-There's a Trigger warning this episode for abuse. I will place a warning before and after, and you may skip that area. It is not detrimental if you choose to skip it. Please take care of your mental health.-
Maria's POV:
The duke was at the palace for breakfast. He brought his first son with him, and that was how I was in this awkward position. I was at the table, Edward to my left and Ray to my right, with a man proposing to me. I shook my head. "No." The boy seemed annoyed at my answer. "Excuse me?" He stood up, raising his voice. I also stood up, standing taller than him thanks to my heels. I was wearing my full crown and a short blue dress because to me, this was just a simple breakfast with the duke before I exiled him. Clearly he had a different idea for me.
I looked down at him and he took a step back, sensing my anger. "You come into my palace, Propose to me, without ever having met me first, and then dare raise your voice around your prince and at your queen?" He cowered down before straightening out and looking at me again. "You deserve someone who can actually take care of you. What could this peasant offer you that I can't?" He raised his hand towards me and I faltered for a moment. "Get out of my home." I said looking at the boy in front of me. "You will not be welcome here again." Zeno walked over to the table from the door where he had been listening in. The duke stayed in his seat, unwavering under my glare. Zeno grabbed the boy and took him out of the palace, before returning, knowing full well what I was about to say. "I was in the library last night."
The duke stood up quickly , trying to leave the room, but Zeno was behind him and pushed him back into his seat, keeping his hand on his shoulder as I continued. I took a step towards his seat, his eyes never leaving me. "You will be put in prison until you can be properly tried for treason. You are being automatically stripped of your title, without question, because I am your queen and you threatened my life. If they find you guilty you and your family will be exiled from my kingdom. If you are found innocent, you will still not be allowed in my home or near my family ever again." Zeno escorted him out of the room and to the door where I knew the police were waiting.
I hadn't noticed, but Ray was standing behind me protectively. I was grateful he had let me handle it on my own, but still showed his devotion in a small action. I looked at Edward where he sat staring at me, surprised at what had just occurred. He stood up and hugged me, not letting go for a while, before he begrudgingly went back to eating breakfast. Raymond and I left the room, going to my room so that we could speak privately. I sat on the end of my bed and he stood in front of me, watching me, clearly concerned. "Say what's on your mind." I spoke and he nodded before saying "You were very brave in there. You don't even notice but when you speak you command attention and you had this feeling in your voice as you spoke to him. He didn't say anything because he was scared. You even startled me when you spoke to him."
I nodded and laid back on my bed. He took a step back, going to leave but I spoke again. "Stay. Please." He nodded and sat next to me. I put my head in his lap and he ran his fingers through my hair, as I slowly drifted off to sleep
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-Trigger Warning Here-
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My father stood in front of me. He looked down on me. I was small. Like shorter than Edward . Wait... "Where's Edward dad?" He looked disgusted with me. "He already got his punishment. It's your turn Maria" I looked at him again, realizing he had a belt in his hand. "I don't understand! What did I do!?" He spat on the ground and approached me snapping the belt. "You know damn well what you did. You think HE can protect you?! He's just a peasant." I took a step back, running into a bloodied version of Ray. I knelt over him. "Ray? Ray, what happened? What did he do?" Ray looked up at me with malice and just said, "You think I could care about a coward like you? You even run from a dead man. Grow up Celeste." I felt hot tears stream down my face as I heard the crack of a belt.
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-Trigger Warning Over-
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Raymond's POV:
I stayed with her and she drifted to sleep fairly quickly. The scene from earlier kept replaying in my head. 'What could this peasant offer you that I couldn't?' That line stuck in my head like glue. He was kinda right. I couldn't offer her what he could. But she was here, laying in my lap. I was keeping her safe. She started shaking and I looked down at her, surprised. She started whimpering, something that didn't sound right coming from her, so I shook her awake. She woke up, crying and pushing away from me. I let her go and she stood up, going to the bathroom and shutting the door.
I knocked on the door after a few minutes. "Ria? Are you okay?" She unlocked the door, silently giving me permission to enter. "Do you want to talk about it?" She nodded and took a deep breath. She recounted the dream to me, crying over the things I had said in her dream again. I shook my head. "Ria. I would never say something like that. Okay? You are a very strong person. I told you that before you fell asleep and it's still true." She nodded, burying her face in my chest as I wrapped her in a hug. "He said that you don't deserve me. It's the other way around." She said into my chest. I shook my head not sure why she would think that.