After the tournament, Lady Stephanie De Milly dragged Philippa by the hand to one of castle's bedroom chambers.
Lady Stephanie lets go of her and slaps her on the cheek.
Philippa understands that her actions will land her in hot water, but she refuses to back down. She caresses her face after being slapped.
Lady Stephanie reprimanded, "What was that?"
"What do you mean?" Philippa asked her stepmother, "I just won, didn't I?"
"won?!… are you insane? the agreement is to marry the winner of this wretched tournament!" Lady Stephanie exclaimed.
Philippa stood silently in front of her step mother, saying, "Do you understand what will happen?! Count Tripoli will withdraw the support that he will offer to this family, and no one from the noble family will think of marrying you!"
"You have embarrassed us all... does it feel good?"
"Not only have you embarrassed us, but you have also embarrassed yourself and your entire family."
"Embarrassed? What happened there is the fruit of your own! I knew from the beginning that you were planning something behind my back! and I refused to play your game! do you think I don't know that you're trying to marry me off to that old man!" Philippa exclaimed.
Stephanie was taken aback when Philippa glared at her; she was usually docile, and this was the first time her stepdaughter shouted at her.
As they glared and shouted at each other, their heated argument echoed throughout the room.
I knew this was going to happen from the start, and I knew I'd have to fight back; sooner or later, their blatant abuse of me had to stop. Philippa thought to herself.
"h-how dare you raise your voice to me!" Angry and frustrated, she was about to slap Philippa again when she grabbed Lady Stephanie's wrist and stopped her.
"Hurt me again, and I'll make sure you don't like the end of it," Philippa said, staring at Lady Stephanie with rage in her eyes.
"How dare you..." Lady Stephanie uttered huffily.
"Don't try to tempt me, stepmother..."
Lady Stephanie took a step back, removing her wrist. "What happened to the girl we used to know?" Lady Stephanie asked, calming herself.
"She's long gone, so don't bother looking for her; she won't be returning," Philippa said coldly.
Raynald of Chatillon enters the room, breaking the inherent tension.
"Where is she?!?" he yells as he marches into the room.
Philippa and Stephanie immediately turn to face him as he approaches them with rage.
"Do you know what you just did? Do you have any idea what will happen as a result of your stupid action?" Raynald exclaims, his face flushed.
"Do tell" Philippa jested, provoking her stepfather.
Raynald stepped in front of her and looked her in the eyes.
"The count was so enraged that he demanded a charge against you for embarrassing him; he will put you on trial in front of other nobles in the high court; do you have any idea what is at stake?" Raynald berated Philippa's actions.
"A trial? I beat him fair and square, and we agreed that if I win, the wedding is off," Philippa exclaimed, stunned.
"you don't understand how the world revolves around you, do you? do you think that winning that tournament will change everything and that a woman will never be able to surpass a man in any other way...clearly you didn't think this through" Raynald scoff
"But the king supports me during the tournament, he allows it, and I don't think you have a say in that," Philippa explained.
"The leper king? Raynald scoffs don't bring him into this matter, he is more unqualified to be a king than he is. he may allow it but he is still an outsider to this family and his opinion doesn't count he may be the king of this kingdom but I am still your stepfather and my decision matters."
"so don't even try to use the king's name because it won't work after all, it wasn't my idea to marry you to the count, but it was your brother who arranged it so he could get an army and land from count Tripoli, he said that it is time to put you to good use," Raynald explains.
Her tears flowed from rage and self-pity upon hearing Raynald's confession that it was her brother's idea to marry her off to the old count.
"Then he can bring me to trial whenever he wants," Philippa said calmly.
Raynald's eyes were filled with rage as he looked at Philippa, almost striking her.
"Stop it my darling, it's useless to get angry with her... the damage has already been done... will just have to apologise to the count and make sure to continue with the wedding," Stephanie said as she tried to console Raynald.
Philippa was stunned when she heard her stepmother's words, "You don't dare! I won that tournament fair and square! and I refused to marry him!" Philippa protested.
"You don't have a choice! and I don't want to hear any more excuses!" Lady Stepahnie said sternly. "You arrange this match and promise to marry the champion, and so you will!"
"You can't do this to me! You have no right!" Philippa exclaims.
"You don't have a say in this, I'm still your guardian... as long as you're unmarried and living with me, you'll still obey me... end of discussion," lady Stephanie said, leaving Philippa speechless.
"You understand that you will attend the trial and apologise to the count?"
" I will not... "
"Don't make it difficult for everyone; the more stubborn you are, the more difficult I will make things for you; remember, I can do whatever I want to the people you cherish and protect; for example, that new slave you just brought in... you don't want something to happen to him, don't you?" Lady Stephanie strokes Philippa's cheeks.
Philippa retorted angrily to Lady Stephanie, "you monster..."
"I will do anything to protect this family, even if it means becoming a monster," Lady Stephanie says to Philippa.
Philippa remained silent in rage as Lady Stephanie and Raynald Chatillon were on their way out of the room.
Lady Stephanie stops for a moment and turns around to face Philippa.
"You will remain here until the trial, and I expect you to reflect on your actions, and you are forbidden to leave until then.." Lady Stephanie stated sternly.
After Lady Stephanie and Raynald Chatillon left Philippa alone.
Philippa sighed heavily as she sat on the bed; she had executed her plan flawlessly but had failed to plan for this. Her time is running out because she is forced to marry whether she wants to or not.
Her maid Emma went inside while she was trying to think of a way out of the situation.
"My lady, are you all right?" she asked as she approached Philippa and took her hand in hers.
"Yes and no," Philippa responded.
"My lady, let me see your cheek," Emma said as she examined Philippa's face. "Oh my... maybe I should get some ointment so it doesn't swell, how can they do this to you..." Emma said, fighting back tears.
Philippa sighed as Emma stood up and prepared to leave.
"I thought I won this match, but it seems that no matter what I do, I can't change my fate, and I thought I could make a difference, but I was wrong... nothing will change," Philippa said, her eyes welling up with tears.
Emma sat back beside Philippa, her hands clasped tightly.
"My lady, you were amazing earlier, I was with you when you were still a child, I thought I would never see you fight for what you believe in, you were so docile and was always afraid of everything, but for the first time I saw you ever so confident and beautiful, and I believe that is the first step," Emma comforted Philippa.
"Thank you... but what difference does it make if I am tried in high court for embarrassing count Tripoli and forced to marry him, on top of being confined to this room?"
"Oh, deary, I can't believe they're forcing you to marry that count...if only I could help you."
"I have a question Emma, have you already been to a trial, and who attends and judges the trial?" Philippa asks.
Well, I went to a trial before, during the reign of King Amalric, when Lord Raynald was married to your mother, I attend as a aid to her grace, during that time your stepfather was accused for launching a plundering raid in Cyprus, causing great destruction then four years later, the Byzantine Emperor, Manuel I Komnenos, came to Antioch at the head of a large army, and he was put on trial, forcing Lord Raynald to beg for his mercy," Emma explained.
"Agh, that pig," Philippa exclaimed, "so who is present during a trial?"
"Technically, all vassals of the king, including the king himself," Emma responded.
"really... well, this is not what I had in mind; I had planned to seek private audience with him, but since there is no way of asking him, I had no choice but to see him in court," Philippa explained.
"Meet who my lady?" Emma inquired.
"I need to talk to the King, but in order to do so, I must first attend this trial." Philippa smirked, "I say it's a win-win situation."
"what's a win-win situation? I am confused, my lady... but why do you seek to speak to his highness?" Emma wondered.
"Win-win" refers to a situation in which both parties benefit in some way. Philippa stated, "I wanted to see his highness because I am a fan."
"A fan?" Emma wondered aloud.
"Yes... let's just say I admired him a lot," Philippa said with a smile.
"oh... I can't imagine you have strong feelings for his highness...oh I see now why you didn't want to get married," Emma mumbles and chuckles.
"What now?" Philippa asked, puzzled.
"nothing, my lady, your secret is safe with me," Emma blushed as she laughed.
"Thank you? I guess?" Philippa wondered, looking at her maid with confusion.
"By the way, Emma, can you give this to Abu?" Philippa said as she walked over to a table near the bed and took out a paper and a quill, writing something before folding the paper and handing it to Emma.
"Yes, right away, my lady," Emma said.
"And tell him to get everything ready," Philippa said, "and you can leave now."
As Emma was about to leave the room, a tall, slender, and sophisticated man in his late 50s with grey to white hair entered. Emma recognised the man and greeted him respectfully.
"My lord," Emma said, and with a nod, she walked away from us.
He must be a significant figure based on Emma's regard for him. What kind of relationship does this individual have with Philippa? I thought to myself as he approached me and smiled.
"How are you doing, my dear?"