The next day, Oriana didn’t attempt to leave her room or ask for breakfast. She refused the maids who had come to help her dress up and sent them all away.
Inside the dining room, everyone ate silently, with just the spoons clattering on the plates as the only noise in the room.
The first person to break the silence was King Fidelis when a small cough escaped his lips.
Adelaide moved her seat back and grabbed a cup of water. "Sorry, Father," she muttered, patting his back while feeding him water.
"Thank you," Fidelis smiled at his daughter, who gave him a small bow before returning to her normal position. "I don’t see Princess Oriana. Is she not having breakfast?" the King asked after he had calmed down.
Jasmine sighed. "I bet she’s either feeling so elated that she will be getting married soon, or she just wants to jump off a cliff rather than be Brother Adric’s wife."
Fidelis cleared his throat. Turning to his son, he said, "Are you sure sending her family away is the right decision? I mean, she will be living here for the rest of her life. It’s only right and humane for her family to stay with her during the wedding."
Gwen dropped her spoon harshly on the plate, causing everyone’s attention, except Adric’s, to be on her. "Is that the question you should be asking him? Really, Fidelis, you should be asking him if she’s really the right choice. We don’t want him making mistakes!"
Adric finally raised his eyes to look at his stepmother and smiled. "It won’t be the first time someone from our family chooses the wrong spouse," he grinned.
Gwen gripped her spoon tightly, struggling to say something before she just exhaled and continued with her food.
"So, are you really planning for the wedding to hold tomorrow?" Fidelis asked his son, and Adric nodded. "Why the rush?"
Adric shrugged his shoulders. "I just suddenly feel like starting a family, you know," he smiled to himself.
Adelaide chimed in, "That’s very thoughtful, but seeing that the bride herself won’t even come out, does that not mean she’s not happy with it?"
"Happiness is an illusion," Adric replied. "She will come to realize it with time."
Fidelis sighed. Though he felt pity for the poor princess who was getting married against her will, there was never a time Adric had made a bad decision. Though his ways were a little extreme, in the end, it was always for a reason. The King decided to let his heir make the better decision.
As if reading his father’s mind, Adric gave him a reassuring smile. It was one they were both familiar with, a smile he gave to him only when they were not alone but had a lot to say.
Fidelis acknowledged the smile with a nod. "Then we should really get clothes ready for the wedding."
"The royal tailor is already here, so measurements will be taken for everyone except those who already have enough dresses and won’t want to attend," Adric didn’t look at anyone in particular, but Gwen shot him a stern look.
After eating, Adric was about to leave the table when he paused. He turned to look at Walter and Kai. "Who wants to play a game?"
Walter let go of his spoon. "Me!" He ran to his uncle.
"Brother Adric, they’re still eating," Jasmine tried to stop her boys.
Adric used his hands to ruffle Walter’s hair. "I believe they’re done. Kai, come on," he called the older boy.
Kai looked at his mother, then at his brother. Letting go of his spoon, he walked straight to his uncle, and they left the dining room.
"Fidelis, you should advise Adric. He might end up corrupting those children," Gwen said after Adric had left the dining room.
The King exhaled. "I think the only problem here is you, because all I see is an uncle trying to spend a harmless time with his nephews. If you think there’s something wrong with that, then there’s something wrong with you," Fidelis replied. Though his voice was calm, his words were sharp, cutting Gwen’s pride. Jasmine and Adelaide, who had never seen their father talk like this, turned to look at him.
"Are you really talking to me like that? Supporting unnecessary evil?" Gwen hit her hand on the table. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
Fidelis reclined in his chair. "Gwen, I am supporting unnecessary evil by letting you stay under my roof despite your infidelity. What do you plan on teaching your daughters with your promiscuous lifestyle? I overlook them because I know the life you were used to, but I’m waiting for you to change. Also, because of the family we have built, the earlier you let Adric be and focus on keeping your family together, the better. I think it’ll be the best decision for you." Fidelis coughed a little before pushing his chair back and leaving the dining room.
Silence returned to the dining room. Gwen was still unable to even move her neck.
"If Father knows, it means everyone in the palace already knows," Jasmine sighed. "Mother," the princess raked her hand through her hair.
Adelaide chuckled, using her hand to cover her mouth. "Are you advising her because you’re any better? Everyone also knows about you. I think you should be mad at Mother because now you know where your lifestyle comes from."
"W-hat? Why are you bringing up my name right now? It is Mother who is being scolded and not me!" Jasmine tried to defend herself, giving her sister a stern look.
Adelaide twitched her lips. "I’m just saying, you shouldn’t be putting blame on Mother when you’re doing the same thing. What you should obviously be doing is asking her why you both can’t seem to be faithful to the men you married."
"Adelaide!" Jasmine pushed her chair back, pointing at her sister’s face. "I’ve seen you trying to insult me on several occasions, but I let it be. What about you trying to look perfect in front of Brother Adric?"
Adelaide nodded. "I won’t deny that. Brother Adric seems to be the only one with greater ambition, who wants to really take the throne. While Mother, on the other hand, seems to have forgotten what it means to wear the most important piece of the kingdom. I’m sure many officials think the same. It’s not bad if I choose to be selfish and stay in a winning boat. Is it, Mother?" Adelaide turned her head to the side, with a small smile on her lips as she stared at her mother.
Gwen’s grip on her spoon tightened. "Adric..." she muttered. "If that’s how you want to play it, then let’s do it. I am going to hold the Crown, and nothing will change that." She pushed her chair back and left the room.
Jasmine turned to watch her mother leave. She dropped the finger that was pointing at Adelaide. "What just happened?" she asked her sister.
The younger princess smiled, resuming to eat her food. "Mother forgot who she was for a second," she chewed her food slowly. "Do you not want Kai or Walter to be king?"
"I want them. I want to be the Queen Mother," Jasmine nodded with excitement. She shook her head; she must have been crazy for a moment to forget her dreams.
Adelaide shrugged her shoulders. "Then eat."
"Eat?" Jasmine pointed at the food, not sure what her sister meant.
Adelaide nodded. "Mhm... just eat."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
