The Cursed King

Lady Rose Goodwin stared at Elise and sighed inwardly. "As I said, it is my duty…"

"Please, I am aware that if it weren't for me, perhaps Loriel would have been betrothed to you," Elise said. "I am a foreigner here in Summeria and if it weren't for the oath between my mother and the queen dowager, I would not be here."

Rose did not say anything at once. "...Perhaps that would have been the case, but as far as I am aware, you are here, Your Highness, and it is up to me to make sure that you are fit to rule the kingdom."

"And if I am not capable of ruling this kingdom? Or I fail to please the measurement that you or your father have laid out?" Elise raised a brow. "What would you do?"

"Then I would…" Rose bit down on her lip and stared at the princess.

"If Loriel did not care about his mother, or if you were able to persuade him, then I am sure that you can come up with a reason to revoke the betrothal between Loriel and I," Elise pushed a hair behind her ear. "I wonder if that's why you're here."

Why else would a daughter of the Prime Minister stay at Elise's side?

"Do not accuse me without evidence, Your Highness." Lady Rose glared at her. "Even I would lose my patience if you insist that I have terrible intentions. What matters to my father and I is that Summeria continually prospers under the crown of the Ashborn family."

"In the eyes of you or your father, it wouldn't be terrible at all to get rid of me," Elise murmured. "As you said, it would be protecting the kingdom or maybe keeping the power that you have acquired as a dukedom in Summeria?"

Lady Rose frowned but then crossed her arms. "Say I admit that I am doing this thing that you speak of… what would you even do, Your Royal Highness? Will you approach His Majesty when you have no evidence that proves this?"

Elise stared at Lady Rose and wondered if she could do that.

It would only probably irritate Loriel if Elise were to ask him to remove Lady Rose as her lady-in-waiting. Simple words were not enough to sway the man and Lady Rose was right. There was no material evidence.

Would Loriel just believe her since she was his future wife? Would that be enough?

"I think it will be easy enough for him to be a judge of character, Loriel knows the Goodwin family more than me," Elise answered.

Even Loriel would have understood the implications of what the Goodwins were doing, right? It wasn't simply 'helping' the future queen, but also keeping a check on Elise and seeing if there were possible weaknesses to exploit.

Surely that was a problem Loriel would seek to resolve...

Lady Rose shook her head. "Your Royal Highness, I think that if you lack the ability to properly confront me on this matter… then perhaps maintaining an air of naivete and innocence will serve you better than this."

"What?" Elise frowned at her.

"Exactly like that," Lady Rose smiled. "Keep your head low during matters of the kingdom and simply let the Prime Minister be the one to advise His Majesty. Then the two of us will get along fine. I may even leave as your lady-in-waiting once things have settled."

"So you really didn't want to be here with me," Elise only smiled at the revelations. It was barely even a day of being together but Rose already showed her true intentions. "I suppose I do look like a wearisome person to deal with in your eyes."

"You are probably beloved in your kingdom, Princess," Lady Rose said, still maintaining a dignified tone. "I simply cannot say that the same will be here for Summeria."

"I am aware of that." Elise answered. "I am completely aware that I have many things that I still need to understand in order to appear suitable as the queen of Summeria. I do not have the people's trust like you, but it does not mean that I will give up easily."

"H-huh?" Lady Rose blinked. "You're not… giving up?"

Elise shook her head. "I am grateful that you've dropped the pretenses, Lady Rose. At least it means that the two of us will no longer need to try to pretend that we like each other during private times like this one."

"How do you expect to fulfill the role of a queen, Your Highness?" 

"With you, of course." Elise smiled. "Or are you no longer my lady-in-waiting, Lady Rose? Surely you would not approach Loriel and say that you give up, right? That still has terrible implications for you."

"Terrible implications for me?" Lady Rose raised a brow. "How sure are you that it will not make you look terrible and incompetent in the eyes of many?" 

"Because I already appear as the young and pitiful princess who does not know how Summeria operates," Elise said with a painful smile. "But what happens if news of Lady Rose losing her patience becomes well-known? The competent daughter of the Prime Minister gave up despite promising to help the future queen?"

"Do you really think that would work, Your Highness?" Lady Rose frowned.

"I think I'm more than willing to risk it," Elise said. "I have nothing to lose since people already see me as incapable and someone who has to prove herself, but you, you have more to lose than me."

Lady Rose clenched her fist for a moment but then relaxed. "I see… so that is how you plan to have me by your side and make me useful? I did not think that you would resort to something like this at all."

"I do not wish to do something like this either," Elise looked at Rose deeply. "It makes me feel terrible, but if this is what it takes to be able to stay by Loriel's side and be his queen? Then I will do whatever is necessary. I leave the choice to you."

Her voice was gentle, but somehow, Rose felt it served as a warning. 

She scoffed behind Elise when the future queen turned around and left her.

'This woman is a foreigner and doesn't have anyone in Summeria. Even the king doesn't seem to favor her. What could she possibly do?' Rose balled her fists.. 'Scoff.'