CHAPTER 003: Curiosity killed the cat (2)

'Thank you Count Elion for your deed. I am forever in your debt.' Beatrice taught to herself before letting go of her daughter.

"Your Majesty, I have finished all of the paper works requiring your immediate attention." Veronica said as she cleans her and Beatrice's table.

Bernice nodded with a small smile, "Thank you for your help as always, Veronica."

"You two can already go rest in your quarters, I still have something else I need to attend to."

Beatrice is hesitant at first but she remembered that this is usual time for attending an important gathering. Whatever it is, only a few people knows.

"Alright, be careful on your way Veronica." She gave her a reassuring smile before leaving the office.

…

Beatrice is carrying her sleeping child in her arms with great care. When she arrived in her chambers, she was surprised seeing that Madame Roxanne is there, standing near the moonlit window and holding Bernice's thick history book.

"Your Majesty, I apologize for my tardiness. I should have picked up Princess Bernice much sooner." Madame Roxanne curtsied before speaking.

Beatrice just nodded at her in return, "no, it is alright. Although the way of how she learned it was harsh, I think this is better this way instead of keeping her in the dark."

Madame Roxanne was baffled at her master's words and it was hinted in her expression. She let out a faint gasp out of realization. "Your Majesty, you don't mean…"

Beatrice placed her daughter in her bed before sighing out of exhaustion.

"I don't know what to do anymore. Problems are emerging left and right. And Bernice's birthday is coming up within a month. With the birth of the eldest son of the Empress Consort, our standing and safety within the palace is in danger." She spoke out while looking at her daughter who is deeply asleep.

She stares at her precious daughter with extreme affection and care she could give more than she could give to herself, and Madame Roxanne was very aware of that. She is aware that she is willing to anything to make her daughter live the best life she could experience. To her, that is a power of a mother's love can do for her own flesh and blood.

Is Beatrice's love have no limits or is she already reached her limit a long time ago?

Beatrice were stroking her daughter cheeks and hair for a few moments before Madame Roxanne noticed teardrops that is in the bedsheets.

"Your Majesty…?"

She placed her hands in her face to block her eyes that won't stop from dropping tears. Out of concern, Madame Roxanne pulled her into a hug. Beatrice broke out from her embrace and put down her hands, revealing her eyes full of misery and helplessness.

"What should I do, Roxanne? Is there anything a good-for-nothing mother like me can do for my daughter? I don't want her to experience all the tragedies that I have been through..." She pleads in the middle of her weeps.

Madame Roxanne couldn't give a response as she doesn't know the answer either. All she can do as of now is to let her master cry her out until she calms down.

"Please rest assured Your Majesty, my loyalty will remain to you and to Princess Bernice as long as I am alive." She says as she pulls Beatrice into a warm hug. The Empress grinned and thanked her wholeheartedly.

 'I swear upon the name of Lord Ureus'

"Since the Princess is already asleep in your chambers, then I shall not take her back to her own for the rest of the night. I shall come back tomorrow to fetch her."

"Hmm. You have my outmost gratitude, Roxanne."

Roxanne bowed to her before exiting her chambers.

…

The next day came, Beatrice unfortunately had to go to the meeting room right away for a scheduled meeting about the Empress Consort's and her son's legitimacy and education, and other minor issues. Bernice kept convincing her mother not to go but is unsuccessful in the end. But Beatrice promised to teach her magic in the training grounds once she is finished in her work.

Beatrice is on her way now to the meeting room along with Veronica holding some thick pieces of documents needed.

Beatrice turned to her aide and saw how the thick papers of documents is blocking her field of vision. "Do you need help with them Veronica?" 

Her aide just smiled in return while adjusting her posture, "There's no need for you to carry them Your Highness. These piles of documents are nothing compared to the equipments I am using in my regular training."

"Alright if you say so," Beatrice just sighed in amusement and continued their walk.

While the two of them are happily chatting with random topics, they halted at their tracks when they met the Empress Consort with her full glory, along with what she assumed her lady-in-waiting.

The Empress Consort wore a very elegant full length gown, wore light but shiny accessories, and also holds an intricately designed fan to which she closed that showed the half of her face.

Adelaide and her lady-in-waiting curtsied to Beatrice and greeted her in a gentle manner. "Greetings to the benevolent and luminous moon of the Gryphon Empire, Empress Beatrice." The both of them leaned back to face her again.

"I assume you are also going now to the meeting room now, is it not? Emperor Fabian asked me to go also for me to know what it is like to be in a meeting first hand." The Empress Consort stated with her soft smile never fading in her face.

"Influunt motus."

But in Beatrice's perspective, in her beautiful and youthful face, there so much emotion already flowing out from her. Entitlement, pride, confidence, contempt, hatred, anxiousness, belittlement, and wariness. All of these were shown in a variety of colors. The darker the shade is, the more negative it is, and the lighter the shade is, the more positive it is. All of these intense emotions she can see and feel is all because of her wind magic technique.

She secretly used a technique for her to know if she has any ulterior motives against her or her daughter. Half of it was reason, and the other half is her own pure curiosity. And upon knowing what they are, she seemed at lost as to what judgement she gives to them. 

Deciding not to comment about this, she opted to just converse with her as normal as possible.

"Yes, you are right. I did not know that the Emperor permitted you to come along as well. I hope you will not grow bored during the meeting."

Adelaide just nodded and hummed. "Of course not, I am about to have lessons after all. I cannot afford to fail the Emperor no matter what."

"Your determination is truly commendable, Lady Adelaide. If it comes down to it, then I must step up my game in order to keep up to you."

Beatrice and Adelaide just chuckled in a rather suspicious way. If some outsider sees this, they might interpret it as a normal conversation among royalty. But in Veronica's and the lady-in-waiting's perspective, there is a silent verbal battle happening in front of them.

Veronica coughed to catch her master's attention to which she succeeded. "Your Majesty, i-i think we are getting late for the meeting. Shall we go now?" She nervously whispers to her ears.

"My Lady, I suggest we should go to the meeting now." Claudia Slynn, her lady-in-waiting also whispered.

The both of them realized what they are doing and composed themselves again accordingly. Without any farewell remarks, Beatrice and Veronica was the first to walk away. They briskly walked past them without looking at them; especially at Adelaide. Until they cannot be seen by the eye anymore, Adelaide and Claudia moves next. Gaining a fair amount of long distance from the Empress.

Beatrice is definitely confused at that encounter just now.

'There are many times she can go ahead of time in order to avoid me. Is it just an coincidence or she purposely showed up at that exact moment in order to spite me?'