"On what ground, Miss?" Lily questioned, finally closing the book in her hand as of paying attention.
"On the ground that we might become family soon." Vianka smiled beautifully.
"Really? I have never heard of a commoner becoming queen. Never." Lily couldn't even bother to sugar-coat her words, but the innocent smile on her face stopped Vianka from blowing up. She simply took her words as the mere jest of a little child.
"Right, but your highness wants me to become family right? I'll get you all the diamonds in this world and I will always support you." Her hands with long painted nails covered Lily's small hands on the table.
A real child would have surely fallen for that smile, however, Vianka should had put in a little bit of effort, at least, a small push and pull for a few days to fully get the child's attention; her lack of patience only meant that she was in a hurry to become queen.
"Right." Lily nodded, "But, how can that ever happen?"
"If I become noble."
"How? Who would adopt an adult into their family lineage in this period?"
"No one, Your highness, however I can earn a title."
"How? Even the king can not just give you a title, you will have to earn it with a great deed."
"True, Your highness, but if you help me-"
"How?" Lily adopted a curious look, tilting her head like an excited child.
"The langsher land, Your highness. You can still have certain control over it, however, I can have the title and..." Vianka's voice faded out in Lily's head.
This was what all this hassle was about: The langsher land and the barony that comes along with it.
"It will also relieve you of some burden as everyone is speaking about a certain curse. You must have heard of that deranged rumour." Vianka grabbed Lily's hand, squinting her eyes with a look of pity.
You are responsible for that rumour, huh?
Lily took a deep breath and pulled her hand away from hers. If a title belongs to someone then everything that came along with that title would also belong to that person. Only a stupid naive child would believe Vianka's words.
"Like you said, Miss. It's nothing but a rumour, you shouldn't think too deep into such things."
"Who knows how true that might be." Vianka placed her hand on her chin, feigning kindness, "What about I give you another land then take that problematic land from you."
"Hmm?" Lily emulated her, placing her own hand on her chin while feigning ignorance, "Try taking poison in the place of father then a similar land may just be bestowed upon you. Hmm?"
"It is the only existing land with an unoccupied peerage." Vianka reminded between gritted teeth.
"Oh, was that what we were talking about?" She blinked and then sighed, "However, it is the first gift father has ever given me, I can not simply give it away. No matter how much I want to be family with you."
Vianka clenched her fist and jammed her jaws against each other, "Did the second queen put you up to this?"
"Mother doesn't even speak to me." Lily lowered her head, fiddling playfully with the cover of her book, however Vianka misinterpreted this act as a child's plight, earning a delightful grin from her. She didn't understand why the second queen's relationship with the first princess was bad, she had made her investigation and it was truly bad, but she had no interest in knowing why, all she wanted was a way to take advantage of their relationship.
Placing a beautiful red-haired doll on the table, Vianka smiled and stood up, "It's fine if the princess doesn't want to give his majesty's gift to me. I will still come to visit you every now and then." Taking a slight bow, she left as quickly as she came, along with her handmaids.
"Your highness!" Mary burst through the door, running to Lily's side. Lily who hadn't noticed when the maid left frowned, "Why did you leave?"
"I'm sorry. Her ladyship's servants pushed me out before I could say a word."
Lily almost swore out, she clenched her fist and glared at Mary, "The next time she comes in, stand behind me."
"Yes, Your highness." Mary bowed then as if in a hurry, she reported quickly in-between stammers, "The barbarian child...h-he-"
"What did he do this time?" Lily sighed, massaging her aching temple.
"He..."
"Just take me there." She jumped from the couch and pulled Mary's hand to the Barbarian child's room.
"Your highness!" Another maid screamed, "Don't go in there please."
However, Lily ignored her plea. Pushing the door open, her eyes fell on the mess that the child had made out of the room. She bit her tongue to stop herself from lashing out: After kindly giving a comfortable room, nice clothes and good food to the child, this was what she got in return.
"Hey!" She yelled at the child who was sitting on the bed with a cover over him.
The glass shards all around the room stopped the maid from going in and since Lily had no knight in her palace yet, there was no one who could stop the child.
"Stay here." She ordered the servants and walked into the room, jumping over the glass shards and sharp dangerous particles.
"Your highness!"
Ignoring the worried calls of the servants, she walked towards the child and raised her hand, hitting him on his head that was hidden under the duvet. Then she pulled the duvet off and dragged him up, pulling him out of the room.
"Clean the room up." She ordered while pulling him to the opposite room.
"Get me a medicine kit from the physician." Passing an order to Mary, she walked back to the child who she could finally look at properly. His pale skin had cuts here and there, with bloody scratches on his cheeks, his sharp red eyes had a dull glow to it, and his lower lip had bite marks accompanied with his dry black hair even though the dryness couldn't hide the luster.
"Are you out of your mind?"