn, and to their surprise, what greeted them was the angry and worried Jennings, he had already scolded Lennox and sucked him dry for taking Everly without consulting him. But seeing Everly sleeping peacefully in the carriage had him a change of heart and decided to delay her share of scolding until morning.
Jennings admonished:" you are not allowed to go outside the palace until general Egerton returns, and that's a final word".
Everly who was staring at the ground for a while pretending to be feeling guilty, jolted when hearing Jennings: "ha?!!!!!!! But brother Ba won't be coming any soon, what am I supposed to do when no one plays with me".
Now that Everly used her teary face, a fierce battle flared up between his heart and brain, she is way too adorable for anyone to act cold towards her, trying his best bot to look affected, Jennings said with slightly trembled voice:" I actually arranged a tutor for you".
Everly pouted:" I don't want any scary teachers, I am good with my study".
Sighing, Jennings backed off of his desk and walked closer to Everly, caressing her hair, he said gently:" he is not scary at all, actually he is a nice kid just like our dear Evey, you can play with him after taking your lessons, not bad, hm?".
She wasn't convinced by the idea, but there was no harm in trying, Puffing her cheeks, Everly nodded few times at a slow pace.
Jennings:" then, shall I invite duke Welfmore and his siblings for a late tea party tomorrow?".
Beaming, Everly asked: "will Lennox also be there?".
Lennox sighed: "well, yes, that's why it's a [late] tea party".
******
Energetically, Everly walked with high confidence towards the main kitchen planning to annoy the busy servants, however, before she could step inside the building, someone grabbed the back of her collar, lifted her up, and walked away silently.
Everly:"......"
'Am I being kidnapped?!!! It's my first time!!! Should I punch him? No, I want to see the gang leader!!'
Drown in her fantasy, Everly did not notice when she entered a flashy room, the heavy fragrance in the air was enough to tell her that this was a womans' room.
In the vast bright headroom, three women, each one carried the bueaty of a hundred flowers, sat elegantly around the tea-table. From their fancy dresses and jewellery, one could tell they were from high aristocrats families, feeling the pressure these women emitted, Everly instantly regretted not punching the kidnapper when he grabbed her.
"Ah, you have come", said the woman in a red dress while putting her cup down.
The man who brought her lowered Everly to stand on her legs, once she straightened her pose, Everly slowly raised her head to look at the women who were already scanning her with hungry eyes.
"Oh little one, come closer " said the woman in a red dress.
Chuckling, the blonde woman said:" don't be scared we won't eat you".
Though she said they won't, Everly still felt that she will be eaten alive. With a lot of hesitation, Everly took small steps to slowly close the distance between them, seeing the woman gesturing to sit next to her, Everly sat as far as possible on the same couch. However, she was still in the range of that womans' reach.
The woman in red dress yanked Everlys' chin, flipping her head on both sides while saying:" Oh my, look at you. You are so adorable, little one, what is your name ".
Everly gathered a great amount of courage to squeeze out her name, compared to when she fought with beasts, humans are much more scarier to her.
The woman with a strange hairstyle, arrogantly said: "hmph, such a commoners name".
" I see she doesn't look any similar to his majesty, must be she is more like her mother" said the blonde woman.
The woman in red dress caresses Everlys' ponytail, staring at her with tensed eyes, she said:" your mother must be a real beauty of heaven, to have a daughter like you, may we be honoured with her name?".
With every word the women said, Everly would grow more restless, she answered in an anxious tone: "I don't know ".
"You don't know your mother's name?". Said the blonde woman in surprise.
Seeing her nodding, the three women glanced at each other.
" what about your father?" Asked the woman in a red dress.
The moment Everly shook her head, a wide sly smile cracked on the women's faces, however, their happiness didn't last long.
In the same style that Lennox does, Annasophy slammed the door open, stomping into the room with a face crumpled with anger, gritting her teeth she said:" how dare you touch her with your filthy hands!!".
Seeing Annasophy, Everly quickly jumped off the couch and ran to hide behind her, gripping Annasophys' dress with her tiny hands.
The woman in red dress slowly stood, saying coldly:" calm down Princess, we only wanted to chat".
Annasophy exclaimed in rage:" just because she is a child, doesn't mean you yank her off of the corridor ill-mannerly. If consort Cha wished to chat with the Emperors' guest, then you should as for his permission first ".
The woman with the strange hairstyle, said with stressed expression:" ah, Princess, why making a fuss over so little".
Annasophy grabbed Everly on her arms, frustrated she said:" let's see how little this matter is when I report this to the emperor AND the crown prince ".
It was bad enough that Jennings will be informed about their little meeting, but letting Lennox know is out of the question. As the rumours around the palace say, the unknown child and the crown prince were too close that the prince would take her with him where ever he goes.
Being this close meant that the crown prince cares for her, which was something unheard of. If a word about them harassing her reached to Lennox, then the Crimson palace will really be painted in crimson blood.
Tensed, the women were about to argue and explain to Annasophy, however, she didn't spare them a glimpse, but dashed out of the Crimson palace with Everly in her arms and her lady in waiting tailing behind.