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The story of a lost daughter to the queen explained a lot. I could see where the jealousy would come from. And she and I would never have that kind of relationship, it wasn’t who she was. Or who I was.
Understanding where someone had been could cure a lot of things, and while it didn’t make up for her actions, it gave me a new perspective on the pain she must feel and bear every day.
Before I had time to think any further, we were at the doors. Two guards standing outside the entrance, stiff and unmoving.
“Do I have to?” I asked once more.
The king turned to me and bumped his forefinger under my chin. “Chin up, little heart. You’re going to march back in there, keep your head high, and show everyone who you are.”
The king walked in first, thankfully leaving me to sneak in while eyes were on him and his entrance.
A hand slipped into mind and I turned.
Nicole.
“Come sit with us. No one will say a word, and you’re safe now.”
I smiled at her and followed, sitting with Brigette and Lizette like nothing at all had happened. The gossip mill was already swarming about all the horrible things they’d heard Vanessa do and say to people.
Her reputation was bound to catch up to her, especially after the king publicly admitted not believing her word against that of a feeder.
I took a few bites of food, sitting in silence. No one bothered me or asked me to speak. They let me be, safe in the idle chatter they continued to uphold while I ate. There was comfort in knowing that Vanessa may be a duchess, but she wouldn’t fool everyone forever.
When I finally dared to look around the room, I realized no one was staring at me. Everyone was minding their own business or laughing with their own friends, and whether everyone had been as disgusted as the king or not, it was not as hard to be there as I thought it would be.
Vanessa’s laughter danced across the room, louder than it needed to be from the doors that had been opened to let the night air inside.
Noah stood at her side, hand on the small of her back while he laughed with Gabe and a few other feeders.
As he sipped his wine, I tried to swallow the growing lump in my throat. The hurt, the pain of seeing him with Vanessa after what had happened was harder than I thought it would be.
Only a little longer, Cora. You can do this. They won’t take your worth.
I forced a few more bites of food down despite the nausea that stirred inside of me at the laughing couple on the balcony. Before I had to shove anything else in my mouth and force myself to sit there, the queen rose, clinking her glass.
“I believe my son has a few things he’d like to say.” She waved her hand to the side as Noah and the others strode from the balcony to the center of the dining hall.
Noah raised his glass, making a toast to Vanessa, who beamed at him like she was worthy of his praise. I noticed the applause was formal, not overly enthusiastic, and again the thought that she had been seen for who she was possibly was enough to bring me some slight joy.
“Now then, there is one more tiny detail,” Noah said. He set his wine glass down on the silver platter held next to him by one of the staff members. Unbuttoning his long blue jacket, he got down to the floor.
On one knee.
In front of Vanessa.
“Lady Vanessa Elspeth, duchess of Willowbrook, will you do me the great honor of marrying me and becoming my wife and future queen?”
