The Heroine's Evil Daughter

Chapter 11: Terrifyingly Sweet

"Princess, are you alright?" Anna knelt down to comfort the trembling child.

"She's so scary... Did I do something wrong? Why was she screaming at me?" Charlotte held back tears and looked at Anna with teary eyes. This pitiful appearance of her shook Anna's heart and she quickly took action to console the princess.

"Don't worry, princess. She'll learn her lesson soon! His majesty will definitely not let her off! There's no need to be afraid. Your highness is a princess, why should you be cowering before her?" Anna gently stroked her back as she spoke softly.

"Indeed, your highness. That horrid woman is fated to be punished! If his and her majesty don't punish her, Shila will! Shila can't stand her either!" Shila clenched her fists and declared. She had always been annoyed by that Lidia. Lidia would always hold her head up high and look down on the other palace maids, even though she is a commoner just like them!

When Charlotte told her father about being disrespected by Lidia, he was furious and called Lidia over to his study. He had berated her for a few minutes and was about to punish her by kicking her out of the palace, but Sasha intruded to come to her dear friend's aide.

"Lucas, why are you screaming at her!? Making her leave the palace is too much! Lidia is my friend! What did she do wrong!?" Sasha shouted as she helped Lidia get off her knees and hugged her tightly, loyally protecting her friend.

"Sasha, she had insulted Lottie. Don't protect her, she has forgotten her place!" Lucas told her. He couldn't stand anyone daring to harm his cute daughter.

"But..." Sasha was stunned. This is the first time Lucas had spoken like that to her. But this isn't the time for that. She shook her head and focused on saving Lidia.

Charlotte, who stood beside Lucas, started shedding tears and announced pitifully to her mother, "mom, that woman is bad! She hates me! She screamed at me and called me a devil!"

"Lottie, she... She won't do it again! I'll make sure of it! She made a mistake. But she can't leave the palace, she's my friend! Lidia always had helped me out when I was pregnant with you, Lottie. Please forgive her... I'm sure she didn't mean what she said!" Sasha desperately pleaded, lines of tears coursing down. She and Lidia had grown like sisters, she couldn't bear not being able to see her closest friend! Living in the palace is grand and rich, but at times stressful.

The imperial palace had always seemed like an unreachable dream, but it's more like a luxurious prison. She can't lose Lidia!

"Sasha..." Lucas couldn't resist Sasha's tear filled eyes and caved in with a helpless sigh, "Fine. Lidia can stay, but she must never be allowed to speak a word to Lottie."

"Really? Thank you, Lucas! I promise I will teach her a lesson!" Sasha's eyes brightened and took Lidia out with her.

"..." Charlotte looked at their departing backs with lingering hatred hidden behind her eyes.

********

"What!? His majesty actually let her go unpunished!? That... That's not right! Shila disapproves!" Shila and Anna were standing outside the imperial study when everything occured, therefore they heard everything.

"Princess... Don't feel upset." The first thing Anna did was console Charlotte, who clearly looked unhappy and dissatisfied.

"I'm not upset about that... But why did mom protect her? Does she love that woman more than me? I don't understand..." She began to sob, her little body trembled as she shed tears.

"Your highness..." Her crying appearence tugged on Anna's heart. The empress is being a bit unfair. Why side with a servant instead of her own daughter? She didn't even force an apology out of Lidia... Lidia was let off with merely the emperor's berating. Anna felt her mind sink into frustration and conflict. The princess was so terribly disrespected, yet the evildoer actually was left unscathed!