Chapter 013: One of Many Bad Days at Nightingale
While Esther and Anne were relaxing in the greenhouse, suddenly Helena ran up to them.
"P-Princess Esther..." Helena said breathlessly.
"You'd better take a breath before you speak, Helena," Esther said.
Helena stood still and tried to catch her breath before reporting to Esther. After she had enough, she began to speak.
"Just when I wanted to wash clothes, I saw Arthur who was fighting with the prince and princess in the garden near the King's palace," Helena reported.
"WHAT?" cried Esther in disbelief.
"You'd better get to Prince Arthur, Princess," suggested Anne.
Esther ruffled her hair in frustration. "Gosh! Why can't I live in peace for just one day? Helena, come accompany me there."
"Okay, Princess," replied Helena.
Now they both ran together to where Helena saw Arthur who was fighting with other princess and prince. How surprised Esther was when she found several other prince who were injured even though they were only scratches and bruises and the princess were crying loudly.
Even though she was already very worried and thought that Arthur would be seriously injured. The reality turned out to be the exact opposite of his expectations. Arthur instead stood calmly while holding his wooden sword and staring at the prince and princess with his cold and sharp gaze.
For a moment, Esther could breathe a sigh of relief to see that Arthur was fine. Then she immediately helped the prince and princess who were lying on the ground to get up.
Esther smiled at a prince who was the first son of a concubine named Lindsley. She tried to clean the wound Arthur had inflicted on the boy's body with her handkerchief.
"Are you all right? Please forgive my son, Prince Leon," Esther said as she wiped the blood from the scratch on the child's skin.
Beautiful diamond blue irises, soft brown hair, a sweet scent, and Esther's beautiful face made the little prince she was being treated with dissolve in Esther's deadly charm. Prince Leon's face and ears turned red.
"H-How did you know my name?" said Prince Leon haltingly in embarrassment. Esther smiled and stopped her activities and rubbed his head gently.
"I've often heard that Prince Leon has very beautiful golden blonde hair and a very handsome face. Therefore, I can recognize you."
Prince Leon's heart was beating wildly. He immediately stood frozen because he didn't know what kind of expression to make. Esther's attention immediately turned to a crying princess. She immediately hugged the princess gently and tried to calm her down.
"Princess Ariana, don't cry anymore. Now there's no fighting anymore," Esther said softly so as not to frighten the child.
Princess Ariana immediately stopped crying and returned Esther's hug.
"Very well, Madam Beatrice."
After feeling that the atmosphere was quite conducive, Esther walked over to Arthur. She tried to match her height with Arthur's height. Esther put her hands on Arthur's shoulders.
"Are you hurt, Arthur?"
Arthur didn't answer the question and just shook his head. Esther couldn't help but take a deep breath at that. Arthur looked into Esther's eyes with a guilty look. Arthur lowered his head. "Is mom mad at me?"
Esther smiled and ruffled Arthur's hair gently. "No. I'm just worried about you. Soon there will be a concubine who curses you because you hurt her child."
"I'm sorry mother."
Esther hugged Arthur gently. "No problem. If the concubine comes, then mother will be the one to deal with it."
While hugging Arthur, Esther felt someone tugging at her dress from behind. Esther automatically looked back. It turned out that the one who pulled the dress was Prince Leon.
"I'm sorry madam Beatrice. Actually, we fought because I provoked him first," said Prince Leon, who was known for his very high self-esteem and arrogance.
Esther hugged Prince Leon and gently stroked the boy's head again. "I'm very happy that you want to admit your mistake. It doesn't matter, Arthur must have forgiven you anyway. How about you two apologize to each other and make up now?"
Prince Leon immediately stretched out his right hand to shake hands and apologized to Arthur. Luckily, Arthur was willing to forgive the boy. Esther was happy to see that. At first, she thought everything would end well. Unfortunately, what she feared actually happened.
Concubine Lindsley, the mother of Prince Leon and Princess Ariana, came over with facial expressions that were very bad to look at. The concubine immediately took her two children's hands roughly.
"Prince Arthur, how can you attack my son like this? Did the late Queen Caroline not teach you how to treat other people properly and correctly? Look at you because of you my son's face became blistered like this and his hands were also badly scratched," Concubine Lindsley snapped at Arthur.
Prince Leon, who saw his mother scold Arthur, tried to calm him down. "Mother, I'm fine. I was the one who provoked his to beat me."
"Shut up, Leon! Mother is talking to his," Concubine Lindsley snapped at her own son in a voice so loud that it took Prince Leon by surprise.
"Could it be that after being treated by Beatrice, you became a child who doesn't know any manners like this? Oh my! I can't even imagine what this Kingdom would be like if it was ruled by someone like you in the future," Concubine Lindsley continued.
Esther, who was annoyed to see Arthur being shouted at like that, immediately walked over to the concubine so that her body automatically covered Arthur's body who was standing frozen to hear the screams from the concubine.
"I'm sorry Concubine Lindsley. This is all because I can't teach Arthur well. I hope you can forgive him because they are both still small. So it's very natural to get involved in a small fight," said Esther.
"Yeah, it's all your fault for being incompetent to take care of and raise a child. I can't believe the late Queen Caroline left her child to someone like you who doesn't even know the rules. Before educating Prince Arthur, you'd better study royal etiquette again properly and correctly. I'll see you later Saintess Beatrice." Concubine Lindsley immediately left Esther, Arthur, and Helena, while holding her two children.
After Concubine Lindsley had left, Helena started cursing about the woman. "That woman! How can she say that to our Lady. Even though she is known to often abuse her children and abandon her children and prefers to be active in high-class society. After all, her position is only a concubine. Very disproportionate with our great princess."
Esther was made to laugh by Helena's curse. "Never mind Helena we better go back to my palace."
"Yeah, you're right. Let's get right back." Esther grabbed Arthur's hand and started walking towards their palace. Arthur also followed him feeling guilty because Esther was scolded like that by the concubine named Lindsley.