Very soon, it was time for dinner. Throughout the day, the Royal Family would have time for themselves and would not need to eat together during mealtimes unless it was a special occasion. However, dinnertime was always meant for the family to dine together. Seeing how this would be the first time the family would dine together with Lady Primrose, they decided to have a banquet for her return.
Elizabella, knowing that she still could not eat until her fill on such occasions, knew that she would either need to eat something before dinner started or wait until after dinner had finished so she would not go to sleep starving. Today, she had decided to eat before the banquet began since she understood that Lady Primrose would probably try something today. She felt that she would need all her energy to keep with their conversations if she wanted to understand more of the family dynamics.
Arriving at the dinner table, the younger royals took their seating and quietly sat there waiting for the elder royals with Lady Primrose to arrive. Just then, an announcement was made for the elder royals' arrival with Lady Primrose strutting with them. The adults sat in their assigned seating before the King signaled for the servants to begin serving the dishes.
Everyone quietly waited until the servants took a step back and for the King to signal for the rest of them to start eating. During this time, Lady Primrose did not make a fuss and behaved like a proper Lady while waiting for their cue to start on their meal. Elizabella watched everyone's movements calmly as she tried to understand what the adults were planning and doing. She hoped that it would be a quiet meal and that they could soon retire as she wondered why Lady Primrose had decided not to pick a fuss when it was apparent that she had a problem with her and Prince Maxen.
Once the servants took a step back after serving the family, the King began to take the meal's first bite while everyone soon followed his lead. Elizabella ate her meal quietly as she tried to keep her head down when she noticed a burning gaze on her. The direction she felt it from made her think that it was most probably Lady Primrose. She wondered what she would do next as she quietly continued to eat her food while not wolfing everything down.
Elizabella kept in mind what Prince Zander had asked of her that afternoon about his mother and pay her no mind. However, it was getting harder to ignore her as she felt uncomfortable being stared at while enjoying her food. She hoped that someone would speak up, breaking the tension that she felt she alone must be feeling now.
"Prince Zander, how goes your birthday preparations?" asked the King to Elizabella's relief as she felt Lady Primrose's focus change from her.
"All goes well. Thank you for asking Royal Uncle," smiled Prince Zander to the King as Lady Primrose piped up.
"How grand is the party going to be?" Elizabella noticed that Prince Zander's face seemed to twitch at his mother's question.
"Ahem. I had decided that I wanted a simple gathering with a small group of friends," said Prince Zander, uncomfortable that his mother was now asking this in front of people.
"But is this not your eighteenth birthday party? For a Royal Prince, you need to have a grand celebration. Is the King not permitting such a thing shortly after the Crown Prince's marriage?" asked Lady Primrose with a frown, making the others in the room feel some type of way from her words.
Prince Zander, feeling embarrassed, tried to defend his Royal Uncle.
"I had wanted a simple party. Royal Uncle wanted me to have a bigger party, but I had insisted that I only wanted a small gathering. I had already planned everything, and the party will be this weekend. The invitations have already been sent, and the location has already been reserved. Everything is ready to how I want it to be," said Prince Zander, hoping that his mother will not make too big a deal over his birthday celebration as he saw her give a displeased look.
"Where is it going to be, and who are you inviting?" asked Lady Primrose as Prince Zander took in a deep breath to steel his nerves.
"It is going to be at the lake house in Midnight Cove. Prince Maxen, Princess Aphra, alongside a couple of other cousins and a few friends from school, were invited," said Prince Zander, a little vague as he hoped that his mother would not have a freak-out here.
"The lake house in Midnight Cove is a nice place for the kids to have fun. It is also very private," said the Dowager Queen with a gentle smile, hoping that Lady Primrose would not make a big deal of her grandson's festivities.
Lady Primrose looked at the Dowager Queen, a bit reluctant before not saying anything and continuing with her meal. Her silence made everyone in the room secretly sigh in relief. Eventually, Elizabella felt her burning gaze on her again, making her feel exasperated over how to handle her. She could not just confront her as they were not close enough for her even to ask, yet she also did not dare to ask for fear of what would happen with her unstable mood swings.
Prince Maxen had noticed that his Aunt was watching Princess Aphra as she seemed to scrutinize her over how she handled herself in the presence of the royals. Seeing how Elizabella obeyed all decorum made Lady Primrose frustrated in not knowing how to criticize her, hence the intense staring. Finally, she could not keep silent.
"Princess Aphra, I have heard that you have not taken much etiquette lessons since you arrived to live in the palace. Do you find anything hard living as a royal?" asked Lady Primrose.
Her words sounded like she was concerned for Elizabella, but knowing that she had ill intentions, everyone knew that she meant it differently. Everyone seemed to frown uniformly as they thought Princess Aphra never really needed the lessons when she had close relations with the Queen of Edalelia.
Would the old Queen let anyone get close to her without following proper decorum? Surely not, considering that Princess Aphra has always been mindful of all etiquette in front of the royals and how she has behaved in public. If so, why would she need more lessons?
The room became awkward as the news that her knowing the Queen of Edalelia was kept secret from everyone outside the people present on the day the King was saved. Prince Zander knew because he figured out her identity. The only one at the meal table who did not realize was Lady Primrose. Knowing how unstable she has presented herself, this information would be kept from her for the foreseeable future.
Elizabella elegantly dabbed her lips with a napkin before answering Lady Primrose politely.
"I was told that my manners were well suited for the royals, and therefore I did not need to take many lessons," said Elizabella gently, as if what she had asked was not an insult, making Lady Primrose frown slightly.
"And who told you that your manners were well suited?" asked Lady Primrose as she looked at Elizabella in a lofty manner.
"We have said that her manners are well suited. Is there a problem with Our judgment?" said the Queen as she felt her nerves were getting ready to explode with how Lady Primrose seemed to want to pick a fight with her Royal Daughter-in-law.
"Oh, no, wise Queen. I see nothing wrong with your decision here. After all, she is your daughter-in-law," said Lady Primrose with a graceful smile as her words seemed to provoke the Queen, who could only gnash her teeth in silence.
It was not just the Queen who felt upset over her words, but looking at Lady Primrose's face, one could not find a shred of insincerity, making everyone swallow back their words. Prince Zander kept his head down as he wished to disappear from the room. The King even frowned a little, even though he was always protecting his deceased brother's widow. The Dowager Queen tried to keep her face neutral while the only one who seemed not too bothered was Elizabella as she continued to eat elegantly.
Prince Maxen seemed not to be able to handle his anger as he placed his silverware down, making a loud clank sound.
"Aunt, you should know that Aphra was able to get into our Royal Academy with a full-ride scholarship. To get the scholarship, one needs to pass an etiquette test and the academic portions and even perform an art. She was able to hold that scholarship before marrying me. Even if she had not married me, I am sure that she would still be able to maintain that scholarship firmly," said Prince Maxen as he spoke sternly to his Aunt while turning to look gently at Elizabella, who looked away shyly.
Seeing this, Lady Primrose felt displeased with their display, while Prince Zander looked up at Prince Maxen, wishing he could have been the one to appear like "the Knight in shining armor before the Princess." The elder royals watched the young couple with smiles on their faces as they approved their blossoming relationship.
"Is it not disgraceful for a royal to need the help of a scholarship to get into the Royal Academy? What would others think if she appears too needy?" asked Lady Primrose, making the others sitting down shocked as to what they just heard her say.
Elizabella, seeing how intense the room was getting, sighed internally as she secretly rolled her eyes.
"I only wanted to see if I could pass the scholarship exam. Who knew that it was so easy to pass? But you are right. Since I could easily afford the tuition initially, it seems inappropriate for me to have taken advantage of the scholarship system. I only kept it as it was easier for everyone so that I could focus on my schoolwork. How about this, as a way to right my wrongs, I will donate the amount of the tuition I would have paid, doubled, to charity. It will even come from my own pocket, not from the Royal Vault. How about that?" asked Elizabella with a graceful smile while she looked at everyone seated at the table for their opinions.
"That is not a bad idea, dear Aphra. We wholeheartedly approve," beamed the Queen as she felt that the more she looked at her daughter-in-law, the more she saw her pleasing to the eyes.
"Yes. This matter will end with how Princess Aphra has stated. What a well-mannered Princess! We are glad to see just how sensible Our Royal Daughter-in-law is," said the King as he tried to put the matter to rest while giving a meaningful glance to Lady Primrose.
Lady Primrose tried her hardest to restrain her facial features from contorting as she felt her anger rising while she glared at Elizabella. Everyone else gave Elizabella approving looks while she shied away from their stares.
"I am glad that everyone is supportive of my idea. After dinner, I will see to it which would be a worthy charity to send my donation as soon as possible," said Elizabella as she told them her plans with a bashful smile.
The Queen noticed that Lady Primrose seemed extremely uncomfortable, making her beam at her daughter-in-law more.
"Finally, someone here can put Lady Primrose in her place," thought the Queen as she felt a lot better while she continued her meal in peace.
Lady Primrose did not say another word for the remainder of the dinner, making the rest of their meal more enjoyable.