A scoff sounded in the crowd, "That doesn't prove you are a Roosevelt."
History says Roosevelts are great mages and have silver hair which is rare and unique from hoary hair in old age. Now the books don't help Alora anymore.
Freya wanted to shut the mouth that targeted Alora but Zander held her shoulder and stopped her. He always knew Alora's interest in the books wasn't purely because of gaining knowledge or because she had nothing else to do. She was trying to find the reason behind her unordinary appearance.
Unfortunately, she couldn't find the reason in the books. Excluding Orla, no one knows about it.
Whatever it might be, Alora was a Roosevelt, a successor to the throne. Alora has to step out of her world of books and apply her knowledge. Freya's overprotectiveness and temper could aggravate the issue.
Alora had thought she was prepared for all these but it was still harder than she expected. She looked at the crowd who either feared her or maliciously looked at her. If she trusts her parents and grandparents, she shouldn't fear these people but… Why was she shaking at their question?
She uneasily brushed her eyes over them but didn't find out who said those words. "Who spoke?" She asked without showing her anxiety in her words.
Nova gritted her teeth for making her look like nobody. She stepped forward and proudly announced, "Nova Hamilton Roosevelt."
Anne's second elder sister, "The second Princess of Hamilton." Alora completed the introduction by herself. "Could you please prove to me that you are Hamilton?"
The crowd was stunned at the question. Even Orla and Lothar looked at each other, without understanding what Alora was up to.
Arthur Hamilton and Charlotte were also confused. Arthur was at the borderline to doubt his wife, after all, Roosevelts hardly carried a visual appearance of their fathers.
Nova's thoughts went all over the place with the question, "I- I- You can ask my parents." Then she realized Alora could say the same.
She got angry and snarled at Alora, "We are talking about Roosevelts. Royal Roosevelts don't look like you." Her words got harsher for flustering her in front of everyone.
Alora was calm against Nova's raising livid voice, "You are saying your hair proves that you are Roosevelt. Then when you are Hamilton and Roosevelt, you might have a way to prove that you are Hamilton too. Teach me that, I will prove I am Roosevelt and Linwood."
The crowd was left stunned once again. They never got such thoughts or earned such questions, hence they were caught off guard by Alora's questions.
Zander smiled, Alora definitely thinks differently from the rest of them. He believed that she was going to be different from all the princesses including Eugenie who gets bound by the royal rules.
He went close to Alora, he wrapped his right hand around her shoulder, and held her left hand on his left, "Let me escort you." Well, he knew Alora was holding back with all her might. She will need months and years to make her heart stone cold.
They had just taken two steps when Edward Blewett, Catherine's husband, spoke in poise like a well-mannered man. However, his words weren't so courteous.
"Princess Alora, you are definitely good at manipulating the crowd with your words. Aren't you?" He reignited the fire without letting Alora relax a moment.
"Right, we are talking about Roosevelt. She is confusing us with her gibberish."
"These petty tricks wouldn't prove anything."
"Is she taking us as fools?" The taunts continued.
Zander felt Alora shake, causing him to hold her close, He looked behind and narrowed his eyes at Edward, "Duke of Blewett, accepting the loss in pride befits your position rather than attacking a young girl. Don't you think so?" Then he will give no face to the duke.
Alora asked a valid question and he would support her. He wouldn't let them accuse her of something that she was too innocent to do.
Edward: "..."
Edward's brown eyes fixed on Alora. He was really impressed by the girl for having the courage to face them without breaking down in fear of losing her temper.
Freya stepped forward, unable to hear their nonsense, "What right do you all have to question my sister?" When the throne is unquestioning, the royal household just had the right to voice their opinion.
Eugenie, the crown princess stepped forward to end their arguments. But she was a mother too, "Yes, the Roosevelts have silver hair. Who said they couldn't look different?" She got this thought from her elder daughter's words.
Eugenie felt too small in front of Alora after hearing her. They were hiding her all these years thinking she would be attacked for her appearance.
Why didn't they have the courage to question the conventional image of Roosevelt and accept the change?
She went ahead and stood in front of Alora, Freya and Zander protectively while she faced the rest. "Guards." Eugenie's overbearing voice echoed in the hall.
A row of royal guards entered the room and stood in a line. "Your Royal Highness, awaiting your orders."
The crowd went into a frenzy. They had forgotten for a moment Alora was the daughter of Eugenie, she could put everyone in the prison without batting an eyelid.
"Your Royal Highness, you couldn't do this. W-we were voicing our opinion."
"How could we accept somebody with these looks as Roosevelt?"
"You can't blame us. The whole nation will think the same."
"It's dishonorable to imprison…"
Eugenie lifted her hand and silenced everyone."The fire caught in the west banquet hall. The prime suspect in the fire is the organizer of the banquet. One who takes responsibility for the unfortunate event is also the organizer."
Catherine's expression changed. Things aren't going as planned. Shouldn't Eugenie imprison the ladies who started taking the word witch?
How did the crowd remain silent when Eugenie was putting her on the spot?
Catherine's eyes fell on Alora who was being comforted by Zander. She didn't care if Alora was a witch or a real princess. Her mere presence threatens their stand in the court.
"Euge…"
A royal guard stomped his spear on the ground, "Quiet." Because Eugenie wasn't done yet.
Catherine could only grit her teeth and listen to Eugenie.
Eugenie continued ignoring Catherine, "I will give five royal guards to Duchess Blewett to find out the cause of the fire." In reality, five guards will keep an eye on Catherine so that she doesn't create fake evidence against Alora.
Catherine's lips twitched uncontrollably. Eugenie never gives anybody a chance to point their finger at her. She was loved by the subjects because of her unbiased decisions and acts. Hence, even if she returned after fourteen years, there was a celebration in the capital.
Likewise, Eugenie neither blamed them nor questioned Alora. Now she will keep an eye on Catherine, a wrong step Eugenie will throw her into the prison without a hint of mercy. Thus Catherine was left with no choice but to sacrifice her people.
It didn't end there. Eugenie went towards the crowd and stood in front of the two ladies who were her cousins. Her voice dropped to freezing coldness, "Looks like I need to remind the Royal household about the consequences of their offensive actions."
Not just her cousins, even the people around her trembled. They had taken Eugenie's silence for granted. The fourteen years away from the court hadn't made Eugenie softer but dangerous. They could feel it in her lethal aura.
Eugenie turned around and asked calmly, "Lord Cuillin, what is the punishment for maligning a princess."
Orla wasn't just proud of Alora, but her daughter too. She feared Eugenie might have lost her vigor these years, but Eugenie didn't disappoint her.
Lothar and Orla stood up. Their presence was unrequired. They left the hall as internal conflicts had to be handled by the Crown Princess and she is back.
Cuillin hid his sly smile and seriously responded, "One hundred whip lashes, Your Royal Highness." The kind of whips depends on Eugenie's mood. The whips could be filled with thorns, or much worse, dipped in deadly poison.
Cuillin continued, "If the crime is severe, they will be ripped off their position." Considering Alora as the elder daughter of Eugenie and next in line for the succession, offenders were going to be left with nothing.
Eugenie respectfully nodded at Cuillin and pointed at her parents so that he could accompany them.
"So…" Her expression hardened again, "I suggest the ones who maligned Princess Alora, prove to me what you claimed. Or else…" She flashed a cold smile and walked toward her husband and daughters.
Although she protected her daughter, it would have been the same for any princess of Roosevelt. So even if the crowd wanted to argue, they couldn't do anything.
The ones who let their tongue loose were pale. The ones who aimed to get Freya's attention sighed. Edward was gritting his teeth, glaring at Zander's back while Catherine started cooking more plans.
Eugenie stopped at the stairs and turned around. Her eyes narrowed at Catherine who was wearing a special coronet that signifies her special powers in the court.
"Catherine Roosevelt Blewett, I have returned."
Zander flicked his fingers right after her words. The coronet on Catherine's head broke and fell to the ground. "The special position of Princess Regnant is dissolved." His deep, oppressing voice filled the air, announcing that Eugenie will claim all the duties.
Humiliated in front of the whole Royal Household by stripping off her powers, Catherine's body shook in rage. Her eyes turned red, her knuckles turned white as a sheet when she glared at four in hatred.
What if Catherine lost the special powers?
Catherine was still a First Princess who held some powers that were enough to torture Eugenie's elder daughter.