Suddenly, loud laughter issued from the King, taking everyone by surprise. But that quickly stopped and the entire Court started behaving nervously. Because the King was glaring at Jeremiah.
'I had heard her character was malicious, but she is also stupid.'
'Why would you bring up this matter in Court?'
The nobles, especially the Royalists, were deeply scared at the King's reaction. Jeremiah would have started shivering if she could see the King's cold expression. But she deduced enough from the atmosphere around her that she may be in deep trouble.
'I have to do something!'
So thinking, she immediately knelt down and placed her head on the floor, drawing the attention of the court.
"Your Majesty, I have spent these last few years trying my best to be worthy of the Prince, but I am unable to do so. I am not fit to be his wife."
Jeremiah tried to maintain her calm as she spoke, but her voice shook in fear.
"Oh? Does that mean my judgement was wrong when I agreed to this engagement?"
Jeremiah's hidden face paled even further. How should she answer this question? If she agreed, she would be insulting the King, but denying it would still mean that the King was wrong about Jeremiah's ability to become worthy of the Prince. She wanted to cry.
But right when Jeremiah was spelling out her doom, the doors to the Court opened again.
"I, Aiden Novak Christina, present myself before the Protector of the Great Risweld Kingdom, along with Rubel Hestia and his son, Dale."
A deep voice sounded out.
'Papa! Why is he…'
But before she could even finish the thought, a hand gently touched her shoulder, held her hand, and raised her up from her prostrate position to a kneeling one.
In deep confusion, Jeremiah looked at the person who did that. Her eyes were drawn to his honey golden eyes that seemed to glow even in the absence of direct sunlight. She saw bright red hair. A gentle handsome face smiled at her as he looked down. He made her think of fire, warm and dazzling, like one in a hearth.
She widened her eyes. She could see him very clearly, even without her glasses.
The Court was thrown into chaos. It was surprising that the First Prince had returned from the border without sending word, but he had helped Jeremiah, who was currently facing the King's wrath.
"First Prince Aiden, what is the meaning of this?"
"I beg for your mercy, Your Majesty," so saying, he knelt down before the King. "I will accept any punishment for the impertinent behaviour I have shown you, and I ask for mercy for Lady Jeremiah Hestia on behalf of her father, Count Rubel Hestia, who has earnestly served the Kingdom and its King."
Rubel Hestia jolted to attention. He had been shocked to inaction after seeing his daughter prostrating herself before the King and the King's angry expression. Upon hearing the Prince's words, he immediately knelt down. Dale, who had been equally stunned, followed suit.
"I beg for your mercy, Your Majesty. My daughter has sinned against you, but please, show her kindness and let me take the punishment in her place," Rubel said. The King ignored him.
"Hmm… so is this your position, Aiden?"
Prince Aiden did not reply.
"Stand up, all of you."
The King's tone had changed. If anything, he seemed to be pleased rather than angry. This threw the Court into confusion again.
"Break the engagement, is it? That isn't difficult to do. But I cannot break it for the reason you have given me."
Rubel and Dale looked at Jeremiah in surprise. Rubel's expression then hardened.
'Something must have happened in my absence. What did that lout do to her?' he thought.
"It seems that luck is on your side, Lady Jeremiah. I know the reason you hastened here to end the engagement. It is because of that son of mine, isn't it? It seems that I have been too lenient with him," the King casually rested his head on his arm and stared at the 5 people standing before him. "But I cannot just break the engagement. Regardless of it not being your fault, your reputation will be tarnished. You will not be able to wed any one of lower station, lest they decide to share your disrepute."
'What are you scheming?' Aiden narrowed his eyes at his father, who smirked at his son in response.
'Hoh… would you look at that? That stone faced brat is actually openly showing a worried expression.'
"Daughter, you have spent the best years of your youth tied to a worthless punk."
Those words riled up the Aristocratic faction. This was the first time the King openly declared his dislike of the Third Prince. The fact that he addressed Jeremiah as 'daughter' was also not missed.
'Does the king…. like Lady Jeremiah? That Lady Jeremiah?'
This thought uniformly occurred in the mind of all the nobles.
"There are two ways to escape being engaged to the Prince while keeping yourself from being disgraced: be ennobled, or marry someone greater. Either way, you will gain power and I will directly dissolve the engagement, such that nobody will speak of it as if it ever existed in the first place. That is my promise."
The Court was stunned silly. Rubel Hestia was so shocked that he started trembling. Dale Hestia rather disrespectfully stared at the King with his mouth open. It was unprecedented for a single noble woman to gain a noble title, especially seemingly without merit. It was clear the King thought of it as compensation. Prince Aiden looked at his father, schooling his expression to appear calm. But the King knew his thoughts, and smirked again.
"Now, what will you choose, Lady Jeremiah?"
Jeremiah felt the gaze of the entire Court on her. She felt pressure greater than what she felt before the Prince and her family entered the Court.
'What… should I do?'
Jeremiah had planned to break the engagement and live quietly away from high society. She had plans. Plans to start a cake shop.
Liliana Hestia, the wife of Count Rubel Hestia, was an exceedingly beautiful woman with brown eyes and black hair. But she was a commoner. She had met the Count on the battlefield, where she had joined as a cook specially serving the Count and other nobles.
When the Count had tasted her food, he had sent for her, and had immediately fallen in love. He courted her for a long time, before she finally relented and married him.
That was a great scandal. It was uncommon for a noble to marry a commoner, and the stigma of her origins followed her. But she didn't let that faze her. She supported her husband and managed their fief, even as she faced ridicule in high society. Rubel was only sorry for that. To help her somehow, he exerted himself even more in the battlefield and earned his reputation as a war hero who protected the borders from the demon beasts. When Dale was born, they were so happy. His reputation acted as a shield for his wife and son to an extent.
But that happiness wouldn't last long. Liliana fell pregnant again, but this time, it was a very difficult pregnancy. Rubel stayed with her throughout, and finally their daughter was born.
The pregnancy had greatly weakened her, but she survived it. Jeremiah grew up watching her mother fall ill often, each bout of illness weakening her. She grew to become a quiet child who stayed with her mother all day and read books. But Liliana did not want that. So one day, after a severe bout of illness that had bedridden her, she sat Jeremiah down and handed her a book. It was a book of recipes, of food and desserts that Liliana loved making. Patting her daughter gently on her head, she said, "Whenever you feel lonely, whenever you miss me, ask the cooks to make something from here. I am going far away now, but I will always be there when you are sad."
Jeremiah was only 5 years old when her mother passed away, Dale was 9 years old. The Count was deeply aggrieved and shut himself in his office.
But then, two weeks after Liliana's death, Jeremiah knocked on her father's door. This was the first time she had sought him. And she brought a small strawberry cake that she had asked the cook, Pascal, to bake, based on the recipes her mother left behind.
The Count didn't want to eat it. It felt foul to eat something sweet when his life felt so bitter without Liliana, but for his tiny daughter's sake, for his daughter who looked so much like his dear wife, he cut into a piece and ate it. And immediately started crying, for it tasted exactly like the cakes his wife would bake.
That day, the Count hugged his dear daughter, and his son, who was close by, also joined in, though he made a fuss about it as if he didn't want to.
Since then, Jeremiah understood something vital about her mother's cooking, that it was filled with love and comfort for her family. And so, after that, she learned to cook.
These past two years of torment because of the 3rd Prince, and the years even before that, where she was harassed because of her birth and her looks, were something she could tide through only because of her family, especially her mother.
When she decided to break away from the Prince, she knew that she would no longer be welcome in high society. So the previous night she had decided to speak to her father and secretly open a cake shop where she could bake her mother's desserts and spread that love and comfort she received to anyone who wanted it.
But now, she was at a crossroad. It was likely that she would be thrust directly into a power struggle regardless of what she chose. If she chose ennoblement, even if it was not a title that would be passed down to her children, she would be more powerful than most of her generation who had yet to receive their titles, even if it was the lowest noble title. And if she followed the latter, she would likely be married….
That thought suddenly jolted her and she looked to her side.
Prince Aiden. She would be married to Prince Aiden. And would most likely end up as Queen.
She looked back at the King, who was smiling gently at her, then looked to the Prince again. Belatedly, she realized that he was still holding onto her hand. They had been standing there all this while, still holding hands.
She flinched and immediately tried to withdraw her hand, but the Prince tightly grasped it. She wanted to cry.
'No! I don't want to marry him! Jewel Harrison will kill me!'
She desperately wanted to seek her father's counsel, but she couldn't do that in this moment.
'What do I do?'
It was the Prince. She stared at him, but he hadn't spoken aloud and he didn't look at her. No, he had spoken into her mind.
'Is he… using his power?'
The Royal Family of the Risweld Kingdom had mysterious powers handed down from the First Queen, Christina, whose name they had taken for a surname. The extent of this power was unknown and varied from generation to generation, as did the skills each would receive. The Royal Family strictly controlled information about it. All everyone knew was that the King and his sons had powers.
'Ugh, focus, Jeremiah,' she thought.
The Prince recommended that she take the ennoblement. Well, she was more inclined to take that anyway. She could still choose to withdraw from high society and do what she wanted after that, but becoming the Prince's wife would shut that option permanently.
"Alright," she whispered. And at her word, Prince Aiden let go of her hand.
She took a deep breath. Then, she genuflected and bowed her head, raising her right hand and placing it over her heart.
"If Your Majesty wills it, I choose to be ennobled."
"Hmm… That's disappointing. I still think you would make a fine daughter in-law. Certainly, you are brave and wise enough for that position."
Those words made the Royalists look at Jeremiah in a new light. Instantly, they started calculating how to push for Jeremiah to become Prince Aiden's wife.
"Since you have chosen to be ennobled, I shall grant you this also - no faction will touch you. Should they do so, I will personally send Prince Aiden to deal with them."
That pretty much quashed their plans.
"In order to compensate you for the years of suffering you had to go through on account of my idiot son and my own rash judgement," King Ludwig stood up and, taking out his sword, he walked down to the kneeling Jeremiah, and continued, "I shall now dissolve your engagement with that useless brat, grant you the title of Vicountess and bestow on you the fief of Sarim, which is close to your father's domain."
"Your Majesty!"
"That is too much!"
The Aristocrats immediately opposed the title and the handing of the fief. They at most expected her to be made Baronness, which is the lowest position among the nobles, but the granting of the fief is what truly troubled them. As she was unmarried, she was still under the care of her father. That wouldn't change even with her ennoblement. This would be like the Count expanding his territory.
"If anyone raises an objection again, I shall make it an inherited title."
That stimulated the Royalists, who were happy about a Royalist possibly gaining an inherited title. They openly showed hostility towards the Aristocrats, while some hoped that the Aristocrats would continue to rile the King.
The King looked amused throughout the pandemonium he had caused.
'Ah, its been a while since I had so much fun,' he thought.
Since no one further objected, he placed his sword on each of Jeremiah's shoulders.
"You are now 'Vicountess Jeremiah Hestia'. Pledge your oath to the Kingdom."
Jeremiah had read about how ennoblements took place, so she knew what she had to say.
"I hereby swear my life and loyalty to the Great Risweld Kingdom, and receive this title according to the grace of its King. I shall live for the betterment of the Kingdom and its people."
Prince Aiden watched on as Jeremiah was ennobled. He was troubled, but at the same time relieved.
*
Jeremiah walked out of the Court in a daze after the King dismissed. She was escorted by Uswald, the Royal Guard, to her coach.
"My Lady?"
Uswald's voice jolted her out of her daydream.
"Ah, yes?"
"If it is alright with you, I would like to escort you home."
Jeremiah flinched. Only Royals could be escorted anywhere by the Royal knights. It was already too much that Uswald had escorted her in and out the court.
She was about to reject him when Dale interjected.
"Thank you for your kindness, Sir Uswald, but that will not be necessary. I shall see to my sister."
"Very well, Sir Dale," so saying, he bowed and went back in.
Dale turned towards his sister and said, "You… what happened?"
"I don't want to discuss it here," Jeremiah replied firmly.
Dale smirked.
"Yes, Viscountess, allow this poor knight to escort you to your humble abode."
Jeremiah snorted, but took his hand regardless.
When they were seated and on their way, Dale brushed back his dirty blond hair.
"Now, tell me, what did that assh…"
"Dale!" Jeremiah interrupted him in shock.
"What?"
"He is the Prince! You can't verbally abuse him like that. Are you trying to get arrested for treason?"
"It's just the two of us in here," Dale folded his arms and grumbled.
"It doesn't matter. Besides, what if Tem hears us?"
Tem was their coachman.
"Oh please, the rattling is loud enough that I can barely hear myself," Dale retorted.
"It doesn't matter, you shouldn't risk your neck for something like this" Jeremiah insisted.
There was a moment's silence, before Dale spoke up again, tersely.
"So, what did… he do?"
Jeremiah gave no response. She contemplated whether she should tell him exactly what happened, but decided against doing it for now. Knowing Dale, he would jump off the coach and make his way to Prince Luther's palace immediately, and that would just make a situation she barely managed to control worse.
"When we get home."
Dale narrowed his eyes.
"What. Did. He. Do?" He asked more forcefully.
Jeremiah sighed.
"I'll tell you both when papa comes home."
"What? Why not now?"
'Because I don't want you to go storming off with your blade to kill that ingrate,' she thought, but didn't voice it, instead stubbornly looking out the small window of the coach.
Dale let out a sigh.
"You are so damn stubborn, just like the old man," he grumbled. He knew Jeremiah would not change her mind no matter how much he insisted, or even tried to bribe her.
Jeremiah didn't respond, only hoping that her father would be able to hold Dale back from committing lese majeste when he hears of what happened.
*
King Ludwig spent the rest of the Court proceedings pretending as if nothing had happened. None of the nobles chose to say anything further either. He welcomed his son and the party from their expedition, received their tribute, and saw them off.
Dale had already left, with the King's permission, to escort his sister home. Their father, Rubel, wanted to rush back as well, but stayed because he was the expedition leader.
Only Prince Aiden was left in the Court from the expedition, aside from Rubel. The King motioned for him stay till the end, then saw to the other matters.
*
*Bang. Crash.*
"That worthless slut!"
The once-pristine room looked like a storm had crashed through it. The bed, which had been brought into the reception room for that day, had been ripped to shreds.
Weaker than his brothers though he was, Prince Luther was still a Royal, and hence, had inherited the powers in the blood of his ancestors, so he did much more damage than the average man did. The woman he had been sleeping with had waited for him to return after he ran after Jeremiah, but she had long fled the room out of fear when he started throwing things around, and it was a good thing that she did, because Luther would have vented his anger on her, especially given that she resembled Jeremiah ever so slightly.
Yes, Luther had grabbed a hold of a shirt and run after Jeremiah after she insulted his virility (which she didn't) and threw her engagement ring at his face (which she certainly did). But, maybe on account of the fact that he had to stop to make sure he was somewhat decent before he ran out, she had managed to escape in her carriage.
He had swiftly barked for the butler, who had hidden himself on the Prince's orders, to prepare his carriage, but that had only delayed matters again. Frustrated, he grabbed a horse and started after her on horseback, thinking that she had probably fled to her home, but when he got there he couldn't find hair nor hide of her. The Royal Knights assigned to him and his mother's family knights barely arrived after him and on his orders searched the place for her. This was highly disrespectful, even if Jeremiah's father was merely a Count, for even the King had to maintain decorum when approaching the nobles, unless there was certain suspicion of treason. But even overstepping his authority had failed to reveal Jeremiah, and the maids and servants of the house had been thoroughly terrorized by his ruffian shouting and near violent behaviour.
All in all, Jeremiah and Dale returned to a completely overturned mansion, sobbing maids and slightly roughed up manservants. Pascal was sporting a bump on his head from when the Queen's family knights roughly shoved him to the floor when they invaded the kitchen to search the pantry, though it was uncertain why a typical young lady of a noble house would be in the pantry of all places. Hannah had luckily been out, as had their older son Michael, making arrangements for additional supplies for the returning master and knights.
Jeremiah and Dale were both angry at the Prince who was rampaging in his palace. Dale swiftly left to report to the King, after much convincing by Jeremiah that doing that was better than beating Prince Luther up, while Jeremiah tended to Pascal and got the house in order. Prince Luther, meanwhile, was destroying his room thoroughly and making a plan to humiliate Jeremiah.
*
King Ludwig was standing at the window of his study when Prince Aiden entered in, without permission. But the King didn't reprimand him. An hour ago, Dale had stormed into the court asking for a private audience with the King, and the Prince had acquiesced to delaying his own private audience for his sake. Rubel Hestia had almost knocked his own son down for the blatant disrespect he was showing, and the nobles had been in disarray at the urgent and angry expression he was showing, making them even more curious about what had transpired between the Third Prince and the new Vicountess.
When he finally got around to regaling what Prince Luther had done, King Ludwig was displaying a mask of cold anger. He had been lenient, and at times turned a blind eye, to his youngest son's indiscretions, mainly as the situation could be controlled. He had also done that partly because of the Queen, Luther's mother.
But now he deeply regretted it.
News of what happened will spread. He could have contained what the Prince did to Jeremiah in the royal grounds, but he couldn't do so after he trespassed into the Count's home and assaulted the servants.
The Queen would throw a fit, but King Ludwig had decided that Prince Luther would firmly be dropped from succession.
Prince Aiden calmly watched his father. Dale and Rubel had left to take stock of their upturned estate.
"Are you not going to say anything?" The King asked, after staring at his son quietly for a while.
"Should I say anything, Your Majesty?" He responded.
The King snorted.
"Your woman was insulted greatly today."
"She isn't my woman."
"Are you not going to add a 'yet' to that sentence?"
Aiden chose not to respond.
The King chuckled and continued, "So, what do you want to say to me?"
"Queen Yerika. I believe she's upto something," Aiden replied promptly.
"Oh, really?" Ludwig replied sarcastically. Aiden ignored that.
"We were ambushed right outside Premsil. They were lowlifes from the underworld that aren't worth a mention on a bad day, but that means its just a diversion. I'm sure she's planning something big."
"I'm sure you are capable of taking care of it on your own, so why are you reporting this to me?" Ludwig replied indifferently.
'He knew about the ambush,' Aiden thought.
"I need authority. More than what I have now."
Ludwig raised and eyebrow.
"Hoh… are you ready to bare your fangs now?" So saying, he sat on his chair and leaned back, his posture seemingly of complete relaxation, but that didn't fool Aiden.
"Declare me as the Crown Prince and rightful heir to the throne of Amisdale."