The Debt Of Fate-Chapter 277: Forceful, Arrogant

Three days later, the capital stirred before dawn. Bells from every church tower tolled in celebration, their echoes rolling over the mist-veiled streets toward the palace gates. The day had come — the wedding of King Edward and Lady Elizabeth Thompson.

From the great courtyard to the inner halls, the palace shimmered with finery. Garlands of white lilies and golden ribbons adorned the marble pillars; silk draperies bearing the royal crest hung from the balconies. Nobles from every province filled the grand gallery, their jewels glittering beneath the tall chandeliers. Everyone knew that the king had placed great importance on this marriage.

It was not like any other union, for he was determined to restore his reputation and perhaps stabilize the kingdom.

The king stood at the altar, regal in his white and crimson robes, the gold-threaded mantle resting upon his shoulders. His expression was composed and proper. The courtiers whispered that His Majesty had personally ordered the ceremony to be made grand, perhaps to silence the rumors that still circled the palace and his duties.

Then came the bride. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Elizabeth entered through the great doors, her gown a masterpiece of silver lace and white satin, its long train carried by maids dressed in pale blue. A delicate crown of pearls rested upon her hair, and her face — carefully painted to perfection — wore a smile that trembled at the edges. Murmurs of admiration swept through the hall like a wave.

Yet among the guests, some eyes turned subtly toward the far corner of the gallery, where Anastasia stood beside General Ernest. Though stripped of her royal title, her presence drew as much attention as the bride herself. Clad in a gown of deep sapphire trimmed with ivory, she carried herself with quiet dignity — too calm, too poised, as though untouched by the spectacle before her.

It was her first appearance in public since her divorce, and many were curious to see her reaction. After all, marrying a king and marrying a general were worlds apart — one a monarch, the other his subject. No one believed she would feel no regret at this moment, yet her gaze remained clear.

The Archbishop’s voice rose, solemn and steady, as he began the sacred rites.

> "By the grace of the Almighty and the decree of the crown, we gather to bless this union — the bond of His Majesty, King Edward, and Lady Elizabeth Thompson."

The ceremony unfolded with all the weight of royal tradition. Vows were recited beneath the vaulted ceilings; trumpets sounded from the gallery as the Archbishop proclaimed them husband and wife, and the hall erupted into cheers.

Shortly after, Elizabeth received her crown as queen.

The hall of noble men and women bowed.

> "Long live the King and Queen!"

King Edward, seeing everyone bowed, turned to look at Anastasia. He did not want to miss her regretful gaze when she straightened. After all, this respect and honor had once belonged to her. But to his disappointment, her eyes remained calm and clear. She did not seem affected by how far her position had changed.

The king hosted a banquet in celebration of the marriage. The royal garden was set for the occasion, glittering beneath lanterns and moonlight. Music, dancing, and laughter rang through every corner. Elizabeth felt her anxious heart finally calm. Now that she wore the crown as queen, she no longer had to fear — she would shut down anyone who dared to contest her.

Mary, seated in a place of honor, could not help but shake her head. She had been observing Elizabeth since the banquet began and noticed how she carried herself — proud and haughty, her demeanor written plainly on her face, which was unacceptable.

As a queen, she should never wear her thoughts so openly.

Although Mary had never approved of her husband marrying their son to the daughter of a mistress from a fallen household — all because of a seer’s prophecy — in this moment she could not help but think Anastasia was indeed a better choice for the king.

Still watching, she caught sight of Anastasia walking beside her husband like a dutiful wife. Mary could not help but wonder if she should have done more to preserve her son’s first marriage, but then she shook her head, recalling the seer’s final warning:

> "Anastasia could be a blessing or a curse to the royal family."

Since the girl had dared to oppose the king so openly, it was better that her reputation had been ruined. Although she was now married to General Ernest, many still gossiped about her. Without a good name, Anastasia could do little within the kingdom.

Moreover, once her son’s throne was stable, the power in Ernest hand needed to be taken away so he would not become to powerful and a threat to the throne.

"Congratulations, Your Majesties," Ernest said.

Anastasia followed his lead and gave her own congratulations.

Seeing Anastasia curtsy before her, Elizabeth could not help but lift her chin in pride. She remembered those days she had to curtsy too.

"Thank you, dear sister," Elizabeth said, then quickly covered her mouth in mock surprise. "Ah, I forgot — I should simply address you as lady, since..."

She deliberately left her words hanging, reminding everyone that Duke Thompson had disowned Anastasia for her immoral behavior. A few guests nearby began to whisper about the past in low voices.

"Your Majesty, blood is always thicker than water. To treat your sister this way—" Princess Karen, who had come to pay her respects to the royal couple (and to see Ernest), could not help but interject.

In truth, she did not like Anastasia, but she spoke in her defense because the crowd’s gossip had begun to turn toward Ernest.

"Princess Karen, you cannot call her my sister. Not sure about the custom of your kingdom but moral uprightness in valued in Nixel." Elizabeth replied sharply. Since Princess Karen dared to correct her, then she would not hold back. "So, there is nothing wrong with what I have said."sge added. Her words meaning that Princess Karen lacks proper upbring or perhaps lacked right morals.

She felt a rush of satisfaction at being able to speak freely, no longer restrained by fear of whom she addressed.

King Edward frowned when he heard her tone and choice of words. Although princess Karen had correct first but she did it with grace but Elizabeth was a bit forceful, Arrogant too. if she acted this way to anyone else it would be fine but Princess Karen was still the favorite daughter of a powerful king, and peace between their kingdoms had to be maintained — especially now that Nixel faced internal strife. To say such words to her was to insult the throne of her kingdom.

Princess Karen gently caressed her stomach, a small frown on her face. "Your Majesty, what wrong has Lady Anastasia done? She was ill and made a mistake. Even His Majesty blessed and permitted her new marriage..." She paused, then added pointedly, "On the other hand, there are ladies who wander into the wrong chambers in their right senses, yet pretend to be innocent. How did we become the ones with poor morals?" She questioned with confusion on her face.

Her voice was soft, but several people heard her.

"You..." Elizabeth gasped, pointing at Princess Karen. She still remembered what Anastasia had said the last time and feared that if this topic continued, Anastasia might forget her promise to her father and spread more damaging rumors.

"Why are you pointing at me?" Princess Karen asked mildly. "I mentioned no names. His Majesty is indeed kind; a true blessing to Nixel." she had been a princess all her life and understood the act of playing with words. She did not show any expression on her face. No one could tell if she was deliberately looking to cause trouble or she had just found Elizabeth’s words unacceptable.

If there was anyone who wished for unrest in Nixel, it was Princess Karen. The more chaos there was in the kingdom, the more time her own realm had to recover from the last war. And the more incompetent Edward appeared, the greater the chance her son might one day claim a crown. She had even consulted a seer, who confirmed that she carried a son.

Elizabeth’s face flushed with fury. She opened her mouth to speak, but King Edward’s voice cut in first.

"Sister-in-law, given your condition, you should rest more."

"I would gladly rest, Your Majesty," Princess Karen replied with polite composure, "but last night my husband’s old injury acted up, and he could not sleep. It would be improper if neither of us attended, so I had to come."

Edward nodded. Since her marriage to his brother, Karen had never acted out of line. Though her words annoyed him, he blamed Elizabeth in his heart — if she had not spoken rashly, the scandal would never have been recalled.

Anastasia smiled faintly and nodded in silent gratitude to Princess Karen. Though she guessed the princess had not spoken out of kindness, her words had nonetheless restored a fragment of Anastasia’s reputation.

Princess Karen ignored Anastasia, she looked towards Ernest and see that he was looking at Anastasia she felt a bit irritated but so she went over to her mother in-law.