NOVEL WEB Chapter 11: Chapter 11
"How is the Crown Princess?" Seraphina asked as her maid entered the chamber.
"Greetings, Grand Princess," the maid, Ophelia, said with a bow. "The Crown Princess has regained consciousness. However, the doctor is still examining her. He said she fainted due to weakness and the heat. She isn't accustomed to the capital's warm climate."
Seraphina's lips curled into a faint smile. That explanation was precisely what she wanted everyone to believe.
When Seraphina found Portia unconscious in the royal graveyard, she carefully carried her and placed her near the Crown Princess's residence as it was a location the princess frequented. As Seraphina slipped away, Blue's loud barking had done its job by drawing the attention of maids and guards.
The Crown Princess was quickly carried inside, and a doctor was immediately summoned. But before the doctor could share his conclusions, Seraphina had skillfully manipulated him without blowing her cover and now he would only say what she wanted the world to hear.
Bringing Portia directly to her own chambers would have raised questions. The king that she wasn't ready to answer especially from the king. He must never suspect that the changes in the royal graveyard had anything to do with the Crown Princess. Such revelations, if exposed now, would create chaos that nobody was ready for.
The timing was everything. Cristiano and Portia's bond was too fragile to endure such a storm. Seraphina knew she had to plan carefully to protect them both.
"When the Crown Princess wakes up, I want you to find out if she remembers anything about what happened," Seraphina instructed. Her tone left no room for misunderstanding.
"Yes, Grand Princess," Ophelia replied. As Seraphina's most trusted aide, she understood her mistress's plans without needing every detail spelt out.
Seraphina's gaze lingered on her. "You know what to do."
Ophelia smiled. "Yes, Grand Princess. I will do as you have ordered."
When the Queen learned about Portia's accident, she immediately made her way to the Crown Princess's residence, taking charge as the head of the royal harem.
Inside, she found Portia lying weak on the bed, lost in nightmares as her soft whimpers filled the room. The sight made the Queen's expression darken. Servants and guards stood nearby with their heads bowed in silence and they were nervous under her sharp gaze.
She turned to Lily, the maid she frequently saw with Portia. "What happened to the Crown Princess?" she demanded.
Lily bowed deeply, trembling as she replied, "Greetings, Your Majesty. This morning, Her Highness said she was feeling hot. She took a stroll in the garden to cool off. Later, after the King summoned her, she dismissed me, saying she would join His Highness, the Crown Prince. She walked to the residence alone after that..."
The Queen's tone hardened. "Why did she dismiss you?"
Lily hesitated, then stammered, "Your Majesty, I wasn't feeling well myself… my monthlies…"
The Queen's eyes turned cold as steel. "If you were unwell, why was no one else assigned to her? Is it not basic common sense that your master must never be left alone? Portia, of all people, cannot afford to be without her staff's constant attention!"
Fixing Lily with a piercing look, she demanded, "Tell me, who is the head maid here?"
Lily's voice quivered as she answered, "Your Majesty, no one else serves my master. I am solely responsible for her. The others… they refuse to serve her. They are biased against her..."
The Queen's jaw tightened. She didn't need to hear more. The palace staff's mistreatment of Portia wasn't new to her. Portia's wolfless status had made her a target of ridicule and exclusion but this level of neglect crossed a line. The Queen had turned a blind eye before, thinking Portia needed to learn to defend herself but now it was clear she had been too lenient. Allowing such disrespect was a failure on her part as the head of the harem.
"Azel!" she called sharply.
Azel, her loyal knight, quickly appeared from the shadows, "Your Majesty?"
"Punish every maid and guard here for violating royal protocol," she commanded. "Then, work with this maid to help the Crown Princess choose a new staff."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Azel said, bowing before disappearing to carry out her orders.
As the Queen left the Crown Princess's residence, her icy demeanour melted into a sly smirk.
Portia, you may not have been useful, but your accident has served its purpose. No one can stop me now from removing that courtesan from the palace, not even Cristiano. If my son dares to question me, I'll remind him of his failure. While his wife was hurt and vulnerable, he was too busy entertaining that whore.
Portia slowly woke up and found herself lying in her bed, with Blue sitting next to her.
"Your Highness, thank goodness you're awake," Lily said as she noticed Portia's eyes opening.
"Do you remember what happened to you?" someone asked from the room.
Portia whispered softly, "No…" Her mind was empty, and she couldn't remember what had happened that day.
She asked, "What happened to me?"
Before anyone could respond, they heard, "The Crown Prince is here."