𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘍𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵 : 𝘈 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦

Chapter 10 : The Queen Intervenes

It was dark. The roads of Mayfair were empty, apart from the meekly flickering street lamps. Not even a stray animal was anywhere to be found, and apart from the sound of the boots of the house guards slapping against the ground, everything was silent.

A young gallant man was riding a horse speedily, in a hurry to reach the flower market. He whispered "quicker" to his beautiful snow white horse, who understood his master's urgency.

A young woman in a long cloak was already there, sitting inside the flower shop and tapping her foot impatiently. Her face could not be because of the thick hood covering her face.

She let the man help her settle on the horse.

"We're so close, my love. To getting freedom." She said to the man, staring into his eyes.

" Yes, we're Ophelia. Hold tight!" He said.

Theodore and Ophelia disappeared into the night, never to look back again.

***********
Emilia was done with the prince's mysterious behaviour. She didn't have enough time to sit around and wait for him to come to his senses. If he did not make move within the next two days, it was decided that she would marry a wealthy American man.

However, the Gibsons' head housekeeper arrived bearing two invitation cards.

The queen herself had invited Mrs. Chbosky and Lady Gibson to a private tea.

"She probably wants an explanation for the wedding disaster." Mrs. Chbosky said grimly, looking absent mindedly at the card.

"Well, I do not know what explanation I can offer but we can not possibly decline an invitation from the queen. We have to go. " Lady Gibson looked even grimmer than Mrs. Chbosky.

Lady Gibson wrapped the elegant shawl more tightly around her as they entered the royal palace. One of the maids guided them towards the queen's private tea parlour.

"Lady Gibson and Mrs. Chbosky. Pleasure seeing you!" The queen smirked a little and gestured them to sit. The two ladies bowed and sat down, not saying anything.

"I'm extremely exhausted by the prince's behaviour. " The queen broke the silence.

Lady Gibson and Mrs Chbosky looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

The queen continued, "From what I have gathered so far from the prince and his personal servant, he wishes to marry your daughter, Emilia Chbosky, but I'm afraid he would never actually succeed in the task of asking for her hand."

Lady Gibson almost let out a very audible gasp but steadied herself by placing a hand on her chest.

"Your majesty, I-" Mrs. Chbosky proceeded to speak but that queen interrupted her.

"Although I am most displeased at the disaster of a wedding that happened recently, I'm willing to give Miss Chbosky a chance for her excellent reputation." She said.

"Your majesty, your mercy knows no bounds. " Mrs. Chbosky said, her voice full of gratitude.

"Make your daughter prepared for the life as a princess in the next one week. I shall not tolerate any misbehaviour. I shall look over the wedding. " The queen said dismissively.

The two ladies bowed once again and left.

************
The gossips that got brewed up regarding the wedding disaster quickly died down at this new, far more exciting news.

Some brushed it off as a rumor, some said the queen had gone insane, and some, a very few number of people, felt happy for Emilia.

The departure of Theodore remained a mystery, but everybody was too absorbed with the news of the prince's wedding to Emilia to think about it. People of Mayfair loved drama, and this wedding was the perfect issue to discuss about for them.

Vanessa Kimberly was more furious than ever. Nothing went as she had planned and now that Theodore was out of Mayfair, nobody would actually care about his scandal.

She knew she had to have another plan, that would ruin the chance of the wedding forever.

If she could not get the prince, nobody would.