This Princess is an Extra-Chapter 46: Mère’s Advice

"What is it?" he asked, being specific about it with quite interest.

"If you wish for someone to truly suffer, separate them from the very thing they cherish the most." she pointed to see a faint smile appear on his lips. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"You really are my savior," he said, eating rest of his breakfast quickly, he rose from his chair, "I will see you later, Mère." and left the dining room after kissing her hand.

"Once again, His Majesty visited you before Lady Seraphyne." one of the maids remarked as she entered, helping Ebrin for tea after the dining area had been cleared. "If I may say so, you truly are the most esteemed lady in the court," her tone was polite as usual.

"No, Nille, His Majesty visited Miss Agnes last night, first!" said another maid, earning an elbow from Nille. She glanced back at Ebrin, who was quietly sipping her tea. "Oh, is that so, Margret?" Nille replied with a hint of surprise in her voice.

Ebrin had found Drayce when he was no more that five. From that moment, she had taken on the role of an understanding and protective mother. Her influence had followed him through every year of his youth. And if, there was one thing that she was certain of, it was she doesn’t want that power to diminish. But his godfather had carved his own place in Drayce’s life, and now even his daughter was beginning to stake her claim. Something had to be done, Ebrin decided, letting the thought linger as she sipped the rose tea.

Drayce now sat upon his throne in the courtroom as the day’s agenda was being laid before him.

"I can’t believe he’s already made headway on the case!" someone in the courtroom spoke to other in whispers. "And it’s only been two days since the fire...."

"All right, I’m sure everyone is curious as to your findings. Go ahead, prime minister Vaelthrone." Drayce announced.

"Yes, your majesty," with that, the man presented all his findings, carefully concealing the truth that it was they who had set the fire. He had already warned the concerned nobles of the consequences should any of them dare to open their mouths in addition to Drayce’s personal threat.

"How dare they use phorus!"

"How malicious of house Roland..."

Such an easy thing to shape public opinion, thought Drayce to himself.

"His Majesty has delivered the ruling upon House Roland and all houses found complicit in the crime:

House Roland and its affiliated houses shall be stripped of all capital residences, properties, and commercial interests within the capital. They are to depart immediately to their respective estates and remain there under confinement until such time as their reprimand is lifted.

All members of these houses are bound by the same decree. None shall leave the boundaries of their estates without imperial sanction." recited the prime minister.

"Y-Your Majesty! We beg you, Sire—show kindness! Allow them to remain within the city, even under watch!"

"Please, show mercy! Exile from the capital is no small punishment!"

"We implore you, please reconsider!"

"They have served the empire faithfully for generations!"

One voice became many as the nobles pleaded on their behalf and Drayce watched them in silence.

They truly live like rats, he thought coldly. A pack that protects its own, no matter how rotten the nest becomes.

"Your Majesty, there’s must been a misun-"

"Silence! Not another word from you all. Are you implying that my investigators deliberately falsified evidence to condemn criminals? Or do you wish me to show mercy here, and teach the empire that its ruler lacks both spine and judgment?"

"But House Roland’s lord has long served the crown. Surely their past loyalty—", one of the minister implied.

"I am not-!" Drayce roared sharply as he glared at the lord, "quite finished yet, lord Elias."

"P-please continue, Your Majesty." the man replied bowing his head.

"To conclude, I am well aware of the loyalty House Roland once showed the Crown. After due contemplation this morning, I find it unjust to visit the sins of the elders upon their children."

"His Majesty is benevolent!!" few murmured.

"That is why," Drayce continued calmly, "I have decided the children shall be married into suitable houses." A smirk carved on Drayce’s face. The atmosphere in the room sank several degree further south.

The murmurs died at once, not one person in that room believed that this marriage decree was done in goodwill. These people deal with politics day in and day out, so they’re quite perceptive when it comes to these type of situations. It was binding of bloodlines to ensure more dilution of power and downfall of the houses involved.

And the Prime minister was no exception to this. He had advised restraint last night but he had never anticipated a move so calculated.

And just like that, the meeting got adjourned and Drayce left leaving others in the vast room.

Once the session concluded, Drayce was sitting alone in his office, surrounded by bundles upon bundles of paperwork stacked across his desk and spilling onto the side tables. He read through both the mundane and the critical matters his Godfather and others had already approved from the past 18 months, his expression was unreadable as his eyes moved steadily from one report to the next.

Someone stepped forward and placed a thick collection of papers before him. "These are the summaries of all reports concerning Ocerian and the nobles involved in the slave trade, Your Majesty."

Another set of papers thinner, unmarked, slid neatly atop the first. "And these are additional details Azazel has gathered."

Drayce took Azazel’s report, skimmed it in silence for about ten minutes, then set it aside. "Ralph, inform Emil to be prepared tonight. We’re going out."

"The finance minister? Where exactly?" Drayce’s secretary asked dryly, one brow lifting.

"Where else?" Drayce replied then smirked maliciously. "To the place that dared to look past my decree."

***

[Rumor Has It the Lord Was Looking for More Than Supper.]

[Bare Truth Served Hot: Lord’s Appetite Leads Him to Servants’ Hall—Unclothed]

[Silk Robes Missing, Dignity Lost—Highborn Nuts Exposed Among Kitchen Nuts]

Elinessa lay stretched on her stomach atop a broad, backless sofa with her feet swaying idly in the air. She propped herself up on her elbows and her open hair spilled freely shimmering in the afternoon sunlight. Several newspapers and gossip tabloids were scattered before her in careless disarray with there pages overlapping one another.

She was reading through them with undisguised glee and her lips curved into a delighted smile as she crunched on the afternoon snacks set neatly upon the side table within her reach.

Unbeknownst to her, a certain ball of black fur had climbed up and was now perched on the balcony railing of her chambers, watching her. Its green eyes looked like exquisite stones flickering in the light of day light.

After a few minutes, the creature finally decided to step inside her room.

"He—llo! Prin—cess," it finally broke the silence, the words drawn out and in oddly sing-song manner.

Elinessa flinched, nearly dropping the chips in her hand. She heard the voice and Eli snapped her head around in the direction of the voice but she could see no one. A chill crept up her spine and she subconciously swallowed. She sprang up and sat very still for few seconds waiting for anything. She was a coward and decided she wanted no part in whatever this was. Frightened she glanced towards the open doors and decided to bolt out.

"Wait," the creature said in a purring voice, "Didn’t you say you wanted to get out from here?" That made her stop mid-run.

"What?" she whispered before she turned fully around and still could not find any one. Swallowing hard, she reached for the nearest thing she could use as a weapon and snatched up a decorative porcelain vase from the side table, gripping it with both her hands like a sword.

"Where are you?" she demanded, "Show yourself. Now."

"Wrong from the start, meow not there," the creature corrected her gaze. "Look down... near your bed."

Slowly, when Eli turned to look at the source of the voice, her eyes narrowed when she spotted a small black creature lounging on the mattress by the legs of her bed, with it’s front leg folded one over another, it’s tail swayed lazily from side to side.

"A... cat?"

"Charmed," the cat purred, flicking its tail with lazy elegance. "Player Number One. And do put that down, won’t you? Meow.....ears have a delicate disposition, they rather dislike the sound of impending violence."

"P-puss in boots?" finding it talk, she felt like she needed to rub her eyes and pinch her cheeks just to make sure she wasn’t imagining things.

"I don’t prance around like some swashbuckling kitten. Meow..... not here for theatrics, human. And don’t get meow started on his ridiculous fashion choices," it hissed. Then with a fluid leap, it landed gracefully on her bed, padding toward the pillows and giving them a small knead. "Now, have a seat. We have a lot to discuss."