Hidden Lavender

Chapter 22 | Announcement

"Jay is Prince Phillip?..."

In just one second, she felt as if the new world she was experiencing had been shattered. As if all of a sudden, someone had pulled the rug from her feet and wished for her to crumble into millions of pieces. She trusted him with everything. She loved him yet she didn't know his true name. What if the person whom she loved dearly was just an act?

Then it hit her. The queen said that he was engaged to Cecily.

Anger festered through Lorelei as she registered what was being said. How dare he call himself a man if he confessed his supposedly undying love to her even though he was betrothed to another. A princess nonetheless.

"Hello People of Auroya." Phillip began. "I am sure you are surprised by this sudden announcement and also witnessing the first sighting of the prince. However, I am deeply saddened to inform everyone here that although I still plan on taking my father's place on the throne. I will not be marrying Princess Cecily upon mutual agreement."

The crowd looked around at one another as if they could not process what he was trying to convey. The queen was blatantly livid.

He leaned towards Phillip. "What in god's name do you think you are doing boy?" She gritted out.

He whispered back, so quietly that only she could hear. "I am simply following in your footsteps, your majesty, discarding you with no remorse."

She scoffed while walking to the king. The queen knew that was a bluff, just him trying to postpone his marriage. That is something she will never allow however, she was intrigued as to how he believed he could ruin her reputation that she had tailored and nurtured to perfection.

"A few days ago, my head guard stumbled upon a letter from a lady in waiting who was close to the royal family. In this letter, she had written a witness testimony to a murder of a royal member. Allow me to listen to it, Sir Hastings, the letter."

Ambrose quickly rushed to his side and placed the letter in his hands, where he read.

" Rosemary and Ida. Ida would always scheme against her sister and throw tantrums left and right when things were not in her favor. Rosemary was the opposite, she was smart, polite and elegant. Yet she was cunning and was very observant...One day out of rage and envy, she walked into her sister's room while she was preparing for her wedding ceremony and brutally killed her. And I was the only witness. She threatened that if I told anyone that she would kill my family and I. so i let her go... she put on the wedding dress and got married to the prince. When the guests asked for Ida, she would simply say "Oh, she is travelling around the world as we speak!" and no one questioned it..."

No one dared to utter a single sound as the letter was being read by the prince. Some may not have been breathing.

"Is there anything you would like to say, Queen Rosemary... or shall I say, Lady Ida?"

The queen stood still, ridged and fuming with rage. She must think of something quick and believable for her to save her title, her name. Though, if this was a private matter, she wouldn't hesitate to fight back. Even if it was her son, She hated him from the start.

"Lies, All lies! How dare you say such awful lies about your own mother just to deceive your subjects."

The people in the ball were at a crossroad. Having to choose who to believe. Having to decipher who was telling the truth.

"Honey, Darling. Are you going to just stand there and allow your son to talk about your wife like this?" She pleaded with the king.

Lawrence Edevane did not move one step closer to his wife. As if she was made of acid. He knew something was wrong when they first got married, her kindness and gentleness had evaporated but he assumed it was because she was forced to marry. Yet, this reason was believable.