The Leper King's Healer

Chapter 7

After the tournament, Lady Stephanie De Milly dragged Philippa by the hand to one of King Baldwin'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