11 My dear husband...

Queen Verlina had a foul mood right after she heard how Dahlia slapped her son. It felt like a slap on her face. Even the King let her go with an easy punishment. However, as the ruler of the inner palace, she would not let Dahlia survive here. 

The servant announced the arrival of both Dahlia and Sullivan, which caused her temper to rise. She never liked seeing Sullivan's face and when she summoned Dahlia she should have come alone. 

Dahlia noticed that the Queen was furious at her. She knew how to impress the King, but about Verlina she had no idea. She was eviler than Dahlia actually read about her in the novel. She did not hesitate to give the harshest punishment to Sullivan and no one ever raised their voices, not even the King. Cold sweat appeared on her hands, forehead, and nape. She took a halt beside Sullivan, hoping he would speak up for her. 

But would he? 

"Why did Sullivan come here when you were not summoned?" asked Queen Verlina with a stoic expression on her face. "If you think you can save this insolent woman, then you are wrong. In fact, since you've come, you should take the punishment with her as well," she pronounced. 

Dahlia's soft spot for Sullivan awakened and she immediately came to her knees. "Please don't punish my husband when he did nothing," she requested. 

Ainsley walked into the chamber at that moment and laughed seeing her on the floor. "Now, Princess Dahlia knows her place. Mother, please make sure she loses her hand today, the hand which slapped me," Ainsley said as he still felt its sting on his cheek. 

"My hand?" Dahlia murmured and fear engulfed her. Were they barbarians? They couldn't cut off her hand just because she slapped the ill-mannered third son of the Queen. 

"Sullivan, why are you here? Don't tell me you want to save your wife. Well, it will be enjoyable to see you getting the punishment instead of her," Ainsley said with a smirk as he took a seat on the chaise, waiting for his mother's response. 

"I'm not here to take punishment for anyone," Sullivan said. "I am here to remind the Queen that her son deserved that slap. If she still believes in giving a punishment, then she should stop being biased and order to cut off her son's tongue as well because it was he who started it first." 

Dahlia astonishingly glanced at Sullivan. He wasn't a not-so-caring personality after all. She decided not to bow before the Queen and stood up. "If I get punished today unfairly, I will do everything in my capability to tell everyone in the capital how the Queen misuses her power. She might be the supreme lady of this inner palace, but the King is the supreme lord, who already has given us punishment," she pronounced without fear this time. It was a new kind of energy surge in Dahlia because Sullivan took a stand for her and she wasn't alone in this. 

"How dare you two threaten the Queen?" Verlina's facial expression changed into a deadly one. 

Dahlia wondered if she angered the Queen. Why were the laws so biased at this time? Now, she felt her times were better than the ancient ones. At least, the decision would be fairer and less biased. 

"Drag these two into the courtyard!" Queen Verlina ordered.

"This isn't fair," Dahlia said and she glanced at Sullivan. 

"I'm the Queen and what I say is supreme within the inner palace boundaries," Queen Verlina stated. 

Dahlia chuckled as she clenched her fists. Two soldiers came toward her and one of them held her arm. Being the black belt, Dahlia knew how to overthrow. In a swift motion, she twisted his arm and expertly maneuvered his body, causing him to collapse to the floor, leaving everyone present stunned by her agility and prowess. 

"The Queen needs to catch us first to punish us," Dahlia said and she held Sullivan's hand. Lifting her gown slightly, she dragged him along with her and ran out of the chamber. 

"Catch those two before they reach the King!" Ainsley shouted at the soldier, who was standing like a statue. The soldier on the floor stood up, wincing in pain. With a limp leg, he joined the other one to catch Dahlia and Sullivan. 

"What kind of attitude was this?" Queen Verlina muttered. Dahlia wasn't like this and she never spoke up against her. How could she change overnight? 

"Mother, that woman is a wench! I will bring her here," Ainsley said and exited the chamber in a hurry. Even the maidservants ran outside because the Queen ordered them to. 

As Dahlia and Sullivan paused in the opposite corridor, Dahlia vented her frustration. "She's insane! I can't fathom who appointed her queen," she lamented, locking eyes with Sullivan.

"That's odd," Sullivan remarked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"What's odd?" Dahlia inquired, puzzled by his reaction.

"You. You weren't violent," Sullivan pointed out, still catching his breath from the run they had.

"They're here!" a soldier exclaimed, interrupting their conversation.

Dahlia's eyes widened in alarm as she turned to flee, but her heel suddenly snapped, forcing her to quickly kick off her shoes and start running barefoot. Despite Sullivan's attempts to halt her, she refused.

"We have to find the King to be safe," Dahlia gasped between breaths, her heart racing with adrenaline. 

Without hesitation, they descended the stairs and dashed across the nearest lawn. They both had their heads turned to check if the soldiers were still after them when Dahlia's head bumped against something solid and she abruptly came to a halt, accompanied by Sullivan. 

"Dahlia! Sullivan!" Crown Prince Daedric worriedly called out their names and even reached out his hand to place his hand on Dahlia's arm. 

She smiled and quickly grabbed Daedric's hand after letting go of Sullivan's hand. "Please save us from the Queen. She is hellbent on punishing us two," Dahlia urged with her puppy gaze. 

Sullivan noticed how she had held Daedric's hand, and he felt angry about it. 

"What do you mean?" Daedric was confused. 

Dahlia was quick to tell him what happened in the Queen's chamber. "The King is unbiased while the Queen is so biased. I did nothing wrong, Your Royal Highness. You also witnessed the scene." 

"So, here you are!" Ainsley's voice fell upon their ears as he slowly descended the few steps. 

Dahlia acted to cry loudly, bringing a shock to both Sullivan and Daedric's faces. "I can't believe my in-laws want me dead. Even my brother-in-law is plotting against me with my mother-in-law, the Queen," Dahlia sobbed, her voice trembling with fear. "I always thought that domestic violence was confined to certain households. I never imagined it could exist within the royal family."

She released Daedric's hand and sought solace in Sullivan's embrace, clinging to him as tears streamed down her cheeks. 

"My dear husband, if I don't survive today, promise me you'll expose Prince Ainsley's true nature. Make sure no woman marries him. If he decides to kill his sister-in-law, then he can try to kill his wife too in the future," she implored, her words punctuated by heart-wrenching sobs.