Chapter Fifteen - Part Three
Arell
I was infuriated when the footman told me that these conventions didn't apply to the baseborn within the royal family. According to the nobody servant, that had always been down to the choice of the monarch and that Alessandria hadn't left such permission.
That was when I had to take a stand. I flatly refused to take a seat with the lesser ranks and so was left to rage in my chambers at mealtimes. I had to strike at that impish Alessandria, to show her that even in her absence I wouldn't bow to her to curry favour.
The other woman, I could have to break her instead. It would demonstrate to the queen exactly what I thought of females who stepped outside the bounds of their natural roles. Josette didn't have a husband, she had no protector. She was an ideal target.
As I waited in her chambers for the woman to return from dinner, I must have dozed off. I awoke to find the damnable female sitting across from me with an amused expression on her face.
"Sir Arell? To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"
The foul temptress. What had I been planning to say? In that moment, I considered pretending to make some sort of play for Josette. She was far too old for me to take her as a wife of course. Any future bride of mine needed to be young enough to be sure of making little princes for me. But Josette might become easier to manipulate if she came to crave my touch.
The thought vanished as quickly as it had come when I saw how her smile widened in reaction to my embarrassed silence. She didn't deserve any kind treatment. I would teach her to fear me instead.
"I came here to warn you."
"Warn me?" She gave a short and somehow musical laugh. "Am I in some kind of trouble, sir?" Her hand fluttered up to her chest and my gaze followed it. Time hadn't made much of a mark on her ample bosom, it didn't seem to sag at all. I was displeased that such an unwelcome thought had entered my head.
Part one of this chapter can be found here.
Part one of Privileged can be found here.
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