A LOT OF things happened after the four seasons passed by like a blur. Tori, now taller than a year before, stood in front of Queen Aurina as she was summoned for the third time in this week. The familiar lilac walls of the queen's palace became Tori's new parlor. Ever since Tori announced to the high society that she sided with the aristocrats, the queen became more aggressive with her actions against the king. Queen Aurina's support for the aristocratic faction became the next revelations after Tori's. And now, the high society viewed the two of them as the powerful duo.
Tori looked at Queen Aurina who was sitting on her throne. Her red eyes met her familiar golden ones. "What did Prince Corean do this time, Your Majesty?"
Tori saw how distressed the queen was as the latter kept on massaging her forehead. Prince Corean became a pain for the queen ever since the fall. "Why did you do that, Lady Victoria? You should have accepted my son's feelings since he will be your future husband as you will be his queen."
Oh, so it's Tessa again.
Tori wickedly smiled while remembering the scene she saw earlier before she came to the Queen's palace. She saw the second prince's new accountant, Tessa, loitering around the queen's garden. That little pest. She must be imagining herself walking in that garden as the next queen.
It was a month before Tori's fifteenth birthday when Prince Corean asked for her hand since she was finally a debutante of the high society. But Tori discreetly rejected the second prince for the reason that her goal was not to become his lover but to become his Queen Regent, a title in equal standing with the empire's king.
Much to her dismay, Prince Corean rebelled. And as if fate was mocking Tori, he chose to pursue the one whom he's destined in the original plot.
"What did Tessa do with our rebellious prince, Your Majesty?"
Standing up from her throne, Queen Aurina nodded at her handmaidens. Like the usual, they're going to talk about the matter inside the queen's chamber. As Tori walked beside the queen, she asked again. "What happened now, Your Majesty?"
Since their distance with the queen's handmaidens was a good five meters after them, the queen finally spoke in a hushed and aggravated voice. "One of my handmaidens took an image of my son kissing that wretched Tessa."
So you did take my advice to take a clear shot of evidence against Tessa. And just like I said, you used the KONON camera. Bringing Tessa inside the royal palace is really a splendid idea huh.
No matter how irritating you are, Tessa, your pesky existence serves as the turning point that would make KONON camera popular in the high society's market. So please create as many scenes as you want because it will never change the fact that you're a sewer rat.
"I am glad that you heed my advice, Your Majesty. The KONON camera could be used in such a way."
They entered the familiar golden rose walls of the queen's chamber. The handmaidens immediately prepared the queen's favorite tea, Oolong tea, and Tori's favorite which was the Chamomile tea. The two of them sat on their usual seat facing the balcony of the room. As the handmaidens finished their task, they dashed outside the room as they were told the very first time.
"Lady Victoria, you remember our deal right?" The warning that was hidden in her golden eyes was met by Tori's innocent ones.
"I never forgot, Your Majesty. I will be the Vesta candidate of the aristocratic faction with Prince Corean as the king of my choosing."
Breathing heavily, Queen Aurina took the teacup gently. She just played with it as she gazed shifted outside the room and to the visible northern castle where the second prince resided. "That son of mine should ready for the hunt! It will start in two months and he's not as busy as Prince Lauren. I heard your sister was busily being prepared by Marchioness Susana."
Oh, Marchioness Susana. I will let you enjoy it first. After all, all good things come to those who wait. And I am patiently waiting for the time that I will crush you like I crushed Duchess Castaña.
Taking the tea, Tori chose to stay silent and let Queen Aurina vent her frustrations.
"When will we destroy that peasant, Lady Victoria? Shall I summon her and offer her treasure? Or threaten her? Why did you recommend that commoner be my son's accountant? I can see the ambition in her eyes. She's aiming for your seat."
Oh, so you are using my goal to use me now, Queen Aurina? Too bad, I am the one who does the 'using'.
Smiling her infamous sweet smile, Tori replied nonchalantly. "Your frustration is taking a toll on you, Your Majesty. I told you, didn't I? I will make your son the king of Eckrett Empire." Of course, that will only happen because of me. "And, we can deal with that rat while not soiling our hands. I mean, who is she to warrant such attention from us? She's just a pesky rat that only lives because we chose to and not because we have to." And the very fact that she's your son's destined one will threaten my seat as long as she existed. If we follow the original plot, and if Prince Corean becomes king, then that would make her a free candidate to be his first concubine.
"How? We must unite the aristocratic faction and we can only that if my son will stop his rebellious phase." Setting her teacup quite loudly, Queen Aurina looked at her with expectations.
Here she goes again.
"We don't need to do anything. After all, we can't afford to earn the wrath of the second prince. How about you leave this matter to me, Your Majesty? You know very well that I hate being threatened."
The queen saw the hidden agenda beneath Tori's smiling face. The wicked gleam of her red eyes was something that Queen Aurina could not be accustomed to. Those same eyes led to the Duchess's demise which was now imprisoned in the royal cell.
The words that Tori uttered calmed the queen's troubled heart. "I think you should go to my son. He just arrived from the academy this morning of course he's with that peasant. Go and show her how small she is."
Laughing from the queen's antics, Tori could not help herself. "Trust me. I don't need to that, Your Majesty. Is he in his usual place?"
Taking her teacup back, Queen Aurina nodded at her.
"Then, I shall excuse myself, Your Majesty." Tori curtsied to the queen right after she stood up.
Dismissing her completely by a single nonchalant wave, Tori headed out to look for Prince Corean.
"And never forgot to humiliate that peasant for me. That's an order, Lady Victoria!" The queen hinted before Tori finally went out of her room as if she did not hear the queen. Yeah yeah.
THE SECOND prince's laid-back form was the first thing that Tori saw as she arrived at the northern castle's greenhouse. The place was his solace as he's the one who took care of the plants. He once told Tori that it was the only place where he could sleep peacefully. And now, she watched him read a scroll.
His back was on her as Prince Corean sat on the bench. Good thing that he's alone.
It was Tori's plan to use Tessa for two things. The first one, Tori wanted to know what transpired before the second prince died from the great plague. She felt that somehow, Tessa's existence was more than meets the eye. In the second one, Tori wanted to use Tessa in making the queen angry. The queen now led the high society ladies both from noble faction and aristocratic faction. With her, using the KONON camera to her liking which was humiliating Tessa, Tori would be able to make the KONON camera a trending item in the empire.
But no matter how Tori justified her actions, the fact that Tessa's role was a big threat to her remained. If she wanted to become the second Queen Regent in the history of the Eckrett Empire, she needed Tessa gone for good.
Red eyes sharpened when she saw Tessa's shadow walking towards him. Tessa was clearly trying to surprise him. Not liking what she saw, Tori walked faster. Thus, she walked past through the petrified Tessa as Tori crouched down to hug Prince Corean's neck from the back.
Tori slyly slides her hands from his neck to his chest. When her lips touched his right ear, she whispered. "Are you waiting for your lover, Cory?"
Upon realizing who she was, the second prince's body went rigid. He suddenly dropped his book to his lap as he attempted to turn and was only stopped when Tori pressed her front body to his back. She was now practically hugging him intimately from the back.
"Are you meeting your concubine?" Tori glanced slyly at her back just to see a teary Tessa turned to run away from them. Unlucky Tessa, Prince Corean did not see her dramatic exit which made Tori's grin become wider.
Realizing she was only playing him, the flustered second prince pried her arms away from him as he stood to face her harshly. His blazing yet cold golden eyes met her mocking red ones. "For the record, Tessa is my lover. Your dream to become queen has long been drained since that day."
Ah, the fateful day when you confessed pathetically to me.
Crossing her arms in front of him, Tori smiled wickedly. "Are you threatening to make that sewer rat your queen?" The mockery that laced in Tori's voice made the second prince angrier.
"I am your superior so you bow down to me when I told you so, Lady Victoria."
Gone was his endearment for her. Tori's grin did not falter as she closed the distance between them by touching his lean muscles. Her red eyes never leaving his gaze. "Are you sure you want to let go of my hands? When I rejected you, I clearly told you. I can give you my body over and over again. But never my heart, no one will have it. Why can't you just accept that rancid fact?"
Tori kept tracing her fingers to the contours of his well-defined chest. His ragged breathing betrayed his emotions. "I am an obsessed person. If you want to be my queen then you need to surrender your heart to me."
Laughing from his declaration, Tori took a step away from him. At a good distance, Prince Corean saw the playful smile turned into a venomous one. "Never forget, Prince Corean Shuia Eckrett. My hands are your saving grace. Though I think I need to educate you again so I will show you how will it feels if I choose to abandon you."
Taking a step forward again, Tori grasped his neck as she whispered her words a good millimeter from his lips. "You will never be king without me, Your Highness."
The weight of her words whipped a cold shiver on his spine. Her eyes were smiling but he knew her long enough to know that she was now planning for his demise.
Performing an exaggerated curtsy in front of him, Tori gracefully left the greenhouse with her head held high.
The next time we'll meet again, you will be groveling to me as you plead for my salvation. Prince Corean, just like the Rozenreff Duchy, if I can't have you then I rather destroy you.
