Chapter 95 I believe In You
Sandra exclaimed, holding out the newspaper she had brought to Caspian.
It contained an article about the Lady, a member of the Hisric Kingdom delegation that had been attacked at the party last night. Caspian glanced at the paper and turned away.
“You! I told you to watch yourself! What the hell do you think you’re doing? What’s wrong with you?”
“What’s the matter with you, mother. You’ve been so calm and collected in the face of worse things before!”
“What, you think that…?”
“I suppose you’ve become a bit glazed over in your old age, mother.”
Caspian smiled sheepishly. Sandra clicked her tongue at her immature son’s comment and opened her mouth again.
“Do you think this is the same as then? No! This is a foreign emissary. A handmaiden to a foreign Princess!”
Sandra shouted. Her voice was so loud it made his head ding. Her scolding continued.
“And if that’s not bad enough, her father is the Lord Chancellor of a country, and her uncle is the head of a gigantic landowning family! Did you know that? You should have picked the right man! How can you make a big deal out of such a big deal!”
“…”
Caspian kept his mouth shut; he agreed with Sandra on that one, so there wasn’t much he could say in rebuttal. This time, it was too bad.
But Caspian didn’t want to be the one to break down, so he wiped the expression off his face.
“It wasn’t me, I didn’t do it, and they don’t have any proof!”
“They are don’t have proof!”
But Sandra wasn’t having any of it, and she blurted out again.
“You said you went to the Chancellor fiancée today?”
Caspian’s face contorted into a grimace. He hadn’t imagined that the news had already reached the Empress’s ears.
“They say she testified that she saw your face!”
“It wasn’t me!”
“Are you really going to… this to the end, she had your bracelet as proof!”
What do you think you’re doing, messing with a member of the Duke of Drea’s family? An agitated Sandra lost her temper and slapped Caspian. Ouch, Caspian’s body shuddered at the spicy touch.
‘Shit… She took the bracelet…!’
Caspian gritted his teeth as he realized that his bracelet was gone. This was getting to be a pain in the arse.
Caspian immediately lowered his tail. He turned to Sandra with an innocent look on his face.
“Oh, mother, it was wrong, it was a mistake, it wasn’t what I wanted, it was that little Earl of Farren who instigated me, and I was just along for the ride.”
“Really? You mean he started it?”
If that was true, there was still a chance to save him. Sandra’s eyes, which had been dying for a moment, flashed with life. Caspian nodded vigorously in response to her question.
“Yes, that’s right, that’s why I want mother to take care of it, okay? I’ll just blame it all on Count Farren, and it’ll be clean.”
“…”
Sandra’s head began to spin as she pondered Caspian’s story. It’s a sensitive matter, and she needs to play her cards right to get Caspian out safely.
Watching Sandra’s expression change from moment to moment, Caspian was hopeful that she was close. He gave her an impatient look and continued.
“At the Duke of Drea’s party, he grabbed Lady Frida by the wrist and went wild. Many of us saw it, and the Duke of Drea and his fiancée were there.”
“I see. I suppose I heard about that. Very well, then we’ll do our best to blame it on the Earl of Farren.”
Sandra’s eyes narrowed as she schemed. Caspian, meeting her piercing gaze, spoke again.
“But, uh, mother.”
Caspian hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. Sandra stopped thinking and looked at him.
“What is it?”
“That woman.”
“The woman, who?”
“The fiancée of the Chancellor Drea.”
“Why her all of a sudden?”
Sandra looked at Caspian, narrowing her eyes as if she couldn’t understand the question. He spoke carefully, keeping his voice low to make sure no one was listening.
“I’m just saying, she looks like someone.”
“Who do you think she looks like? Who? Don’t be silly, just say it.”
Sandra urged, her voice tinged with irritation. Caspian swallowed hard and finally spoke.
“It’s Veronia.”
“What? Who?”
“Veronia. Veronia who died in a fire five years ago. Veronia, the only Princess of this Empire!”
“…”
For a moment, Sandra’s face contorted in disbelief. Is he crazy? He doesn’t seem drunk… Is he hurt, is he concussed? All sorts of thoughts jumbled in his tiny brain.
Finally, Sandra snapped out of it and screamed at the top of her lungs.
“What does that mean, are you crazy?”
She raised her tightly curled fists in the air, ready to punch Caspian at any moment.
“I swear! She seemed to know something… about my past, and not in a good way.”
At Caspian’s words, Sandra sighed heavily.
“Cut the crap, if she knows about your past, half the nobility in the Empire knows about it, and they’re all just shrugging it off.”
“…”
“So cut the crap and start thinking about how you’re going to get out of this!”
“You only figure out how to get out of something if there’s something to get out of. Nothing’s happened, so why are you still making such a big deal out of it?”
Buk, Buk! Sandra’s fist landed solidly on Caspian’s back.
***
“Mum! Duke! Hello!”
The first to greet Veronia and Killion upon their return to the manor was Jediel. The child’s clear voice and broad smile washed away all the tiredness of the day.
“How are you today, Jediel? What have you been doing?”
“I painted with grandma. She’s a really good painter, and I want to be just like her!”
“Then you’ll have to practice a lot!”
Killion said with a big smile, and Jediel nodded vigorously.
“Yes! Grandma said she’ll help me practice!”
“Oh, that’s great! Thank to grandmother, did you say thank you?”
Veronia asked Jediel , but it was her godmother who answered, not Jediel.
“Oh, yes, of course. My Jediel is a good child and always says thank you.”
“Grandma!”
Jediel scurried over to her at the godmother’s appearance. Children’s senses, Veronia thought. The way they instantly recognized the most senior member of the house and were so affectionate.
“I’m just about to eat,” she said, “and if you haven’t eaten, I’ll join you.”
Killion and Veronia nodded in unison at their godmother’s invitation.
“Yes, that would be fine, Mother.”
“Yes, then I’ll go change my clothes.”
“Good. Take your time.”
The godmother led Jediel back to the dining room, while Veronia and Killion headed for their second-floor bedroom. Veronia’s smile never left her lips as she climbed the stairs.
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
“Yes, I am, and it’s nice to know that Jediel seems to be adjusting to his new life, and that your godmother thinks so much of him.”
Veronia replied smiling. The sight of her smile made Killion’s own smile tug at the corners of his mouth.
“And it makes you feel even better that my mother likes you too, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does.”
Ho ho ho, Veronia laughed out loud, covering her mouth with her hand to make sure she was really happy. It was so beautiful, Killion thought.
“Nia, do you know something?”
“Know what?”
“That you are a very beautiful person.”
Veronia laughed, wondering how this man could say such an awkward thing out of the blue. Her cheeks quickly turned red.
“Stop being silly.”
“I’m not being silly, I’m serious.”
Killion said, taking her hand. For a moment, his blue eyes flashed with fire.
“That’s why I can’t forgive Prince Caspian.”
He spoke with a serious look and voice, his straight, dark eyebrows knitting together.
“I’m going to make him regret ever trying to harm you, and I’m going to make sure he never gets away with it.”
“I will. I trust you.”
Veronia looked up at Killion and spoke softly. Her voice was so sweet. Killion immediately added the next words.
“Oh, and of course, that means I’ll only put my fork at the table you set.”
“What? What does that mean?”
“You’re the one who found the circle of magic that traced the use of the teleportation scroll, and you’re the one who took the risk today to obtain Prince Caspian’s bracelet.”
“…”
“You’re the one who traveled to convince the other witnesses, so it’s a table you set, and if anyone tries to overturn it, I’ll stop them with a fork.”
She huffed and laughed, finding Killion’s new look surprising and adorable.
“Okay, then I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, but you’ll have to protect the table I set.”
“Yes. You have my word.”
Killion promised, kissing the back of Veronia’s hand.
***
Somehow, this time things didn’t go as easily as Sandra or Caspian had hoped. They had offended a high ranking noble of the Hisric Kingdom.
“Emperor, what is going on? How dare you put your brother on trial!”
Sandra ran to the Emperor and clung to him, pleading.
“What kind of child is Caspian? He is the second in line to the imperial throne, and this is a challenge to the imperial authority. How much contempt he must have for our imperial family to dare to think of putting a prince on trial!”
“Mother, calm down.”
Jonathan patted Sandra’s trembling hand gently.
