Queen Daphne's straightforward question flabbergasted Eleanor and she stopped eating her breakfast. She had never expected the queen to ask her directly and on her face. Her face scrunched up and if not for the fact that the woman before her was a queen and was more powerful than her, she would have poured a jar of water on her face. That was how she treated the servants and all the other people who offended her and did not follow her rules at home and anywhere outside the castle.
At home, she was a spoiled princess and she treated those poor servants however she liked, throwing things at them, humiliating them in front of everyone, ordering them to eat from the floor and whatnot. But here, she could do nothing. She was a mere guest who had no control over anyone, not even the maids who were ridiculing her right now for the disposition she was in.
Eleanor wanted to avoid answering this question as much as possible. She did not want to leave, not any time soon at least. She wanted to feign ignorance, but she couldn't. Daphne and Alastair were staring at her, waiting for an answer and she had to come up with one that could satisfy them both as well as not spoil her plans.
"I'll leave the castle as soon as possible, Queen Daphne" Eleanor answered meekly, trying to gain some sympathy from either of the two people who were beside her. But she got from none. They looked at her with more questions in their eyes and her heart dropped when she heard Daphne's next words.
"How soon, Lady Eleanor? I do not want my son or the lady to get involved in unnecessary scandals or gossip. So, it's best if you could leave before we leave for the Fall Castle." This time Queen Daphne did not give her any face as she had got a hunch of what the girl in front of her was planning. Daphne might be innocent but she could grasp the situation easily and understand what was going on. She had perceived the change of emotions in Eleanor and that was all it took for her to understand her character.
Lady Eleanor was not innocent as Daphne had thought her to be. She was cunning and had approached her with a motive in mind and if she was not wrong, Eleanor wanted to be queen. She wanted to marry Alastair and get the power she greedily sought. Daphne was furious now for trusting such a cunning woman who was more interested in having the throne than her son. She made a resolution and a promise to her son in her mind. She would never allow Eleanor to marry him, not when she was alive. Her son deserved someone who would be with him for who he was and not because he was the king.
"I hope Lady Eleanor could understand my predicament as a mother and as a wellwisher to you. I don't want any unnecessary complications in the future for my son and especially for you."
Alastair chuckled at his mother's words. He had missed his mother's savage personality. 'How long had it been since she had brutally humiliated someone in front of everyone? Maybe more than twenty years.' He wondered.
Queen Daphne was a kind woman who doted on her son and her husband greatly. She would never allow anyone to harm them or take advantage of them. Twenty years ago, when Alastair was yet to be the king, many women had tried to come to her husband in hopes of him taking them as their mistress even though he was clearly disinterested in them. And why would he when he had such a lovely wife beside him and a strong and powerful son? What more did he need?
But the women kept pestering him and finally, his queen had come to his rescue. She had made a public announcement that all the women who tried to covet her man would be held for treason against her and they would be punished accordingly. This message had spread far and wide and Queen Daphne's announcement had evoked a huge uproar in the kingdom. However, nobody from the royal family cared about it. They stuck to it and since then, the women stopped pestering her husband completely.
Alastair had witnessed his mother's shrewd and savage attack and how she had single-handedly crushed their attempts and ploys to get to the then king, his father. Later, Daphne had returned to her quiet self, smiling warmly at everyone even though she was well aware of the schemes they had in mind. Now that Eleanor had provoked his mother's hidden personality which he had missed dearly, Alastair could not help but chuckle and look forward to how everything would proceed.
Since Queen Daphne had put it that way, Eleanor could not ignore her words any longer. Her hands were gripping her chair as she tried to control her anger and put on her best smile before the queen. "Rest assured, my Queen. I was here to accompany you until you left for the Fall Castle. I will not prolong my stay here and cause you to worry about me."
"You are so sensible, Lady Eleanor. I hope you get a good husband in the future." Daphne returned her smile and this time she wished her sincerely. She wanted her to get a good husband, but that would never be her son.
Eleanor would be a fool to not understand the meaning behind the Queen's words. She had made it clear, though it was vague, that she would not become her daughter-in-law. Otherwise, she would have proposed a marriage between her and Alastair. Eleanor could feel her veins bursting and she very badly wanted to slap someone. But she controlled herself. She was still an elegant and sophisticated woman before them and she would not show her true face before she achieved what she wanted.
Now, Eleanor had to come up with some other plan to get the Queen's position as well as Alastair's heart. She made up her mind to discuss it with her father about it once she reached home. She then continued eating silently occasionally responding to the queen's questions.
After breakfast, the queen went back to her chambers as she had to sign some royal documents while Eleanor went to hers to pack her belongings, although she was not willing. Anybody who saw her face as he dragged her reluctant body towards her chambers could notice her bad mood. Her body was engulfed in a dark aura which made them scurry away from her in fear.
Eleanor was too disturbed to observe their weird behavior. So, she did not give them a second glance. She went back to her room and slammed the door with a loud bang, forgetting her place for a second. But the next second, she realized her mistake and tried to see if anyone was around by peeking out of the door. She sighed in relief on not seeing anybody close by.
However, unknown to her both Alastair and Daphne had heard the sound with their heightened hearing sense. Her action evoked different reactions from them. While Alastair laughed out loud suddenly, astounding everybody around him in the courtroom, Daphne reprimanded herself for misjudging the woman and allowing her to stay in the castle.