Free Web NovelChapter 70: Ruffling feathers (4)
"It is not nothing when a princess walks around the palace she was raised in with a tear in her dress. Don’t tell me that you missed it because the maids dressing you would have noticed this tear and changed the dress right away. Speak the truth," said Scarlet.
"I thought I had become good at mending," Alana said, touching the failed attempt to get rid of the tear. "So maybe when he said he would get me out of the palace when we were children wasn’t a lie. He is still angry that his father married my mother after his mother passed away. Giving me torn clothes is a bit silly for a king, don’t you think?"
Scarlet knew that King Luke had a petty side but since when had it become this bad? His mother’s death and the former king remarrying though he promised not to take another wife had nothing to do with Alana.
The king had been advised to find another woman so he did and Alana was the only child to come from the new marriage.
"Where is that idiot?" Scarlet asked, ready to strangle Luke for doing something so childish. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
So much time had passed yet he was still angry that his father didn’t keep his promise and took that anger out on Alana. Alana had also lost her mother and didn’t deserve this.
Alana grabbed Scarlet’s hand to stop her from going to Luke. "It is fine. It doesn’t bother me since it is so childish and I have been learning a new skill. In time I will be able to fix any tears so you won’t be able to notice. I don’t want you fighting with the king. He can add to making your life miserable."
Alana knew that if it got around that Scarlet was feuding with the king, more people would take it as a chance to speak down on her. It wouldn’t matter then that she was a Collins. Scarlet didn’t need that now when she had this man around her to help her have fun.
"I would like to see him try. Would you like to come with me?" Scarlet asked, making a rash decision to take Alana from the palace.
"I know what I offered you but we are sort of family. Remember, Penelope Collins-"
"Why do you always think the worst?" Scarlet asked, flicking Alana’s forehead with her finger. "You can stay there as my guest. The estate has plenty of rooms for you to pick one. You are welcome to stay for as long as you need. We shouldn’t stay where we aren’t happy."
"Would he allow it? Scarlet, he is trying to arrange for me to get married. I don’t want to get my hopes up when I know he will keep me here. And the others-"
"Well be cared for. Now, where is that fool?" Scarlet questioned, still on a hunt for Luke.
"Would you like me to find him, Milady?" Dawson questioned, in the mood to hunt down a king.
Alana looked behind her and Scarlet at the man she hadn’t noticed was following them. Had he heard that her dress was torn? It was embarrassing for someone to find out.
Dawson noticed the curious princess’s gaze on him and bowed to be respectful. He didn’t know if that was the correct way to greet a royal but at least he had tried.
Alana panicked when she saw the gun tucked into his pants. "I know where he is so no need to send someone for him. I can take you there."
"Don’t pout," Scarlet said to Dawson as it looked odd and he was not here for fun.
Scarlet followed Alana to find the king. It was no surprise to find Luke alone with a drink in his hand.
"Dearest Scarlet, I have been asking for you to come to me and this is the time that you choose? With her," Luke said, annoyed by the sight of the princess.
"Dawson."
Dawson followed Scarlet’s command to wait outside and not let anyone in.
"I sent you flowers to cheer you up from the divorce. Did you like them?" Luke asked, his attention going to Scarlet as Alana didn’t deserve his attention.
"The fire they were placed in must have enjoyed them. Will you not greet your sister, Luke?" Scarlet asked as she walked to the table to take the bottle from him.
"My sister is somewhere in the palace with my brother. Do not get involved with my family, Scarlet. Not after you’ve turned away from us for years. What is it that angers you now? You have that look like you want to kill someone. I hope it isn’t me," said Luke.
"Depending on what you say next, it might be you. Princess Alana will live on my estate from this day onward. I will take-"
"Don’t be ridiculous," Luke interjected, laughing at the idea. "You want to live with someone? That isn’t like you, Scarlet. Isn’t that why you and Jack didn’t get along?"
"Scarlet!" Alana called, grabbing Scarlet’s hand to hold her back.
"Don’t do something you will regret," Luke warned. "I am the king. We’re not children for you to push me around and get away with it."
Scarlet rested her hands on the table. Luke was an arm’s reach away from her on the other side. "You say that title as if it was going to scare me. I’ve lived my life hearing that the king isn’t the most powerful man in the kingdom. Do you want to test who should fear who?" She challenged him.
Alana regretted bringing Scarlet to Luke. She looked back to the door wishing Scarlet’s guard would come back inside to escort her out. Scarlet and Luke would fight each other to see who the winner would be. It was always like that.
"It’s about time that the Collins stop being so cocky. I’ve enjoyed this side of you since I knew you all my life, but it’s starting to bother me, Scarlet. Seeing how you look down upon me now when I have been kind to you. Return to the queen’s party and leave the princess where she is. I must look after her-"
"By marrying her off? I’ve known there’s been some tension between you two but never would I think it was to the point of you giving her old clothes. Now I question what else you have done in private," Scarlet said, wanting to wipe the smile from Luke’s face. "All because your father remarried?"
"If you had gone this hard fighting for your marriage, Jack wouldn’t have that little woman by his side. Tell me, did you enjoy seeing them at my ball? I thought to warn him not to bring her but you had been turning down my invitations so why bother?" Luke asked, shrugging.
Seeing Luke be a drunk fool, Scarlet couldn’t leave the palace without Alana joining her. Alana shouldn’t return to the palace until the king stopped acting like a fool.
"The princess is coming with me. She is old enough to decide where she wishes to live, but I welcome you to try to stop me. You need a reminder as to why a Collins can be so daring. You don’t like her in the palace and I am taking her so don’t get in my way," Scarlet warned.
Luke stood up to stop Scarlet from doing as she pleased but then he thought of what would happen should the two of them fight. The Collins would be against the Castros and then there were the Callhans which was a family of knights which would march to his gates for harming one of their own.
"Take her," Luke decided. "Don’t let her back in my sight."
