Elizabella elegantly took the small dagger before copying the Baroness and dropping a drop of her blood on the stone. Suddenly, the stone shone redder and brighter in front of everyone present. This led to Wesley and Miquel to sigh in relief/
"As all the intended parties are here for this edict reading, shall we proceed?" said Wesley.
Everyone stood up as Miquel took out a scroll from his inner coat pocket and unrolled it while everyone else bowed lightly in reverence to the reading.
"'We, King Jasper Alfonce Slade, herby announce the marriage union between Crown Prince Maxen Wolfram Slade and Lady Aphra Ginny Harkins, shall come to pass within the following month. As it was the wish between the late King Henfry Bryant Slade and the late Baron Gabrien Reyner Harkins, that their descendants rule together over the Kingdom of Glear. Two rings were forged before their birth with the promise of a marriage union in the future. As both parties were good brothers and wished to unify the two families together. As it has been decreed, so it shall be.'" read Miquel with a strong voice and everyone bowing more deeply or curtsying as he finished.
"We receive and accept the King's decree. Long live the King, long live the Crown," said everyone in chorus, including the servants present.
The scroll was then presented to Elizabella which she took with another curtsy and no emotion showing on her face.
"Now that the reading has finished, Lady Aphra, may you please present the ring your grandfather, the late Baron, gifted you as you were a child?" asked Wesley as he noticed that Elizabella automatically grabbed her chest and pulled out a necklace under her uniform.
The necklace caught the two Palace servants attention as it sparkled and shined under the light. The necklace was a thumb sized pale blue gem that was outlined by dozens of smaller diamonds. Next to the gem sat an unassuming ring that Elizabella seemed to fiddle with before taking off her necklace and removing the ring.
"You must mean this ring. I have had it since I was a baby. I never knew it held such a promise," said Elizabella gently as she looked at the ring gingerly, making Walliams feel his spine tingling and wishing he could escape.
"Yes. It appears that the late Baron never said anything. Perhaps he meant to discuss the information when you were older," said Wesley as he secretly praised that when Elizabella was looking gingerly at the ring, she gave a majestic aura.
If Walliams could read his mind, he would be rendered speechless as the only thing he felt was that his life and everyone around him was in danger.
"Perhaps so, he did pass away before I turned ten," said Elizabella as she passed the ring for Wesley to inspect along with its pair.
**********
Wesley and Miquel soon left the mansion and headed back to the Palace. Both young and old were visibly excited at meeting the future Princess. To them, she had given them the most perfect first impression for a future Queen.
The impression that she gave was very calm, authoritative and even overwhelming at times. For someone who has never entered the Palace, this sort of aura was not common on a young girl.
"Steward Wesley, I have read the future Crown Princess' file and I thought that after meeting her, she is exactly like the file says and much more. I feel that with her entering the Palace, it is a grand idea," stated Miquel excitedly. "I did not have the privilege of meeting the late King and Baron but I must say that the late King had some foresight for this union to happen. Us lowly ones can only look on in sheer admiration."
"Naturally," said Wesley as he began to think.
"Although the late Baron had a good character, I do not see much similarities between him and the young Lady. The Queen was highly suspicious but ultimately, I do not see any problems. To describe the Baron with one word, he was humble," thought Wesley. "Although his granddaughter should have grown up in a more humble setting, she gives off an aura of high nobility, elegant and majestic at times. These qualities the late Baron did not posses.
"However, he was of noble character. From our first meeting, I can safely say that she does not give off a villainess character. Besides that, her parents gave off a very humble presence, more like the late Baron. I wonder, what will the Queen say?"
**********
Queen Gennat Alycie Slade was in her personal study, staring off into space when a servant announced the arrival of the Dowager Queen.
"The Dowager Queen, makes her entrance."
The Queen blinks and is brought back by the loud voice and looks to see a graceful figure walking in and sitting down in front of her excitedly.
"Queen Daughter, We heard that the Head Steward left earlier and came back from the Harkins home. We had thought that you gave the young Prince time before we proposed to the girl. Why the rush now?" said an aging graceful lady with a wrinkled face and stars in her eyes.
"Dowager Mother, please have some tea," said the Queen as she personally poured some tea to an empty cup and offered it to her. "It is true that We had given the Prince time just yesterday. Who would have thought that just as he is arriving home from the Academy, he asks the Head Steward to go to the Harkins."
"OH! So now they are officially engaged!? Has the news already been publicly announced?"
"... Not at the moment..." sighed the Queen making the Dowager Queen look at her.
"Is there something wrong, Queen Daughter? News as big as this needs to be announced, the sooner the better... Ah! Could it be that you are tired from looking after the King? If you want, We could still be of some use. Here, let Us help with the Crown Prince's marriage."
"Thank you, Dowager Mother. Of course you may help; it is just that, this Harkins girl... I find it odd. On paper she sounds perfect. The Head Steward's opinion of her is also perfect and even the young servant sees her as the future Crown Princess..."
"Then where lies the problem?" asked the Dowager Queen while sipping her tea.
"There is something off about her... We do not know how. For example, how could a poor girl such as herself get a full ride scholarship to the Academy? How come she did not even grow up with the Baroness, her mother and father? Where was she before? The reports say she traveled, but can you find a poor traveler anywhere who is as well cultured as she is? Her grades alone can only be obtained through many years of study. How is she so knowledgeable and refined if she is so poor?"